Rya is the word for woven shag rugs and bed coverings made in the Nordic countries since the Viking era. Our class will “keep alive” this little-known art form by designing and creating our own ryas. Rya history, design styles, modern designing techniques, how to calculate needed yarn, and how to knot will be taught. Rya has been likened to “painting with a needle.” The magic of color blending occurs when we create depth and a flow of colors by combining various similar colors of yarn on our needles as we knot along a line in the fabric weave. Over 200 colors are offered which can be blended on the needle to create thousands of color combinations.
The instructor has designed and made rya rugs since she was in 6th grade during the midcentury modern era when ryas were widely known among fiber artists. In March 2019, she published a book on designing and making ryas. Students will share in the learning process by learning from each other since each design could be done in a different way. The majority of the class time is spent in designing and selecting colors. There is some math involved which can be made simple or challenging (for greater accuracy) depending on the design. The knotting technique is easy to learn. Most students begin knotting on the 3rd or 4th day of class. By the end of the last day, students will be on their way independently and can finish their projects at home. When knotting is complete, the rya is complete. There is no additional work to be done at home.
Students will be given resources and contact information for assistance if needed.
Check out the website ByrdcallStudio.com for more information. Read Melinda’s past newsletters for descriptions of designing projects. Google “rya rug designs” to see many possibilities for inspiration. Won’t you join the Rya Rug Revival?
Limit: 10 students, ages 16 and up.
Materials fee: $100 - $125 includes backing and rya yarns.
Students should bring:
Tote bag for supplies
Notebook
Calculator
Pencil
Eraser
Sharp scissors
Potential design ideas (to be discussed with instructor)
