Ryijy Weaving Workshop (May 2025)
Wednesday-Sunday May 28-June 1
10am-4pm EDT
Finnish American Folk School Fiber Studio
200 Michigan St. Hancock, MI
(Studio access for loom warping Tue May 27)
Instructor: Lisa Wiitala
Class fee: $250
Materials fee: $50
Registration closes May 19 or when sold out
Learn how to weave a Finnish ryijy rug! With their plush, textured surface made from tufts of yarn, they’re as enjoyable to touch as they are to view. Students will use the traditional loom-woven method to create an approximately 12” square sample of their own design for use as a wall hanging. Topics covered will include design patterns, preparation of materials, color blending, knotting methods, edge treatment and finishing techniques. Yarn will be provided as part of the materials fee. Please bring scissors and reading glasses if you use them.
This class is open to adult students who can independently warp a floor loom before the class begins. The looms used during the ryijy workshop will be made available to registered students on the day before the workshop so that you may wind your warp and dress your loom. All students should be ready to begin weaving on Wednesday morning. Please contact us with questions about preparing for this workshop.
The ryijy goes back centuries. First used as sleeping covers by Vikings and sailors, the earliest were made from plain, undyed wool. Later, they entered homes as bed covers and rugs, often woven to commemorate weddings. As wool became more widely available, they grew in popularity. By the 1900s, rigid design patterns were replaced by more abstract designs as well as a greater variety of yarns, turning them into textile art most often used as wall hangings today.
