Website Developments

Along with the quarterly issues, the website will include additional features, including a list of upcoming classes in Norwegian weaving techniques, sources of Scandinavian yarns, Web links to information on Norwegian weaving, and upcoming museum or gallery exhibits which feature Norwegian weavings. The comprehensiveness of these features will depend on the contributions of our whole NTL community.

Future Articles

The Norwegian Textile Letter includes articles on the history of Norwegian weaving techniques, as well as articles about techniques, materials, and weavers in Norway and the United States.  The articles are intended for those who weave Scandinavian textiles, and those who study and appreciate them.

There are many types of content to add to coming issues, and authors are most welcome!  Here are some of the types of articles we are considering.

• Book reviews.  Do you know of a new book that highlights Norwegian weaving?

• Reports from Vesterheim classes.  We will include information from textile classes taught at the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.  The November, 2013 issue relates the experiences of students at the two warp-weighted loom classes taught in Decorah.  Vesterheim is not the only location for classes, however.  Would you like to write about attending at class at Becky’s Väv Stuga, or a class taught in Norway?

• Analyses of weavings from the Vesterheim collection.  Jan Mostrom will continue to inspire contemporary weavers with her series of drafts and descriptions of museum pieces. Would you like to contribute an article on weaving a particular Scandinavian technique?

• On the road : Museum and gallery reports.  A fun aspect of travel for weavers is finding fabulous textiles in museums. Do you know of interesting Scandinavian textiles in museums?  There may be notable weavings in public buildings or churches as well. There could be traditional textiles in a small museum in a rural town, or fabulous contemporary Scandinavian art pieces in national museums, in the US or abroad.

• Profiles of Scandinavian weavers, with studio visits when possible. The current issue includes an article on Norwegian-born weaver Grete Bodøgaard.  Ingebjørg Monsen from Bergen, Norway, already has three Norwegian weavers she would like to highlight in upcoming issues.

• Translations of articles from Norwegian magazines, or excerpts from Norwegian weaving books.

If you have ideas for articles you’d like to see, please let me know!  If you would like to write them, all the better. To encourage those who would appreciate extra help during the writing process, we have a buddy system available.  Two experienced writers have volunteered already to help with editing, Kay Nelson and Mary Skoy.