When I was a girl, growing up on a farm in Bygland Township in northwestern Minnesota, wood ticks were so annoying. After roaming the woods
When Frida Hansen Sought a Tapestry Teacher
I rarely read weaving-related passages from books or articles to my husband, but this week I read him flowery paragraphs from a July 1929 issue
Danskbrogd Moose–DONE.
Finally. This moose has been hanging around on the loom too long, as I’ve been working on my billedvev and kavelfrans classes. Some of you
What is an Åkle?
It is perfectly logical, I recently learned, to occasionally be confused about the “right” translation for the Norwegian word åkle (or åklæ). It is generally,
Kavelfrans (Minnesota Style) Class at the Weavers Guild
I taught an afternoon kavelfrans class at the Weavers Guild this week. Nine creative students came ready with ideas of projects to trim, open minds
Sidsel Calmeyer Karlsen at Norway House
This summer I enjoyed a too-short visit with my friend Ingebjørg Monsen from Bergen. Afterwards she stayed with our friend Jan Mostrom, and the two
Vesterheim 2018 Billedvev Workshop (#2)
Some student stories from my September billedvev weekend workshop #2. During my workshop the weekend before, Kristen Rummelhart was in Decorah with her daughter for
Vesterheim 2018 Billedvev Workshop (#1)
I had so many feelings after teaching two workshops in billedvev (Norwegian tapestry) at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum this month. Relief! It seemed that the
Star-struck
Looking through images of Norwegian billedvev (tapestry), you will find many eight-pointed stars, utterly charming in their variety. In my Vesterheim billedvev workshop last week,
Pick and Pick: A Medieval and Modern Technique for Tapestry
With my upcoming Vesterheim workshops in mind, I’ve been studying the various decorative elements in the clothing of figures in medieval Norwegian billedvev (tapestry) pieces.
Even a Golf Vacation Includes Great Textiles
Our two weeks in Maine ended with–what else?–a delayed flight home from Boston, a dead car battery (AAA guy, “Oh yes,this happens all the time
Medieval Stock Photo?
I wove a “medieval head sampler” in anticipation of my billedvev workshops at Vesterheim in September. I looked through many images of old Norwegian tapestries
Danskbrogd Moose Disaster
I told my husband that I wasted three hours weaving the other day, as I realized my moose was not unfolding as planned. He was
Indecipherable Objects in Space
Paul Klee, Alexander Calder, and my granddaughter Maddie–these are people who are masterful at drawing and painting indecipherable objects in space, free and colorful. It’s
Swedish Tulip and Warhol Banana
While studying the tapestries in my friend Carol Johnson’s extensive weaving collection, and reading several books about Swedish tapestry, I was captivated by the flowers in
Kavelfrans Class at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota
The fall catalog of classes at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota is out, including my short class on Swedish kavelfrans. Swedish Kavelfrans – Minnesota Style with Robbie
Immersion Stripes with X: Danskbrogd #4
I brought this piece to the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah yesterday, for the annual Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition, which will
59 Tapestries: Bäckahäster
Carol Johnson’s tapestry collection includes two versions of the Swedish Bäckahäst, the river or sea horse. This mythological creature was thought to lure people to ride
59 Tapestries: Homage to the Baldishol Tapestry
Carol Johnson’s collection includes the head of a figure in the famous Norwegian Baldishol tapestry. The Baldisol Tapestry is the most spectacular historical Norwegian tapestry,
59 Tapestries: Houses and Aunts and Betrothed Couples
Many of the Swedish and Norwegian tapestries in the collection of Carol Johnson are woven by novices, probably by women learning tapestry techniques during a
59 Scandinavian Tapestries
My friend Carol Johnson, a passionate collector of Scandinavian textiles, has many wonderful tapestries in her collection. I photographed 59 the other day, and that’s
A Passionate Pursuit: Scandinavian Weavings from the Collection of Carol Johnson
When I took over publishing the Norwegian Textile Letter in 2013, I had a vague concern that it might be a struggle to find content.
Boring Gloves in a Drawer: From Unimaginative to Embellished
Today’s questions in my test, test, test mode for my North House Folk School class included whether yarns of different weights and type (plied vs
Krokbragd/Danskbrogd: A Bit About My Weaving and Design Process
I planned to write about my latest krokbragd/Danskbrogd piece once it is complete, but an in-process photo on the Facebook Krokbragd Group generated questions that
Pom-pom and Fringe Obsession
Until lately, pompoms only brought to mind children’s crafts and cheerleaders. I mark my conversion to fascination with pompoms and fringe to the Vesterheim 2013 Textile
Finally, the Varafeldur is off the Warp-Weighted Loom
My varafeldur adventure took seven months, with a long summer hiatus for other projects and travel. It began with a plan to demonstrate warp-weighted loom
The Danskbrogd Series
Five pieces are completed in my exploration of the Xs of danskbrogd. The inspiration piece was a coverlet from the mid 1850s, from southern Norway
No, It’s St. Olaf!
In my post earlier today, about Sidsel Calmeyer Karlsen’s tapestry on display at Norway House, I incorrectly said that it was in an exhibit of
