Classes in Decorah

Fiber Arts

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Conference on Norwegian Woven Textiles
Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and Luther College are pleased to announce plans for the fourth Conference on Norwegian Woven Textiles from September 25-27, 2009. The conference will include Norwegian and American speakers, special exhibitions, study group displays, pre- and post-conference classes, and more! Check out class dates below to see what's offered in conjuction with the conference.

Scandinvian Instructors

Basic Viking Knits

Elsebeth Lavold
The focus in this class will be on basic techniques needed to knit wonderful Viking patterns. Learn how to cable without a cable needle, analyze Viking interlace ornamentation, and start designing your own cable patterns. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: beginners and intermediate, must know how to do basic cabling.
July 13 (from 9:00 a.m. to noon) | $64 members / $74 non-members

Runes

Elsebeth Lavold
In Viking times, runes were associated with magic and special powers. Get started on knitting your own power emblem—your name, or a short word. There will be instruction on choosing runes with the correct sound value, spacing, and placement within the project. Students will need to do some homework ahead of class. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: intermediate to advanced, must know how to do basic cabling.
July 13 (from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.) | $64 members / $74 non-members

Viking Knits—Focus on Cabling

Elsebeth Lavold
Discover the wonderful world of Viking cables—a 1000-year-old treasure of patterns revived with a new technique. The class begins with Basic Viking Knits (see description above) and then continues with a focus on the technical aspects of knitting Viking patterns. Create your own cables, change traditional cable patterns, and have time to experiment. If time and interest allow, Elsebeth will touch on knitted runes and dragon appliqué. Some finishing will be discussed. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: intermediate, must know how to do basic cabling.
July 14 (from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) | $130 members / $150 non-members

Viking Knits—Focus on Design

Elsebeth Lavold
The class begins with Basic Viking Knits (see description above) and then continues with a focus on designing with cables and using patterns in personal projects. Elsebeth will discuss internal shaping, design tips, and finishing techniques to produce magnificent knitted garments. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: intermediate to advanced, must know how to do basic cabling.
July 15 (from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) | $130 members / $150 non-members

Elsebeth Lavold, from Spånga, Sweden, has been designing knitwear for magazines and yarn companies since 1977. Viking Patterns for Knitting, published in Swedish in 1998 and translated into four other languages, showcases a new knitting technique and her creative designs inspired by Viking and Iron-Age interlaced patterns. A traveling exhibition of her work, Knitting Along the Viking Trail, will be on view at Vesterheim from July 12 to October 11, 2009. Since 2003, Elsebeth has been creating yarns and patterns for her Designer’s Choice line.

Skinnfell

Britt Solheim
A skinnfell is a coverlet made of sheepskins sewn together. The smooth side of the coverlet might be printed with solar motifs, plants, animals, hearts, and flowing borders, or it might be covered with a handwoven textile. The coverlet is placed over the sleeper with the warm, hair side down. Students will make a small cradle-sized or throw-sized skinnfell from one or two sheepskins. They will learn about selecting the skins, hand-sewing techniques, and printing with handmade wooden blocks and ink traditionally made from bark. The class will also include information on how to add a woven textile, as was the custom in parts of Norway. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
September 21-24 | $336 members / $386 non-members
September 28-October 1 | $336 members / $386 non-members*

* NEW information! Due to the popularity of the first class, the second scheduled class will now also include instruction in adding a woven textile to the skinnfell. Sign up today.

Britt Solheim of Gjøvik, Norway, has a background in health care and education. In recent years she has been teaching classes in skinnfell sewing and printing in Norway, Finland, and Sweden. She also produces both traditional and modern skinnfell. Her book, Skinnfeller du kan lage selv (Skinnfells you can make yourself), was published by N. W. Damm & Son in 2006.

The Basics of Felting

Judy Shuros
Learn the basics of felting, the ancient process of reducing and matting wool fibers. Felting is such a fun way to create wearable items for yourself or as gifts. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels
February 21 (from 9:00 a.m. to noon) | $35 members / $50 non-members

Judy Shuros is a spinner, weaver, felter, and knitter. Tapestry and rug weaving are her specialties. She is a member of the Oneota Weavers Guild in Decorah, Iowa.

 

 

Hedebosøm

Roger Buhr
Hedebosøm is a Scandinavian needle lace technique that uses thread rings and pyramids in its construction. Students will make a charming pansy, which can be used as a pin or a sun catcher. All materials will be provided and there will be an additional $4 kit fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
March 14 (from 9:00 a.m. to noon) | $35 members / $50 non-members

Roger Buhr has done hedebosøm for 17 years and has taught courses at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Basstown, North Carolina and at Vesterheim.


 

West Coast Banded Coverlets

Syvilla Tweed Bolson

Learn to weave a part of history—a coverlet based on one in Vesterheim’s collection that comes from Bergan and was woven on a warp-weighted loom. Techniques taught will include weft-faced “pick and pick” with supplemental wefts, krokbragd, brocading (Vestfoldsmett), various pick-up designs, and stripes. Students will weave six bands plus the top and bottom of the original coverlet. There will be three choices of widths to weave on Vesterheim floor looms, and Norwegian spælsau wools will be used. The class will visit a home studio to see a warp-weighted loom. (For returning students who would like to repeat a study of this coverlet, a complete tapestry may be woven, using one or more of the techniques in the original coverlet. After registering and prior to class, students will discuss plans for a project with the instructor.) There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
July 18-22 | $318 members / $338 non-members

Syvilla Tweed Bolson owns and operates a Norwegian yarn business in Decorah and has taught classes in various Norwegian weaving techniques throughout the Midwest. She regularly demonstrates weaving at Vesterheim and has been commissioned to create wall hangings for private homes and public spaces. Syvilla is a ribbon winner at Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition.

Rutevev

Syvilla Tweed Bolson
Rutevev is a traditional Norwegian technique featuring geometric motifs, such as eight-petal flowers, diamonds, knots, and crosses. It was most often used for coverlets and cushion covers in western Norway. The weaving is done across the entire width of the fabric on the loom. Students will use the single interlocking tapestry technique and borders of lynild (lightning) and little crosses. The project will be suitable for a wall hanging or table runner. Students are encouraged to preplan the design, color, and size with the instructor, but there will be options for those who prefer to weave an assigned project. Returning students will have several possible choices of pattern and embellishment techniques. Instruction will cover warping, color choices, placement of the colors, method of interlocking, and finishing techniques. Vesterheim floor looms will be used with cotton or linen warp and Norwegian wool weft in traditional or contemporary colors. Warping the loom will be done the previous day if possible. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: advanced beginner.
August 10-14 | $318 members / $338 non-members

Syvilla Tweed Bolson owns and operates a Norwegian yarn business in Decorah and has taught classes in various Norwegian weaving techniques throughout the Midwest. She regularly demonstrates weaving at Vesterheim and has been commissioned to create wall hangings for private homes and public spaces. Syvilla is a ribbon winner at Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition.

Transparent Weave

Norma Smayda
Transparent weavings are most often displayed in windows, but are also suitable for wall hangings, room dividers, and lamp shades. They are woven in fine linen ground and tow-linen pattern in natural colors. Students will dress a loom, weave a sampler of appropriate inlay techniques, and design and weave a wall hanging about 16 x 30 inches. Vesterheim floor looms will be used. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: ability to dress a loom and have basic weaving skills.
September 22-24 | $190 members / $210 non-members

Norma Smayda learned to weave in Norway in 1967 and returned there to lead handweaving tours for five years as an exchange teacher in 1981. In 1974 she established and continues to run the Saunderstown Weaving School in Rhode Island. She received an MFA in Visual Design from the University of Massachusets in 1978. She offers lectures and workshops in Scandinavian weaves other traditional weaves, and weaving theory, especially Weaver Rose and his patterns from the nineteenth century. From 1988-1992, Norma served as president of the Handweavers Guild of America. In 1992 she received the Boston Weavers Guild’s Distinguished Achievement Award.

Weave a Wise or Foolish Virgin

Grete Bodøgaard
Learn this basic tapestry technique from the style of fourteenth-century Norway. Students will warp the looms, learn tapestry techniques, and complete a tapestry. The design will be based on The Wise and Foolish Virgins tapestry in the Vesterheim collection, with a free choice of colors. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: basic knowledge of weaving.
September 22-24 | $190 members / $210 non-members

Grete Bodøgaard was born in Bodø, Norway, and now lives in Volin, South Dakota. She has studied textiles in Bodø, Oslo, and Copenhagen, and has a B.A. in art education from Black Hills State University in South Dakota. She has apprenticed in textile research, focusing on the Bronze Age bog people at the Historic Archeological Research Center in Lejre, Denmark, and studied textile conservation in London. She has exhibited and been given commissions in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Norway. She has enjoyed traveling across South Dakota as part of the Artists in the Schools program for close to 30 years and has conducted numerous adult workshops in spinning, plant dyeing, and tapestry weaving for museums, universities, and textile conferences. Her tapestries are made with Norwegian tapestry techniques dating back to 1200 A.D., but the subjects in her work are contemporary.

Weaving Basketweave Pick-Up Bands

Jane Murphy
This three-day class will begin with an introduction to the basketweave pick-up band, used in rural Norway for hair ribbons, apron ties, and belts. After learning about weave structure and methods of weaving, students will design their own color scheme and warp a spaltegrind (a special Norwegian rigid heddle with long pattern eyes). By the end of the first day, students will be weaving pick-up bands using the spaltegrind. A Scandinavian band loom will be warped and available for students to try during class. There may be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels, an understanding of weaving vocabulary is helpful.
September 22-24 | $190 members / $210 non-members

Jane Murphy has been studying and teaching weaving for many years. After moving to Wisconsin in 1996 and becoming involved with Vesterheim, she has focused mostly on the Scandinavian weaving traditions. Jane is also a spinner, knitter and silversmith. She lives with her husband and three dogs in the log home that the couple built in rural Westby, Wisconsin.

Incorporating Tablet Weaving into Garments

Inge Dam
Through studies of ancient textiles, Inge became fascinated with garments made of tablet borders woven jointly with a piece of fabric on the loom, and she will give a brief introduction to this weaving history. Students will set up a loom with a simple weave structure, learn how to make a tablet warp, and arrange the warps so the border and the fabric can be woven together using only one shuttle. Learn to avoid tension problems and accommodate for the differences in the take-up of the two weaves. Using simple tablet weaving, students will learn how to add embellishments, such as tassels, twining, beads (at edges and on surface), braiding overlay, wrapped warp ends, loops, Ghiordes knots, and brocading. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: know how to dress a loom and weave plain weave and twill.
September 28-30 | $190 members / $210 non-members

Inge Dam is a master weaver from the Ontario Handweavers and Spinners and has completed a study on Iron Age textiles from Denmark. She has taught many workshops in the U.S. and Canada and has taught for Convergence. She has won many awards for her work, which has appeared in Weaver’s; Handwoven; Shuttle; Spindle & Dyepot; Fibre Focus; and GCW Bulletin. She weaves on a 32-shaft Louet, Megado dobby loom and specializes in weaving unique garments. In some of her garments she incorporates tablet weaving and other embellishments.

Finn Weave

Norma Smayda
Learn Finn weave and its variations. Students will dress a loom and weave a sampler in these double weave pick-up techniques—single, double, reversible, and non-reversible or Meråkervev. Then students will complete a wall hanging in one of these techniques. Vesterheim floor looms will be used. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: intermediate.
Sepember 28-October 1 | $254 members / $274 non-members

Norma Smayda learned to weave in Norway in 1967 and returned there to lead handweaving tours for five years as an exchange teacher in 1981. In 1974 she established and continues to run the Saunderstown Weaving School in Rhode Island. She received an MFA in Visual Design from the University of Massachusets in 1978. She offers lectures and workshops in Scandinavian weaves other traditional weaves, and weaving theory, especially Weaver Rose and his patterns from the nineteenth century. From 1988-1992, Norma served as president of the Handweavers Guild of America. In 1992 she received the Boston Weavers Guild’s Distinguished Achievement Award.

Cradle Loom Weaving

Nancy Ellison
Over 30 years ago, Lila Nelson, previous Vesterheim textile curator, reconstructed a “cradle loom” from one dated 1849 in the museum collection. Ever since then, woodcarvers, rosemalers, and others have purchased and decorated them. This class will explore a variety of traditional and contemporary weaving ideas that can be done on cradle looms. Beginners will start with simple techniques and experienced weavers will find projects to challenge them. It is timely to renew interest in these handy little looms. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
October 10-11 | $127 members / $147 non-members

Nancy Ellison took her first weaving class in Norway in 1968 and has since taken numerous workshops at Vesterheim and elsewhere. This former home economics teacher does spinning, weaving, and felting with wool from her sheep at Ellison Sheep Farm near Zumbrota, Minnesota. She is a dealer of several brands of new spinning wheels and looms and also has accumulated a large collection of antique Scandinavian spinning wheels and looms.

Birch Bark Weaving

Phyllis Knutson
Students will learn about harvesting birch bark. They will work on smaller items—like a ring, bead, or knife sheath—to get the feel of the bark, learn how to thin it down and to do the double diagonal weave. Students will prepare bark for the second day, when they will complete a bread basket, jewelry box, or eyeglasses holder as their project. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
October 10-11 | $127 members / $147 non-members

Phyllis Knutson found her passion for weaving with rattan reed in 1992 and has been teaching since 1995. In 1998, she was introduced to birch bark. She has been privileged to teach at the annual Heikinpaiva Mid-Winter Festival in Hancock, Michigan, the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina, and North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota. She also teaches for basket weaving guilds and community education classes. She sells her baskets at art shows and galleries in the area.

Basketmaking

Jean Schutte
This Norwegian basket is useful and simple to weave. The two-handled single purpose basket was originally used for potatoes or coal. Jean has changed the rim and handles to make it more functional for everyday use. It makes a good hagekurv or garden basket. The basket measures approximately 15 inches tall and approximately 11 inches in diameter. There will be an additional materials fee.
Level of instruction: all levels.
October 17 (morning and afternoon) | $64 members / $74 non-membersBeginning

Jean Schutte has been teaching basket weaving since 1986. She is mostly self-taught, but has studied with teachers in the Amana Colonies, Iowa; Winona, Minnesota; and Faribault, Minnesota. Jean has worked in many different media, including pine needles, red cedar bark, oak, birch, ash, and willow. In most of her basketmaking classes she uses reed. For the past 18 years, Jean has been teaching classes at various places, including Vesterheim, Northeast Iowa Community College, public schools, 4-H groups, and her studio.

Tapestry Weaving

Susan Gangsei
Learn basic tapestry techniques, including loom and warp attributes, yarn handling techniques, and the characteristics of fabric quality. Students will also explore the history of how tapestry evolved in different regions of the world, including Norway. Students will produce a sampler while learning various weaving techniques, including plain weave, hatching, hatchures, weaving a curve, and multiple Nordic dovetail joins. Students can use Vesterheim’s rigid heddle looms, or bring their own loom. There will be an additional materials fee for two types of yarn (Paternayan and Rauma Spaelsaugarn) provided by the instructor.
Level of instruction: beginner.
November 6-8 | $190 members / $210 non-members

Susan Gangsei has been weaving since 2002. Her tapestry journey began in 2004 with a Vesterheim tapestry class taught by master weaver Nancy Jackson. Since that time, Susan has had regular one-on-one instruction from Nancy to advance her skills in tapestry techniques, fabric quality, cartooning, and design. She has also studied rutevev, krokbragd, boundweave, and Nordic joins techniques, as well as design composition. In 2007, Susan’s tapestry Slaying Your Dragon earned a blue ribbon and People’s Choice award at Vesterheim’s National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition. Susan’s work is currently being sold in Minneapolis at the Nina Bliese Gallery.

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