Returning to Grebbestad - weaving on the warp weighted loom

Two years ago we visited Grebbestad to attend a course on weaving on a warp weighted loom. This spring we heard that this summer was perhaps the last time that this course would be held, so we decided to go there once more. I wrote two rather detailed posts about our visit in 2014:
- Weaving Viking Style in Grebbestad - Opstadgogn
- A visit to Vitlycke museum and the fabulous rock-carvings (Petroglyphs) at Tanum

Therefore this post will mostly show some photos from this years work. I had decided that I would not weave with my favourite colours, grey, brown, and blue.  I would challenge myself and use red, pink, yellow and green. I also decided not to plan the pattern in advance but let it develop during weaving the band (the starting border) for the attachment of the warp. I also decided that I was not allowed to make the striping symmetric. I doubted my decision during the process but decided to go along no matter what. What happened was that I slowly got used to the result during the days of weaving, and I decided to keep the fabric and make use of it (more about that in a coming post).

Weaving the starting border

Attaching the starting border and warp to the cloth-beam

The cloth-beam hung up on the loom

Weights attached and the crocheted chain to keep the warp threads in order

Tying the heedles

No mistakes are allowed when tying heddles

The finished shed

Weaving on its way - note the weaving sword

Twisting the fringes

Grebbestad folkhögskola - old building

Grebbestad folkhögskola - out sleeping quarters

Grebbestad folkhögskola - the craft workshops

Grebbestad - dinner at the harbour

Grey socks

Sock knitting continues. These are a pair of grey socks that I just finished.

I used the same pattern as for the socks I knitted in June. The yarn is Fabel from Drops, but plain grey this time. Double pins 2,50 mm.

Memories from Dala-Floda

These small satchels are decorated with the traditional embroidery from Dala-Floda called "påsöm". They are made by Anna-Karin Jobs Arnberg. We were given them as memories of our joint work setting up the exhibition at Dala-Floda Värdsdhus.

Stickat av män / Knitted by men - The exhibition in Dala-Floda

We are back from a couple of days visit and work in Dala-Floda. The time spent was as always a very nice experience. This time we were there to build an exhibition, a new experience. We had professional help from Anna-Karin Jobs Arnberg. She was as always a fountain of knowledge and great to work with. The venue was the Studio at Dala-Floda Värdshus. The exhibition was opened by Sonja Bush from Wålstedts Textilverkstad AB, Dala-Floda.

Her are some photos of the exhibition

Midsummer is a great time to be in Dala-Floda

 

 

 

Roslagsfår

This is a short information about Roslagsfår.

The breed Roslagsfår was rediscovered in the 1990's. The breed today stems from Raggarön in the north of Roslagen where the sheep has been kept since the 18th Century. The wool was foremost used for making textiles for the family. It was spun, woven, knitted and nalbound for socks, mittens and other types of clothing. The wool is very similar to that of the breed Rya, strong and lustrous.Their wool varies in quality and is not suited for fulling since it does not shrink easily.

The sheep are small. A ewe weighs 30-40 kilos and a ram about 50 kilos. Their height averages 57 cm making them the smallest of the Swedish sheep breeds.

More information (only in Swedish) about the breed can be found here:

http://www.allmogefar.se/roslagsfar