From Rags to Rugs: My Grandmother’s Loom with Lisa Wiitala
Due to the ongoing pandemic, in 2022 FinnFest USA chose to go virtual once again after a successful 2021 line-up. This year's online programming includes the Finnish American Folk Arts Series. The third presentation of the year, "From Rags to Rugs: My Grandmother’s Loom" featured Lisa Wiitala discussing rag rug weaving and the important of family and heritage to her art.
In 2014, Lisa Wiitala began an in-depth exploration of her Finnish American roots. Part of that journey involved rescuing her grandmother’s carpet loom from the abandoned family farm, learning to weave rag rugs with it as her grandmother once had. In this presentation, she shares the story of that rewarding experience, including how it led to the discovery of other family treasures and an additional form of traditional Finnish weaving known as ryijy.
Check out some of the video's key moments:
13:02 Grandmother Lillian's history
22:45 Lillian's correspondence with customers
31:38 Examples of Lillian's rugs
35:10 Repairing a rag rug
41:07 Retrieving Lillian's loom
46:05 Lisa's first rag rug
52:31 Rugs made from Lillian's materials
55:45 Examples of ryijy/rya weaving
1:04:35 Finnish American Folk School
1:10:36 Wiitala family photos
1:18:18 Audience questions
1:31:30 Washing rag rugs
The FinnFest music series is co-hosted by the Sustaining Scandinavian Folk Arts in the Upper Midwest project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Learn more about the project at folklife.wisc.edu/
And visit FinnFest's website at: finnfest.us
Пікірлер: 8
Wonderful presentation Lisa!
So interesting! I think rag rugs are comin back into fashion. Greetings from Finland!
Lisa, your wall piece is wonderful with all the treasures from your grandparents stash
My grandmother, from Småland Sweden sewed rya matta, I always heard it pronounced ree-ah mah-ta (rya rug). Love your video. My mother bought me a loom in Sweden and I have yet to use it, and now I must. I have made small rag rug style pieces on a lap loom. Thank you all! Täck så mycket.
Wonderful compilation of Finnish history through a personal story! Thank you! And hooray, you are continuing the weaving tradition!
My grandmother from Finland, who immigrated to the U.P. of Michigan about 1906, made rag rugs, both in the basement of her home, and at her sister's house. My mother talked about the size of their looms! I still have many of her rag rugs, used on our floors when I was a child, some of which are whole and in good condition, and others with damage. Thank you for your suggestions on how to finish off the edges to make use of a damaged rug!
Beautiful workmanship.........do you sell them?
Hurray for ryja rugs!