Each year Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum holds an absorbing exhibition of folk art in the Norwegian tradition. Visitors examine examples of weaving, knife-making, rosemaling, woodcarving, and chip-carving by renowned craftspeople. The Norwegian Textile Letter features the weaving entries each year–until this unprecedented coronavirus year. The exhibition was not held! We can only hope that people are working on extra-special pieces for 2021. For now, here are a handful of early entries to the exhibition instead, from years before the Norwegian Textile Letter began in 1993.  

1981

The National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition began in 1967; weaving was added as a category in 1981. A jacket woven by Marie Nodland of St. Paul, Minnesota, won a blue ribbon that first year. It’s too bad the photo doesn’t show the rya pile inside.

The diamond twill reverses to rya (pile weave) and there are handknit collar and cuffs.

1985

In 1985 Phyllis Waggoner of Minneapolis won two ribbons. She won a blue ribbon and the Handweavers Guild of America Award for a rug done in bound rosepath technique. (wool weft, 12/6 cotton seine twine warp, 8 epi) This rug was also featured in an article by Phyllis, “Boundweave: Learning from the Past,” in Weaver’s Journal, Spring 1986.

Phyllis Waggoner also won a white ribbon for this piece in four-shaft bound rosepath technique. (wool weft, 12/6 cotton seine twine warp, 8 epi)

1987

John Skare won the Best of Show award and a blue ribbon in 1987 for this handwoven rya wall hanging. It was also purchased for the museum collection. It was created with handspun wool yarns and wool blankets scraps from the Faribault Woolen Mill.  Wool carpet mill ends were used for the weft.

1989?

Laura Demuth remembered that this doubleweave piece was exhibited at Vesterheim before 1996. She wove it for her husband on their tenth anniversary in 1988, so 1989 is a good guess! 

As more entries from the early years of the exhibitions turn up, we’ll continue to share.