One Row at a Time

This past week, AnKa and I had the opportunity to try our hand at a traditional Finnish craft—carpet weaving.  Upon entering the art center, we were met with a room full of floor-standing looms.  The sun shone through large windows, illuminating the colorful fabric strips which lined the walls.  After discussing which patterns we would each like to attempt, the kind women running the shop brought us over to the looms.  We were given a brief demonstration how to use the wooden apparatuses, and away we went.  Press the first pedal with your left foot.  Guide the fabric strip through the complex array of strings.  Press the second pedal with your right foot.  And pull a large wooden board towards you to secure the new row.  Working for a good portion of the day, we were both able to walk away with a rug.  While AnKa's was a nice array of earth tones, I went for classic Jenny style—bright, bold colors.  While the weaving was quite enjoyable, I must admit that I also appreciated the atmosphere in the place.  Quite like the quilt shops back at home, older women came and went throughout the day, forming small chatter clusters while their husbands waited quietly in the corner.

AnKa pulls the board towards herself to secure a new row.

You can see my carpet design on the
loom—green, red and blue stripes.

You use foot pedals to control the carpet's design.