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!