My favorite weaves of krokbragd and rya are combined in this piece. Stitching uncut rya lengthwise on the weft floats on the back of the Krokbragd is my creative idea. It has the effect of sheepskin backed weaving without a sheep having to give up its hide. I enjoy spinning the natural undyed colors of sheep in my flock. Each sheep is a much loved pet as well as my cats and dogs.

 

The first weaving class I took was at Monica Skolen in Oslo in 1968. I’ve enjoyed half a century of weaving since then, taking classes at Vesterheim and elsewhere. 

Last winter was dark and cold, inspiring me to weave with black and gray wool. Rear taillights brought the use of red, thinking of cars driving down a snow packed Water Street at night in Decorah. The yellow represents Christmas lights along the street.

     

I have been weaving for 44 years. Weaving in the Norwegian tradition is my respite from production weaving of scarves and table linens.

“Winter” is a wall hanging in a figurative bound weave using a rose path tie-up. The design is my own and I have included the more colorful aspects of winter. The blue represents the awesome Minnesota blue sky which makes up for the dirty grey snow and cars. “Winter” is the third season that I have represented in a weaving. I have found figurative bound weaves fun to work with.

 

I am a self-taught weaver in the Norwegian tradition. I fell in love with Norwegian weavings during my first trip to Norway in 1979. Soon after I took a community education course in St. Cloud, MN to learn about looms. I started competing in the Vesterheim National-American Folk Art Exhibition in 1992. I enjoy exploring different ways to use the traditional techniques and color. My mother’s ancestral relatives lived on farms on the Nordfjord. The bunad for this area has more weaving in its national costume than most. It was very satisfying for me to weave my own apron and the numerous decorative bands for the dress and apron.

This piece was inspired by a large wool wall hanging given to me by a family member in Norway. The colors and design are those used in the original. I have woven in the Navajo tradition for about ten years. After receiving the wall hanging, I wanted to learn how to do weaving in the Norwegian tradition. I have been weaving this style after teaching myself three years ago.

This piece is inspired by the wide, card-woven bands used with women’s Telemark folk costumes, especially the beltestakk. I’ve used cotton cordonnet instead of wool for the card weaving due to availability and sturdiness in withstanding the twisting that is inherent in the card weaving process. I wanted something wearable so I added the crocheted sides to create a poncho-like garment. The weaving pattern is original and is based on belts that use close combinations of reds and pinks. Note that the single turning line marks the shoulder seam. 

 

 

I was inspired to make this krokbragd rug, woven with assorted wool available in the closet, by rugs seen at the Stalheim Hotel in Stalheim, Norway, featuring kyrve and bordgang pattern motifs. I had fun trying to identify the patterns in the pictures from the Stalheim Hotel and chose two, kyrve and bordgang to try to replicate.

   

I started weaving about 18 months ago, so I’m quite a novice. I am enthralled by the textiles I encountered in Norway, which has inspired the leap from knitting and spinning to weaving and hopefully tapestry. I resurrected my mother’s old leClerc four harness loom from the garage where it sat for 40 years and cleaned it up.

This wall hanging is woven in a Telemarksteppe style with the loops on the selvages. It is a style from the Telemark area of Norway. The design was inspired by Laura Demuth, a teacher that taught at John C. Campbell Folk School in March of 2017. I wove this during the summer of 2017

     

My inspiration came to me when I saw the blues and greens together it reminded me of water, and the oranges, browns, and deep red reminded me of autumn and the circles reminded me of round leaves from the redbud tree falling into the water. 

     

I have been weaving for 10 years, but only recently started weaving with the Norwegian techniques of Telemarksteppe and danskbrogd. I took a class with Jan Mostrom at Vesterheim last fall. I am enjoying weaving and learning about the different Norwegian styles and techniques.

This weaving was inspired by the graphic X patterns found in coverlets from the Vest-Agder region of Norway in danskbrogd technique.

     

I am a handweaver of contemporary textiles inspired by Scandinavian folk textiles. The language of my looms is based on centuries-old techniques, learned in weaving school in Norway. The core graphic impact of old folk textiles drives each new weaving, in a search for balance, color and boldness. Even when the planning process is computer-assisted, or a technique is done at a new scale or in unusual materials, I honor the fine craftsmanship of the past.

Playa: Impossible Sky” is a fusion of krokbragd and tapestry techniques. It was woven after an artist’s residency at Playa Summer Lake in the eastern desert of Oregon. Linen warp wool, mostly hand-dyed, rayon, silk weft.

     

I was inspired by the stark beauty of an alkali lake only present in the winter and spring. The dry season comes with the heat and the lake disappears until the next season of hard rain and wind. It looks empty but is full of wildlife. It’s free space, still wild, and an inspiration for the art and the heart.

     

My heritage is Norwegian-all four grandparents immigrated from southwest Norway in the 1850s. In exploring Norwegian weaving techniques I began to try and blend krokbragd and tapestry techniques around 1998. Still working on it.

I wove this blanket as a gift for my son, Gabriel Oak, when he completed his Ph.D. It is a delight to weave for Gabriel because he appreciates the skill and practice of handwork. This one is for him.

 

I have been weaving for over 35 years, and enjoy all aspects of textile production, from raising sheep to taking a finished piece off the loom. I especially enjoy traditional weaving and have found Vesterheim’s textile collection to be a continuous source of inspiration.