Federation 2016, a weaving retreat in Alexandria, Minnesota, is coming up this weekend. I am giving the keynote talk on Friday evening, “From Virgins to Spaceships: A Visual Voyage Through Norwegian Tapestry.” More on that another day.
On Saturday I am teaching a short course on “Scandinavian Fringe Embellishments.” We will use the following complicated equipment to learn three techniques for making fringe.
Can you guess which implement I used to make this “fuzzy worm?”
Which one will be used to reproduce this beguiling curly fringe, shown on a Swedish textile owned by my friend Melba Granlund?
Which one would be used to make the kavelfrans (fringe) typically found on old Swedish textiles, like this one from the Nordiska Museet? (For details on the weaving, go to digitaltmuseum.se and search for NM.0051345.)
I’ll post more information after the class — for now, I have to get back to making samples!
Can’t wait to hear more.
Robbie–will you be teaching the fringe embellishment class at the guild at some point? Or privates?
Sure. I would be happy to teach it at the Guild. I am just missing the deadline to get into the formal Winter-Spring schedule. Perhaps in the interim I will teach it at my studio. I will post the information on my blog as soon as I get it figured out…
Robbie-is there any chance to learn about this wonderful fringomania online? Finally I found this object of desire – the fuzzy worm – I wonder if it’s made using the two needles stuck in wood?
Thx so much for all your postings – such a great pleasure!
Hi Beate, I’ve linked to some resources in my various fringe postings, but much of what I have developed for my classes has been through Norwegian and Swedish books, and my own experimentation. My best hint for online research is to google the word kavelfrans, and to look at the images with that hashtag on Instagram. You’ll be able to figure out a lot. There are a few ways to make the fuzzy worms, either by sewing down strips of single fringe or sewing down layers of the double-looped fringe made with a “fork” made with two rods in a stick of wood. I’ll get back to more posts about my work with the techniques later this spring, after some of my weaving projects are complete. Thanks for your interest!