Sometimes life brings such a wealth of opportunities that they can’t all fit in the time allotted on the calendar. Last year I had the opportunity to work with the Valley Grove Preservation Society to create a series of tapestries in historical billedvev style to hang in the historical 1862 stone church, funded by the Nordic American Churches Preservation Project. The tapestries celebrate the landscape of the area, the Norwegian immigrants who founded the church, and the beautiful church structures. I am completing work on the fourth tapestry now. There will be an open house to celebrate all four tapestries in place on June 25. (Read about the open house here.)

“Pastor Quammen Skis to Valley Grove” One of the four tapestries commissioned for the Valley grove Preservation Society. Photo: Peter Lee

Coming August 15: A Special Double Issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter 

With the tapestry commission deadline, other writing and editing projects, and family obligations, I have not been able to format and publish all the wonderful material prepared for the current issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter.  Instead, this summer a special double issue will be published on August 15. These are the topics you can look forward to: 

Focus on Finland:  The Finnish raanu rug tradition.

Finnish raanus are often woven in the colors of nature.

Focus on Finland: The unbroken tradition of raanu rugs in the U.S.

Rosetepper: Karin Bø from Setesdal writes about an unusual group of coverlets in Setesdal with geometric rose patterns.

This chest was filled with rose-patterned coverlets.

Marta Nerhus: The Bergen-based artist creates large-scale sculptural work with knitted wire, often commenting  on political issues. Translated from an article by Sten Nilsen in the Norwegian magazine Kunst Pluss.

National Exhibition on Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition: The Norwegian Textile Letter traditionally highlights works in the weaving division of the exhibit at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. After a pandemic hiatus, we are happy the exhibition is back in 2022!  

Mendable: The artist/members of Norsk Kunshåndverkere [Norwegian Craft Artists] from the area near Viken, Norway, held an exhibition in 2020 with this theme, arranged by Ann Kristin Aas. How did prominent textile artists address “mendable” in their new works? 

Tapestry artist Brita Been: In connection with a retrospective exhibition of Been’s work at the Telemark Kunstsenter, Stephanie Sundby interviewed the artist about her weaving and folk art. Translated from the magazine Kunsthåndverk.

Replacing Tapestry Cushions at Oslo City Hall: Read about the ambitious 2-½ year project by four weavers to recreate 20 seat cushions and 40 back cushions, which were designed by Else Poulsson and woven in 1949-50. 

Look carefully to see the long bench with cushions below the painting.

Flamskväv: A brief history of traditional Swedish tapestry in Skåne, by a long-time Hemslojd instructor, Marianne Asp.  

Nordic News & Notes: There are always interesting exhibits and artists and videos to discover. 

And more: Additional content is in the works….

An Update about Frida Hansen’s tapestry, Sørover (Southward)

People ask: Is it sold? No, not yet. But for those who were not able to see it on display in New York, there is another chance coming up. 

Frida Hansen. Sørover (Southward), 1903

I first dove into research on the missing tapestry when two curators, Bobbye Tigerman from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and Monica Obniski (then at the Milwaukee Museum of Art) were trying to find it to include in a large exhibition, Scandinavian Design and the Unites States, 1890-1980. No one could find it. But now it has been found and will be included in the exhibit in Los Angeles, October 9, 2022-February 5, 2023. There is plenty of time to arrange a fall or winter California trip! 

Robbie LaFleur
Publisher, Norwegian Textile Letter

Thank you to everyone who helps support the Norwegian Textile Letter with donations to cover expenses. Your financial support is crucial. Thank you for being a subscriber! 

For those who would like to donate, here’s an easy link.

I think my post may have had some technical difficulties, so here it is again. If you received the first one with no problems, find you handy delete button for this one! 

It’s April, and it’s not the Armory, but it is still the iconic “Winter Show.” When the show was postponed due to Omicron, the Armory was not available and it moved to the former Barney’s department store building on Madison Avenue. I feel privileged to help out in the booth of Peter Pap, the dealer who is handling the sale of Frida Hansen’s monumental 1903 tapestry. As the unofficial number one fan of Frida Hansen in North America, I have the opportunity, for the first two days of the show, to talk about Frida Hansen and the tapestry with many interested people. And here it is, after careful cleaning lifted a 120-year veil of dust from the wooly fibers.

Frida Hansen. Sørover (Southward), 1901

A photo can never do justice to the real object, of course. The photo adds a shade too much contrast, but it demonstrates well that the border colors that are close in value are enlivened and clearer.

Visitors at the Winter Show opening were amazed at the beauty of the tapestry, and interested in the related stories–of Frida Hansen as an artist and the interesting history of the tapestry in the U.S. One young woman, a reporter at Women’s Wear Daily, asked many questions and then commented, “They look like strong women.” That is true of the women depicted in Hansen’s tapestries (and it is almost always women); they are active, not passive or frail. Peter Pap added, “Yes, they have biceps.”

A dealer in antique Chinese furniture stopped by and said, “This is the most beautiful object in the show–and I’ve been through the whole show twice.” The New York Times reviewer Will Heinrich included Southward in his review of the Winter Show, “Treasure Hunting at the Winter Show.” It was unfortunate that they sent their own photographer rather than use the image that Peter Pap could supply. Their washed-out photo looks more like the tapestry before washing restored the vibrancy of its colors.

When Peter Pap discovered the tapestry, it was in a plastic storage bin, part of the estate of his friend David McInnis. McInnis’s widow and three children were able to come to the opening and see the glorious cleaned tapestry. It was interesting to talk to them. Family members were aware that David had an important Scandinavian tapestry. He often hung items in his inventory in the house for a while, enjoying them before selling them. But Southward was too large to hang in their home, so the first time his widow and children saw the unfolded tapestry was after his death. David McInnis knew Southward was an important piece, and would draw attention when he decided to sell it. He kept it as his form of money in the bank. We only wish he kept better records. David McInnis obtained it sometime between 2003 and 2011. Maybe he told his wife about buying it, or trading for it at the time, but Helen McInnis said, “I was busy raising three children and teaching; I didn’t pay attention to his business, too.”

The opening was fancy. This was the best-dressed couple I had the pleasure of sharing my knowledge of Frida Hansen with. They were very interested. And his pants!

Remember, the background articles on Southward–its rediscovery, the places it was exhibited, and the cleaning of the tapestry–can be found at norwegiantextileletter.com.

I accidentally hit the publish for this post too soon! The articles are available, and the issue page will be up soon! 

Frida Hansen’s missing 1903 tapestry, Sørover (Southward) is found! 

Each issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter introduces readers to many textiles they may not have seen. But this is the first time an issue introduces a tapestry that almost no one has seen in 91 years. You are among the first people to ever see a color photograph of this monumental tapestry. Read: “A Missing Frida Hansen Tapestry Rediscovered.”

Frida Hansen. Southward (Sørover), 1903. 11’3″ x 10’3″. Photo: Peter Pap

Nearly 120 years of dust was washed from Southward in January. Read “Finding Frida Hansen’s Colors Again: Cleaning Southward.” 

Frida Hansen (1855-1931) was an entrepreneur, a crucial figure in the revival of Norwegian weaving, teacher, designer, and internationally recognized fine artist. Read “Frida Hansen: A Brief Biography.”

Southward was exhibited at least 15 times from 1905-1931 and its beauty was praised in  contemporary newspaper accounts. Read “Southward on Display.”

Delve into Southward details with some close-up photos and discussion. Read “Close Encounters with Frida Hansen’s Swans and Maidens.”

The Nordic News & Notes column is filled with presentations and courses you can enjoy at home. However, I noticed that Melba Granlund is teaching a wonderful class,”Rya Weaving on a Tabletop Warp-Weighted Loom,” in person, at both North House Folk School in Grand Marais, MN, and at Vesterheim Folk Art School in Decorah, Iowa. I highly recommend both locations, for the facilities, the camaraderie, and the excellent instruction! If you can make the trip, you should take at least one class in each of these venues in your life. 

This is a special mid-issue post because I have two fun things to share. One is an upcoming web lecture that you would all miss before the next “Nordic News & Notes” column comes out in February. Livsreise, the Norwegian Cultural Center in Stoughton, Wisconsin, is presenting a talk by Tom DuBois, “Are You What You Wear–Performing Sámi identity in traditional and modern Sámi life through traditional dress.”
1 p.m., Saturday, January 8, 2022. More information and registration here.

In December I received a donation and note from Stephanie Hoppe from Ukiah, California. I love hearing about articles from the newsletter that people like, and am especially thrilled when readers are inspired to weave new pieces! Stephanie wrote, 

I am writing to you here…mostly in thanks for the articles by Katherine Dickerson on the Flesberg threading. Someone brought them to my attention during a low period here in the pandemic, and figuring out how to do it myself became my project. I weave on a Navajo-style loom, and have been experimenting with their 4-shaft twill very happily. The Flesberg rosepath fit right into that, with only using 3 shafts making it easier to manage!

Anyway, I wove several samplers and pillow sized pieces, and now a larger tapestry, 25 by 45 inches, exploring all the different wave and diamond patterns. I call is “To Get From Red to Green I Had to Go Through Yellow and Blue.”  Here it is, with my thanks.

Wow–she wove it on a Navajo loom? It’s a beautiful, personal and contemporary piece inspired by a traditional weave structure. It’s so inspiring. 

At the beginning of this new year, I am grateful for all the authors who have contributed to the newsletter content, my friends who translate articles and help edit and proofread each issue. There are many wonderful new articles in the hopper for 2022, and I am grateful to all of you who read and share the content. 

Robbie LaFleur
Publisher, Norwegian Textile Letter

Thank you to everyone who helps support the Norwegian Textile Letter with donations to cover expenses. Your financial support is crucial. Thank you for being a subscriber! 

For those who would like to donate, here’s an easy link.

The holidays are a time of tradition, so perhaps it is fitting to lead the new issue with a swan-weaving tradition, the story of a woman who wove six geometric square-weave coverlets for her grandchildren with a distinctive pattern. The swan weavings remain in the family as treasured heirlooms and also raise questions. Why swans? Where did the pattern originate? If you are like me, it even takes a minute to identify the swans in the abstracted pattern. Do you see the swan outlines in this band I used as the header image? Read: Geometric Swans? The Dyresjon Square-Weave Pattern.

In Three “Generations” of an Old Hordaland Weaving Design, Lisa Torvik writes about a beautiful banded coverlet in rutevev (geometric square-weave). The historical coverlet was woven as a utilitarian object and recreated by her weaving teacher at Valdres Husflidsskule in Norway, Kari Sand Nikolaisen. Lisa wove two versions: first a faithful rendition and now, a contemporary interpretation in transparent tapestry.

Lisa Torvik’s translation of “Art Weaving in Valdres,” a long 1964 essay from a regional history book, continues with Art Weaving in Valdres–Part Three (Tapestry Cushion Covers). Karin Mellbye Gjesdahl discusses smaller format tapestries in this section. 

Sometimes fascinating historical research lies a bit buried in academic journals. Weavers and fans of Norwegian textiles and Norwegian cultural history will appreciate this article by Ingun Grimstad Klepp, Tone Skårdal Tobiasson & Kirsi Laitala, Why Cotton as Linen? The Use of Wool Beds in Norway. It originally appeared in Textile: The Journal of Cloth and Culture, Vol. 14, No. 1, August 2016.

Annemor Sundbø’s book about using historical Norwegian mittens to knit new ones is finally available in English. Read Book Review: Norwegian Mittens & Gloves, Over 25 Classic Designs.

The regular Nordic News & Notes column includes several interesting videos you’ll want to squeeze in between holiday activities. I especially enjoyed the video from Norwegian Crafts about the artist John K. Raustein. Also, I appreciated a section near the end of the podcast featuring Laurann Gilbertson where she discusses the importance of preserving, using, and sharing stories about family textiles. 

I could never complete an issue without the generous help of my informal editorial team, friends who are ready to edit, proofread and advise on a moment’s notice. Kay Larson! Mary Skoy! And I have to especially thank Annemor Sundbø, who responds to my translation questions right away. Not all the words in obscure textile texts are in the Norwegian dictionary, but Annemor always comes through.

This is the last issue of the 27th volume of the Norwegian Textile Letter, and marks nine years since it became an online publication. Enjoy this issue! Be sure to share the content you like with friends or on social media. If you have any questions, or suggestions for articles or translations, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. 

And Thank you to everyone who helps support the Norwegian Textile Letter with donations to cover expenses. Your financial support is crucial; an end-of-the-year donation would be much appreciated. Thank you for being a subscriber! 

Robbie LaFleur

For those who would like to donate, here’s an easy link.

Dear Norwegian Textile Letter readers, 

The November issue of the newsletter is well underway, but if I waited to post these “Nordic News & Notes” items, you would definitely miss out on some tempting  textiles in the Vesterheim annual Benefit Auction. There is also still time to catch a fun “Collections Connection” talk online this week, (but if you miss that talk, it will be available in the future on the Vesterheim Youtube channel).

Thanks for your ongoing interest in and support of the Norwegian Textile Letter.  Robbie LaFleur 

Collections Connection: “Inside Handwoven Dresses” with Carol Colburn 

Recommended online talk–this week!  Share your lunch break with clothing designer, artisan, and historian Carol Colburn as she examines dresses made from handwoven fabric. She will highlight objects from the Vesterheim collection, including several garments dating from the 1860s. This event is open to both practicing fiber artists and folk-art enthusiasts alike.

Collection Connections is a series of Vesterheim-hosted conversations featuring beloved folk-art school instructors. Spotlighting the incredible collection of folk art at Vesterheim, these conversations are opportunities for you to stay connected with your folk-art community. Each event will highlight a piece or several from the museum’s collection as explained, interpreted, and appreciated by a master folk artist.

Level of Instruction: All are welcome.
Tuition: $0.00 Members $0.00 Non-members
CLICK HERE to register for this event through Zoom.

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Benefit Auction

Vesterheim’s annual Benefit Auction opened on October 11, 2021. Check out the pieces at www.biddingforgood.com/VEST-AUCTION, register an account, and start bidding from anywhere in the world. The auction features  several textiles, including weavings in monks belt, a rep weave rug by Kelly Marshall, a knitted handbag, a woven stole in krokbragd and rya, Norwegian sweaters, and more–even a whole Hallingdal bunad (Norwegian costume). There are two tapestries, an exquisite feather by Gold Medalist Judy Ness and a wonderful dragon from the estate of Lila Nelson (pictured). Bid soon!

Vesterheim Exhibit Virtual Tour 

The current exhibit at Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, Socially Distanced, Creatively Connected: A Special Juried Folk Art Exhibition Highlighting Pandemic Creativity, was featured in the last issue of the Norwegian Textile Letter. (Textiles in the show were highlighted.) As a wonderful review for those of you who saw it, or as a preview for those who might get there before the end of this year, the museum created a virtual gallery tour.  It’s an interesting short film. Rather than straight documentation, piece by piece, the camera pans around the room, focusing in on exquisite details. 

Scandinavian Textile Videos for Students–and Everyone Else

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum staff worked with the Iowa Council for the Arts on a professional development project for folk artists this summer, “Folk Art in the Classroom.” Successful grant applicants participated in online workshops to learn best practices in teaching online, and then created either history or how-to videos that could be used in Iowa schools to help students learn about various folk crafts. Several of the artists worked in textiles. Learn finger weaving with Laura Demuth. Learn Hardangersøm with Shan Rayray. Learn about the iconic Wise and Foolish Virgins image in Norwegian tapestry with Robbie LaFleur. See the full list. 

Video: Arne and Carlos Visit Setesdal

The well-known Norwegian knitters Arne & Carlos featured textiles in Setesdal on their Youtube channel during September. All of their interviews in the “Norwegian Craft Traditions – A Guide to Setesdal” series were both charming and in-depth.

Annemor Sundbø was featured on September 5 and 19. Many Norwegian Textile Letter readers know her work well–as a knitting teacher, embroidery instructor, dyeing teacher, knitting historian, and wonderful lecturer. She has contributed to several issues of the NTL over the years: Norwegian Tapestry in the Post-War Years, Norwegian Tapestry: Historical Weaving Treasures and National Romantic Impulses, Nettles – For Clothing and Much More, Norway’s Recent “Knitting War” of Words, and A Rag Pile, My Lot in Life.

You won’t want to miss the episodes with Karin Bøe, who was featured on the 16th and 26th. Karin recently wrote Red is the Finest Color We Have: On Color in Coverlet Weaving in Setesdal around 1900 for the Norwegian Textile Letter. I also wrote about coverlets in Setesdal with Karin’s help for Selvedge Magazine. Read that article here. (Karin also posts the most gorgeous photos of nature in Setesdal on her Instagram site–I highly recommend it. boe_karin)

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