by rios

SUNDAY WALKING 2.

2012-02-26T10:26:00.001-08:00

I have just came home from a walk with my husband. These days I think there is so many lovely things on Nørrebro to discover when walking.
At the Blågårds Plads we saw these beautiful stars on the pavment. In the evening they become more bright.

KUNSTLAB.

2012-02-23T07:57:00.001-08:00

On my way back from work I saw this fence with a lot of colorful artwork by Søvsøs Kunstlab.

SUNDAY WALKING.

2012-02-19T05:07:00.001-08:00

Have just been out walking with my husband here on Nørrebro, where we live in Copenhagen.
We saw embroidery on the trees, which are so pretty. I like the idea.
In a gallery black/white pictures, very textile like. Around the lakes colorful grafitti and finally my husband is pretending he is a spider.

WALKING.

2012-02-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

I have a favourite place just nearby where I live here on Nørrebro. It's a cemetery and I used to go for a walk there every once a week. Today was the day.
The cemetery is called Assistens Kirkegård; my favourite place.

Inside the cemetery there are small spots which are very special to me. This place is one of them.

Today I saw a tree full of colorful pom pom's. I think it's part of a decoration somebody have put next to a grave.

An untouched bench with the characteristic yellow wall behind.

Outside the cemetery just before I walked in, a poster were hanging on the yellow wall with the word; dansk.

This tree is amazing. Very textile like with the bark in stripes and beautiful colors.

Lovely windows with patterns.

This little leftover from a tree fell down while I were walking. I love the spidersweb pattern which is possible to see in the leaves.
In the Fall while it's still green, if you throw it up in the air, it will swing from side to side while falling down. So pretty.

While walking I saw this facade outside the cemetery. A white dove. For me it's a sign of peace, happiness and love.

A GARLAND.

2012-02-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

I love yarns!
Mostly to weave with, but I also try to make some other things, mainly for decoration.
Last year at my Christmasmarket at my studio I made some pom pom's. Now I have turned some of them into garlands. In between the pom pom's there is glassbeads from Czechoslovakia and card stock cutted into different kinds of shapes.

When it comes to my own work I like working with non-colors; black, grey and white. I think you will be able to see the structure, patterns and texture much more and also the materials stands out better.
The garland is made in white-in-white shades and the pom pom's reminds me of snowballs.

If you should be interested in purchasing one you can find it here.

The first winter my husband spend here in Denmark (3½ years ago) we got a lot of snow, and the first evening we went out and had a snowball fight. Later that evening we made our first angels in the snow together.

NEW PURSE.

2012-02-04T09:55:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my new purse from The Blue Rabbit House shop arrived at my home. I am so much in love with Eva's leaf collection and I will probably buy one more.

The little leaf at the zipper completes the purse.

Details of the beautiful leafs embroidered by Eva.

The back of the purse with a pretty textile full of flowers.

Inside, also a flower textile together with the blue rabbit house tag.
Eva also have a blog with updates on her shop and other nice things about textiles.

Even the envelope which contained the purse were textile like.
I love my new purse and is going to put my new canon g 12 items in it. Then I will have it with me everywhere I go.

COLORS.

2012-01-14T01:21:00.000-08:00

In the street of Nørrebro where I am living in Copenhagen, there is a little school. The other day when passing by it, I looked up at there balcony and saw these amazing knitted and crocheted colors. I think it is a fantastic project created by the pupils at the school.

The whole view of the fantastic "instalation".

The door with grafiti of Nørrebro Lilleskole where you enter to get into the school.

Have a nice and colorful weekend!

YARNS.

2012-01-07T14:50:00.000-08:00

Right now at my studio!

White yarns.

In a beautiful wooden cup from Japan.

SILLUSTANI.

2012-01-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

When beeing in Puno, my husband and I went to visit Sillustani. It is a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo.
It is the site of some of the areas most impressive funerary towers (chullpas). They were built by the Colla people around 600AD to bury their nobility. Entire families, along with food and personal possessions were buried in these cylinders.

The tombs, which are built above ground in tower-like structures called chullpas, are the vestiges of the Colla people, Aymara who were conquered by the Inca in the 15th century. The structures housed the remains of complete family groups, although they were probably limited to nobility. Many of the tombs have been dynamited by grave robbers, while others were left unfinished.

The scenery here is beautiful. When arrivinng with our guide we walked up the hill from the parking lot to the plateau above. The towers stand at the far end of the field with the lake in behind. Pretty, pretty, pretty!!!

A little group of alpacaer and lamaer were walking next to us. There faces are so cute! I just want to give them a big hug and take them all with me home.

The chullpas are full of beautiful structures and textures.

BOOKS.

2012-01-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

I love books!
Especially the ones with lots of photos.
At my studio I have all my textile books, both the ones for inspirations as well as the the ones with technical weaving information.

BORO by David Sorgato is an amazing book full of fantastic photos of BORO textiles from Japan. I have in an earlier post written about Boro from Gallery KEI in Kyoto.

Each page is like this; delicate, full of texture, stitching, indigo, white, kasuri ...
If you want to purchase a BORO textile you can do it from either Gallery KEI, Sri Threads or Kimonoboy.

Radical lace & subversive knitting from Museum of Arts and Design is another I love love love book I have.

It is divided into different categories of where lace /knit are used, outdoor, indoor, fashion ...
It is full of different kinds of artist who work with lace /knit in different kinds of materials. So beautiful.

TEXTILES TODAY by Chloë Colchester is a special book for me. In 2007 I went to London for an ETN workshop. In the same week I were there, the London Design Week were happening.
At a bookshop I saw this book and I always run quickly through it, and suddenly I saw a photo of my own textile. I had to buy it.

My textile (right in the bottom) is among text and photos of the Japanese company NUNO. Nice!!

A very good friend of mine Lene Bennike is a photographer.
She has written the book Ørkenkvindernes Tæpper; quilts and portraits from Kutch.

Every page is delicate, full of so much passion.
I am the lucky owner of an antique Desertquilt from Kutch.

When beeing in Japan in 2009 I feel in love with the Tamari balls.
On the blog Japanese Textiles by Rod Byatt you can find a lot of information about this fantastic technique.

BOUCHEROUITE by Gebhart Blazek is a book full of colors, texture and structure. A favorite.

I am so fortunate to have a Boucherouite or RAG of my own. You can read about it here.
The danish textile designer Kirsten Fribert have started selling the carpets.

In 2008 this book of Danish Textile Art were published and I am in it with a profile and work. Three room dividers at the Foundation Realdania and my upholstery Checkpoint from Kvadrat.

ME!

NEW IDEAS.

2012-01-03T01:50:00.000-08:00

I like taking photos and yesterday at my studio when I had hang up a new idea, this lovely shadow appeared.
Right now I am not sure what it will end up with, but that is often how my new ideas starts.

Shadow of paperthread.

Fragile, but also full of power.

NEW YEAR.

2011-12-31T04:27:00.001-08:00

I want to wish everybody a Happy New Year.
May 2012 be full of amazing weavings, wonderful yarns, health and happiness!

AMULETS.

2011-12-28T11:55:00.000-08:00

When I earlier this year went to Amsterdam I visited a very interesting shop called Shirdak. Marianne Tuerlings, the owner have a lot of beautiful textiles from the Silk Road and nomadic felts. All of them so amazing. She has just started an online shop.
In another post I will show snapshots from the shop.

I bought some small amulets, probably from Parkistan or Afghanistan, made in beads. The size is around 7 cm in diameter.

There were a lot of them in the shop, so I chose the one I liked by turning them around, as the backside is so beautiful. At my studio they are hanging showing both sides.

A CHRISTMAS GREETING.

2011-12-26T15:11:00.000-08:00

A very good artist friend of me have send me this so beautiful Christmas greeting.
I am so much in love with it! Thank you sweet Ceca.

Ceca is from Bulgaria and her work of land art is amazing.
On my Textile Letters I am so fortunate to have received this lovely letter from Ceca.

MY CHRISTMASTREE.

2011-12-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

I am in love with Christmas! For a whole month I am able to look at my beautiful Christmas decoration. I bought my tree on the first Sunday of Advent where I also putted on my decoration. Last year I bought a lot of old glass decoration from Germany and Czech republic.
This year I have tried to say to myself, only to buy one old item. It's not that easy. I mannage to buy two of the same kind.
I have grewn up with old glass decoration which my mother have got from her parents.

Last year I also wrote a post about my tree. Have a look here.

Here you can see an ice tap in glass which I have bought from a Russian woman. It is long; 21 cm.

One of the wise men putted on a clips. These kind of ornaments is rare.

An owl and a fungus, also on a clips. I always get nervous when I put on these kind of ornaments, as the clips are old and therefore very fragile.

This Santa Claus is rare as he is transperant in some part of his body. Both him and the duck is on clips.

A friend of mine have made this beautiful and fragile angel out of napkin and some wire. I like to mix the old glass decoration with new handmade things.

When visiting a church in Peru I found this, which I think many people actually put in the front of the window in there car. It is in plastic, with Jesus crucified in 3-D.

Pom poms made by me in japanese yarn from Nakachuu with beads.

Here is a very special item which I purchase last year. It is made out of thick paper like cardboard and added a lot of silver glimmer. In the little triangle Jesus is in his creep. Perhaps it is from Germany.

When I grew up we use to make ouer own Christmas decoration. This is a Danish tradition called woven hearts.
A friend of mine have made a blog; A heart heart season from December the 1. till 24th, with a new heart every day, to print and make yourself. It is important to check the blog every day - the heart of the day will only be available for free download for 24 hours. I think it is a lovely idea.

Here is the last old ornament I have purchase. I think it is from France, but I am not sure.

My colleage at my studio, knit designer Marianne Johnstad-Møller have crochet this. Afterwards she have added some silver foil. Very pretty.

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

DETENTES, A COLLECTION.

2011-12-19T15:07:00.000-08:00

I now have a little collection of Detentes, all bought in Peru. Here is an earlier post I have written about my first detentes.
This time I were lucky. The day before going back to Denmark, I visited the street Avenida La Paz in Miraflores district of Lima. There is especially one female antique owner who often gets some "new" old detentes. I were able to expand my collection here and this is what I found.

This unique detente is with a bleeding heart in the center with a cross on the top, surrounded by branches with flowers. I think the fabric is silk.
The size is 6 x 7,5cm.

Two small detentes where there is embroidery on both sides. It is the first time I have seen it as with the detente to the left. They are both a little bit destroyed.
To the right it says: DETENTE el Corazón de Jesús está conmigo: the heart of Jesus is with me.
They are around 3-3,5 cm in the diameter.

Here Jesus is on the Cruzifix surrounded by gold embroidery and pink flowers.
On top of Jesus it says; INRI. In latin it means: "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum", Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews.
This detente is big, 9 cm in length.

Two detente with Maria in focus. The one to the left were wrapped inside plastic when I bought it, so now it is very shiny and clean.

Two detente with perhaps baby Jesus.
The last couple of detentes all have a photo in the center behind plastic, surrounded by embroidery of flowers.

Two detente with a lot of details. The one to the right is so delicate with the little sheep, VIVA MARIA and VIVA JESVS, the embroidered flowers and a person.
They are very small, only 3 x 4 cm.

Like with the first detentes I bought, I also here have a favorite.
The embroidered thread in the edges have almost disappear. The heart is bleeding, but behind is the sun.

A VISIT!

2011-12-16T14:46:00.001-08:00

Today I went for a visit at a very good friend. I walked through the cemetery.
I saw some branches with purple berries on.
On my bike is my new gloves from Peru, a totebag with the word: kærlighed, which means love in danish. My phonecase from Tovicarri and a box with cakes from the backery. And finally a cross in green.

MAKING POM POMS.

2011-12-12T13:12:00.001-08:00

Sitting and making christmas decoration: pom pom's in paperyarn, silk and linen with beads. Looking nice on the tree with my old glass decoration from Tjekoslovakia and Germany.

SNAPSHOTS OF PERU.

2011-12-10T03:55:00.001-08:00

When travelling I enjoy taking quick photos of people, colors, patterns, structures etc. I see on my way.

When beeing in Puno the Puno Week were going on. That meant a lot of colors, traditional costumes and dances.

In the highlands the women wear sandals made out of tires from the car or trucks. I remember I bought a pair some years ago, but they were too hard for me to wear. This woman had put some colorful bands on the sandals. It is the first time I have ever seen.

In Barranco in Lima I enjoy walking as I often see so many beautiful colors put together in a way, that we would never do in Denmark. Here is a window/wall of a backpackers place near the beach.

A snapshot of a man with his dog in the center of Lima, called Tacna.
My husband told me he often used to see this man walking with his dog, also many years ago. I usually do not like when people dress up there pets like this, but there is something unusual about this man and his dog. I think there is a special connecting between them.

This is also from Tacna.
In this neighborhood a lot of print companies is located. Perhaps this woman is carrying the leftovers of the printers cutting of the side of the paper.

When beeing in Lima the celebration of Senor de los Milagros was going on. The color purple is the main color for this. Many days parades were beeing held in the streets of Lima, mostly in Tacna, but also in the small areas of each neighborhood. People were carrying big banners of Senor de los Milagros and big candles were beeing lit. I like these religious candles a lot and I always try to have as many with me home.

We went to Huancayo for a weekend and there we went out to small villages to visit craftsman. Everywere we go the local people were trying to sell sweets, crackers or something to drink. This old woman in front of a weavers studio is so beautiful. She were selling a homemade juice.

On Sunday the local market is beeing held in Huancayo. Everywhere in Peru in the highlands the local people wear there traditional clothes. I fell in love with the skirts, known as "polera".

A Sunday in Lima a celebration were happening. It seamed like people were wearing clothes from the different kinds of region of Peru, from the Amazon to the coast to the many different villages in the highlands. There were music and dancing in the streets. A young woman is wearing colorful pom pom'er in mica in her hair. These is of course in synthetic material, but I were lucky in Puno to find the real pom pom in lama wool and also one in beads.

A quick snapshot of a woman in the streets of Julliaca. We were sitting in the taxi on ouer way to the airport. Mostly these kind of snapshots turn out bad, but here I were lucky.

In the center of Lima close to Plaza de Armas we saw this young mother from the highlands walking with her two children.

NAKED TREES.

2011-12-07T02:45:00.001-08:00

We have now been home for about three weeks after ouer fantastic trip back to my husbands beautiful country; Peru.

When walking to my studio I notice the trees were all naked and new pretty patterns suddenly showed up between the branches.

In the little forrest on the way to the studio all the colorfull leaves were lying on the ground. I enjoy walking in them and hear the sound of crispyness.

My parrents always take care of my cat Osvald when I am away on a trip. He is my little Sunshine and there is a very special bond between us.

CHRISTMAS MARKET AT MY STUDIO.

2011-12-03T00:03:00.001-08:00

This weekend I am having a Christmasmarket at my new studio, together with Marianne Johnstad-Møller which I am sharing the studio with with. We have invited three guest; Lise Pedersen Rosenkrantz, a weaver who weaves the most delicate towels. Signe Rønne Kejlbo, who weaves haute couture with fur for Christian Lacroix, amoung others and Maj Winther Christensen a ceramic /glass product designer.

A view of the studio with my loom in the right and in the front a room divider woven by me.
My handwoven items can be bought through etsy and all these new items will be added there in a couple of days.

Lise's amazing handwoven towels in linen and cotton.

In the front two pillows woven by me in paperyarn from Japan.

A view of the window with Marianne's goppel in plasticyarns and wool and ouer handmade Christmas decoration.

The goppel.

Christmas decoration by Marianne.

Beautiful yarns in silk, coated cotton and paperyarn for wrapping gifts.

A wall full of necklaces.

Close up off the handmade Christmas decoration.

Marianne knits beautiful ponchos, often in a mix of wool and cotton.

Cards.

Beautiful scarfs by Lise, small purses by Marianne and I and handwoven cards in gauze by me.

Pillows sewn from a vintage skirt from the Pisac area in Peru, candles and Christmas cards.

BALCONIES OF LIMA.

2011-11-24T00:03:00.001-08:00

Today my husband and I have 4 years of anniversary. We meet exactly 4 years ago at Plaza de Armas in Lima. My husband Freddy have told me, it was because I was walking around taking photos of the balconies, I were smiling and laughing and he just wanted to talk to me, because I looked so happy.

So today is a celebration of all the beautiful balconies of Lima.

The one who makes my husband taking contact with me at Plaza de Armas, in the center of Lima. Most of the balconies are made in wood. This one in colonial style.

Everywhere I go there is a new old balcony, no one looks the same, either in wood or metal. Each one has it's own style and pattern.

This one have started to be restored.

I like when you can see somebody is living on the other side of the balcony and that it is in use. It always make me start fantasizes about how it looks inside and how people live there lives.

Here is a bar with colorful photos.

Around Plaza de Armas it is also possible to see this beautiful colonial balcony.

JULEMARKED.

2011-11-23T14:23:00.001-08:00

Efter jeg i år har flyttet værksted til Østerbro, inviterer jeg hermed til JULEMARKED,

fredag d. 2 dec. kl. 16-20 og
lørdag d. 3 dec. kl. 11-15.

Håndvævede puder i bl.a. papirgarn.

Julepynt; hæklede iskrystaller med folie og pom pom'er i papirgarn, refleks, silke mm.

Strikket tørklæde i uld af Marianne Johnstad-Møller.

Vi har inviteret 3 gæster;
Signe Rønne Kejbo, som bl.a. væver haute couture tekstiler med pels for Christian Lacroix og som laver de fineste accessories til beklædning.

Maj Winther Christensen, som arbejder med produkt-design af glas og keramik, og

Lise Pedersen Rosenkrantz, som væver smukke tørklæder og laver de smukkeste halskæder af perler fra Afrika.

Jeg håber at se en masse mennesker på mit nye væveværksted til julehygge.

OBS! Vi modtager desværre ikke dankort.

SNAPSHOTS FROM PERU.

2011-11-14T18:53:00.001-08:00

Here is some snapshots; men dancing in the streets of Lima, some green grasses I saw today in Lima, photoshoot of the Chancay Gauzes at Museo Amano in Miraflores Lima and an old church in the Tacna area in Lima.

Soon more photos of my travel to Peru.

PERU NOW!

2011-10-31T09:09:00.000-07:00

I am in Peru now. It is so lovely. Full of colors.
When I come back I will have a lot of new photos and words to share.

One of my favourite doors in Barranco.

LINES.

2011-10-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I were in Ebeltoft to visit Kvadrat.
In Ebeltoft you can find the world longest treeship called Fregatten Jylland. It is full of beautiful lines.

LIGHT.

2011-10-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Today I have been visiting Kvadrat, as I am working on some new developments for them. I now have Checkpoint, Toto, Zeze and Yoyo put into production at there company.

When entering Kvadrat, the first thing you see is a light object by the Danish/Iceland designer Olafur Eliasson. It is so amazing.

His work is something that nobody else can. He has just finished a spectacular artwork called Your Rainbow Panorama on the roof of the Danish Museum AROS.

SIDOIDES 2.

2011-10-10T14:02:00.000-07:00

Now when the weather have change into something more cold, I had to put my Pelargoniums inside.
My SIDOIDES is still in blossom and I love this tiny little fragile pelargonium with it's purple color.

LACE - EMBROIDERY.

2011-10-08T05:53:00.000-07:00

When I were in Amsterdam I went on several fleamarkets and I were able to find a special shop with lots of antique clothes, laces, embroidery, buttoms ect. The shop can be found on facebook; 1953 Retro & Chic.

This is a special item. The owner of 1953 Retro & Chic told me it had been used to be put around the neck and then hang down in the front of a blouse.

So beautiful. Like a roset together with a leaf.

I also found two cuffs with bobinlace. The white color have turn yellow a little bit.

It is a little bit curly, but I am affraid to iron it to much, but I will try.
This piece is close to my heart as my grandmother tought me bobinlace when I were fourteen.

Kind of gloves. I think it is knitted.

At the fleamarket I were lucky to find a blouse for a child with a handmade buttom.

One more handmade buttom, but found in Copenhagen at Decor.

Bobinlace, also found at Decor.

A special collar from 1953 Retro & Chic.

Detail of the way it is made with the stitching so it is possible to make the up and down.

textile letters: FROM BLANDINA.

2011-10-03T01:29:00.000-07:00

textile letters: FROM BLANDINA.: Received from Blandina, Firenze, September 11. I have just received this amazing and beautiful stitching /patcwork from Blandina in Firen...

FRØKAPSEL.

2011-09-30T09:58:00.001-07:00

Out in the backyard, have I just found this leftover from a flower. In danish it is called a: FRØKAPSEL.

THINGS I LIKE!

2011-09-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

This is a post of things I like doing or looking at in my everyday life.

When my husband came to Denmark in 2008 and the winter came, it was the first time for him to ever see and touch snow.
I still remember when I was a child I always made snow angels, so therefore one evening when the snow had just started to fall, we went out and made this little snow angels. We had so much fun!

I simple love bobinlace.
When I were fourteen, my grandmother Doris tought me to do bobinlace. She always had something between her hands; knitting, painting, playing the piano or bobinlace. I loved the evenings when we sat together in her livingroom and she helped me. I have so many good memories of she and I together working with ouer hands.

In a museum I have seen this newspaper cutted into lacelike patterns, to be put on shelves for protections. This is the way poor people had to do it, but I think it is so beautiful!

Old wallpaper!

A spidersweb which is so pretty in the morning with a little bit of rain on the lacelike pattern.

LENO 1954.

2011-09-27T13:44:00.000-07:00

Last week in Holland I were so lucky to be able to see two old samplebooks full of leno from 1954. All of the samples were woven in cotton.
Many of the samples were woven in what I call a plain leno together with the ordinary plain weave.

A letter from the manufactor in dutch.

A very simple design with plain weave and in the edges a leno. Before and after the plain weave a little cross is woven in leno. Beautiful and simple.

Together with each sample there were a sketch like this.

BUTTOMS.

2011-09-27T05:54:00.001-07:00

In Holland I were lucky to found these buttoms in glass.

The first photo is buttoms from the 1940. They are not in glass. These I bought in a shop, not far away from droog design shop. It is called; Retro en Chic. You can find it on facebook: 1953 Retro & Chic.

In the second photo I were lucky to find 24 glass buttoms, all looking the same and sewn onto a piece of paper.

In the third photo there are two buttoms of the same buttom. I found them at a fleamarket. I am in love with them because of there different kinds of patterns and structures.

MUSHROOMS.

2011-09-26T06:16:00.001-07:00

I have just been out, as I had to pick up some yarns for new developments at my textile studio.

I saw these beautiful mushrooms on my way. Full of structure and texture.

STREETS OF AMSTERDAM.

2011-09-23T04:12:00.000-07:00

I have just come home from Holland. First I were four days in Amsterdam and later on two days in Winterswijk for weaving.

I just like walking around with my camera, taking photos.
Out on the street I found this little copy of Van Gogh's: Sunflowers. Pretty!!

One day I walked into the backyard of some houses and here I found all these mailboxes decorated with photos and old wallpapers.

The atmosphere were fantastic and I wish there were mailboxes like this in Copenhagen.
Many years ago I were a mailman (woman) in Copenhagen and I still remember the same boring maiboxes. Only a few times did I see some that were more private, like this. I really enjoyed. My own front door into my appartment is full of photos, things I like looking at.

Me concentrating, taking a photo.

One day I was borred so I went into a shopping center in Amsterdam.

Here I saw that different designers had studios with shops. What a great idea. This is a little sneak peak into Melangetrois who make beautiful clothes. There studio were full of plants and a big wall of inspiring photos.

In front of a flower shop I saw these plants hanging. The owner were standing inside making them by somehow sewing the roots inside the ground. Amazing work. I would love to have some hanging at my own studio.

Close to the flower shop I saw these old trash canes. A woman was going out and she invited me inside the backyard. So sweet of her.

A forbidden photo taken inside droog.
This table were amazing.

A lot of "Flittig Lise". That is what we call these small things here in Denmark. It is possible to make a little string with threads on them.
Sweet!!

Grafitti.

When walking I often take a look inside peoples home. I know it is not very polite, but often there are so many beautiful things.
In this window, I think it is some kind of tape cutted into a pattern that has been put on. It is so beautiful and I wish I had a window like this.

A homemade braided curtain.

Lots of notes.

Like me other people is also in love with cats. There were cats in the windows and on the front door. So this is a little greeting to my own lovely cat; Osvald.

WINTERSWIJK GRASS.

2011-09-21T10:51:00.001-07:00

I am now in Winterswijk in the north part of Holland, close to the German border. I am here for weaving.
Today after a hard day I went out for a walk. This is what I found: A Winterswijk grass.
I have today seen two old books from 1954, full of leno weavings. Beautiful. I will show another day.

TEXTILE LETTERS.

2011-09-11T07:12:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated by writing and receiving letters.

At the age of 17 I added a little note in newspapers around the world; from Brasil to Germany to Mexico to Spain. My main interest at the time were: handwork, Amnesty International, Greenpeace, nature, horses and music.

I still remember the exitement when receiving the first letters from my new penpals.
Eugenia from Sao Paulo send me photos of the different kinds of indian tripes in the Amazon. Amazing photos with featherwork for danzing.

Over the years I collected several big boxes full of letters, snapshots, photos. Every time I had to clean up or moving to a new place because of studies, I had to throw out some.
In the summer of 2011 we got a lot of rain here in Copenhagen, just over at couple of hours. The day after I went down into my basement to have a look. I started opening the old letters, looking at photos of both my penpals and snapshots they have send to me all these years ago, going back in memories.

I would like to invite you to join my writing of TEXTILE LETTERS.

Letters full of colors, textures, snapshots, words, anything you would like to share with me.

This is what I sent to Hermine from Journal de Jours.

Dear Jacques; You are always on my mind, one day we will meet again. I love YOU!

RAINY GRASS.

2011-09-09T00:59:00.001-07:00

I saw these grasses on my way to job this morning.

SNEAK PEAK: LETTER WRITING.

2011-09-08T13:45:00.000-07:00

Here is a little sneak peak into the letter I wrote for Hermine.

Photos of Japanese Boro textiles and a little kasuri weaving sample, which I bought in Kyoto.
In the background there are some shiny leftovers from a tree I see every day when taking the bus to my job. When you open it there are some seeds inside it and this shinyness appears.

A leaf which has started to change into a lace like pattern.
In the background there are two samples woven by me in complex gauze. The black one in paperyarn and the shiny in stainless steel.

OYA, Turkish Lace.
I bought some of them at the bazar in Istanbul and others at antique shops in Bursa. The oya's have all been part of a scarf.
In the front there is a photo of a Detente from Peru.

Photos of paper strings from Japan.

So, dear Hermine I hope you enjoyed the letter I sent to you as much as I have enjoyed yours.
I think I have to start my own little "letter writing" one day.

SIDOIDES.

2011-09-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

My last flowers from the Pelargonium Sidoides. It 's special because of the purple color. Pretty!

LEAVES.

2011-09-04T08:16:00.001-07:00

This weekend me and my husband have been home at my parents place. My mother have the most wonderful garden and in this time of the year everything starts to change.
This is leaves from the plant called "HOSTA".

JACQUES.

2011-08-29T03:49:00.001-07:00

Today is a very sad day. Jacques, my parents sweet dog is now resting in peace.
I still remember when I saw you the first time. I came home for Christmas and there were you; this sweet little puppy. I gave you my heart and we have been friends ever since. We have had so many good times together, full of fun and happiness.

You will always be in my heart sweet Jacques.
I LOVE YOU!

Kisses from Karina.

BOTANICAL VIEW.

2011-08-28T02:07:00.000-07:00

I enjoy visiting the Botanical Garden in Copenhagen and this last Sunday I went there.
Right now the garden is full of alium, some is still in blooming and others have started to faide away.

I think all these leftovers is so beautiful. Full of structures and shades. I have started collecting and putted them in small boxes, so I can look at them during the winter!

When walking suddenly I came across these fantastic leafs which has started to transform into this amazing lace like pattern.

Love love love!

LETTER WRITING.

2011-08-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

I have met a wonderful blogger and weaver Hermine Van Dijck who writes JOURNAL DE JOURS.

It's a fantastic blog with lots of inspirations, delicate and dreaming photos.

Hermine is doing a letter project which I am totally in love with.
Perhaps because when I were a teenager I had a lot of penpals throughout the world; from Brazil to Mexico to Algier to Spain.
I have sign up for Hermine's letter project and last week I got this beautiful and crispy letter from her.

It was so fantastic to open the letter. Full of live, photos of Hermine and her weaving. Everything were nicely wrapped.

In the letter there were a red fish together with this little note.

Some needlework, lovely!

From a calendar with calligraphy. I love the alfabet from all over the world.

Crispy yarn.

Pressed flowers and leafs.

Another blogger; elle boheme have writtin a nice inteview with Hermine.

I am now working on my letter for Hermine which I hope she will enjoy as much as I have enjoyed her letter.

BICICLETA.

2011-08-22T09:35:00.001-07:00

Today Freddy and I went to Malmø. In the streets I saw this pretty bicicleta with a braided coatprotector on the wheel. Also the metal piece with its pattern is besutiful.

CYCLAMEN.

2011-08-18T11:52:00.001-07:00

A beautiful little flower; CYCLAMEN.

OYA.

2011-08-15T10:42:00.000-07:00

If you sometimes have a look at my blog, you have probably already found out that I have a crush on everything that has a lace like apperance.
My grandmother tought my to do bobbinlace when I were fourteen and this is where my passion began.

In 2005 I went to Turkey through ETN. There were a conference, exhibition and several textile tours. My textiles -room dividers were exhibited in Izmir where the conference also took place. Later on I went on the textile trip, which took me to Bursa and Istanbul.

On the textile trip we went to Bursa and this is where we visited a man who had collecting textile most of his life. This is where I saw these beautiful OYA, Turkish Lace.
On beautiful printed scarves the oya were on the edges.

These are my own personal oya collection which is hanging at my studio. I chose to cut of the oya edges from the scarfs.
The rose one were bought as it is. I guess somebody had already cutted it off a scarf as I can see some threads.

Most of my oya scarfs have I found in Bursa at little antique shops.

This one together with the rose (of my own little collection from my studio) are the two oldest I have. In 2005 they were around 80 years old. I bought them in Istanbul at the bazar. Today I still regret I did not buy the big oya in the first photo. This I also saw at the bazar, but this just means that there is a reason to go back to Turkey.

MÆLKEBØTTE.

2011-08-14T09:59:00.001-07:00

I think I have found the last dandelion in Denmark. It is so fragile that a little wind will destroy it completly.

FEATHER.

2011-08-14T00:23:00.001-07:00

I have found this pretty feather today. It looks a little fragile.

LET'S GO NATURAL.

2011-08-13T10:53:00.001-07:00

Today I went to Kunsthåndværkermarkedet at Vor Frue Church in Copenhagen.
Different kinds of crafts are shown like textiles, glass, ceramics, jewellery and wattle.
I am in love with wattle and Hjørnholm Pil by Anne Mette Hjørnholm make so exquisite objects that I had to buy two baskets from her.
This one is the smallest I bought. It is perfect for storrage and therefore I am going to keep it at my studio. I will put small bobbins of yarns in it and have it by my side when sitting and weaving at my loom.

COCA BAG.

2011-08-13T00:30:00.001-07:00

Handwoven coca bag from Peru.

The bag is full of beautiful details, like the pom pom's. Also there is three small pockets and these are not sewn onto the big piece. It is one big piece. Amazing work.
I am impressed!

LEAF.

2011-08-12T06:21:00.001-07:00

Found on my way home. A little leaf which looks like a donkey's ear. It's so pretty with the almost tiny feathers on the top.

MR. WREN.

2011-08-11T07:14:00.001-07:00

My beautiful pelargonium Mr. Wren. It's part of my flowergarden in the backyard.
So pretty with the white zigzag edge together with red.

SHADOW BIKING.

2011-08-10T08:02:00.001-07:00

On my way home from work, the sun were shining bright.
Let's go shadow biking!!

LEAVING JOB.

2011-08-09T00:22:00.001-07:00

This is what I found when leaving my job this afternoon.
Not sure what they are called, but one ting is for sure they are so sticky.
In the old times in Denmark they were used when you had woven a blanket in wool. A lof of them were put on long sticks an then people brushed them over the blanket to soften it.

LEAVING HOME.

2011-08-08T23:43:00.001-07:00

I have deceided I wanted to start posting small snapshots of my everyday life here.
Between these there will also be the longer post with lots of photos and text.
Leaving home with a little flower. This is taquetes which I planted as a seed in the spring time.

AT MY STUDIO.

2011-08-08T09:30:00.001-07:00

In the window at my studio lies these beautiful and sticky small objects.
I have bought them at a special flowershop close to my studio.
I like visiting the Botanic Garden here in Copenhagen, looking at all the flowers, structures and the nice smells. I also just like going there for relaxing.

PERU.

2011-08-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

Have just bought tickets for Peru, so here we come. In 3 months we will be leaving.

I still remember this facade in Baranco in Lima. The colors look fantastic together.

Different kinds of mais. The very dark one is made into some kind of juice, called chinca (I think) and it taste yummi.

Beautiful knitted embroidery from the Nazca period.

Me! In the Holy Week, Easter everywhere people are making objects from grass and straw. We found an old man making these very primitive crosses. Today one is hanging in each room of our appartment and also at my weaving studio.

Two sweet blind men in the center of Lima called Tacna, sitting by the churches and playing.

A facade in Tacna.

On our honeymoon we went to Ayacucho, a town known for its churches, which I love visiting.

A little cemetery outside of Ayacucho.

Close to Ayacucho, I can't remember the name of the village we visited a family full of weavers. Here handspun and handdyed wool is hanging.

Clay objects on top of the roof. In this area close to Ayacucho they are famous for house objects and near Cusco for objects looking like a bull.

POPPIES.

2011-08-02T15:09:00.000-07:00

Today I went for a walk in my neighborhood. I am so lucky, where I live in Copenhagen on Nørrebro, we have three big backyards and one of them is full of flowers.

I found these beautiful and very fragile poppies today. The pretty red makes me happy.

I am really fascinated by the little thing in the middle of the poppie, the structure looks exquisite and it is so pretty with its pattern.

It looks like a mess, but I think this is how it would look if the poppies were growing naturally in the nature. It is like they are beeing woven together with the other flowers in the big pots. A little bit wild.

The little thing in the middle, leftovers when the blooming is over.

Amazing. They all look different eventhough they come from the same flower. These two looks a little bit fluffy on the top.

Here the lines becomes very tight and clean.

Two fluffy, the top in purple more than the other.

A beautiful and pretty bouquet of leftovers. LOVE.

FISH.

2011-07-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

My husband Freddy and I have visit the Danish Aquarium and I totally fell in love with the colors of the fishes. They are amazing and wish I were not affraid of swimming with my head under the water. It could be fantastic to be able to discover all these colors in real live, but I am satisfied with the aquarium.

The blue, almost like indigo is a favorite of mine. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I think this fish is able to light up in the dark or perhaps that is just an idea because of the strong color.

The structure of these two plants is almost unreal. I wonder how they would feel if it were possible to touch them.

Here the pattern of the fish is very interesting, something I would like to try to weave one day. And I like the three tones of grey, yellow and blue.

GERANIUMS.

2011-07-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have just come back from the weekend at my parents in a little town called Karup, in the middle of Jutland.
My mother have the most wonderful and beautiful garden, full of flowers. It is from her I have my pasion for flowers, so I am lucky to have my own little balcony together with my apartment in Copenhagen, full of flowers. I collect the Geranium family; Pelargoniums and Storkenæb (danish).

Today I would like to show you some Storkenæb, both from my mothers garden and from my own little balcony. The flowers are full of colors, patterns and structures. So pretty.

I have pressed some of the flowers, as I hope to be able to keep the beautifulnes of the flower, so I can look at them in the winter, too.

The Geraniums is not a big flower, but with the macro lense it is still possible to take a nice close-up.

This one is from the Oxonianum family and is called Julie Brennan.

Here I have pressed it, hopefully it will still look nice during the winter, with the beautiful lines on the leaves.

A nice inspiration for weaving.

Jolly Bee.

I think of the people in Norway, so this heart in bobinlace is for them.

MOJIRI-ORI samples.

2011-07-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

I have just received these lovely samples of mojiri-ori from John Marshall, bought through his blog. John Marshall writes about historical, technical and cultural information about Japanese textiles and dyeing. Each week he have a textiles of the week, where he writes about a special technique and then it is possible to buy textile samples.

I have in an earlier post wrote about mojiri-ori in Japan and also about Takeshi KITAMURA -a living National Treasure.

John Marshall calls gauze karami-ori and I asked him what the exact term is. He told me that technically, the correct term is "karami-ori". It is considered standard Japanese and can be used anywhere. "Morjiri-ori" is more of a regional term (for the Kyoto/Osaka area).
The verb mojiri means to distort, or torture. The verb karami means to entangle or find fault.

For me I will continue to call gauze in Japanese mojiri-ori as this is what I have learned from Takeshi KITAMURA.

I bought four beautiful samples from John Marshall, about the first one he writes;
"Sha-ori sample.

This fabric sample is an example of a variation on the basic sha structure of weaving in which pairs of warp threads are mated to twist back and forth around one another, so that in the end they appear to be a single thread.

The bolt is labeled High Quality Real Sha Double Weave, with the top layer woven in black ad the back woven in red silk. It is the crossing over of these planes of color that creates the figurative work, even though each taken alone is a simple sha weave".

These two pictures shows the front of the sample.

The back of the textiles where the red warp is in focus.

This next textile is very beautiful. John Marshall writes; "Sha Weave sample.

Ro is a weave that employs the sha structure with the addition of areas of plain and /or twill weaves.
Images evoking cool, languid times have always been polular in karamiori weaves. Here we see a very popular pattern called seigaiha, blue ocean weaves.
At first glance the sample appears to be a very finely woven ro. However, close examination shows that there is no flat weaving in the structure. Every cross has a twist. By definition this makes it sha rather than ro".

This green sample is a favorite.

John Marshall writes; "Classic Ro sample.

One of the attractive features of this silk sample is an almost linen-like stiffness. Coupled with the lozenge-shaped pattern, it is ideal for summer clothing – it will stand away from the wearer’s body and allow any hint of breeze to cool unhindered.
If we zoom in to focus on how this lozenge pattern is achieved, it is easy to see that the twisting pairs are actually made up of two sets of four threads. Each bundle of four makes a twist to the right, followed by a twist to the left. Between the twist, bundles divide into parallel rows of eight and are worked as a flat weave. Twist/flat, twist/flat, repeated throughout the entire bolt is what created this seemingly complex motif".

I am in love with this red sample, so therefore it is my favorite of the four samples.

John Marshall writes; "Ro/Ra sample.

In Ra weaving, pairs of warp threads are free to meander and recombine forming highly intricate webs of relationships, often pairing with threads three or more rows away.
The label on the bolt of this sample clearly states that it is ra. However, if the weave structure is closely examined it becomes obvious that it is composed of neighbor pair twisting – interspersed with areas of flat-weave weft. This is the classic definition of the structure of ro".

These three pictures shows the front of the textile.

And the back with the white thread twisting from right to left.

Every time I see something new about gauze, I have to either read more or buy. To me this technique is so fantastic. I can't get enough.

All I can say is: LOVE LOVE LOVE.

STICKY STRUCTURES.

2011-07-14T00:39:00.000-07:00

I have started collecting cactus, after my sweet husband gave me one as a gift.
I like the different kinds of structures that these dessertflowers can give me.

This cactus is not so big yet, but I have seen them huge, so perhaps one day, in 20 years same will happen to mine.

This one is funny. It is like there is pink flowers on the cactus and in the top I guess it is starting to open up.

One of my favorites. Beautiful patterns!

Another favorite with hair!

PAPER FOLDS.

2011-07-06T11:27:00.001-07:00

I am in love with paper folds. All kinds, even the really simple made by myself.
For me this one were a little bit difficult to fold, perhaps for a weavingstructure.

I like the complexity where the folds goes up and down just after each other.

An artist I am crazy about is Richard Sweeney. He makes the most wonderful and complex folds, also for big installations.

On flickr one of my contacts is the japanese Professor Yoshinobu Miyamoto who is an architect.

His foldings and paper cuts is absolutly wonderful.

BUTTERFLIES.

2011-06-10T11:37:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have made it a tradition, if his birtheday is a sunny day and either falls in the weekend or on a holiday we go to the zoo here in Copenhagen.
I always want to go and see the room where the butterflies are. They are so beautiful and in a way also mysterious. The patterns are special and unusual.
My dream is to visit the Amazon in Peru where the most amazing butterflies should be.

This is the leftovers from a butterfly cocoon after it has become a butterfly. The transperans, colors and patterns are amazing. A textile apperance.

WORKING ON NOW.

2011-06-03T10:10:00.000-07:00

I have now been at my new studio for one month and have made it really cosy. Finally I am setting up a loom for some pillows.
The inspiration comes from a weaving class I did some time ago in the yarns from the Japanese yarncompany Nakachuu.

Different kinds of paperyarns from Nakachuu for the project.

In this sample I have purposely not woven equal. In an earlier post "Weaving at my job" from June 10 I have describe how to weave like this.

In the sample above the materials are linen, flat transperant paperyarn and a cellulose yarn in B/W, all from Nakachuu.

Ideas on how to make stripes in the reed and make movement in the weft direction.

Sample of honeycomb in linen warp and silk weft.

This design was sewn into a pillow last year and sold to the Art Association of Copenhagen University Hospital.

Later on I will write about the process on the loom.

SWEETS IN FRANKFURT.

2011-05-29T02:18:00.000-07:00

I have just been visiting Frankfurt for the Techtextile Fair. Here I always have to go and buy sweets at BITTER ZART. A fantastic little shop next to the Dom.
The shop it self is decorated with charming interior, all in the romantic style. Eventhough it is not my style I love it.

What is amazing for this little shop is the wrapping. They have put a lot of effort into making each sweet looking special, all of them with their own little tag.

Here is soft nougat with different kinds of taste. I bought some for my husband with ginger, apricot and rosemary.

Shelves full of different kinds of sweets; chocolate, licorice, gummi etc.

A whole wall full of different kinds of beautiful wrapped chocolate.

COLORS OF TULIPS.

2011-05-09T13:12:00.001-07:00

Spring is here, lets celebrate colors.

Outside on my little balcony I have these beautiful tulips in yellow, red and orange. They make me happy!!

EASTER -AROUND THE CORNER.

2011-04-19T01:20:00.001-07:00

Easter is around the corner. In Peru also known as the Holy Week.
When I were in Peru three years ago, just before I got married in Lima, me and my husband often went into the center of Lima in the area called Tacna.
Everywhere, specially around the churches people were selling these objects made out of different kinds of straws. They hang them in there houses or gave them away as gifts.

Here a young man is sitting on the pavement.

I totally feel in love with this old man. His designs were very simple.

Today I have several hanging around in ouer appartment during Easter.

One is always hanging on the frontdoor to welcome people.

WRAPPING -MUMMIES FROM V&A.

2011-03-14T08:54:00.001-07:00

In 2007 I travelled to London for a textile conference and jacquard course with Vibeke Westby and Bhakti Ziek. During my stay I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum and I saw this beautiful exhibition of mummies from Egypt.

In this post I just want to show pictures of the amazing wrapping. The patterns are so beautiful. A lot of texture and almost like weaving.

TAKESHI KITAMURA, A LIVING NATIONAL TREASURE.

2011-02-20T05:22:00.000-08:00

In 2009 I went to Japan to study Mojiri-ori, known in Europa as Leno or Gauze.

I have in an earlier post wrote about mojiri-ori in Japan. Please take a look for more detailed explanation about history and technique.

Before going to Japan, my dream was to meet the Living National Treasure; Takeshi KITAMURA. He have got the title Living National Treasure by the Japanese government and is the only craftman today alive, who have got it twice. First for the Mojiri-ori weaving and second on the warp-patterned brocades weaving.

Takeshi KITAMURA weave the complex Gauze called Ra and he does it in his own very special way, like no one else.
At the Crafts Gallery Collection in The National Museum of Modern Art in Tokyo I was fortunate to meet the curator Yoko Imai. Reiko Sudo, the owner of NUNO were so kind and introduce me to her. She showed me the work of Living National Treasure; Heiro KITAGAWA.

The above textile is woven in Ra-Kin.

Another beautiful piece by Heiro KITAGAWA.

All the mojiri-ori textiles I have seen in Japan is woven in silk. All of them for kimono or obi.

I were so lucky to be able to visit Takeshi KITAMURA in his studio in the Nishijin area in Kyoto.

The above textile is amazing. Woven in very fine silk on a jacquard loom.

When KITAMURA was awarded the Living National Treasure title he gave the government this textile as a gift.

I myself had of course also gifts with me. Often I bring some white and blue porcelain from the Royal Copenhagen with me.

I also gave KITAMURA one of my own designs I had woven in Gauze. Mine was in stainless steel. After receiving my gift he went out of the room and came in with a little frame. Inside it there were a sample of this fantastic textile and he gave it to ME. So now I have a little piece of KITAMURA's weaving spirit in my home. I feel so lucky.

Detail photographed through a magnifying glass.

When KITAMURA was awarded the Living National Treasure title, the japanese government asked him to teached the Ra technique to other weavers in Japan. Ra is a technique that only a few knows of and this is why the japanese government does not want it to be forgotten.

He choose several weavers which represented the different kinds of regions in Japan. They all gathered at his studio once a month for two years. The group was called: The Usuhata Group. In 2005 the group had an exhibition at Daiwa Foundation Japan House in London; The Wings of the Cicada.

There are different meanings of where Gauze come from. Some say China and others Peru.

One thing is sure, in Japan there is influence from both countries, depending on how the artist work with the Gauze weaving.

KITAMURA told me that there are another weaver in Japan also working with mojiri-ori like himself. The other weaver have the peruvian incluence and he -KITAMURA have the chinese influence. The japanese government chose him as Living National Treasure as many in Japan believes in the chinese influence.

I think both countries have had there own way of working with the Gauze technique. In China they have been working on jacquard looms and very technical, the material always being silk. In Peru and especially in the Chancay Culture they have been working on the backstrap loom and made the pattern by manipulating the threads by hand. The materials have mostly been cotton which were overtwisted and rarely in wool.

Both ways is to me amazing, as the result have been something that were very special for each country. Today many archaeologists and anthropologists study both countries because both of them have had there own way of developing patterns, yarns, weaving tools ect.

The above textile is woven in Ra-Kin.

Detail.

At KITAMURA's studio several women were working for him. Three of them with the mojiri-ori and two others in the warp-patterned brocade technique.
A young woman was sitting and weaving this beautiful textile for an obi. It was woven like everything else in Gauze in silk, but this silk was different. It had a plastic touch, which I can not say for sure where it came from.

There were many looms in his studio and at a very big jacquard he were weaving this pattern in a very screamy limegreen color, so beautiful. Again in silk. The textile were for a kimono.

Takeshi KITAMURA sitting at a jacquard loom in his studio in Nishijin, Kyoto.
Please notice the bamboo stick he is using to keep out the textile in the width.

Me and Takeshi KITAMURA.

This visit was like a dream came truth to me. I am wearing a scarf from NUNO, woven in doublecloth and overtwisted yarns.

The day before I had to leave Japan Reiko Sudo called me. One of KITAMURA's former student had heard about me and wanted to meet me.

Eriko MATSUDA start working at KITAMURA's studio in 1979, later on she also became one of the weavers he choose for the Usuhata Group.

I visited Eriko MATSUDA in her home in Tokyo.

Today MATSUDA weaves mojiri-ori in a combination of Sha and Ro. The textile above is the first she wove in Gauze after a study to Guatemala.

MATSUDA had an ordinary contramarch loom at her home. It had four sets of harnesses on it, but some how she manage to created very complex pattern. On each frame of harness she had an extra frame with heddles and they were in a way connected to each other. Today I still do not understand how she did it.

Here you can see the bamboo stick which is used everywhere in Japan to keep out the textile in the width.

Also note the extra set of halv doups which is below the loom between the reed and the frame of harnesses. These are which gives her the mojiri-ori.

Detail of the loom with the textile.

She were so kind and gave me one of these very thin shuttles and also a piece of the textile. This is hanging next to my KITAMURA piece.

PISQUILLO IN THE CHANCAY VALLEY.

2011-01-06T08:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone.

I want to start the New Year by writing a post about what is close to my heart; the Gauzes from the Chancay Culture in Peru.
I have from an earlier post Chancay Gauzes from Museo Amano, Lima, Peru wrote about these amazing textiles.

When I went to Peru on my third trip I contacted Museo Amano. My dream was to visit the Chancay Valley. I wanted to feel the atmosphere and breathe in where these amazing textiles have been woven, for so many years ago.

Here I am on my way with Museo Amano to the Chancay Valley.
The whole area is an archeological place, a dessert.

I remember I was a bit disappointed when seeing it the first time, because we (Mr. Watanabe, his nephew and I) where the only people there. Also there were no fencing and it didn't seemed like it has been taking care of by the Peruvian Government. For me that was surprising and sad, as I think this is a very important culture in the Peruvian history.

Mr. Watanabe told me that to him and his family this was there second home. They went there often once a week.
In the sand bones, broken pottery and textiles where still lying, surprising to me. I think it's sad the Spanish came and broke all these beautiful things, as they were hoping to find gold inside the pottery.

Mr. Watanabe had a very good eye. He told me he had been there so many times and also he was there in the 1950-60 when he and Mr. Yoshitaro Amano (the founder of Museo Amano) were doing the first archeological excavations.

The textile Mr. Watanabe found. It's a very simple piece and here it's not easy to see, but above and below the pattern there are two rows of a very simple leno with plain weave in between.

Today this textiles is hanging in my livingroom. In a future post I will show some close-up of the textile.

Ruins in Pisquillo.

Everywhere in Peru where textiles have been made there is water, this is the lake of Chancay. So beautiful.

I think it's the first and unfortunately also the last time I will ever see this amazing place. Mr. Watanabe told me that in 5-10 years it will probably disappear, as all the other villages in the Chancay Valley.

I think it's so sad. Deep down inside of me I was waving sadly goodbuy to this, for me very important place in the history of Peru; Pisquillo in the Chancay Valley.

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE.

2010-12-13T10:32:00.000-08:00

I can not stop posting pictures of our Christmas tree.
This year is special as it is the first time my husband and I are spending Christmas together at our little flat in Copenhagen.
This year I have bought an old Christmas tree stand.

Our Christmas tree is full of old glass decoration made in Germany and Czech republic.

I love angels of all kinds. Here you can see one from Peru to the right. This year I bought angels from a danish ceramist, who have made some in very thin porcelain.

On the picture here you can also see some handmade pom poms I have made. All of them made by yarns from the japanese yarn company Nakachuu. The pom pom to the left is made with reflex yarn.

The pom poms can be bought through my etsy page.

A little owl and Santa Claus on clips.

A duck in glass.

Czech republic decoration in glass.

One of the wise men on a clips. Beautiful and rare.

I wish everybody a beautiful and happy Christmas.

THREE YEARS WITH THE CHANCAY GAUZES.

2010-11-23T12:50:00.000-08:00

Today (November the 24th) is a very special day to me.

Exactly three years ago I meet my husband in the center of Lima at Placa de Armas, Peru. I came to Lima three days earlier as I had an appointment with Museo Amano, to study there beautiful collection of Chancay Gauzes.

This post is a tribute to my husband and our marriage.
In January 2010 I wrote another post about my studies of the Chancay Gauzes. Please have a look for further information.

When studying the Gauzes I always started out by taking a photo with a ruler. This help me now when I am back in Denmark and want to study the textile in details and re-analyze it.

This fragment is very characterful and clearly with the zig zag pattern and the wide plain weave in the top part. It measures approx. 67 x 69 cm.

At Museo Amano they had there own library with information about where the fragments of textiles where found in the Chancay Valley. Some of them with specific details of the many villages such as Pisquillo, Piso and Supe.
This textile is one of my favorites with it's floating threads between the zig zag lines.

The Gauzes have all been woven on a backstrap loom, where it was possible to weave a certain size. All of the Gauzes I have seen at Museo Amano where sewn together, mostly by two pieces in the warp direction to make a larger piece.

The textiles have all been finger manipulated when woven.
The material is cotton which is very general when it comes to the Gauzes.

I have only seen one textile made in a combination of cotton and wool. This one was also made in different colors.

I always finished my studies of a textile by taking several pictures through a magnifying glass. This has helped me now when I am back in Denmark, to keep on studying the different structures in the textile.

This piece is very big. It measures approx. 145 x 64 cm. It is found in Pisquillo, Chico area in the Chancay Valley.

As you can see on this picture it consist of three pieces and is sewn together two times in the warp direction.

The edges in the warp direction is beautiful made. Also the top part of the edges in the weft direction is nicely made, but the down part is scalopped as you can see here.The material is cotton.

Eventhough the pattern is squared, I think the horisontal and vertical stribes and lines stands out because of the floating threads in the weft direction.

This textile had a lot of holes which somebody (perhaps people at Amano or others) have tried to correct.

Here you can see the cotton thread is overtwisted as the threads curls when they lies and floats.

Many of the Chancay Gauzes is overtwisted and I think it gives the apperance of the textile a more beautiful and sofisticated look.

Detail throught the magnifying glass.

The textiles at Amano were categorized into different kinds of patterns. This one belongs to the animal part with the silhouette of a cat face.

It measures approx. 77 x 74 cm.

It was the first textile I chose with a clearly and outstanding embroidery.

Raoul D' Harcourt writes about this technique in the book: Textiles in Ancient Peru and their Techniques.

I see this fragment as very special as the textile is a Gauze with embroidery on the top. Many of the other embroidered pieces consist of a net with the embroidery part on the top.

Here you can see the part where the textile is sewn together. In this piece it is done in a very beautiful way where the pattern still fits together afterwards.

The embroidered part of the eyes and the mouth of the cat.

Also this piece is in overtwisted cotton.

Detail of the embroidered part. This has been made by a thick thread which prejudice on every single warp thread, but just about every other weft thread. By this there is made a knot or swirl on the other side of the textile.

Now I am going out and buying a big bouquet of sunflowers to my husband, so he can wake up to a special morning of ouer day, to some sun instead of the snow falling down outside.

CHECKPOINT ON CHAIRS.

2010-11-11T09:24:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I went to Molskroen, a beautiful and special Inn on the nose of Jutland, Denmark.

Here some of my Checkpoint fabric by the danish textile company Kvadrat, have been put on there very beautiful and old baroq chair.
A before picture.

And after.

I think the chairs looks much more modern and elegant with the Checkpoint fabric.

Checkpoint is made out of 100% Trevira CS, a flameretardent polyester.

Detail.

COLORS FROM PERU.

2010-10-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today I want to show you some of the beautifull colors of Peru.
In the area of Barranco in Lima I saw this amazing door. Here in Scandinavia we would never put these kinds of colors together, and in a way I think it's sad. They are so beautiful, strong and warm.
Barranco is a very nice area with a lot of creative people.

Peru is famous for all it's different kinds of corns. Here some are a little bit dried and some fresh. The very dark one taste so good and they make a juice called "chinca". I still remember this special taste and is looking forward to drink it again next year when going back on a holiday with my husband.

Different kinds of dried spices, mushrooms, fruit ect. These I saw at a market in Cusco.

All of them had different kinds of purposes to treat illness. Me and my husband bought some of the mushrooms and spices, which we have used in tea.

A beautiful woman sitting at the market in Pisac near Cusco. All the colors is unfortunately synthetic as they are so strong. In natural dyes this is not possible.

STRUCTURES AND TEXTURES IN WEAVING.

2010-09-19T10:26:00.001-07:00

Today I just want to show some different kinds of structures and textures in some woven samples I have made many years ago.
The first one was made in 1998 when I was an exchange student at Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science.
It is made on a jacquard loom from Dornier, where I worked with the twill effect. I like the way the twill change from the warp into the weft and how the movement comes into the textile because of this.

These next two samples is woven in the pique technique. The material is silk. On the back of the first textile there is a fine little thread which is elastic. After I took it of the loom I put it into hot water. The threads relaxed and the structure becomes more alive.

The second pique is woven with a filling weft on the back of the textiles. Because of this is becomes more bulky and get much more structure on the surface of the textile.

This last textile is very simple. I have called it; Pearls on a String. Because of the changement in the weft yarn, from thick to thin makes it special.
This textile gave me an internship in Italy at a weaving company; Lanificio Bartolini Sestilio in Prato, as it were very Chanel and Celine like.

ORGATEC.

2010-08-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

In the autum of 2008 my textile collection from Kvadrat was beeing presented to the public at the Orgatec fair in Cologne.
The collection is called: the Karina Nielsen Rios´Collection. It consist of Checkpoint -upholstery, Zeze & Yoyo-curtains, Toto -acoustic. All is woven in Trevira CS and coated polyurethane.
Kvadrat is famous for very colourfull designs. In my collection I chose to weave in non-colours. The collection is about the structure of the yarn and the construction of the weave. I was so happy when Kvadrat chose to put my designs into production. For me this is one of the best things that has happend in my textile life. This and receiving the 3-year grant from the Danish State Art Foundation in 2007.
The Kvadrat stand from the outside, designed by Gunilla Allard.

The Kvadrat stand from the outside with some of the black-grey-white shades of my collection.

Kvadrat also had another stand at another place in Cologne. Here they have put up a more simple look with boxes. Again many of the black-grey-white shades is the collection made by me.

The variety in the Checkpoint collection.

Toto, the textile for acoustic.

It was a big honor when I found out that Moroso had chosen to put my whole collection into there own textile collection.

Here are two chairs with two different kinds of Checkpoint structures.

MY BOUCHEROUITE OR RAG.

2010-08-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

For some time ago I saw an aritcle on the blog Sri Threads about Boucherouite, also known as RAGS. The article was written by Gebhart Blazek who owns the Gallery Berber Arts in Graz, Switcherland. Blazek collects berber carpets and textiles from Morocco.
Last week I went to Malmø for shopping. There I always visit a shop; Marrakech which sells tiles, lamps, textiles and other interior items from Morocco.
This time they had three Boucherouite and I fell in love with this one, not so big. 152 x 92 cm. Today it lies in the bedroom with my blue/white japanese textiles and a big carpet I use as a room divider from India. The main color is also blue. Allthough they have different kinds of patterns, they still look fantastic together.

I like the way they have made the pattern and none of the Boucherouite looks the same.

A close-up. Here it is possible to see all the beautiful colors and different kinds of patterns in the rags used in the Boucherouite.

Even the bag is beautiful. It reminds me of the swedish "trasmattor", also made out of rags.

For further reading and purchasing.
Cavin Morris

Muskelil

TILES IN PERU.

2010-08-03T02:18:00.000-07:00

When visiting a monastery in Peru, you will often find the most beautiful tiles. To me they are related to textiles because of there patterns and colors. These tiles are from Lima.

BOBIN LACE.

2010-07-18T09:09:00.001-07:00

When I was 14 years my grandmother teached me to do bobin lace. I still remember I drove to her house on my bike twice a week and she sat there next to me, explaining how to make the different kinds of patterns.
For me the pattern called "spider" was difficult, but my grandmother Doris had this patience and she kept on untill I got it into my fingers. Many years later I were the one who still came to her house, helping her when she became to old to remember. Again it was the "spider" that was difficult.
All this bring out good memories. My grandmother was a woman who knew how to work with her hands and a couple of years later I started to weave. Unfortunately she passed away the year I were lucky to be accepted to the Danish School of Design in Copenhagen.
I think my fascination into the gauze technique started at this time, as to me the gauze have this lace like apperence I am fascinated by.
The first bobin lace I did at the age of 14. This was meant to be sewn onto a handkerchief. The "spider" is next to the edge and in the middle is the heart. This pattern is of course very simple, but to me as the first I did so complicated.

In 2007 I went to London to a textile conference held by ETN -the European Textile Network. In the weekend I went to the fleamarket on Bortobello Road. There was a stall full of bobin lace; big shawls, handkerchiefs, parts to be sewn onto dresses etc. Here I was lucky to find this piece with beads which is from the biginning of the 19th Century. It contains of five of the above pieces and I think it is meant to be sewn onto a blouse, dress in the neckline.

Detail.

NAKACHUU YARNS FROM JAPAN.

2010-07-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

Last week I went to Skals Haandarbejdsskole in Jutland to teach in weaving. This school I went to when I was 16 years old, just finishing my primary school. It was the first time I went away from home. This was the starting point for me and it was an eye opening into the textile world. 22 years later I was asked if I wanted to come back, this time as a teacher in weaving.
At the school it is possible to learn different kinds of subjects; embroidery, sewing, weaving etc. and you can do courses in different kinds of length.

I deceided to do a class in japanese yarns from Nakachuu, which I visited last year when travelling in Japan. They have the most beautiful yarns many of them in paper, with different kinds of treatments onto the surfaces, bast fibers, wool /steel, silk /steel etc. All of the yarns can be bought through Nakachuu in Nishijin, Kyoto and some of them through the danish organisation; Garnindkoebningsforeningen of 1998.
Yarns in cotton mix (black/white also known as number 33-A), silk bouclé, thin transperant paper, silk with some kind of treatmend on the surface, silk thread woven in about ½ cm width and many more.
The course lasted a week and I had several samples with me the students were going to weave.
One of the samples was woven in a honeycomb structure. This is just a little part of it from my weavingprogram called Weavepoint. I like sitting and working with it and then take all the knowledge onto the loom, working with the different kinds of yarns, seeing how they react.
In this set-up the warp was a one-thread linen and three different kinds of samples came out of it. All of them made on the same tying, but woven differently.

Here a silk -white with a treatment on the surface is woven in the plain weave, from Nakachuu. The black yarn is called ANTARA and is from Garnindkoebningsforeningen. Woven into the plain /floating area. This textile become very graphic because of the contrast.

Here ANTARA is woven into the plain area and the black /white, number 33-A into the plain /floating area. The textile is beautiful in the tone-in-tone hues of the black.

A paper yarn called KOYORI M/C 1/6, black is woven into the plain structure and a funny bristling yarn; a cotton thread surrounded with the bristling small paper in white. Woven in the plain /floating area.

These three samples I think can be used for pillow covers. I have already woven the two first samples and just need to sew them.

Here is a twill /plain variation I did some years ago in Trevira CS. For this course I only change the yarns and a totally different kind of textile came out of it. The samples get a ricepaper look. The warp is the transperant paper and the silk treated so the surface get a different kinds of feel and touch.

Here ANTARA is woven in the twill area and the one-thread linen in the plain.

The KOYORI paper yarn is used in the weft. Black in the twill and white in the plain.

Here the weft is the transperant paper yarn, in the plain area and the silk treated in the twill.
If you are interested in buying yarn from Nakachuu.

WEAVING AT MY WORK.

2010-06-05T08:50:00.000-07:00

To survive as a textile designer -weaver it is important to be openminded when it comes to different kinds of jobs. I have for several years been applying for grants, teaching, holding lectures etc.
This year I am trying something complete new. I have a one-year contract with the Center for Deaf where I teach weaving. The people who come and work at the Center is besides beeing deaf, have also other kinds of handicaps as well. This can be mental illness, autism, blindness etc.
For me this job is very life-giving and every day is a new challenge, especially as I did not had any knowledge of sign language before I started.
All the weavers at the Center is fantastic, each of them have there own speciality, what they do best. I would here like to talk about Jan, a man who have autism and who is such an amazing weaver. Jan have been working at the Center for many years and have woven different kinds of patterns and structures. Last year I did some other teaching where I developed all the patterns, structures and designs. One of the designs have I change a little bit into other yarns and now Jan is weaving the most beautiful scarfs.
If you as a weaver have an ordinary contra march loom with a hanging beater, which can be moved in the top, you can make this as well.
Here it is important to put everything into different steps, so it is easier for Jan to follow. I put up L and R (H in danish) on each sides of the loom and also wrote 1-2-3-4-5 for each step he should change the beater direction.

Made a paper for changing the steps of the beater and he was ready to weave. It took a little while before he catch the idea. I guess he had to put it into his system as many autism people have this.

I did not had any background in working with people who have different handicaps, but I find it so interesting as there are always new ways to do things to think of.

As you can see on the paper the beater most of the time does not hang equal on the loom.

I am very proud of Jan who is now weaving scarf number 8. The weaving structure is very simpel, just a plain weave. It is all about the way the beater is changing on the sides of the loom. There are four wefts in each repeat and then changing into a new.

Detail.

Each year in November there is a Christmas Market at the Center for Deaf.