By Robbie LaFleur

From the Scandinavian Weavers Study Group

Our Scandinavian Weavers Study Group of the Weavers Guild of Minnesota chooses one topic or technique or project each year. During the winter of 1997-98 we tried our hand at Vestfoldsmett. In the fall of 1998 a short exhibit was held in conjunction with the annual Federation Weaving Conference with work from seven weavers. Here are few of the Vestfoldsmett pieces that were displayed. 

Ann Haushild. 10″ x 29″ 

Janis Aune. 24″ x 47″

Robbie LaFleur experimented with Vestfoldsmett on a rag rug background.

Lila Nelson wove several pieces in Vestfoldsmett after her research in Norway. This one is 18.5″ x 31″.

Lila used Vestfoldsmett technique to weave birds. 16″ x 22″.

Lila Nelson wove an abstract piece in Vestfoldsmett. 15.5″ x 30″.

From the annual National Exhibition in the Norwegian Tradition from Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum

Melba Granlund’s piece in Vestfoldsmett won an Honorable Mention in the 33rd National Exhibition in 2014.

Helen Scherer, from Shawnee, KS, received an Honorable Mention in the 2017 Exhibition for “When I grow up, I want to be like the Døvleteppe!,”  a table runner in Vestfold technique.

This weaving in Vestfoldsmett by Robbie LaFleur won “Best of Show” at the National Exhibition in 2008.

The busy and compelling patterns of Vestfoldtepper have not just inspired weavers. Inspired by Katherine Larson’s book, The Woven Coverlets of Norway (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2001), Merilee Thorstad from Frediric, Wisconsin, made a small replica (12″ x 18″) in cross-stitch. For the background colors of the bands, she hand-dyed embroidery canvas and sewed them together. It’s a sweet result!