På Barselbesøk i Gammel Tid–and Today
I found food advice for new mothers in a Norwegian textile magazine yesterday. While watching the front desk at the Weavers Guild, I looked through a number of issues of … Continue reading
Finally, Fitz Enters the Scene
There are so many excuses not to get weaving done, aren’t there? Here’s my most recent, best reason. My daughter Margaret and her husband Jeff have a new creation, Fitzgerald … Continue reading
The Exquisite Damask of Dora Jung
Dr. Thomas Sopanen, a retired Finnish botanist, recently made a name in Minneapolis when his fabulous collection, The Living Tradition of Ryijy – Finnish Rugs and their Makers, was displayed … Continue reading
But What was on the Floor?
During the recent “Traditional Norwegian Weaving: American Reboot” exhibit, I gave a tour to a Norway House board member, Kris Walseth, and fifteen of her friends. They were a great … Continue reading
Krokbragd Piece in the Vesterheim Auction
One of the series of krokbragd pieces that I wove after translating an article about a traditional pattern in Gudbrandsdal is available through the annual online benefit auction for the … Continue reading
Fun with my Friend Phyllis; Examining a Barbro Nilsson Weaving
On a lovely summer day last month, a new donated weaving to the American Swedish Institute meant another opportunity for weaving immersion with Phyllis Waggoner: admiring, deconstructing, examining, figuring out … Continue reading
Billedvev Workshop at Vesterheim
I had the great good fortune to teach a seminar at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum last week, “Billedvev (Norwegian Tapestry Weaving).” Since it was the first time I taught this … Continue reading
Is Your Man Freezing?
I’m decompressing for the day after teaching a four day workshop on Norwegian Billedvev (tapestry) at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. My friend Annemor Sundbø shared a funny video from the Norwegian … Continue reading
State Fair 2017: Wolf Fur, a Linen Weaving Tip, and Purple
To start my annual Minnesota State Fair adventure, I walked quite a ways from my car, crossing the fairgrounds and walking through some animal barns. A morning dose of interesting … Continue reading
Nice Reasons to Get Flowers
For more than a week this summer, three bouquets of flowers graced my kitchen; one compliments of my cousin who came to dinner, and two from the Weavers Guild annual … Continue reading
A New Small Tapestry Loom and Destruction in Minnesota’s Forests
The day before I put together a small tapestry loom made of galvanized iron pieces from the local Ace Hardware store, I read an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, … Continue reading
A Star Becomes a Spaceship
It’s less than a month until I teach the billedvev workshop at Vesterheim, and my stack of samples is growing. Last week I started a narrow piece, beginning with a … Continue reading
Scandinavian Fringe Embellishments at the North House Folk School
Winters have been fairly wimpy here in Minneapolis lately, without stretches of sparkling snow, so I am looking forward to traveling north in February to North House Folk School, where … Continue reading
From Mystery Ball to a Home for the Wild Thing
Last year my sister Terry was excited to give me a big ball of yarn, “already-woven yarn;” she was sure I would like it. It was a dense, heavy ball … Continue reading
Co-Curators Pop-Up Show: Robbie LaFleur
Note: This was posted on the blog of the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group, as part of a series of posts about the current exhibit at Norway House, “Traditional Norwegian Textiles: … Continue reading
Bemidji
Going to my cousin Gretchen Carew’s cabin in Bemidji is like traveling to a museum of my life and childhood. I’ve seen the same fish above the flagstone fireplace since … Continue reading
The Enduring Appeal of Billedvev Virgins
I picked up a catalog from a 1988 tapestry show at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, The Essential Thread: Tapestry on Wall and Body, on the second-hand book cart at … Continue reading
More Historical Krokbragd Inspiration
The Osterøy museum sold a fabulous krokbragd book, Åklebragder fra Jondal og kring Folgefonna by Kristi Skintveit. It’s a fabulous combination of textile history, weaving drafts, and inspiring photos. Here … Continue reading
A Monster Weaving and Warp-Weighted Looms at the Osterøy Museum
The morning visit of our textile tour group to the Osterøy Museum was filled with warp-weighted loom inspiration, just as I expected. I saw the seat-belt-strap “Monster Weaving” in person, … Continue reading
In Norway, You Don’t Look for Krokbragd Weavings; They Find You
Of the many interesting stops on the Vesterheim 2017 Textile Tour, none had a particular focus on krokbragd, a popular type of Norwegian weave structure. Yet… they keep showing up. … Continue reading
Stroll Through Kristiansand Museum with Me
Our Textile Tour group visited the Kristiansand Museum and enjoyed a wonderful presentation and tour of old buildings with Tonje Tjøtte. She apologized immediately for her bunad (folk costume). “Today I … Continue reading
A Spelsau Sheep Day: Photo Essay
On a beautiful Sunday morning in Kristiansand, our Textile Tour group took the ferry to Bragdøy, a five-minute ride away. This trip was the polar opposite of our ferry ride … Continue reading
Hørvævmuseet, for Linen Lovers
I wish that so many of my linen-loving weaving friends could have been with me at Hørvævmuseet, a linen weaving museum in the heart of Denmark. The museum is staffed by … Continue reading
Getting Fancy, 1800s Danish Farmhouse Style
Jytte Harboesgaard gave a wonderful tour at Greve Museum today. She focused on white-on-white embroidered linens, and showed how they were displayed in an 1800s prosperous Danish farmhouse. They were … Continue reading
Hedebo Embroidery at the Greve Museum, Denmark
There are no days-long courses as part of the Vesterheim Textile Tour this year, only a couple of mini-courses. The first was at Greve Museum, south of Copenhagen, in beautiful … Continue reading
Pancakes at Copenhagen City Hall
On June 14, I had the great honor of attending an opening reception for an exhibit at the Copenhagen City Hall, “København 850 år,” the guest of Ulrikka Mokdad, a … Continue reading
Traditional Norwegian Weaving: American Reboot
There’s going to be a great exhibit this year at Norway House. The idea began with Claire Selkurt, who is on the exhibitions committee for Norway House, and it developed … Continue reading
“Polar Bear, Polar Bear, Does Anyone Care?”
The title of this small tapestry (9.5″ x 15.5″) is “Polar Bear, Polar Bear, Does Anyone Care?” Surely not our current president, a climate change denier who proposes a 31% … Continue reading
Varafeldur, Part 4: One Step Forward, One Step Back
Melba wrote to me today and asked how my weaving was going; had I run out of handspun yarn yet? She has much more beautiful yarn ready. Unfortunately, I am … Continue reading
Varafeldur, Part 3
Once the warp threads are hanging from the top of the loom, and the weights are attached at the bottom, the next step is to make a chain across the … Continue reading
Varafeldur, Part 2
The warp is now hanging from my loom, and the weights are attached, after a fun day of diving in to the project with Melba Granlund and Connie LaTendresse. As … Continue reading
Finally, A Varafeldur, 2017
A weaving adventure begins this week, thanks to my friend Melba Grandlund, who thought it would be a great idea to demonstrate weaving on a warp weighted loom at the … Continue reading
A Busy Loom at the Weavers Guild
Our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group is in the midst of a group project at the Weavers Guild. We put a fine linen warp for dukagång on a Glimåkra loom. Everyone … Continue reading
April First Thursday at the Casket Arts Building
This Thursday is the monthly “First Thursday” open house at the Casket Arts Building. I’m in Studio 316. This would be a good month to stop by – there will … Continue reading
Ikat Dyeing Workshop, Day Two
On day two of Mary Zicafoose’s workshop, the students headed to their looms to weave in the dyed weft. It was tricky! Would our wefts correctly match the width of … Continue reading
Ikat Dyeing with Mary Zicafoose, Day One
In a weekend workshop with Mary Zicafoose, nine lucky weavers tried their hands creating small pieces with her signature weft-faced ikat form of tapestry. Here’s my step-by-step during this amazing opportunity. To … Continue reading
A New Weaving, and Red Bits for the Birds
I finished the second danskbrogd piece on my loom; the first was monochromatic, and I felt the need to move to COLOR. “Purple is good,” my painter studio neighbor suggested. … Continue reading
Tapestry Food Quiz
A few weeks ago I spent a magical day looking at many tapestries from the storeroom of the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum. I’m planning which ones I will use in … Continue reading
My Weaving BFF from the 1800s
While weaving this monochromatic danskbrogd hanging, I thought about privilege and luck – my own, specifically. My inspiration piece is a coverlet made in Norway in the 1800s; I loved … Continue reading
Billedvev Class Prep
I am teaching a three-day workshop on Norwegian billedvev (tapestry, or literally, “picture weaving”) at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum on September 14-17. Details here. One piece of my year-long preparation … Continue reading
A Bright Danskbrogd Hanging with a Sad Intention
In memorial to Jacob Wetterling. When I took my recent danskbrogd piece off the loom, I was was not completely happy, from a design vantage point. I finished it and … Continue reading
Danskbrogd Instruction
A weaving friend, responding to a Facebook photo of my current piece on the loom, asked where she could learn how to weave danskbrogd. Happily, there are resources in two … Continue reading
Small Tapestry, A Big Crowd
I’ve been spending time making samples for my upcoming workshop on Norwegian tapestry (billedvev), testing different setts and yarns to plan for the best combination for the class project. Last week, … Continue reading
How Long Did That Take to Weave?
I often get the question, “How long did it take you to weave one of these?” It doesn’t help that the studio visitors are looking over a whole wall of … Continue reading
X Marks the Spot
Perhaps this pillow marks the comfortable spot on the couch that beckons on a gray day. This year I developed a class on Scandinavian fringe techniques; I particularly love the … Continue reading
No Protection
A new weaving. Guns, targets, and Xs I wish could symbolize a decrease in guns available, a decrease in the gun culture. The world feels more precarious now, with an election … Continue reading
Kavelfrans
I’ve seen photos of beautiful gloves with kavelfrans sewn in an X pattern, so I thought I would try something similar; in this case, the piece will likely be on … Continue reading
Window as Ironing Board
I hate it when you have to miss a meeting and then people keep telling you how great it was. Last spring my friend Beth McLaughlin gave a presentation on … Continue reading
Pick up some Rugs in Denmark?
I love looking at the modern design auctions of the Danish company Bruun Rasmussen. There are a couple of lovely Swedish rugs up now, with beautiful details and lovely nuances … Continue reading
Dora Jung Pop-Up Exhibit — Attempt #2
(Forgive my first, incomplete, now-deleted post; some formatting issues are mystifying today.) If you are in Minneapolis, this weekend there is a terrific opportunity to see the work of a … Continue reading
More about the Billedvev Course
Boy, the formatting of the email version of the billedvev course post went crazy! Please read it online by clicking on the title, to see the photos in the right … Continue reading
