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A  Rainbow of Rosepath

The Weavers Guild of Minnesota is the largest weaving guild in the United States. Among its many ongoing activities are interest groups, which allow members to study weaving and spinning topics in-depth with others who share their particular passions. 

Longstanding groups include the Rag Rug Weavers, the Banditos (band weavers), the Whorling Spinsters (spinners) and the NOW group (new and occasional weavers). Of these, the Scandinavian Weavers are the largest group, having met continuously for more than thirty years.

Each year, the Scandinavian Weavers weave group projects on a Glimakra loom located in the Weavers Guild in Minneapolis. Group projects give weavers the opportunity to try a technique they might not be comfortable doing on their own, or might not have the equipment to weave at home. The projects allow for collective problem-solving and for experienced weavers to act as mentors, passing along their technical knowledge. Finally, it is always inspiring to see how different weavers interpret the same technique, with a wide variety of color and design choices. “I wish I had woven mine like that!” is a common refrain. Over the past few years, the Scandinavian Weavers have tackled Skillbragd, Telemarksteppe, Dukagång, Monksbelt, and the delightfully named Swedish technique Kukkoladräll.

In late 2019, we were inspired by the beautiful book Från Januariblues till Decemberröd: 18 Kuddar I Rosengång [From January Blues to December Reds: 18 Pillows in Rosepath] by Anna Östlund, an expert in Swedish Rosengång (Rosepath) technique. The book includes designs for pillows, one for every month of the year. Plans were eagerly discussed at our annual holiday gathering. 

Group members warped the loom in January 2020 and weaving began. We were planning to be done weaving by the end of April, because the loom was needed for a class. Eighteen members of the Scandinavian Weavers signed up to weave a pillow. Judy Larson was first on the loom and wove her pillow in rosepath on opposites.

Judy Larson’s rosepath pillow, the first one off the loom. Photo: Robbie LaFleur

Scandinavian Weavers coordinator Robbie LaFleur had corresponded with Anna Östlund for permission to use her draft, which she graciously gave. Anna shared photos of her latest pillows, including a black and white version with a fleece back she had woven as a gift for her mother. 

Rosepath pillow made by author Anna Östlund for her mother. Photo: Anna Östlund

At the time, Anna was planning to welcome a group of students from the United States to her home in Borlangë in the spring, curate a summer exhibit in rosepath at the Borlangë library, and then return to Vävstuga in Massachusetts to teach a course there. “But with the Corona virus spreading world wide we’ll see what happens,” she wrote.

We all remember what happened: The world changed, never to be the same again. 

As it turns out, weaving was the thread that kept us connected during this terrible time. We all learned how to use Zoom so that our monthly meetings could continue. Weavers shared photos of their weaving projects at home and encouraged each other on our message board. Rosepath was the trail we followed back to community, and our warp waited patiently on the loom for us to return. In June of 2021, the Weavers Guild re-opened and the project resumed.

We had made some modifications to Anna’s draft because we did not have a metric reed. Instead, we used a 12-dent reed and warped 498 ends of 20/2 cottolin. Since we didn’t have the yardage to weave the pillow backs, members wove their own at home or used fabric. For weft, members used a variety of wool they had on hand, in either singles or doubles, and the project provided a great opportunity for “stash-busting”– using up the yarn they had at home, rather than purchasing new yarn.

The result? A rainbow of rosepath! Nancy Ebner chose lively spring colors and added adornments including tassels. My weft colors of white, green, and blue suggested the Northern Lights over a snowy forest. Veronna Capone chose elegant cream and grey, Judy Larson wove stately blue, grey, and black and Lisa Torvik blended delicate shades of blue.

Brenda Gauvin-Chadwick called her pillow “Joy Exploding,” inspired by the beauty of Scandinavia in the winter. “The pillow was woven with Fåro yarn that I purchased in Sweden many years ago,” Brenda explains. “I carried it all over Scandinavia for weeks in my suitcase. I bought it after skiing the Swedish Vasaloppet. Two weeks later in Norway I skied the Birkebeiner race. The colors represent the forests, the beautiful sunshine and my heart exploding with joy as I skied along the breathtaking terrain.”

Brenda Gauvin-Chadwick, “Joy Exploding.” Learn more about Brenda and her piece here.

The project was an opportunity to explore the technical possibilities of rosepath. Judy Larson wove her pillow in rosepath on opposites. Others worked the same draft on their looms at home, including Nancy Ellison, who used locks of fleece from her flock of Icelandic sheep. Linda Sorrano experimented with five different types of weft yarn—Rauma Ryegarn and Prydvevgarn, Swedish Fåro, and line and tow linen—and provided helpful analysis of each. 

The rosepath project became part of a Scandinavian Weavers exhibit at the Weavers Guild called “Resterydding”—the closest Norwegian equivalent to the American slang term “stash-busting.” The term was suggested by Kari-Anne Pederson at the Norsk Folkemusum. “Rester means leftovers,” she explained. “Rydde means to tidy. Resterydding would mean getting rid of leftovers.”

The exhibit had two rules; Members had to weave a Scandinavian technique using yarn from their stash. Sharon Marquardt wove a delightful wall hanging in goose-eye twill. “I wove this in memory of my great aunt Irene, who lived in Minneapolis,” Sharon wrote. “She was a longtime member of the Weavers Guild. I inherited her loom and materials.” For the wall hanging, Sharon used Irene’s Maysville cotton warp and “her colorful pudgy handspun wool. Aunt Irene loved color, as I do. I threw in my stash of poppana strips.” 

In her email to Robbie, Anna Östlund wrote that she had seen the Scandinavian Weavers blog and that “it seems like you are a talented group of weavers having lots of fun.” Little did she, or we, know just how much fun we would have—and how following that “rose-path” would lead us through the pandemic. To follow along with our latest adventures, including group projects, please visit us at https://scandinavianweaversmn.com/

For detailed notes on several pillows, visit Robbie LaFleur’s blog here.

Vibrant Tradition: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest (Exhibit Recap)

Vibrant Tradition: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest, an exhibit including 49 traditional and contemporary weavings, opened at Norway House in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 31, 2025. For more than thirty years devoted fans of Scandinavian weaving techniques at the Weavers Guild of Minnesota have been gathering to learn from one another. This resulted in a strong community created by a shared interest in traditional Scandinavian weaving techniques and commitment to keeping our craft alive — and vibrant. The current exhibit at Norway House in Minneapolis celebrates the history and the ever-constant enthusiasm of the members of the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group. 

Each piece in the exhibit is accompanied by a QR code, which leads to information about the artist and the piece. The weavers were encouraged to give detailed background about their weavings, and because this is a study group retrospective, to write about how the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group has been important to them. All the descriptions are linked to this table: Artists and Description

Norway House
913 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
January 31 – April 19, 2025

In the center of the exhibit is a magnificent weaving in progress by Melba Granlund on a warp-weighted loom. 

People of all ages enjoyed an introduction to weaving on two Family Fiber Days on February 22 and March 22. The March event began with a group from a local retirement center, Becketwood, followed by a steady stream of families and children all day long, more than 60 in all. The Family Fiber Day demonstrators (Beth Detlie, Nancy Ebner, Melba Granlund, Holly Hildebrandt, and Peg Hansen) gave away at least 10 frame looms with shuttles so visitors could finish weaving at home.

Carstens Smith, Program Coordinator at Norway House, shared several positive comments about the first two months of the exhibit.

(Photo: Lisa-Anne Bauch blends with her weaving, Aegean Norwegian.)

Carstens also shared a story that reflects a change in audience responses to textile-related exhibits. “I have seen a tectonic shift in the attitude towards working with textiles as art. In the early 80s, I attended a gallery showing of quilts with my father-in-law. He barrelled through the exhibit, and when I caught up with him, he snorted, “I wish they wouldn’t pass these things off as art.” The people coming to this exhibit clearly recognize the textiles they see as art. They appreciate the work that went into each piece and they acknowledge the artistry. There’s no snorting here.”

I agree with Carstens, and also feel that even if textile objects are not exclusively examined as art, they can be appreciated as important cultural historical objects or examples of exquisite (and often disappearing) craftsmanship. Those are all valid reasons to be worthy of gallery exhibits.

Vibrant Tradition honors the Scandinavian Weavers’ longstanding programs, including education, mentorship, group projects, exhibits, and collaborations with other organizations. Several group members studied weaving in Norway and other Scandinavian countries through weaving schools and private study, while others have taken classes with visiting teachers at American institutions such as the Weavers Guild of Minnesota, Vesterheim Folk School, the American Swedish Institute, and Vävstuga. Several of the members teach weaving.

Our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group is a source of personal connection and sharing of expertise. This retrospective will be over soon, but plans are already underway for our next opportunity, featuring even more interactive programming.

Read more about Vibrant Tradition: Scandinavian Weaving in the Midwest in these two articles:

Vibrant Traditions on display at Norway House: A colorful tapestry of Nordic color.” Carstens Smith, The Norwegian American, January 25, 2025.

Norway House’s Vibrant Traditions — a tapestry of time and place.” Sommer Wagen. The Minnesota Daily, February 5, 2025.

Guiding Students to a Satisfying Outcome: An Interview with Christine Novotny on Teaching Rölakan

When I met Ulla Parkdal for the first time, I knew that she was holding some incredible knowledge that had been passed from person to person. It was what made me want to learn from her to begin with. In the U.S., we have a very broken and hodgepodge passage of information. So much was lost in immigration and industrialization, and a lot of new information has been built over time with the advent of jack looms and interest in weaving as hobby. The information I learned from her was special because I knew from other weavers that she had a very specific way of doing rölakan, and that the finishing technique was one they hadn’t run across in books. The factory she worked for has closed, so many of those weavers and people involved in the mill have already passed. I knew that what I was learning from her could very well end with her. With so much accessible through internet searches and countless books on the subject, it’s easy to get into a mindset that all the knowledge that exists is already documented. But it’s not! 

The distinctive braided edge of Christine’s Rölakan rug. Photo: Lisa Anne Bauch

Also, the free design and color play within her technique was really exciting to me. I love teaching classes where people are given the freedom to create their own design, because this is what drew me into weaving in the first place. It’s so easy to pick out designs from books or from historical references, and that is truly important and wonderful. But I get excited about giving students the skills to break out of that a bit. 

Rölakan is complicated! It encompasses several necessary skillsets that don’t always interact: Understanding of floor loom weaving, materials, and also tapestry techniques. One of the largest hurdles is being able to see what is “right” and what is “wrong.” It’s something that I can show over and over again, but it just takes time practicing the technique to be able to see it for yourself. The first step is noticing something looks “different,” the next step is figuring out how to change what you’re doing to accomplish the “correct” way. 

I want all students to find success in a class, but there are different versions of it. For some, it’s making the piece that they set out to make. For others, it’s just understanding the technique by the end of class. Especially in a mixed level class, I cannot fully control where people end on the spectrum, but I can do my best to guide everyone to a realistic and satisfying outcome. The last class I taught at North House Folk School stretched me to rethink some of the ways that I can get more people to that outcome, whether it’s rearranging the class to have more directed time, or coming up with verbal mnemonics that reinforce my explanations. Every class is so different! It helps me stay nimble and improve as an educator at every turn. 

Christine warping a loom. Photo: Lisa Anne Bauch

Ulla really showed me that in weaving, you just need to do what you want. I found her looseness around technique refreshing. She let me fail, fixed things for me as needed, and left me alone most of the time to figure it out for myself. She once showed me a piece she’d made years ago, and I asked, “Is this (fill in the blank) weave structure?” She retorted, “I do not know! I just do what I want. All you young weavers are so obsessed with technique and structures. You just need to come up with what you want to make, and then figure out how to do it.” I definitely come from an artist’s perspective with weaving, a desire to make what I see in my mind’s eye. But also I know that making durable weavings that turn out well takes practice and skill. I always want to take Ulla’s attitude into class with me. I want to teach students all the tips that have helped me succeed in weaving over the years, but also encourage them to search and find that thing they want to make, and then put the work in to make it themselves. 

Christine explaining the intricacies of rug weaving to North House visitors. Photo: Lisa Ann Bauch

Christine Novotny’s exhibit at the American Swedish Institute ended in October, 2024. Photos from the exhibit and a profile of the artist were included in the Institute’s Posten magazine, September-October 2024. The publishers graciously provided a pdf of the entire issue. Please enjoy the article about Christine, and I’m sure many Norwegian Textile Letter readers will be interested in the other activities of this vibrant Scandinavian organization in Minnesota. Click on the cover below.

October 2024

Help support wonderful articles on Scandinavian textiles with a donation to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Thank you! Tusen takk!

A Red Lion and Castle Flamskväv from Skåne

By Kristina L. Bielenberg

The historic textiles of southern Sweden are especially appealing, given their bright colors and detailed designs. My great-grandmother came from western Skåne, so I am particularly fond of the geometric röllakan and curvilinear tapestry weaves from this region of Scandinavia. The older textiles, from the 18th and first half of the 19th centuries, have become harder to find at reasonable prices in recent years. Therefore, as a weaver and collector, I am happy when I can purchase even a tattered textile that reveals technical features of its construction while retaining much visual charm.

In anticipation of my birthday, I splurged and bought a well-worn top of a square cushion cover [dyna, jynne or kudde] woven in dovetail tapestry technique – flamskväv. According to several authorities, its central design, a red lion and a castle in a roundel of foliage and flowers, was one of the most popular during the period 1780-1800. Most of the red lion and castle tapestries are attributed to the Bara District just east of Malmö, with some 70 examples having been inventoried from southwest Skåne, including single and double agedyna [seat covers]. Interestingly, many of these surviving textiles are almost identical in composition and color, suggesting that their weavers relied on the same prints or cartoons for their design or closely copied the work of other weavers.

All photos: Kristina Bielenberg

The cushion top that I acquired is approximately 19 inches high by 20 inches wide. It has an indigo blue background inside the roundel, which contrasts nicely with the red lion, and also a dark brown field behind the surrounding frame of flowers. Some of these flowers are recognizeable – tulips, roses, and a lily – but other blooms and figures defy identification. Like most flamskväv pieces, the design was woven perpendicular to the warp on a vertical tapestry loom. (See detail photos here and at the end of the article.)

The warp is a fine two-plied linen warp (Z2S) with a sett of 12 ends per inch.  The weft is spun of fine worsted wool, two-plied (Z2S) and, though the density varies somewhat, there are approximately 40 weft passes per inch, creating a firm but flexible fabric. The front of the textile is somewhat faded, but the vegetable-dyed weft yarns retain their distinct colors and lustrous beauty.

Why the red lion and castle? That remains a bit of a mystery. Some scholars say that the red lion was derived from the Biblical story of Samson’s battle with the lion; others describe it as a symbol of nobility and valor. One has said that the red lion was a heraldic symbol for the village of Bara. No one knows for sure.  King Frederick I of Sweden acquired a live lion in 1731, so I imagine that this might have been a source of inspiration.

My cushion top’s design, or one very similar to it, was copied by 20th century weavers and woven using commercially-dyed, woolen-spun yarns. One from about 1900 recently sold at Stockholm Auktionsverk and, though nicely executed, it is coarser in appearance and the pattern is reversed and simplified. See: Flamskväv Skåne  The patterns for such 20th century reproductions were often produced by handicraft associations and can still be purchased on-line from Skåne AB’s webstore. See the akedyna design kit with materials at: https://butiken.hemslojdeniskane.se/produkt/lejon-i-krans/

As noted at the beginning of this article, my red lion and castle cushion top is tattered. Sections of weft are missing and there are tears along the selvedge. The seller had mounted the piece on dark cardboard with a cardboard and fabric frame to hold the piece in place. My plan is to remount this textile using acid-free board, supporting fabric, and museum conservation clear glass to protect the weaving from ultraviolet light. This should extend the life of this historic treasure for future generations to admire and study.

Sources:

Viveka Hansen. Swedish Textile Art: Traditional Marriage Weaving from Scania. The Khalili Collection of Textile Art: Vol. 1. The Nour Foundation : London, 1996.

Willborg, Peter. Flatweaves from Fjord and Forest: Scandinavian Tapestries of the 18th and 19th Centuries. David Black Oriental Carpets : London, 1984.

Also, DigitalMuseum.se, “flamskväv” For example: Vävnad

Kristina L. Bielenberg is a retired attorney living in Vermont. She learned to spin at the age of 9 and weave as a teenager. Her current dream project is to weave a Norwegian-style åkle on an oppstadgogn using her own handspun yarn.
Help support wonderful articles on Scandinavian textiles with a donation to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Thank you! Tusen takk!

Nordic News and Notes, April 2024

Karin Larsson: Let the Hand be Seen.” American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis, MN. June 8, 2024 – October 27, 2024.

Explore the colorful work and legacy of Karin Larsson—a trendsetting artist, designer, and style icon ahead of her time—in a special exhibition at the American Swedish Institute from Carl Larsson-gården.

Karin Bergöö Larsson (1859–1928) was a groundbreaking artist whose approach to textiles and design ushered in a new era of interior design and established the iconic Swedish style that continues to inspire contemporary artists worldwide. The floral motifs, vivid colors, and charming simplicity of her style remain heavily influential nearly a century after her death, inspiring both independent makers and major brands like IKEA.

Many of Karin’s works were forever captured in husband Carl Larsson’s iconic paintings of Swedish life. It was Karin who designed and created Lilla Hyttnäs, the Larsson’s home just outside of Falun in Sundborn, Sweden, which was so often the subject of Carl’s paintings.

This exhibition presents Karin Larsson as an artist, designer, dressmaker, and style icon through her art and textiles.


Tendencies 2024 – In the Right Hands. Galleri F15, March 23 – June 12, 2024. Moss, Norway.

The 46th edition of Tendencies focuses on craft’s materiality, the work of the hands, and making statements through textiles. The exhibition presents the practices of 15 artists based in Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

For those who can’t travel to Norway, a short video on the gallery website gives an overview of the works. The Norwegian text of the video is mostly in English in the exhibit description, except for this, “The source of inspiration for this edition of the Tendencies exhibit is the artistry of the Norwegian textile artist Brit Fuglevaag. She is an 84 year old woman who was very significant n the development of textile art and weaving in the 1960s, and who remains active in textile art today.” Photos of individual works can be seen in the Media Gallery.

Nearly Wild Weaving.  Tapestry: In Conversation – With Robbie LaFleur. Wed, April 24, 2024 7 pm UK time. (Eventbrite calculates the time for each guest’s time zone. It costs 10 pounds, which Eventbrite conveniently charges you for in your own currency.) Register here.

During our conversations we find out how our guests approach their work, what inspires them, what techniques they favour and why. Throughout this season we are taking a more international view of tapestry weaving, and this month delighted to be crossing the Atlantic once again, this time to talk to Robbie LaFleur who is based in Minnesota. And as we talk, we’ll also be travelling back across to Scandinavia, finding out more about Robbie’s long association with weaving in Norway.

Robbie’s work is strongly influenced by traditional Norwegian weaving. She has a particular interest in the work of Frida Hansen, which she studied in depth during a funded research programme in 2019. Robbie has been the editor of the Norwegian Textile Letter for many years and is also an instructor, introducing many others to the different facets of Scandinavian approaches to tapestry weaving.

We will find out what brought Robbie into tapestry weaving and especially the world of Scandinavian weaving, how she approaches her designs, the influences on her work and discover where her work has taken her.


“Early Swedish Folk Weavings” with Wendel Swan. May 1, 2024, 1 pm EDT, 7 pm CET. Registration is required. Click Here to Register. Cost: Free

Wendel Swan, who has loaned 54 rare and exemplary textiles for the current exhibition Swedish Folk Weavings for Marriage, Carriage, and Home 1750-1840, at the American Swedish Historical Museum in Philadelphia. He will discuss the historical background of Scandinavian weavings since the Viking era and, with numerous illustrations, the enormous diversity and aesthetic merit of design elements, color and weaving techniques of Swedish textiles that were produced for personal household use in relatively small Scania.

bunad

“Norwegian Folk Costumes: A Living Tradition.” Lauran Gilbertson, Curator, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. May 18, 2024. 11 am. Location: New Directions Real Estate Building, lower level, 110 North Main Street, Westby, Wisconsin.

As part of the Westby Syttende Mai celebration, Vesterheim Chief Curator Laurann Gilbertson will explore Norway’s tradition of colorful folk costumes is as old as the Middle Ages, and as young as the 1940s. Learn about the history of costumes from Hardanger, Telemark, Hallingdal, and many other regions of Norway. The forces of politics, fashion, and immigration have left their mark on this important part of Norwegian and Norwegian-American folk culture.

The program is open to the public and starts at 11:00 am. For more details about the event contact Dave Amundson at nissedal@mwt.net or visit HOME | Westby Syttende Mai (syttendemaiwestby.com).


Helena Hernmarck tapestry at Hudson Yards

“Hernmarck Tapestries at Hudson Yards: Artist Talk with Helena Hernmarck and Matilda McQuaid.” Wednesday, May 22, 7 pm. Free. (Reserve tickets.) Scandinavia House, located in New York City at 58 Park Avenue, four blocks south of Grand Central Station.

Tapestry artist Helena Hernmarck and moderator Matilda McQuaid discuss Hernmarck’s latest commission: two sets of monumental tapestries for a residential lobby at 35 Hudson Yards in New York City, Flowers and Maple Tree. The program will also include a screening of the documentary Hernmarck Tapestries at Hudson Yards (20 min.), which showcases Helena’s ongoing collaboration with weavers and spinners in Sweden. The film also explores the complex design and installation requirements for the unique commission, and highlights the relevance of tapestry as an art form in contemporary architectural settings.


Helena Hernmarck

“The Influence of Karin Larsson on the Art World and the Work of Helena Hernmark,” an artist talk by Helena Hernmarck. Sunday, June 9, 5-9 pm. American Swedish Institute, Minneapolis Minnesota. Cost: $30 ($25 ASI members) (Register here.)

Be the first to view Karin Larsson: Let the Hand Be Seen at this preview event featuring a special FIKA Café menu and artist discussion from the renowned Swedish textile artist, Helena Hernmarck, who was heavily influenced by the work of Karin Larsson.

Have you ever caught yourself marveling at the massive tapestry in the Nelson Cultural Center? Now’s your chance to meet the artist herself! Following a screening of a new short film about her work, Helena Hernmarck will discuss her work and the influence of Karin Larsson on the art world.

Join ASI for small plates in the courtyard available for purchase, featuring a menu inspired by Karin Larsson’s cookbook and curated by FIKA Café’s executive chef, Amalia Obermeier-Smith. Dress up inspired by Karin or come as you are!

“Tradition in Transition: A Colorful Baptismal Dress from Norway.” Laurann Gilbertson, Curator, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Piecework, April 3, 2024.

This short essay begins, “Garments worn for special occasions make up a significant percentage of many museums’ collections because they are the textiles that people tend to save and pass along.” Beautiful textiles become even more meaningful when accompanied by the stories of the people who made and used them.


hardanger embroidery

Hardanger Embroidery: Needlework to Do When the Loneliness Comes.” Laurann Gilbertson, Curator, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Piecework, November 3, 2023.

Anna Anderson began her tablecloth on her journey from Norway to the United States. “My mother gave me the tablecloth when I was leaving and told me that when I was feeling lonesome I should work on it,” she recalled.

Swedish Munkabälte [monk’s belt]

By Emelie von Walterstorff

Translator’s note: This is an English version of the section on monk’s belt, or Swedish munkabälte, from the online Hemslöjds Guiden [Handcraft Guide] published by the Föreningen Sveriges Hemslöjdskonsulenter [Association of Swedish Handcraft Consultants]. I became interested in this monk’s belt variation with stars when I saw a beautiful coverlet purchased this year by my friend Annelie Holmberg. I found the Swedish guide describing these special star-filled monk’s belt weavings and received permission to share the information in English. Robbie LaFleur

Beautiful monk’s belt stars woven by an unknown weaver. Photo: Annelie Holmberg.

“Tärna” – Detail from a monk’s belt weaving produced in the 1990s by the Västmanland County Handicraft Association. It is part of an older weaving from Tärna parish in Västmanland County Museum’s collection, VLM 7097.

Munkabälte [monk’s belt], from the Scanian word for certain common four-shaft fabrics, is now widespread in Sweden. Two shafts are used to form the ground or base weave, and two for the pattern element, which, as in upphämta technique, lies loosely over the surface. The pattern threads are of two different lengths, for example over six and under two warp threads. The colored pattern threads, usually of wool (or cotton), contrast with the white linen ground weave.  Certain weavings in southern Skåne have a black wool ground weave.

It has been debated whether monk’s belt is a technique or just a pattern. It is a weaving technique that was done earlier with a pick-up stick. One of the pioneers of the revival of Scanian textile methods near the end of the 1800s, Mrs. Thora Kulle in Lund, described how monk’s belt earlier was woven with a wide pick-up stick that was raised behind the ground weave, to lift the pattern threads. The square “star” or the two different stitch lengths of which it consists, in different combinations, was characteristic of what is called monk’s belt. However, the star has not always been woven with loose pattern threads. Here we can surmise that it probably became known partly through the famous Dutch dräll (weaves in which warp-float areas contrast with weft-float areas) satin weave. These dräll weavings dated to the 1600s are preserved in upper-class homes. 

Retrieved from Svenska vävnadstekniker och mönstertyper: Kulturgeografisk undersökning [Swedish Weaving Techniques and Pattern Types: Cultural Geographic Survey]. By Emelie von Walterstorff. Proceedings of the Nordic Museum: 11. Stockholm, 1940.

Monk’s belt on Scanian blankets

Or why not call them “flower blankets from the region of the green hills,”1 as it is so romantically described in Gammal allmogeslöjd fra Malmöhus län [Historical Handicraft from Malmöhus County] about the large decorative blankets in monk’s belt technique that were woven in large quantities in the areas around Vemmenhög county in Skåne.

That the beautiful weavings are described as “flower blankets” is not so strange considering that the weaving technique has been used in such a way that the pattern shapes imitate flowers. “It’s as if the women in Wemmenhög set out to create their own ‘garden’ with their work within the farm’s walls, which would be in bloom all year round.”

The monk’s belt technique is the simplest among the Scanian art weave techniques and has therefore perhaps not received as much attention as blankets and cushion covers in, for example, röllakan, flamskväv and krabbasnår. Despite the relatively simple technique, the women around Vemmenhög developed the pattern shapes and the technique into something very special and the textiles are well worth highlighting and admiring. “They give a telling testimony of the Scanian people’s passion and ability to compose patterns even in simple forms.” What gives a monk’s belt pattern its basic character is the so-called monk’s belt star. This basic shape has since been assembled into a variety of patterns.

The monk’s belt star

Monk belt star, black and white sketch

Monk belt star, black and white sketch

The ground weave of a monk’s belt fabric consists of a plain weave, or two-shaft weave. The pattern is formed by a number of pattern elements that float above and below the base fabric. According to Anna-Maja Nylén2, monk’s belt is a Scanian dialectal term for a four-shafted fabric where two of the shafts form the base fabric and two form the pattern. Technically, monk’s belt and, for example, tärningsväv fabric are similar, but the pattern shapes differ. In tärningsväv fabric, the monk’s belt star does not occur.

Zickerman3 writes that the name monk’s belt does not really denote the name of an individual technique but a variation of the dräll technique, “but this form has come to – in some localities – make such a strong contribution to the village, that it has been counted as a separate technique.” Both in terms of pattern and technology, monk’s belt has a clear connection with textiles that were imported during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Map with Skåne's district divisions

Map with Skåne’s district divisions

Monk’s belt fabrics of various types have been manufactured throughout the country, mostly on linen bottom fabric with an interlaced pattern so that the textiles have cross-striped pattern formations. But in south-west Skåne, the monk’s belt technology developed in a very special way. In the areas around Vemmenhög’s district (see map) large magnificent weavings have monk’s belt stars that have been picked star by star in different colors so that the blankets have the expression of blooming meadows. The ground fabric of these weavings usually consists of black or black-brown plain weave in wool on a linen warp.

In an inventory of older textiles, dating from the 17th century to 1840, carried out by Lissie Möller under the auspices of the Malmöhus läns hemslöjdsförenings [Malmöhus County Handcraft Association] during the years 1918-1925, no fewer than 561 monk’s belt blankets were inventoried in Malmöhus County, mainly around the Vemmenhögs, Skytts and Oxie districts. This can be compared with how many blankets were inventoried in other weaving techniques at the same time in Malmöhus County: 122 blankets in röllakan, 97 blankets in krabbasnår, 34 in dukagång, 6 in flamskvävnad, 94 in rosengång, and no less than 2,205 blankets in opphämta.

Through the inventory, it can be established that blankets in monk’s belt technique were the second most common technique when it comes to woven blankets in Malmöhus County during the period. However, we cannot know for sure whether all of these 561 weavings were of the “flower blanket” type with inlaid pattern details. It is possible that also blankets with only inlaid patterns appear among the inventory material.

Through Möller’s inventory, we can also deduce that the monk’s belt technique in Malmöhus county was mostly used for blankets and not for cushion covers. In terms of woven cushions, only 59 in monk’s belts have been inventoried in the county compared to 1,232 in röllakan, 852 in opphämta, 462 in flamskvävnad, 355 in tränsaflossa [a half-pile technique], 297 in krabbasnår, 68 in dukagång, and 20 in rosepath.

What is characteristic of the flower blankets around Vemmenhög is that the monk belt stars are picked in different colors and not shuttled across (which is more common). On the vast majority of blankets, the stars also form diamond-shaped patterns over the surface. There are two main groups within the blankets – those with a striped bottom and those with a solid color. In addition, there are four different ways to insert the monk’s belt pattern. The different pattern placements depend on how the warp is threaded, or alternatively how the pick-up stick has been used in the weaving.

Striped Ground Weave

The striped blankets are considered to be the oldest1 and on some there are both picked and shuttled monk’s belt patterns. The bottom striping can consist of only wide fields in different colors, color fields that are separated by one or more narrow stripes, or stripes with shuttled monk’s belt patterns. Examples of different stripes can be found in pictures 1, 2 and 3. Sometimes the shuttled pattern has been excluded in favor of the picked one (for example on the blanket in picture 1). You can guess that the blanket was then woven with a pick-up stick and not with a threaded pattern. When a shuttled monk’s belt pattern occurs, the entire star is often not included vertically in the stripes (see examples in pictures 2 and 3). Sometimes the stars have been placed colorwise so that diamond shapes form across the surface, but this is not as common as on blankets with a plain base. Diamond shapes on the surface often become a little more indistinct and harder to perceive on blankets with a striped bottom because you are distracted by the stripes. Borders around the edges seldom occur on striped blankets. On the other hand, they are very common on those with a solid color base.

Plain Ground Weave 

Most of the blankets have been woven with a plain base, usually in black or black-brown. On blankets with a plain background, the stars have almost always been placed in terms of color so that diamond patterns are formed over the surface in different ways. You can see that in pictures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Most of them also have a border of some kind either in monk’s belt or krabbasnår (the blankets in pictures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 all have a border in krabbasnår but with slightly different pattern shapes). Picked-up krabbasnår stars are also often included in the center of the pattern shapes, as on the blankets in pictures 4, 5 and 7. On blankets with a single-colored base, pattern stripes with shuttled monk’s belts never occur. Often the bars have been used so that large coherent diamond shapes show clearly in the patterns. In picture 8 you can clearly see this (green bars). On the blankets in pictures 4 and 7, the bottom has been kept solid black and not filled with bars, here only the independent monk’s belt star has been used in the pattern shapes together with the krabbasnår stars. On the weavings in pictures 5 and 6, there are also no bars used as padding between the monk’s belt stars. Here, instead, it is the visible ground weave between the stars that highlights the diamond pattern formed by the monk’s belt stars.

Every one is unique

The main thing that can be said when you look at the monk’s belt blankets from south-west Skåne is that there are great variations in pattern compositions and expressions. Many blankets seem quite similar at first glance, but upon closer inspection you will see that there are differences. This is probably due to the fact that a development of the pattern forms has been ongoing. A blanket was woven, another weaver used it as a template and changed something a little in the pattern composition or treadled differently. Perhaps she moved a star, wove a different border or chose a different color combination. The blankets have been given different expressions depending on the patterns, tools, aids and knowledge the weavers had. One might think that the monk’s belt star as a flower shape has been the central thing and not the technique itself.

One can’t help but admire these women who had such imagination and skill to compose different flower blankets and one has to agree with the statement that “Nowhere has it flourished as in the green hills.”1

Below are more examples of how the blankets could look. The pictures show black-and-white, ¼ part hand-colored, photographs from Lizzie Möller’s inventory in Malmöhus County in 1918-1925, which are stored in Stiftelsen Skånsk Hemslöjd SSH’s [Institute for Scanian Handcraft] archive in Landskrona.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes in the text

1. Malmöhus County Handicraft Association. Old peasant craft from Malmöhus county. Malmö: Förlagskatiebolaget’s printing house in Malmö, 1916.

2. Nylén, A. Hemslöjd [Handicraft]. 4 ed. Stockholm: Bokförlaget Cordia, 1995.

3. Zickerman, L. Sveriges folkliga textilkonst [Sweden’s folk textile art], part IV-V Munkabälte och uphämta, manuscript. The Nordic Museum’s archives, Stockholm.

Source list

Höst, C. “Blomstertäcken från de gröna kullarnas bygd” [Flower blankets from the green hills region], essay from Handarbetets Vänners school, 1999.

Zickerman, L. Volume 29, Munkabälte och krabbasnår i alla landskap [Monk’s belt and krabbasnår in all landscapes] and Volume 188, Monk’s belt, Skåne A-O, photographs. The Nordic Museum’s archives, Stockholm.

Inventory material of the Malmöhus County Handicraft Association from 1915 – 1927, Stiftelsen Skånsk Hemslöjd, Landskrona.

Wemmenhög County’s Historical Society’s Textile Exhibition 1929, photographs of textiles and associated text material. Folklivsarkivet [Folk Life Archive], Lund.

Image material

Map of Skåne’s county division, Möllegården culture in Åkarp, www.mollegardenkultur.se

Picture 1-8, Photographer: Thomas Hansson. All the monk’s belt cushion covers in these pictures are stored in Svaneholm Castle’s archive in Skurup. The archive material is shown only for research purposes by agreement.

Hand-colored images of monk’s belt weavings. Photographer: Camilla Höst. They are stored in Stiftelsen Skånsk Hemslöjd’s archive in Landskrona. If you are interested in studying the material in more detail, contact the chairman of Stiftelsen Skånsk Hemslöjd.

Other literature tips

VÄV Skånska allmogevävnader, by Gunvor Johansson, Stiftelsen Skånsk Hemslöjd. In this book there is both a bit of history and three different weaving drafts for the Scanian monk’s belt (as well as material on many other Scanian common fabrics such as röllakan, krabbasnår, halvkrabba, treskaft, dukagång, trensaflossa and opphämta). The book can be ordered through Hemslöjden Skåne AB in Landskrona. It is available in the U.S. in the English version, Heirlooms of Skåne, through the Vävstuga Weaving School bookshop. 

Full Circle: A Return to Sweden to Repurpose Family Heirlooms

By Nancy Gossell

My mother, a first generation Swedish American, never practiced Swedish death cleaning.    For those unfamiliar with the term, Swedish death cleaning is a method of decluttering to get rid of the stuff neither you nor your family needs after you pass away.

As I emptied my parents’ house to ready it for sale, I discovered a box filled with linens. I immediately recognized woven patterns I had seen in the homes of family members when we were in Sweden.  In my mother’s handwriting, slips of paper identified which immigrant family member the item came from.

To say I was dumbstruck is an understatement.  Mom had several Swedish cousins who wove but I could not recall any mention of weaving done by those who immigrated, including my grandmother who I often spent time with.  

The linens were in good to excellent condition. Quickly doing the math, I realized many were 100+ years old, traveling to their new life in Minneapolis.  

The largest linens had a handsewn seam connecting identical weave patterns precisely together.  Looms back then were constructed wide enough to weave towels, some table coverings and rag rugs.   The bed sheet and tablecloths for dining, discovered in this box, were wider than the 22-26” width of the loom, so meticulous seams connected two identical lengths together.  Talk about pressure to weave with no treadling errors!

In my time spent at the Tingsryd Vävstugan in Småland, Sweden the past two years I have admired the many items on display sewn from damask and various dräll patterns woven there.  Pillows, handbags, cosmetic bags, and stuffed animals are constructed from fine cotton and linen weaving. 

Here is an example of the items one finds at the Tingsryd Vävstugan.

items made with repurposed linens

Late fall, 2023, I wrote asking if I could bring  family items woven in Småland to the Tingsryd Vävstugan in 2024 to repurpose. Pictures were included so they knew what I had: 

I hoped to create items that upon being offered to the multigenerational USA descendants of the weavers, their response would be an enthusiastic YES, as opposed to a side glance questioning what would they do with (fill in the blank).

In late January I packed the 9.5 lbs. of woven items to return to Sweden once again.

The first day at the Vävstugan I laid every piece out.  After measuring each item, identifying wear and stains, suggestions and tentative conclusions were made. I left that afternoon with a list of items to purchase at the local Yarn/Fabric/Notions store and research to double check sizes of pillow inserts available in the United States.  

I spent the next 15 days at the Vävstugan cutting, pressing, sewing and baste stitching. Did I mention pressing, often with a wet piece of fabric to add more steam to the linen?  I had never sewn an exterior pillow cover. Thankfully, 50+ years ago I had sewn all my clothes, so I dug deep in recessed memory to baste, cut the fabric to make sure patterns matched at seams and installed zippers.   I conducted silent conversations with my grandmother and grandfather’s sister as I cut the linen woven by them to create new memories from their work.  

Nancy Gossell

One night the last week I was there, the left-over pieces came front and center to my mind.  Was I to leave these pieces to be recycled/ composted in Småland or what could I do with them?  I remembered a handmade drawstring bag I had in my suitcase filled with lavender.  I had a plan.   I was not leaving the pieces in Småland.  This spring I will be creating drawstring pouches and a small handbag or two from the left-over dräll.  

I am extremely happy. The results exceeded my expectations: large and semi-large square pillows, long pillows, neck rolls, pillow cases for sleeping and 4 thick linen twill aprons.  

The “new” pieces of Swedish linen returned to Minnesota from Småland.    

March 2024

Nancy Gossell, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, is not letting grass grow underneath her as she takes full advantage of an open calendar and her long held interest in Swedish weaving.  She has strong Nordic roots, learning and working in Norway as a young adult.  From her 30s on she and her family visited many of her mother’s cousins in southern Sweden where she saw the magic in community based Vävstugor.

Read more about Nancy’s weaving adventures in an earlier Norwegian Textile Letter: “A Weaver’s Dream: The Weaving House in Tingsryd.”

Help support wonderful articles on Scandinavian textiles with a donation to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Thank you! Tusen takk!

 

Ryas at Sörmlands Museum

By Elisabet Jansson

Editor’s note: These photos of charming older Swedish rya coverlets were originally published in Elisabet Jansson’s blog, Textila Inslag, on February 28, 2020, and shared here with the author’s permission. 

In Sörmland’s museum’s collections there are three old ryas. When we hear rya, we might think of rugs, but these ryas have never been used on the floor, but as coverlets. A little over 15 years ago, I looked at the ryas together with then domestic crafts consultant Lille-Mor Boman. A few days ago it was time again. A weaving colleague, Åsa Viksten Strömbom, and I had the opportunity to study the ryos together with home craft consultant Maria Neijman. A conservator was constantly in the background and made sure that the worn and fragile textiles were handled properly. We spent a couple of interesting hours with the old ryas. We have not decided if and how we will proceed after this visit, but something will surely happen.

Here are some brief notes about the three ryas.

The rya in the top and following photos was most likely used in a boat out on the Baltic Sea for overnight stays in connection with fishing. It is sewn together from three layers, with a width of approx. 83, 83 and 61 cm respectively (2’7”, 2’7”, and 2’). The bottom fabric is woven in equilateral twill and the pile knotts are embedded in the bottom in such a way that they are not visible on the smooth side. Where the pile is worn, you can see how they are distributed irregularly over the surface. Inventory number SLM 9210, look HERE.

The next rya is woven in two lengths in weft rib with a fairly regular pattern in brown, white and yellow between the rows of knots. The pile is largely worn out. Inventory number 3203, look HERE.

The third rya is woven in bound rosepath in several colors. Each side is different, and the right side of the rosepath is on the smooth side. There is no regular repetition of the rosepath borders.  The pattern in the two lengths match, except for one border on one of the edges. The pile knots build a pattern of gold and white squares. The inventory number is 3204, here.

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Elisabet Jansson lives in Eskilstuna. She weaves and embroiders, sometimes for a living but since she became a pensioner, often just for her own pleasure. When she isn’t weaving or embroidering, she dyes textiles, reads about textiles, looks at textiles, attends courses on textiles, or holds  courses on textiles. She shares all the elements of her textile life on her blog, Texstila Inslag.

[Editor’s note: this is one of my favorite blogs. I recommend it, even if you don’t speak Swedish. In particular, she posts many photos of wonderful textile works from Swedish museums and gallery shows.]

Translated by Robbie LaFleur, with help from Edi and Roland Thorstensson. Edi wrote an article about a Swedish rya in the Norwegian Textile Letter in 2014. See: “A Fabulous Find: A Rya from Ryd.” Also,  the article “Celebrate the Rye – or Rya – or Ryijy!” compiled all of the articles on rya that appeared in the Norwegian Textile Letter up to 2019.
Help support wonderful articles on Scandinavian textiles with a donation to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Thank you! Tusen takk! 

Flamskväv (Tapestry) in Skåne, Sweden: Then and Now

By Marianne Asp

Marianne Asp’s modern use of Flamskväv, in a jacket modeled by her daughter. Photo provided by Marianne Asp.

Weavers from Flanders came to Skåne (southwestern Belgium and northwestern France) as early as the beginning of the 16th century. At the royal castles, tapestries were hung as decoration and as protection against cold and drafts from cold stone walls.

The weavers were men who lived in a castle until a tapestry was finished and then moved to the next castle and the next weaving task. Famous battles and pictures from the Bible were depicted. The tapestries were large, usually around 13′ x 19′ (400cm x 600cm).

The weavers had a pattern collection (cartoons) from which the nobility ordered motifs. By the 17th century, tapestries became less popular and male weavers could not support themselves and their families. Weaving then became a task for women and the art of weaving tapestry transitioned from a profession to handicraft.

At the same time, folk artists, mainly in southwestern Skåne, began to weave tapestry. The land was very fertile in that region, and supported servants working in the fields. Women on the farms had time to weave and embroider. The largest production was in 1750 – 1850.

Swedish digital Library image: https://digitaltmuseum.se/011023369651/akedyna. Unbleached linen warp, wool weft. “The Lion Castle ” is surrounded by flowers and flying birds, framed by a blue zigzag border. It has wool fringe and a back of red calfskin. Woven in 1790 by Bengta Olsdotter. The motif is described in Ernst Fischer Flamskvävnader i Skåne, pp. 280-283. 

Large cushions called äkdynor became status symbols; a sign that you were rich. The cushions were used on Sundays, when traveling to church by horse and carriage. Most important was the bride’s journey to church before her wedding: she could sit on up to ten cushions!

The images were religious or taken from folklore. Flowers and birds were also depicted, strewn throughout the image. The cushion dimension were usually 20″ x 39″ (50cm x 100cm). The joy of color is evident, and there are many shades.

https://digitaltmuseum.se/011023711729/akdyna. No date given. Very large flowers and vases; very small people! Look closely to find charming birds. 

Museums and handcraft organizations in Sweden play an important role in maintaining interest in handcrafts. Handcraft consultants teach courses in Flamskväv and handicraft stores sell all needed materials. the classes have been completely full in the past year.

We who weave Flamskväv have a responsibility to carry on the knowledge, tradition and joy of weaving.

Flamskväv by Marianne Asp. Photo provided by Marianne Asp.

Marianne Asp teaches traditional Swedish tapestry, Flamskväv, with Hemslojd (the Handcraft Association) in Skåne, Sweden. She has also taught at Sätergläntan. She has woven in a variety of techniques for many years, but always returns to Flamskväv, inspired by the richness of color and pattern in the old tapestries. 

To delve more into the tapestries of Skåne, see Anne Whidden’s post in the Swedish Rug Blog, “Traditional Swedish Tapestry Weave.”

August 2022
Help support wonderful articles on Scandinavian textiles with a donation to the Norwegian Textile Letter. Thank you! Tusen takk! 

Across the Border: Exploring a Similar Swedish Technique

By Robbie LaFleur

Many weavers who encounter coverlets in flesberg technique ask, “But isn’t that the same as the well-known Swedish bunden rosengång på tre skaft (bound rosepath on three shafts)? Yes, it is.

Gunnvor Johansson describes three-shaft bound rosepath in her book, Heirlooms of Skåne: Weaving Techniques

In Skåne, the popular terminology for bound rosepath with three shafts is treskaft or tresolv (“three-shaft” or “three-heddle”). It is a very old technique, found in ancient Egypt and worldwide. The oldest preserved bound rosepath weavings in Sweden date from the beginning of the 1700s and were woven with three shafts…The treskaft weaving technique was used to create the backs of cushions that featured more elaborately woven front sides.

Johansson describes two types of threading for three-shaft rosepath. The v-punkt solving (v-dot threading) is the equivalent of the Norwegian flesberg technique. The spetssolvning (pointed threading), in Norway, would be considered a three-shaft krokbragd threading. 

You can see many examples of Swedish coverlets in bound rosepath on three shafts by searching the Swedish digital library, digitaltmuseum.se. Search the collection with the key words “bunden rosengång tre skaft.”

Swedish Digital Library identifier: 1M16-96661. Coverlet used as a car and horse cover. Woven in bound rosepath on three shafts.

The Nordiska Museet in Stockholm published a compilation of beautiful Swedish weaving in 1925, Textilt Bildverk, edited by Emelie von Walterstorff. The English version, Swedish Textiles, came out in 1925. A digital version is available here. In the section on rosengång, or rosepath, #102 is a three-harness rosepath with the same tie-up as the Norwegian flesberg coverlets.