Scandinavian weaving | Scandinavian Weavers Study Group

“Deep Winter Needs the Colors of Scandinavia” (Part Two)

March 20, 2024 by Lisa-Anne Bauch Leave a comment

The Scandinavian Weavers exhibit “Deep Winter Needs the Colors of Scandinavia” is currently on view (through April 2, 2024) at Becketwood Senior Cooperative in Minneapolis. While Becketwood is a private residence, you can arrange to see the exhibit by calling the front desk at (612) 722- 4077 prior to your visit to make sure the galleries are open for viewing. We recently enjoyed a gallery talk with residents, who asked great questions about the traditional weaving techniques on display.

Sharon Moe Marquardt wove this Sami-style grene on a warp-weighted loom while on a study trip in Norway. She learned this traditional technique from Sonja Vangen and Olaug Isaksen at Lofoten Folkehøgskole in Kabelvåg, near Lofoten.

Mary Skoy was also inspired by her travels in Scandinavia. She wove this traditional-style christening blanket based on one she saw in a museum in Sweden. “Red being my favorite color,” she explains, “I knew I needed to reproduce it!” Christening coverlets were traditionally woven with protective symbols to shield the infant from evil influences while being carried to church for baptism. The coverlet is woven in three-shaft bound rosepath with cotton seine warp and wool weft. The selvedges are covered with a band, woven on an inkle loom with pick-up patterns, which also includes protective symbols. (Read more: https://norwegiantextileletter.com/article/baby-basket/)

Robbie LaFleur wove this colorful half-flossa wall hanging, called “Protection,” for the Scandinavian Weavers previous exhibit “Myths, Symbols, and Fairy Tales.” Half-flossa technique includes alternating sections of plain weave and short pile.

Lila Nelson, one of the original founders of the Scandinavian Weavers group, wove this elegant danskbrogd wall hanging, which is in the permanent collection of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. Lila did extensive research on danskbrogd and is largely responsible for bringing the technique to the United States.

Judy Larson wove this stunning rag rug called “Rippling Water.” The rug is a double binding rug in which smaller strips of multiple blue fabrics were sewn together to contrast with the navy solids. “Rippling Water” was a labor of love. “Even with all the fabric prepped and already on the shuttles,” Judy explains, “this rug took 8 hours to weave at the loom!”

On the left is another rag rug, this one woven by Barb Yarusso. The weft comes from a rug woven by her grandmother Alma Norhala, an immigrant from Finland. The original rug was woven in the 1950s, in plain weave with log cabin threading. Barb carefully salvaged and cleaned the cotton weft material and re-wove it into a new rug as her way of honoring Alma’s work and carrying on the immigrant tradition of not letting anything go to waste. Barb’s rug exactly re-creates the original log cabin threading as well as the stripe sequence. (Read more: “In Honor of Alma: A Reconstructed Rag Rug.)

On the right is “Horda 3rd Gen,” a transparency by Lisa Torvik. Lisa studied weaving in Norway and focuses her work on traditional Norwegian techniques and geometric designs. In this case, the center panel is based on a coverlet from the Hordaland region of Norway, while the motifs along both sides are abstract improvisations on traditional motifs. In 2023, “Horda 3rd Gen” won first place in the “Weaving the North” exhibit at North Suburban Arts Center as well as a blue ribbon at Vesterheim’s National Norwegian-American Folk Art Exhibition. (Read more: “Three “Generations” of an Old Hordaland Weaving Design.”)

Raanu is a traditional Finnish weave that takes many different forms. Lisa-Anne Bauch learned to weave raanu rugs from Wynne Mattila at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. Most raanus take their color inspiration from the natural world. “Polar Vortex” explores the colors of a cold winter’s night.

For more beautiful weavings, stay tuned for Part Three of this post, which will be up later this week!

Filed under Exhibits, Scandinavian weaving Tagged with cultural-heritage, fiber-arts, textile-art, weaving, yarn

“Deep Winter Needs the Colors of Scandinavia” (Part One)

February 6, 2024 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 2 Comments

Becketwood is a senior housing cooperative in Minneapolis, located in the Longfellow neighborhood on a beautiful bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Becketwood has an active fine arts committee, including several weavers. The committee invited the Scandinavian Weavers to present an exhibit in their gallery space.

Our goal was to present a wide variety of traditional Scandinavian techniques. Since we were expecting our usual harsh Minnesota winter, we named the exhibit “Deep Winter Needs the Colors of Scandinavia.” Alas, it has been unseasonably warm with almost no snow. Nevertheless, the bright colors of the weavings are a welcome sight.

Kevin Olsen, who specializes in Scandinavian tapestry techniques, wove a wreath pattern called Betrothal, traditionally woven to celebrate an engagement. “Since my husband and I had already been married for six years when I wove the tapestry,” Kevin explains, “I called mine Anniversary instead. I included irises and peonies, which were our wedding flowers, while the tulips are a traditional motif.” The six red roses stand for the six years Kevin and his husband had been married. In the spirit of betrothal tapestries, Kevin included the date and an image of the marriage certificate.

A vitrine showcases woven bands, a common element of Scandinavian folk costumes. As seen below right, Jane Connett used card-weaving to create a wide belt for a bunad (traditional costume). In this ancient technique, warp yarns run through holes in square cards. Each single card has four holes, one in each corner, and dozens of cards may be combined to create intricate patterns. After each weft shot, the cards are turned forward or backward to create the next element of the pattern.

Below center, Judy Larson wove a smaller band using a heddle or bandgrind. In this portable technique, the weaver raises and lowers the heddle to create the open sheds through which the weft passes. To weave designs, the warp strings can be picked up individually and a curved knife is used to beat in the weft yarn.

The charming tea cozy in the background was woven by Marie Nordland (1909-2000), the aunt of current Scandinavian Weavers member Nancy Ellison. Marie was a member of De Norske Vevere (the Norwegian Weavers), a group in the Weavers Guild of Minnesota that was a forerunner of the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group. She used a variety of techniques in her tea cozy, including krokbragd, danskbrogd, and rya.

*Back row, left to right: Tea Cozy by Marie Nordland, Heddle Band by Judy Larson, and Bunad Belt by Janet Connett. Foreground: Sami-Influenced Band by Sharon Moe Marquardt.*

Sharon Moe Marquardt wove the Sami-style band in the foreground using a simple tube loom. She added miniature Sami boots that she purchased at the husflidlag (handcraft association) in Manndalen, a Sami community on Kåfjord, east of Trømso in Norway, where she learned the technique.

*Close-up of Sharon Moe Marquardt’s Sami-style band, including miniature boots of reindeer leather.*

Syvilla Bolson (1928-2011) wove the wall hanging below in Flesberg technique, a style of three-shaft bound rosepath from the Flesberg region in Norway. Syvilla was a beloved member of the Scandinavian Weavers for many years. (Learn more about the flesberg technique in the November, 2020, issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter.)

*Flesberg technique woven by Syvilla Bolson*

Jan Mostrom wove the rutevev wall hanging below, evocatively named “Old Soul.” Rutevev, or square-weave, is a geometric weaving technique using single or double interlock joins.

Ann Haushild, a Becketwood resident and long-time study group member, wove this colorful hanging in Vestfold technique, named after the Vestfold region in Norway. It is an inlay technique, in which weft yarn is laid in to create the designs. (There is more on this technique in the February, 2020, issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter.)

Last year, the Scandinavian Weavers set up a group warp to weave in telemarksteppe technique. (See previous blog posts for more photos of this technique.) Kala Exworthy wove the beautiful version below in colors inspired by the natural world.

*Telemarksteppe wall hanging by Kala Exworthy*

Rya is a traditional pile technique. Marilyn Moore’s lush version below was inspired by the colors in her expansive flower garden.

Nancy Ebner wove a rutevev wall hanging called “Divine Order.” The original pattern drawing was produced in the 1930s by Linnea Kullman (Johansson), a student at Johanna Brunsson’s Weaving School in Stockholm, Sweden. Nancy discovered the pattern in the historical collections at the Nordisk Museum (via digitalmuseum.se).

Brenda Gauvin-Chadwick wove the pillow below, called “Joy Exploding,” in rosepath technique. “The pillow was woven with Fåro yarn that I purchased in Sweden many years ago,” she writes. “I carried it all over Scandinavia for weeks in my suitcase. I bought it after skiing the Swedish Vasaloppet. Two weeks later in Norway I skied the Birkebeiner race. The colors represent the forests, the beautiful sunshine and my heart exploding with joy as I skied along!”

*Brenda Gauvin-Chadwick’s “Joy Exploding”*

Robbie LaFleur’s weaving below is in double krokbragd technique. Called “The Old Pattern” it includes a sheepskin backing and fringe. (Read the full article from the Norwegian Textile Letter on the old pattern.)

Stay tuned for more blog posts featuring photos from the exhibit, which will be on view through April 4.

If you would like to visit the exhibit, please call the Becketwood front desk at (612) 722- 4077 prior to your visit to make sure the galleries are open for viewing.

Filed under Exhibits, Scandinavian weaving, Uncategorized, Weaving Techniques Tagged with handloom, projects, Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, textile-art, weaving, yarn

Beloved Textiles and Family Stories in “Domestic to Decorative”

January 22, 2024 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 1 Comment

The Scandinavian Weavers’ “Domestic to Decorative” exhibit included several heirloom textiles, which came with wonderful family stories. The heirlooms inspired members of our group to weave new versions of the same technique—in one case, to combine old and new in a single weaving—or to use their imaginations to create something new inspired by the past.

Weaver Mary Skoy next to the woolen blanket given at her great-grandparents’ wedding.

One of Mary Skoy’s most treasured family heirlooms is a simple woolen blanket. The blanket was a gift to Mary’s great-grandfather Per Mikkjelson Lønning and great-grandmother Synneva Fransdatter Kanelønning, who were married at the Lønning farm on the island of Stord, Hordaland, Norway in 1880. “The blanket was a gift from a wedding guest,” Mary explains. “The faded PL in the corner of the old blanket refers to Per Lønning. Sadly, the name of the weaver was not recorded.” Note: Mary always encourages those of us in the Scandinavian Weavers group to include our initials on everything we weave!

Mary researched the history of blankets from this era, consulting Norwegian weaving instructor and textile historian Ingebjørg Monsen. Ingebjørg sent the following information about similar blankets from that era: “The red thread is a traditional way of hemming the blanket. The colored thread is for decoration purposes, but it also makes a cover up for the hem stitches in a very nice way. The hand spun yarn in the piece is from a dropspindel. This very fine blanket I expect to have been in used in bed. Could also have been used as a tjeld (curtain) to protect from draught. The more common width of the farm loom is represented in the half width of the blanket.”

Inspired by the heirloom blanket, Mary wove a new blanket for the birthday of her great-niece. “The elements from the old blanket I incorporated are the color, two narrow lengths hand-stitched together, and most importantly the initials embroidered into one corner,” Mary says. The new blanket is also much softer, incorporating alpaca, mohair, silk, and wool—luxury fibers that would not have been available to her ancestors in 1880.

*Original blanket on the left; Mary’s blanket on the right.*

*Close-up showing the* *embroidered initials.* *Note the difference between the simple wool fibers in the original and the fluffier fibers on the new blanket.*

Beth Detlie was also inspired by Norwegian textiles: “Vegteppe was a wedding gift from my husband’s aunt to us in 1978. She told us that the weaving was done by a distant relative of mine. (My mother’s ancestors immigrated to the United States from the Telemark region in Norway during the 1850s.)” Beth’s Telemark Reflection is an echo of this beloved weaving.

*Original vegteppe on the far wall with Beth’s smaller version on the right. In the foreground is the special case holding other heirloom textiles.*

Edi Thortensson donated a simple but treasured handtowel. “The towel was handwoven around 1950 by my mother-in-law, Ellen Svensson, for use in her home in Tröjemåla, near Ryd, Småland, Sweden,” Edi writes. Inspired by Ellen’s towel, Edi wove a paradhandduk, or display towel, meant to cover utility towels hanging near a washstand.

Barb Yarusso shared two Finnish heirloom textiles for the exhibit, including a 2/2 twill linen towel embroidered with her great-grandmother’s initials. Her great-grandmother’s name was Josefiina (Fiina) Norhala. “Josefiina grew the flax, spun the yarn, and wove the towel,” Barb writes. “She gave the towel to my grandfather Eino when he emigrated from Finland to the United States in 1913.”

On the far left is the red and white towel woven by Edi’s mother-in-law Ellen Swenson and embroidered with the initials ES. On the right is the white towel with initials embroidered in red by Barb’s great-grandmother Josefiina Norhala.

Barb also has a rug woven by Alma Norhala, Eino’s wife. Alma was also born in Finland and came to America as a child. The original rug was woven in the 1950s, in plain weave with log cabin threading. Barb carefully salvaged the cotton weft material and re-wove it into a new rug as her way of honoring Alma’s work.

*Barb Yarusso proudly holds the rug she rewove using weft material from her grandmother Alma Norhala*.

Peg Hansen was also inspired by Finnish weaving. Löytyi Karannut Lemmikki (A Runaway Pet Was Found) is a vintage (over 100 years old) Finnish Rya/Ryu wall hanging from the collection of Peg’s friend Susan Sutherlund. It belonged to Susan’s grandmother Lydia Ivonen. Unfortunately, the weaver is not known.

This piece served as Peg’s inspiration to learn more about the Rya/Ryu weaving technique used in Scandinavia.

*Peg’s rya weaving on her hand-built* *warp-weighted loom.*

Kala Exworthy’s source of inspiration was a beloved quilt. “My maternal Grandmother loved making things,” she writes. “From her I learned to knit, rosmal and paint those cute plaster gnomes, which we painted red hats on and called “Nisse.” The photo below is of a quilt given to Kala by her grandmother. “I was the oldest granddaughter and was given first choice of the pile of quilts,” Kala explains. “The fabrics are from worn garments and I have always been a fan of bright colors. As a practical quilt, it has been used from day one. It’s worn and faded now but no less precious.”

*The quilt given to Kala by her grandmother.*

Inspired by the quilt, Kala wove a wall hanging she calls Memory Fragments. “The wall hanging represents not only the colors in the quilt but also the random memories that I have when I look at the quilt,” she writes. “Pictures in my head of Gram at different times in our lives, red paint on the paintbrush for the Nisse hats, the smell of turpentine and linseed oil used to clean our brushes, yarn and needles and of course, lefse with mashed potatoes, chicken and crispy sugar cookies. I loved going to Gramma Egstad’s house because there was always time to make something.”

*Kala’s* *Memory Fragm*ents inspired by her grandmother’s quilt.

For Nancy Ellison, her heirlooms come in the form of sheep. Nancy raises Icelandic sheep and other heritage breeds on her farm near Zumbrota, Minnesota. “Historically in Iceland shepherds wore a mantel or cloak woven with locks of wool to protect the wearer from the weather,” Nancy explains. “The shaggy surface is like the wool growing on a sheep.” Nancy wove a pillow and chair cushion in this technique, using gray, black, brown, and white wool from her flock.

*Nancy shaggy sheep contributed to her weaving!*

Some weavers were inspired by vintage objects, even though they didn’t have a family connection. Sharon Marquart’s From Garment to Garnish was inspired by an antique embroidered bodice, possibly Scandinavian, and an antique beaded belt, which may have been part of a Norwegian bunad (ceremonial dress).

*A visitor examines the vintage clothing items that inspired the woven motifs in* *Sharon’s From Garment to Garnish*, *seen on the wall.*

Melba Granlund wove a telemarksteppe she called Reflections. “My color inspiration for Reflections came from a stained-glass window salvaged from an old farmhouse,” she states. “It was purchased at a farm auction in central Minnesota and currently hangs in the dining room window of our “new” farmhouse a few miles away. “

*Melba’s Reflections and a photo of the stained glass that inspired the color palette.*

Although humble, these beloved textiles are still treasures, even a hundred years later. As shown in this exhibit, even the simplest textile can inspire later generations to weave on. We are all part of the fabric of history, and our own small threads can have a positive impact far beyond our lifetimes. Just remember to put your initials on everything you weave!

Filed under Blog Updates, Exhibits, Scandinavian weaving, Uncategorized, Weaving Techniques Tagged with fiber-arts, history, Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, textiles, Weavers Guild of Minnesota, weaving, wool

New Year, New Project!

January 17, 2024 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 3 Comments

A cold January is the perfect time to start a new weaving project! The Scandinavian Weavers’ latest group warp is a pattern called Kukkoladräll.

The Kukkoladräll pattern was composed by Elsa Kerttu in 1926 when she was a student at Jämtslöjds Kvinnliga Slöjdskola (Women’s Craft School) in Östersund as an assignment to create a pattern in Jämtlandsdräll. It was named after Elsa’s hometown of Kukkola, a small fishing village in northern Sweden, just across the border from Finland. A lovely version of this pattern was woven by Ulrika Bos Kerttu, Elsa’s niece, in a palette she named Cloudberry. The draft for the pattern is copyrighted by Sveriges Länshemslöjdskonsulenter and provided bytextilhemslojd.se

The Weavers Guild of Minnesota is equipped with two Glimakra looms for classes and group projects. The Scan Weavers generously dug into their stashes for the linen warp. At least 14 of us will weave on this warp, so it is quite long.

There’s nothing more beautiful than a plain linen warp. Note the slightly different colors that result from blending.

Warping is always more fun with a group! (Especially with coffee breaks.) Below, Lisa Torvik explains the benefits of pre-sleying the reed to newer weavers Holly and Beth.

Patty Johnson demonstrates how she used to warp her Glimakra all by herself – controlling the warp tension while winding on the back beam. Fortunately, Lisa is there to help.

Lisa reminds everyone to spritz the linen warp with water to prevent breakage. (Lisa does this every time she advances the warp, which she does every three to four inches.)

Lisa adapted the draft for towels and included four motifs across the width instead of three.

Lisa wove two towels in different colorways. For the first, she used 16/1 linen doubled on stick shuttles for the pattern weft and 12/1 linen for the ground shots.

For the second towel, Lisa chose to work with perle cotton for the pattern weft.

Stay tuned for more updates on this project. I like to think that Elsa Kerttu’s original design of multiple squares was inspired by the many small fishing huts in Kukkola.

If you now want to visit Kukkola as much as I do, search online for the Kukkola Tourist and Conference Board. They say the area provides natural beauty, peace, and creative inspiration. What could be better for weavers?

Filed under Group Projects, Scandinavian weaving, Swedish weaving, Travel, Uncategorized, Weaving Techniques Tagged with fiber-arts, history, linen, Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, Weavers Guild of Minnesota, weaving

Handing on Tradition

January 7, 2024 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 3 Comments

At the Scandinavian Weavers recent holiday gathering, our host Nancy Ebner shared a wonderful children’s book called Woven of the World, written by Katey Howes and illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova. The author and artist spent years researching the technical, cultural, and relational aspects of weaving in order to portray them with accuracy and sensitivity. In the book, a young weaver learns from her elder as the loom sings of fabric, friendship, and families.

One page in particular made some of us stoic Midwesterners a little misty-eyed…

All of us are drawn to the artistry of Scandinavian weaving, both in its home countries and wherever it has traveled around the globe. Some fell in love with weaving on first sight while others inherited weaving as a family legacy.

Veronna Capone is one such lucky weaver. Her Swedish maternal grandmother brought her weaving skills to South Dakota, where her brother built her a rug loom with hand-cut mortise and tenon joints and metal rockers for the beater. She wove rag rugs to help support her family and was such a prolific weaver that she wore those metal rockers down to slivers. (The loom is now in the permanent collection of a university museum but is rarely put on display because it is so large and heavy it requires four strong people to carry it.) Veronna’s family on her Norwegian father’s side also wove rag rugs but twined them on a frame loom instead of using a floor loom. Veronna says that these rugs, woven from literal rags, were “hard-use back-door rugs!”

For her part, Veronna loves the challenge of learning weaving techniques: “I have gone to many classes, workshops near and distant, textile tours, [conferences], and was amazed at the technical skills, and problem solving shown by weavers. I’ve been lucky to have classes with great instructors back east and out here [in South Dakota]. Learning different structures that can be used for other designs has been helpful. Scandinavian weaves are fascinating. As with all simple things it can become very complicated. This has been going on for 40+ years and I still have lots to learn.”

“Early last spring I started to feel it was time to part with my Glimakra loom,” Veronna writes. “And within a week or two I saw the note from Nancy Ebner that she was looking for one to buy.” Several Scan Weavers gathered to install the loom in its new home.

Like a giant Tinker Toy set, Veronna’s Glimakra arrives in its new home, carefully wrapped in an old quilt.

Nancy and Judy consult the diagram.

Veronna approves of the sunny space!

A handy frameworks holds the lamms in place for tie-up.

Tying up the lamms.

Handing on the hammer!

The loom in its new home!

By sharing our love and knowledge of weaving, Scandinaivan Weavers are part of a global community that spans generations, In the coming weeks, look for updates on our latest group projects, exhibits, collaborations, and resources. Happy New Year and Happy Weaving!

When we’re not weaving, we’re talking about weaving.

Filed under Blog Updates, Scandinavian weaving Tagged with Scandinavian weaving, weaving

“Domestic to Decorative”: Warp-Weighted Loom Demo

November 20, 2023 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 8 Comments

Thanks to Melba Granlund and Peg Hansen who demonstrated weaving on a traditional Scandinavian warp-weighted loom at Red Wing Arts on November 18, as part of the Scandinavian Weavers exhibit “Domestic to Decorative: The Evolution of Nordic Weaving.” Visitors were fascinated by this ancient weaving technique, and Melba and Peg looked their finest in their Viking garb!

Melba Granlund explains the history of the warp-weighted loom to visitors (dogs included). Melba teaches classes in warp-weighted weaving at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, North House Folk School, Shepherds Harvest, and other venues.

Red Wing Arts is the perfect space for weaving on a warp-weighted loom: Plenty of room and lots of sunlight!

The big loom always draws a crowd!

Peg Hansen demonstrates rya weaving on the small warp-weighted loom she built in Melba’s class at North House Folk School. (Notice the deer antlers.)

Any weaver who has used a warp-weighted loom will tell you the slowest part of the process is tying on the loom weights.

Yes, still tying on rocks!

Our beautiful Viking maidens!

For close-up photos of Peg’s handmade loom and the saga that inspired it, visit Robbie LaFleur’s blog post here

From Domestic to Decorative: The Evolution of Nordic Weaving

Filed under Exhibits, Norwegian weaving, Scandinavian weaving, Weaving Techniques Tagged with rya, Warp-Weighted Loom

Gala Reception for “Domestic to Decorative”

November 9, 2023 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 2 Comments

Thanks to everyone who joined us at the opening reception for Scandinavian Weavers’ new exhibit “Domestic to Decorative: The Evolution of Nordic Weaving.” The exhibit is on view at the Red Wing Arts gallery through December 24. (Please see the Red Wing Arts website for hours.)

Scan Weavers present at the reception. Back row: Edi Thorstensson, Peg Hanssen, Melba Granlund, Kala Exworthy, Mary Skoy, Lisa Torvik. Front row: Nancy Ellison, Nancy Pedigo, Jan Mostrom, Lisa-Anne Bauch, Barb Yarusso.

Scan Weaver Kevin Olsen and his Norwegian tapestry Nativity.

Special thanks to Edi Thorstensson and Nancy Ellison, who demonstrated weaving techniques.

Edi and Nancy compare weaving techniques. Edi wove a band using a hand-carved heddle, while Nancy wove rya on a Norwegian cradle loom.

Tremendous thanks to Red Wing Arts Program Director Heather Lorenz and Gallery Manager Shawn Niebeling, who championed this exhibit and made the entire experience a joy.

Scan Weavers member Peg Hansen, who regularly volunteers at Red Wing Arts, provided hospitality in her Norwegian bunad.

Members of the Zumbro River fiber arts guild watch closely while Nancy demonstrates rya weaving on her hand-painted cradle loom.

Lisa Torvik shows Mary Skoy the antique coverlet from the Sogn region that inspired her transparencies.

Scan Weavers Barb Yarusso, Mary Skoy, and Edi Thorstensson generously lent the heirloom textiles that inspired their weaving. Jane Connett’s colorful weavings are in the background.

Peg Hansen and her daughters Bitsy Joy and Rachel Hansen Morris collaborated on Tidligere Kvinner.

Kala Exworthy takes a moment to enjoy the Red Wing Arts shop. (Highly recommended!)

Filed under Exhibits, Scandinavian weaving

Telemarksteppe Project

July 4, 2023 by Lisa-Anne Bauch 10 Comments

The Scandinavian Weavers’ latest group project was weaving in Telemarksteppe, organized by Lisa Torvik. Lisa was inspired by Laura Demuth’s table runner in a 2013 issue of Handwoven magazine. Laura wrote:

“Telemarksteppe is a technique that originates from Telemark, a county located along the southeastern coast of Norway. Using six shafts and five treadles, Telemarksteppe is a three-block weave woven on a tabby ground. This three-block structure allows for more design elements than the two blocks found in monk’s belt. Another aspect of Telemarksteppe that I find especially charming is the inclusion of weft loops along the selvedges. The loops also make frequent pattern-weft color changes easy. A color that is not used for several picks does not have to be cut because its end may be woven into the selvedge and reintroduced by making a loop at the selvedge that blends in with the other weft loops.”

This was our first group project in the new home of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, the Open Book building in Minneapolis. It was a joy to work in this bright space and also have the opportunity to demonstrate weaving Telemarksteppe to visiting students, guests, and Guild members.

Scan Weavers members used a variety of weft threads in wool, linen, or cotton. The first group of weavers had so much fun that we put a second warp on the loom. Stay tuned for more pictures as their projects are finished!

*Telemarksteppe* runners fresh off the loom!

Filed under Group Projects, Norwegian weaving, Scandinavian weaving, Weaving Techniques Tagged with Group Projects, Norwegian weaving, Scandinavian weaving, Telemarksteppe, Weaving Techniques

“Scandinavian Showcase” at Weavers Guild of Minnesota

July 2, 2023 by Lisa-Anne Bauch Leave a comment

Pillow by Jan Mostrom featuring Swedish art weaves

On Tuesday, June 27, the Scandinavian Weavers Interest Group hosted an open house at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota. Guests viewed samples of work by Scan Weavers, enjoyed refreshments, and watched weaving demonstrations by Lisa T as well as students in the Weaving with History workshop. (See previous post.)

Judy setting out her pepparkakor. (Tin is for transport only – those cookies were home-baked!)

Bri helping in the Guild’s fabulous new kitchen!

No party is complete without Marimekko!

Lisa T explaining Telemarksteppe to guests.

Sharon demonstrating Munkabälte (Monksbelt).

Peg and Melba reminiscing about recent travels to Norway. Melba is warping repp weave.

Mary admiring Finnväv (reversed) by designer Maija Kolsi-Mäkelä. Scan Weavers member Mandy Pedigo researched Kolsi-Mäkelä’ ‘s work during her MFA program and owns several of her designs, which she brought to the open house. (See Mandy’s blog at http://www.mandypedigo.com/maijakolsimakela for more info.)

Rag rugs by Judy Larson (left) and Robbie LaFleur (right). (Robbie wove her rug in a class at Sätergläntan. See her blog for details.) Above left is a krokbragd weaving by Lisa-Anne Bauch. Above right is a band weaving by Jane Connett.

Smalandsväv by Nancy Ebner. The design is by Becky Ashenden at Vävstuga.

Tapestry by Jane Connett.

Swedish art weaves pillow by Jan Mostrom.

Twill blanket in wool woven by Peg Hansen in Norway.

Rosepath pillow by Sharon Marquardt.

More samples in a variety of weave structures.

Scan Weavers meetings are held monthly September through May. Contact Robbie LaFleur at lafleur1801@me.com to join the fun!

Filed under Scandinavian weaving Tagged with Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, Weavers Guild of Minnesota

December 2020 Show and Tell: A Final Blog Post

December 15, 2020 by Robbie LaFleur 1 Comment

Our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group zoom meetings during the pandemic year are going pretty well. A digital meeting will never replace the fun of meeting in person, and actually seeing the work of our members, but we’ve had good attendance and it’s fun to catch up on everyone’s weaving activities. People are even becoming accustomed to sending photos to the group email list ahead of time! During the first meeting it became quickly apparent that holding up a weaving to your laptop or cell phone camera during a zoom meeting was an inadequate sharing method. Jan Josifek started off this month’s sharing, ahead of our meeting next Sunday. She made a fabulous guitar strap with woven guitars on it. Her husband made the guitar! At last month’s meeting Jan claimed that she was such a terrible sewer and she wasn’t sure how she would be able to finish off the strap. The answer? Beautifully!

This blog was originally set up to share the activities of our group with photos, because our former email system was so clumsy. The side benefit was to share the work of our group with all people interested in Scandinavian weaving. Now that we have a better email system and it is much easier to share photos among ourselves, this blog lost its primary goal.

So thank you for your attention and interest! This blog will remain up, but inactive. If you are interested in Scandinavian weaving, be sure to sign up for notification to the Norwegian Textile Letter. When our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group has its next show, it will be covered for sure in the newsletter. I also cover Scandinavian weaving in my own blog, robbielafleur.com.

For our Scandinavian Weavers holiday card, please enjoy this sweet weaving made on a rigid heddle loom by Nancy Ellison from Zumbrota, Minnesota. The white pattern yarn is handspun from the fleece of her own sheep. A personal goal of mine is to get vaccinated and be able to visit Nancy again. I’m sure this was the first of many years I missed a trip to seen Nancy and her animals.

Happy holidays, despite this challenging year. Robbie LaFleur

Filed under Norwegian weaving, Scandinavian weaving, Uncategorized

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Scandinavian Weavers Study Group