From interviewer Lisa Anne Bauch: Christine Novotny wrote “Rölakan Rug Weaving in Sweden” for the Norwegian Textile Letter, recounting her experiences as a student with master weaver Ulla Parkdahl. I had the opportunity to take a class from Christine at North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota, and found her to be an engaging and enthusiastic teacher. She generously shared her thoughts about weaving and teaching.
What is it about rölakan technique that makes you want to share it with your students?
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!
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 It’s so easy to pick out designs from books or from historical references, and that is truly important and wonderful.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.
What are some of the technical challenges of this technique, and how do you help your students overcome them?
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.
How has your experience with Ulla enlarged your philosophy and/or approach to teaching?
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 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