In the Baldishol Tapestry, the April man sows seeds; we think of renewal. Laura Demuth chose that theme for her weaving for the upcoming exhibit at Norway House, The Baldishol: A Medieval Tapestry Inspires Contemporary Textiles.
Laura wrote, “On our farm, April is very much about lambing, so I wished the coming of new lambs and the hope it always brings for a new growing season to be the focus of my piece.” She sketched and graphed a self-portrait to weave in doubleweave pick-up technique, or Finnweave.
The barn shape echos the arch in the original tapestry. Baldishol birds become Iowa swallows. Lilies of the Valley are April flowers.
She wove her piece using Norwegian Rauma Prydvev yarn.
30″ wide x 37″ long
Laura Demuth has been a weaver for over 30 years and enjoys all aspects of textile production, from raising the sheep to taking a finished piece off the loom. Because she lives on a small acreage just seven miles northeast of Decorah, Iowa, the Vesterheim National Norwegian-American Museum has been a continual source of education and inspiration throughout her weaving career. She is a sought-after teacher at Vesterheim Folk Art School.
Pandemic or not, there was renewal at the Demuth farm in Iowa–and a wonderful weaving completed. Laura wrote,
I believe that some of us have the good fortune to find joy in a particular material. For me this material is wool. Raising sheep has been a part of my life for over forty years. April is the time for lambing, the most exciting and demanding time of year. I doubt that a day goes by in which wool does not pass through my hands in some form, either as raw fleece, combed top on its way to a whirling bobbin or on a shuttle.
Bonus! Handwoven magazine just offered one of Laura Demuth’s projects as a free pattern. See her handwoven bread bag here.
The lambs are exquisite. What an amazing project!