| |
Byrdcall Studio, LLC
Rya Rug Revival
and Creative Arts
by Melinda Byrd
| |
Welcome to Fall 2026 from Byrdcall Studio | | This is a practice soft pastel exercise with online class with Alain Picard. Willow Reflections. | | Day lily study made during my soft pastel class at Common Ground with Tara Will. The lilies were growing by my backyard pond. | | Practice exercise with online class with Alain Picard. Good practice for fall beach trip coming up. | | Update on Byrdcall Studio | | |
Good news: I have plenty of excellent yarn. We are well-stocked with Rauma Ryegarn AND Prydvevgarn. Your prices are the same as they were a decade ago!
More good news: Even though my grandparents' rya yarn (Lundgren Rya) is sold out of most of the original colors, we still have a fairly GOOD supply of the 20 colors we have left (See picture below). I have been trying various ways to make it less expensive by offering discounts on orders of 20 skeins or more AND discounted prices on several of the colors that I have in huge quantities.
Bad News: Still no word from Norway regarding replenishing my backing stock. My Etsy shop still has kits available using the 80 x 120 cm Rauma backing (31" x 47"). So if that is a size you want, and you have a favorite design listed in the Etsy shop, don't wait too long to order it. Click here to see what designs are available. You can email me and order directly from me (or buy from the Etsy listing.) There is also one 31" x 31" backing for a kit, and the Fireflower kits on 16.5" wide Finnish backings.
And More GOOD NEWS: I also have a good amount of the Finnish Taito Pirkanmaa backings in various widths. See them on Etsy. These are the surface-knotted backings. I also have the popular Wetterhoff backings.
| | |
Lundgren Rya Yarn
is selling fast with the recent price cut for 20 skeins.
| |
Take advantage of the 20 Lundgren Rya skeins @ $8 per skein.
I am down to just 20 colors of this American-made rya rug yarn. You can buy one of each OR send me a list of how you want your 20 skeins allocated. Listed in my Etsy Shop.
Take a LOOK at the sale write-up.
| | |
GOOD NEWS about the
2027 Gallery Exhibit of my Rya Rugs
in Chicago at the Swedish American Museum
| | |
The latest news:
I have confirmed my availability to the curators at the Museum Gallery for the period of June 25 -October 10, 2027.
The exact dates for opening reception and classes will be announced shortly.
I am so excited for this opportunity to share my world of rya with the Swedish American Museum and its visitors.
I'm working on the possibility of including local rya rug makers in Gallery activities so maybe we can get to know each other better and spread the rya word through out the Chicago area.
| | |
In November 2025, I was thrilled to be contacted by the curator of the Swedish American Museum in Chicago saying that they were considering offering me a solo gallery exhibition. A couple of months later, their board confirmed the offer.
I know it is a little early to put on your calendar, but just know I am totally IN! There will be an opening reception and possibly workshops and talks.
| | | Ad Libbing a New Rya Rug: A Mini-lesson | | Over the past few years, everytime I design a new rug, I do it partly because I want to add a new kit to the collection for you to choose from. But this rya is not going to be a kit because ad libbing is the fun and the challenge for me--just as when you design your own rya, you are doing it for self-gratification. When I design for others, I have to keep track of exactly how much of each color I use and can't change my mind midstream. So forgive me for being selfish. | | |
While vacationing on the beach last fall, I painted this acrylic painting which I integrated with collaged swirls and accent. I felt energized by the colors and motions.
Inspiration came from the storms, high tide surge, and extreme winds hitting our beachfront cottage and the stress of listening to the daily news of turmoil. The bright colorful collaging came as a solution to climb out of the depths with hope and ladder to better times. (Aren't you glad you asked?)
It is currently hanging in the Carroll Arts Centers Members Art Show in Westminster, MD.
| |  | |
Of course that painting would be way too intricate to make into a rya rug, so I chose a corner of the painting to focus on.
Below is a series of steps I took to turn a corner of my painting into a plan for a vibrant rya rug.
| | | First I enlarged, then cropped my digital photo of the painting to be the same size of the graph paper that fit my backing. Then using "transfer paper" which is like carbon paper, I traced the design onto the graph paper. | | | You can see all the basic shapes now. But it is hard to tell them apart so I pulled out my watercolor pains and start to give them a light wash of color that I can match to the yarn I select for thr treading card. | | | It actually starts to come to life as I add more colors | | | At first, I left blank the areas with multiple "crazy" colors. I painted the areas which were quite easy to distinguish on a threading card that defines what colors go where | | | True, it does look a little chaotic--but it is MY chaos! At this point I started to square off the curved lines on the graph to make it clear where the colors go. I decided to wing it when it comes to the collaged "flags" or "banners". I gathered random strands and partial skeins from storage bins in the studio. Yes, I do have an advantage there where rya yarn scraps and random collection are at my disposal. If you come to the studio on Open Studio day, I will give you access to my color abundance. | | | And this is what the graph looks like today. The lower area is squared off, but I don't bother squaring off the upper regions until needed. In some "flag zone" I write key words on the graph like "Yell/red/orange mix" I am totally ad libbing the flags, but staying relatively true to the color combinations on the threading card. | | | |
I can't do a mini-lesson without a touch of math. So here goes: A row on my backing holds 62 knots. There are 70 rows to this backing. So how many knots will I have to make? 62 x 70 = 4,340. Using the priceless chart on p. 177 of my book, you can see a medium length pile with two strands of ryegarn will give me 390 knots /skein. So divide 4,340 by 390 and we see that this rya will require just over 11 skeins. With one strand of Prydvevgarn added to each threading , I would get 2,600 knots/skein (from chart) so 4,340 divided by 2,600 = 1.7 skein (just say 2) for prydvevgarn. So not a huge amount of yarn, but tricky to order exactly the colors you need. I'm pretty easy to work with in that regard, so try a crazy design sometime with no worries.
Below is exactly where my new rya stands at this moment.
I'm happy with it!
I will be bringing it to the Chicago Gallery exhibition in 2027.
| | |
Open Studio Workday
Next one is: Saturday, October 17th
9 AM - 2 PM ~ Drop in or stay a while
Please Register by email
| | |
People sharing with each other.... You never know what an open studio workday will bring. Free of charge, this is your opportunity to sign up for a seat to work on your rya, create a design with my assistance, gather supplies, search through the discount bins, and just hang with other interesting people. If you have no project, I have been known to put you to work doing fun rya jobs to meet the studio needs.
If you have ever been to a Rya Sewing Circle, consider yourself invited. If you've never been but have been thinking about it, you are invited. If you've put your rya aside for years, this is a good day to reconnect.
I ask you to let me know if you are coming so I can stop the registration if it goes over 6 or cancel the event if only one or two sign up. It's most fun with several knotters. I'll be there to help you, and will be helping others at the same time.
Email me telling me about when you'd like to come between 9 AM and 2PM. I will send you directions to the studio if you haven't been before.
| | |
Keep Sending me Your Photos
WITH Your Rya Rugs
| |
Review the last couple of newsletters in the Archives. I have been collecting photos of YOU, the rya people, with your rya rugs.
I have not received a photo from ALL of you yet and I'm still hopeful for more though I'm happy with the response so far.
I hope to have the slide show running in the Gallery in Chicago. It will be "The Many Faces of Rya." We are beautiful and diverse. Join us please.
This photo is Jeanne Jacobson. Her work has been featured here over the years. Jeanne was a rya customer of my grandparents (the Lundgrens) back in the early 1970's. My husband and I paid her a visit this spring meeting for the first time in Pennsylvania.
| | | | |
Amazing Ryas by Ariana Barton
from Berkeley, California
| | |
"The reason I became interested in rya was that I saw this rug at a vintage shop, and was too late to buy it! So I decided to recreate it as a large, more square shaped rug, which led me down the rya rabbithole... It is two halves that combine to measure 90" x 74". I couldn't find much info about the original aside from this blog post.
The process took over 2 years but it was worth it!!
| |
| | |
"Before launching straight into the huge rug project, I wanted to practice with something smaller.
I like lots of colors, so this one is based on the calibration test pattern on a TV."
| | | | |
"As a Christmas gift, I made a wall hanging for my fiance. Being a video game nerd, he requested Mario. I projected the image onto the backing and drew it with sharpie. It measures 34" x 23" and uses a softer backing and thrifted yarn. It was an interesting challenge to maintain the details in Mario's face. For this one I tried the technique you posted here (not sure what it's called?)"
Ariana, I'm still not sure what it is called, but I'm glad it worked so well for you and Mario. Thanks so much for sharing.
| | |
Burt from Rye, New Hampshire just finished SOLDANS!
Now onto his adventure with the Smokey Mountains
| |
In the most recent newsletter, I shared an article about how Burt convinced me to prepare a kit that had only been made by Richard. (Below)
I had drawn the design on the backing for Richard, a long time friend, decades ago. I never intended to recreate it, but I'm glad I did because Burt is thrilled.
He is also keeping track of yarn and figures that will help me make it an available kit in the coming years.
Scroll up to the archives to read about the challenges of recreating the Smokey Mountain design.
| | | Best Way to Communicate with Byrdcall | | |
Most of you have been in touch with me one way or the other for a decade or more, but I wanted to share with new folks the best way for me to communicate with you most efficiently.
Best Email: byrdcallstudio@gmail.com. Info@byrdcallstudio.com also works and comes right to my gmail address.
Contacting me via my Website: This works fine and goes straight to my gmail address.
Contacting me via Etsy messaging: This is fine for questions about Etsy purchases, but not so much for asking general questions that don't relate to Etsy orders. They monitor my message with algorithms and I must respond within 24 hours or they give me demerits that affect my 5-star rating. It's like having a "boss" looking over my shoulder. But definitely use their message system regarding an Etsy order.
Messaging me on Facebook. Please don't. I won't notice and will feel terrible when I notice weeks later.
Contacting me by Phone 410-615-2473: All of my promotional info which I send out when you make a purchase has my phone number on it. During business hours, I welcome a call. But I must say that 90% of the calls I get are spam or junk calls. If I don't recognize the number, I'm not apt to answer, so LEAVE A MESSAGE. I will call back asap. If no message is left, I might assume it is spam and "block the caller." Sorry. I know you all experience the same thing and it is frustrating. Texting is OK (not great), but my friends and family all text, so I'm afraid of mixing up business texting with personal life texting and I try to live as disconnected as I can from "devices."
UPDATE: My phone has a mind of its own. If you call you might get a screening reply saying something like "Please give your name and reason for your call." Please do. I will either answer if I'm there or call you as soon as I see it is a legitmate phone call.
So, I'm here for you, but email is best so a speedy response and my ability to locate your past messages for reference. Thanks.
| | | |
If you don't have my book, why not buy yourself one as a gift?
I still have several cases of books to send out. I self-published so no one else is pushing them for me. Unless you do. And I thank you.
Do you know anyone who would enjoy this book? I would so appreciate your support of sharing my book with anyone who might enjoy it. If you know a shop that might like to carry a few books, I sell wholesale. Share with anyone who might appreciate the book. Thank you. Click here.
| | | |
Until Next Time, Friends,
Look for beauty and for the things you love.
Just as so much in the world seems unstable, unpredictable, and uncomfortable, I'm feeling it in the rya supply world. Not knowing what is happening in the realm of supply-and-demand is unsettling. We all are doing our best to keep the "demand" up, but we have no control of the supply.
Hopefully, supplies will be replenished as things settle out, and there is always a way to get things done. We'll figure it out.
Sharing with one another and being in nature can help us cope.
Giving a sincere shout out and love to our friends around the world especially in Canada and the Nordic countries. We are all in this together.
Sending prayers for peace.
With love to you,
Melinda
| | As promised, join me in a walk through the yard looking for beauty, insects, flowers, vegetables, and who knows what. Time to get away from the computer and explore our environments. | | |
Thanks for reading all the way to the end
Stay connected. I'm here for ya.
Let me know if I can help you with anything rya.
And . . .send me a photo of you with a rya!
Sincerely,
Melinda
| | | |
|
PO Box 162
Woodbine, MD 21797
410-615-2473
info@byrdcallstudio.com
| | | | |
