I had a look in my Swedish textile encyclopedia
As you know a 'rug' can be a floor covering, a carpet, but also a small blanket, e.g. a travel rug.
According to the encyclopedia, it was the Vikings who after encountering oriental carpets when they went raiding and trading in the Middle East and Central Asia, brought back the idea of pile weaving.
They began to add small tufts of wool when weaving, and thereby made the first Scandinavian rya rugs. These were not used for sitting on, but for bedding, with the nape facing the body.
The Rya rugs were also indispensable on the Viking longships on the voyages to North Africa, Russia and Vinland (Coastal North America, where Leif Erikson first landed in circa 1000). The ultimate travel rug!
For the Vikings one of the most valuable items for trade was fur. Fur and wool was important to combat the cold of frosty Northern Europe, and therefore 'common' at home in Scandinavia. Maybe so common that having a rya rug was highly fashionable. The origin of 'fake fur'?
Later on, rya rugs were stitched with yarn instead of woven. The name remained though - rya rug.
So now for my homework:
Aida sampler
Sunday Stitch School Reference Chart
Teal Wool Tailoring Scribble Cloth
3 comments:
In fact, to my eye, the rya stitch looks very similar to one of the techniques for weaving pile fabrics. Maybe an example of convergent evolution, maybe an example of one technique inspiring another..!
Interesting bit of cultural history!
And another useful loopy stitch, nice work.
Interesting history. It is looking similar to loop stitch in crochet. Very well done.
Post a Comment