Saami Weaving/Greneveving

Hi Franco.  A number of years ago I went to Norway and took a five day class on warp weighted weaving.  The header we used was braided rather than made with a rigid heddle.  The looms were similar to the one in the video, and we used string heddles and a shed rod.  We would beat four or five rows with our hands, then we used a sword beater to pack the weft more firmly.  We were weaving weft-faced textiles on a linen warp, while the lady in the video is using a wool warp and likely getting weft-emphasis and a lighter-weight blanket.

The rocks we used had holes drilled in them -- that must have been quite a job.  Each rock had its weight written on it, and heavier ones needed more warps tied to them than light ones to keep the tension as even as possible.  Bricks would be a practical alternative.

We made those same wands of weft -- basically a huge butterfly wrapped from hand to elbow.  A stick shuttle would work too and could be used as a light weight beater.

The handout for our class included a booklet (written in Norwegian) about the warp weighted loom and showing many photos of old and new pieces woven this way.  A while ago I wove many of the decorative motifs from that book into two little samplers that I posted here in projects.  Here are the pictures again...

Hope this is helpful.

Bonnie.

What a beautiful sampler Bonnie!

Those are amazing patterns for such a simple loom.

I will definitely keep warp weighted loom on the list.

You said this is from Norway?

I wonder if the video language is Norwegian?

Have a joyful day!

Franco, the language is samish, the language of the reindeer keepers in northern Scandinavia, and it is quite incomprehensible to me who understand norwegian perfectly well.

Eva

Thank you Eva. This is fascinating.

I'll have to really dig into this after Saturday as we have a lot of Christmas activities the next two days.

Have a Happy Christmas!

Your samples are beautiful!  I'm learning so much weaving history from all the weavers here on Weavolution.

Have a look at this:

http://www.senterfornordligefolk.no/gren...

The text is in norwegian. It appears that grene is the name of the rug or blanket you make on that loom. 

This might also be of interest:

http://www.digitaltmuseum.no/search?name...

http://www.kafjord.kommune.no/nyutgitt-h...

The last one is about a booklet about greneveving. As far as I can see you can only get it if you go to Kåfjord on the north coast of Norway yourself. 

Have fun.  Eva

Eva, thank you for the links, the videos are fun to watch.  I so wish I had a language module in my brain that I could switch to different languages when I need them...time for Lao, ok, switch to Burmese, oops, need Norwegian now.  Photos and videos are the best!  thank you  Deb Mc

I was fascinated.  Though I could not understand the language, it was interesting to watch her at each stage. I thought about how each step must have developed in response to a problem someone in the long past was trying to solve, and the whole developed into this unique way of weaving.  Delightful.  Thank you for posting the link. 

Weaving Sami Bands Tutorial coming in February
to Braids and Bands on yahoogroups

Join Braids and Bands on Yahoogroups, your membership
will be approved by moderators of the group but anyone
is welcome to join.
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/braids_...

After you are approved, go to their file area and look
in folder named Online Tutorials
http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/braids_...

and Download the file named:
Introduction and equipment list.pdf
Weaving Sami Bands equipment list

The pdf has a lot of nice pictures showing rigid heddle
backstrap looms and finished bands. It's worth joining
Braids and Bands group just to download this file!

The Braids and Bands yahoogroup is just one activity of
the Braid Society, a group based in UK that promotes,
well, braids!
Their website is http://www.braidsociety.com

Have a good day!

Sami band online weaving tutorial begins in Braids and Bands yahoogroup

Look in the files area to see equipment list and first tutorial pdf's

http://uk.groups.yahoo.com/group/braids_and_bands/files/On-Line%20Tutorials/

You will have to register in the group to view and download the files.

Registration is free.

Braids and Bands yahoogroup is one activity of The Braid Society

http://www.braidsociety.com

Have a good day!

Hi Franco,

It would be lovely to have the tutorial on Weavolution.  Every post allows for attachments if you prefer to go that route.  And, as you know, you create a Braid group (I checked and we don't have one yet) and invite all those who enjoy braiding to join.  Then, the tutorial can be here where you post your projects and chat with your friends.

It would be great to see more braiding projects.

Claudia

We've had tutorials on Weavolution.

Laverne does tutorials on backstrap weaving, I've posted tutorials on rigid heddle.

I'm not doing the Sami band weaving on yahoogroups, somebody else is.

Have a good day!

Hi.  I'm setting up a Warp Weighted room that my husband made for me this past weekend.  Do you recall exactly how you did the heddles?  I'm at that point and a little unsure what the best method to use would be.  Thanks, Virag

Marla Mallet's web site shows a simple way to set up for string heddles with loops.
http://www.marlamallett.com/loom.htm

I've used these loops on frame looms and they are easy to work with. The only down side of the loops is that since there is contact at two points on the warp, there is more drag and/or abrasion than winding a string heddle on a heddle stick.

Since I don't think you have a ton of tension on the warp weighted loom, I expect the loops should perform well.

Have a good day!
Franco Rios

Thanks Franco:>.  I finally figured out the heddles by realizing I could click on pics from http://www.housebarra.com/EP/ep03/14warping.html and get a great pic.  After that it turned out to be really easy. I started by trying it the way Laverne taught me on the backstrap loom but the size of it was a bit difficult...6 ft heddle bar!  I'm finding this loom to be really, really relaxing so far. We'll see what happens when I try to beat the weft upwards while standing on a bench though:>:>:>

Lovely forum for the grene weaving here.

In Norway we have two traditions so to say in warp wefted looms. One in the north as grene weaving. The other is in western part of Norway. Bonnies weaving is examples of this tradition called "åkle" (aakle?)

In the weaving boom in late 1880'ies and searching of traditions in Norway same period, these looms and the tradition in the valleys of pictorial tapestries came out from the dark corners and lofts.

Keep up the good work folks.

Do you know how far back in history the aakle and grene weaving goes?  I'm just starting to read about it in Marla Hoffman's book about warp weighted weaving:>.

Saami (sami) weaving pictures on Flickrhttp://www.flickr.com/search/?q=sami+wea...

Lots of beautiful work pictures and pictures of the warp weighted looms.

Have a good day!Franco Rios

Aakle and grene goes far back. Finds in archeologi shows rows of stones up in houses or setlings south to north in Europe. Essential studies has been made by Hoffmann and E. Barber. During WW2 many grenes were burnt as setlings were burnt down.

The colors are usually are in white or/and grey with black stripes. The natural colors of sheep. In the 17th century some were woven in white, with black and some red stripes. Cochenille, "krapp" and indigo is found. I will believe birchleaves and heather too. In 1767 Knut Leemer wrote as the first known writer about grene. He told about colors as red and yellow stripes on white bottom. Second notes from http://www.senterfornordligefolk.no/greneveving

The link changed: http://www.senterfornordligefolk.no/greneveving.4855035.html

Thank you Aubeweave and Anja for your comments. I'm very intrigued with this branch weaving.

Have a good day!