Today we celebrated Carol Johnson’s passionate textile collecting and generous sharing of her weavings for a Weavers Guild exhibit. A good reason for a cake! Lisa Torvik took the cake decorations as cutting instructions. Next week is Jan Mostrom’s class in Swedish Art Weaves. Luckily for the students there are seven exquisite art weave pieces up on the walls in the same room as the class–perfect for inspiration.
One of the pieces has a beautiful faded color palette.
It is quite literally faded–look at the difference between the back and the front.
Watch for more photos of pieces in the current exhibit on this blog and in the next issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter, out at the end of May.
Our Scandinavian Weavers group met on April , delayed one week because of the ridiculous weekend snowstorm of the previous week. Members have been busy weaving! I abandoned my fabulous weekend workshop with Catharine Ellis for a couple of hours to meet with our group, and showed some samples I had woven and dyed. “I have to take a photo of your beautiful blue hands,” Mary Skoy insisted.
Sara Okern just finished a gorgeous abstract rug. Of course this photo, holding it up in the air, makes it look a bit skewed. Part of its beauty is the sharp geometry of the center shape, coupled with the randomness of the inner lines of color.
Judy Larson brought three wall pieces, rag rug hangings woven in monks belt. Given the extreme longing for spring among the attendees, we all were attracted to the one in the brightest pink and green. She tried out and liked the fringe tying method taught by Tom Knisely, in which each bundle drops one thread on the edge and pulls in a thread from the adjoining bundle. It gives a sharper line to the edge.
She also brought a rug woven from the new Swedish book, I trasmattas värld från a-ö. I heard about this book and Judy’s daughter in Sweden found it and sent over copies for Judy and me. Judy is doing a great job of testing the patterns, even before I get to them!
Marilyn Moore brought a beautiful wool rug and started a lively discussion of which side should be the “right” side. She solicited opinions about how the edges should be finished. Fringes? Straight edge? I think fringes won, though either would be lovely.
Jan Mostrom brought a sample pillow she made for her upcoming class in Swedish Art Weaves at the Weavers Guild in May. !!!
She finished the back in the method she learned in Sweden last year. The opening is often closed with large hooks and eyes, but braid is also used. She made the fringe using the traditional two-person Swedish fringe-making technique. The second person was her loving husband Mike, who spent two hours on that project. What a guy.
Jan also brought in a fortuitous eBay find, a lovely Swedish dukagång piece. One beautiful aspect was the slight variegation of color in the pattern yarns.
A pop-up exhibit of wonderful Scandinavian weavings is up on the gallery walls of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, through June (exact date TBD), due to the generosity of a Minneapolis collector.
Carol Johnson is friend of many members of our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, a fellow traveler on the Vesterheim Textile Tours. She has been collecting Scandinavian textiles for the last 40 years. Earlier she purchased her treasures at auctions and from antique dealers, especially Suzanne Kramer in Wisconsin, who specializes in Scandinavian antiques. In more recent years she has tracked eBay and scored many treasures.
A while back, Carol offered to show her textiles to the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, and on April 2 we took her up on her offer. The week before, Mary Skoy and I visited her home to choose a selection for viewing. We were truly stunned at the extent of her collection as we looked around at weavings stacked on tables, over railings, on display racks, and in archival boxes. We didn’t even see any of her pieces in her tablecloth and woven curtains collections. She has many tapestries, generally smaller in size; those will be described and displayed at a future Weavers Guild event.
Carol shared with our group at a small gathering on April 2. Because we wanted to give other members of the Weavers Guild the opportunity to relish these weavings, we were happy that Carol was willing to lend us many pieces to put up on display.
Over the next month, I will be examining the 28 pieces and make either separate labels or a listing. There will be additional posts on this blog. I will write a substantial article about Carol and her collection for the issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter, coming out in early May, when you can learn about the stories behind some of the weavings.
Even without labels, the collection is a visual delight and an inspiration for weavers. Be sure to check it out at the Weavers Guild in the next couple of months. However, always check ahead before visiting, as the gallery walls are in a classroom and may not be available to visitors during a weaving class.
As a teaser, here are photos of the walls with the weavings.
Much of our time at the March meeting of the Scandinavian Weavers was taken up with discussion of our upcoming group project on a loom at the Weavers Guild: skilbragd. There was also satisfying show and tell time. Phyllis Waggoner brought a t-shirt rug with cool hems, a piece of her own design.
Melba Granlund made the sampler she wove in Sweden last summer into a wonderful pillow. The techniques in the Swedish art weaves sampler are from the book Heirlooms of Skåne: Weaving Techniques, available from Vavstuga, http://store.vavstuga.com/product/book-johaheirlo.html
Following Jan Mostrom’s class, Marilyn Moore wove a danskbrogd sampler (and is planning her next piece).
Kristin Lawson brought the piece that she made in Jan’s Danskbrogd class, and another that she made after the class.
The designs on the piece below were inspired by a wonderful Japanese weaver whose blog is here.
The weather gods were with us this month, as the 12 inches of snow held off until the day after our Scandinavian Weavers meeting.
Jan Mostrom brought two books on Swedish weaving. She purchased the beautiful and huge Swedish Textile Art: The Khalili Collection, by Viveka Hansen, online. What’s the best thing about the book, I asked. The pictures. When she took the Swedish art weaves class in Sweden last summer, that book was in the classroom, and the students used it to pick out design elements for their samplers. If you look for this book online, note that there are English and Swedish editions.
In talking about buying weaving and textile books, Patty Johnson advised, “When a weaving book comes out, buy it, because when it goes out of print, it will cost way too much. They do all short runs with them.” These days, out-of-print weaving books are ridiculously expensive when trying to buy them online.
Jan also brought this small book that she bought in Sweden.
We had a round of introductions, because we have so many interested members of the group that can come only occasionally. Every month there is bound to be a few people who have not met one another. We asked each person to mention the weaving technique they like the most, or if that’s too hard, maybe mention the one they like the least.
Jan Mostrom said, “The technique I like the most is the one I am currently using. But if I’m having problems, that’s the one I like least.” Jan is a fan of krokbragd and danskbrogd, and she is teaching a class at the Weavers Guild on the techniques starting on January 29, the week that traffic in the whole city might be a giant Super Bowl snarl. Janis Aune and I also said that krokbragd and danskbrogd are favorite techniques.
Jan Josifek said her favorite technique these days is baltic pickup. She said, “I like doing it so much I have to hide my loom.” She brought two beautiful pieces. The pattern for this band was from the book Patterned Sashes: The Common Cultural Layer by Anete Karlsone. The Latvian language title is: “Rakstainas Jostas: Kopigais Kulturslanis.” She got her copy from The Baltic Smith on Easy, here. Jan thought that Vavstuga may be selling an English edition when it is available.
Patty Johnson, who favors her draw loom, said techniques with fine threads are her favorites. Jane Connett said, “I like to do small stuff; I like small designs and lots of color.” As you might guess, Jane does a lot of band weaving. She’s also taken up tatting, which she likes because it is portable.
Claire Most said, “I need to have two things going.” She likes to balance the slow work of tapestry with ikat dyeing. She added about working on tapestry, “I find it difficult to be that quiet.” Claire’s latest tapestry, “Lily,” is included in the “Common Thread” member show at the Textile Center of Minnesota now.
Judy Larson likes to work in a larger scale, and particularly likes the Finnish three-shuttle technique used with fabric strips. She brought a set of three rugs from her last warp–all WILDLY different.
One of the rugs was woven with fabric from the stash of Chuck Benson, a Weavers Guild member and fabulous rug weaver who passed away last year. Judy said they were fabrics she never would have chosen, especially the addition of black, but they worked well.
Kevin Olson shared a tapestry he took off the loom recently, not quite in time for his wedding anniversary. It’s adapted from a Swedish pattern. The peonies and irises are from his wedding, and the six roses stand for the six years he has been with his husband. The figures hold a wedding certificate, which is a meaningful addition to the composition, but it was also an adaptation because weaving hands was tricky! He still has quite a bit of finishing work to do, both working in the mass of threads on the back, and figuring out how to mount it. He wove it on his recently purchased upright Glimakra tapestry loom.
Janis Aune brought the small bag made from the sampler she wove at the Swedish art weaves course she took in Sweden last summer. (Read more about the class in the recent issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter.)
The study topic this year is a continuation of Swedish weaving, and we are interested in setting up another group warp on a Weavers Guild loom. (The last group warp was dukagang last year.) We planned to brainstorm at the next meeting, but by the end of our discussion there was enthusiasm for planning a half-heddle pick-up piece (Norwegian skilbragd, Swedish opphämta). Patty Johnson has all of the half-heddle sticks already.
Our next two meetings will be one week later than the usual third Sunday; they will be on February 25 and March 25. April and May 20 are the final spring meetings.
Are you near Moorhead, Minnesota? You will want to visit the upcoming exhibition, Craft and Identity – Summer School in Norway: Learning Weaving Traditions of Western Norway, at the Prairie Fiber Arts Center, opening this Friday, January 12, 2018.
Last summer from May 9th through June 7th, four students from Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota went on a learning adventure. Alexis Anderson, Kristina Brunson, Rachel Johnson, and Alli Pahl, joined Heidi Goldberg (Associate Professor of Art at Concordia) and her daughter Aubrie (a freshman at Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo) for a month in Norway. Based in art, craft, and the connection of making and identity, the group interwove art practice, art history, and exploration of places and cultures. Visiting sites and artists in Lillehammer, Gjovik, Oslo, Osterøy, and Bergen, the group focused a week at the Hordaland Museum on Osterøy learning warp-weighted weaving techniques from expert weavers Marta Kløve Juuhl and Monika Sunnanå Ravnanger. The works in this exhibition are samples woven during the course representing traditional åkler (bedspread) designs from Western Norway, and varafeldur (Viking cloak).
The Craft and Identity group (left to right); Aubrie Goldberg, Kristina Brunson, Rachel Johnson, Alli Pahl, Alexis Anderson, and Heidi Goldberg
The opening reception will be on Friday the 12th of January, 4-5:30. The show will close on Friday February 16th. Prairie Fiber Arts Center is located at 127 4th Street South, Moorhead, Minnesota.
Concordia students working on back-to-back warp-weighted looms at the Hordaland Museum in Osterøy, Norway
If you can’t make it to the exhibit, you can look forward to a lengthy description of the trip, with many photos, in the next issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter, coming in late February.
For the new issue of The Norwegian Textile Letter, Edi Thorstensson did a wonderful job of gathering the thoughts and images of several lucky Americans who took a Swedish Art Weaves course last summer in Landskrona, Sweden. Like me, you will be sad you were not there too!
In the same issue, don’t miss the article about the enduring image of The Wise and Foolish Virgins in Norwegian billedvev (tapestry) and about Annemor Sundbø’s adventures in processing nettles for fiber. The Norwegian Textile Letter
The Winter-Spring classes at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota have been posted. I think you will have to act soon to get a spot in one of Jan Mostrom’s classes: Danskbrogd or Swedish Art Weaves. Jan is a patient and thorough teacher, and of course, a fabulous weaver. See more of Jan’s weaving here. Read much more about danskbrogd here.
Danskbrogd with Jan Mostrom
Danskbrogd is a little known technique originally found in a small area of Norway. It is typical to have bands of geometric patterns in light color spots against a dark background between bands of krokbragd or in larger designs on plain weave. After becoming comfortable weaving danskbrogd with a pick up stick on both plain weave and with krokbragd, we will continue weaving danskbrogd on a multishaft threading without a need to use a pick up stick. Knowing how to weave krokbragd is NOT a prerequisite for the class.
Level and Prerequisites: Intermediate: Requires some experience, the ability to warp on your own, and to start and finish projects.
Tuition: $189 WGM Member / $252 Non-member
Swedish Art Weaves with Jan Mostrom
Swedish art weaves are at their best in the highly decorated weavings of the Skåne area of Sweden. Dukagång, krabbasnår and halvkrabbe are woven in a similar manner using butterflies to inlay designs, but each have a distinctive look. Dukagång is made up of columns. Krabbasnår designs move on a diagonal while halvkrabbe is made up of squares like a checkerboard. Rölakan is a geometric tapestry technique that is also seen in the weavings of Skåne. Students will weave a sampler of these techniques, discuss color choices, finishing techniques and ideas for making a sampler into a pillow or bag.
Level and Prerequisites: Intermediate: Requires some experience in the subject and the ability to start and finish projects. Students must be able to wind a warp, warp a floor loom and read a draft
independently.
Tuition: $216 WGM Member / $288 Non-member
The last weekend of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota and Norway House exhibition, “Traditional Norwegian Textiles: American Reboot,” includes special programming. Afternoon with an Expert, on Saturday, September 9, from 1-3:30 pm, features Laurann Gilbertson, Curator at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Her lecture, “Warmth and Color: Traditional Norwegian Coverlets,” will begin at 1 pm. Following the lecture, Gilbertson will conduct an Antique ID clinic. Members of the public are encouraged to bring Nordic textiles to learn more about their age, origin, and function (but no appraisals). Perhaps you have inherited a coverlet or hanging, but know little about it? Maybe you bought a beautiful textile at an antique store or thrift shop and you wonder about its origins?
All those attending the lecture and visiting the exhibit are welcome to stay for the Antique ID portion, a special opportunity to see even more Scandinavian textiles.
Afternoon with an Expert: Laurann Gilbertson at Norway House
Saturday, September 9, 2017
12-3 pm: Visit the exhibition, “Traditional Norwegian Textiles: American Reboot”
1 pm: “Warmth and Color: Traditional Norwegian Coverlets
2 pm: Antique ID clinic
Location: Norway House, 913 E. Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Cost: $5; Free for members of Norway House and the Weavers Guild of Minnesota
When? 12-3 on Wednesday, August 30 and Sunday, September 3, 2017 Where? At Norway House, 913 E. Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404
As part of the exhibition, “Traditional Norwegian Weaving: American Reboot,” Lisa Torvik will demonstrate the Norwegian handcraft of firfletting, a four-strand braiding technique traditionally used to make ethereal linen hangings for windows or to hang in front of fine weavings. The braided technique was also typically used for the borders of Christmas towels.
The piece shown below is from the Valdres Folkemuseum (details here). It is appropriate to show a piece from Valdres because that is where demonstrator Lisa Torvik attended husflidsskole (handcraft school) and learned the technique.
Firfletting has been designated a handcraft in danger of disappearing on the Norwegian Husflid (Handcraft Association) Rødliste (the Red List), and a lovely short film about the technique was produced in Bø i Telemark. Moderator Torhild Aavik describes the tradition and demonstrates the technique, which goes back to Viking times. She shows a traditional way firfletting is used in Bø i Telemark, as two panels hung on each side of a window. In the film, she is reproducing a pattern from the area by looking at a photograph of an old piece. Although firfletting was largely practiced by women, that piece was made in the 1800s by Anders Spjote, a man from the area.
To finish, Torhild says, “We will be much poorer of we turn our backs on this handwork and others like it. They can bring a bit of the past into the present.” The film is in Norwegian, but instructive even if you can’t understand the dialogue. The film is here.
Here is another photo of firfletting, a piece from the Norsk Folkemuseum. (Details here)
Don’t miss Lisa’s time at Norway House, which will be in addition to the regularly-scheduled rutevev demonstration on the loom in the exhibition.
Today we celebrated Carol Johnson’s passionate textile collecting and generous sharing of her weavings for a Weavers Guild exhibit. A good reason for a cake! Lisa Torvik took the cake decorations as cutting instructions. Next week is Jan Mostrom’s class in Swedish Art Weaves. Luckily for the students there are seven exquisite art weave pieces up on the walls in the same room as the class–perfect for inspiration.
Our Scandinavian Weavers group met on April , delayed one week because of the ridiculous weekend snowstorm of the previous week. Members have been busy weaving! I abandoned my fabulous weekend workshop with Catharine Ellis for a couple of hours to meet with our group, and showed some samples I had woven and dyed. “I have to take a photo of your beautiful blue hands,” Mary Skoy insisted.
She also brought a rug woven from the new Swedish book, I trasmattas värld från a-ö. I heard about this book and Judy’s daughter in Sweden found it and sent over copies for Judy and me. Judy is doing a great job of testing the patterns, even before I get to them!
Jan Mostrom brought two books on Swedish weaving. She purchased the beautiful and huge Swedish Textile Art: The Khalili Collection, by Viveka Hansen, online. What’s the best thing about the book, I asked. The pictures. When she took the Swedish art weaves class in Sweden last summer, that book was in the classroom, and the students used it to pick out design elements for their samplers. If you look for this book online, note that there are English and Swedish editions.
The Winter-Spring classes at the 
The last weekend of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota and Norway House exhibition, “
When? 12-3 on Wednesday, August 30 and Sunday, September 3, 2017
Scandinavian Weavers Study Group 