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.]