Let the Summer 2023 Begin! |
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Greetings!
I hope all is well with you and those you love. Not to be repetitive, but where has time gone since we last spoke? It might be a sign of age to wonder that all the time, but gee, seems like I was writing a newsletter three weeks ago, not three months ago.
So a lot to catch you up on.
Good News! The backing situation is improving. See below.
The creativity of many of you is expanding.
Others are reaching out to teach and share rya!
I found time to enjoy the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival! (May 6-7th) Did any of you go? Maybe next year, we can meet up?
On a personal note, my left foot gradually developed a sharp pain whenever I walked over a period of a few days. The doctor is now treating me for a stress fracture. So I am wearing a medical walking boot every moment when I'm not in the shower or in bed. Thanks to the boot, I'm no longer in pain--Just waiting anxiously for it to heal.
So far your orders are still going out on time.
And I have plenty of most supplies.
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- Rya backing Update
- Upcoming Rya Classes
- New in the Etsy Shop: Non-Kits ready to go!
- New Rya Design Progress of "Desert Suns"
- Supplies Purchasing--Etsy or Website Shop?
- Book Testimonials Shared
- Past Video Links You May Have Missed
- Rya Show & Tell
- Support Local Retailers
- Closing Comments
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For the opening design of this newsletter, feast your eyes on this rya designed and knotted by Caroline Anderson on a 12" square backing handwoven by Gretchen Romey-Tanzer at the Tanzers Fiberworks in Brewster, Massachusetts. Gretchen commented, "I like her use of uncut loops for water. The Cape Cod beach scene has flowering rose bushes, sand, and interesting clouds." Caroline was a student in the March 8, 2023 class at Tanzer Fiberworks described in the last newsletter.
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Archives of Recent Newsletters |
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Note: Sometimes newsletters will "abbreviate" at the half-way point and a message will appear to "click to see the remaining message." If you don't notice it, you might miss half the newsletter so be sure to read (or scroll) to the end.
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Taito Pirkanmaa Oy backings
(Finland)
This week I ordered 5 different 10-meter bolts of backing from Finland which should arrive in a few weeks.
I have much in stock now including a 120 cm (47") wide bolt which I can cut to your request. Give the surface knot backing a try!
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Rauma Backings (Norway)
This is the backing we've sold for years, but over the past year or more has not been woven until recent weeks! My supplies have dwindled, but are slowly being replenished again.
I'm happy to report that we are starting to get 40 cm (16" wide) backing in bolts and the 60x110cm (24"x43") backing hemmed.
Still we have no 80 cm (31.5") wide backings, but I have been assured they are coming.
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Swedish Wool & Cotton Backing |
This backing has been heaven-sent and has gotten us through the Norwegian backing shortage. It comes in one width 60cm (24"). I may be ordering another bolt shortly. I sell this backing cut and hemmed to any (reasonable) length you request.
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Arriving by the end of May:
Finnish backing made by Wetterhoff Oy!
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We offered Wetterhoff backing in the Etsy shop. It was quite popular and sold out. Many of you will be happy to hear that we will be receiving it in 3 widths very soon (Late May '23)
Widths in centimeters: 35, 45, and 54
Widths in inches: 13.7, 17.7 and 21.2
Check the Etsy shop in early June.
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USA-Woven Vintage Remnants
In about 1976, my grandparents contracted with a North Carolina mill to weave backings in two widths: 27" and 34". They had so much backing it filled a room in their basement. Now we are down to just several hemmed pieces of each of these non-wool backings.
When Lundgren Rya was sold in the early 1980s the woman who bought the rya business contracted with a mill in New York which wove the acrylic backings. I thought they would last forever. Those, too, have just about sold out. All that remains are a few pieces that are hemmed. These are the least expensive backings for their size. Students often buy them because it keeps the cost of their rya project down to a minimum. I need to post up-to-date listings of the remaining orlon and acrylic backing. . . ask me if you don't find them.
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In Westminster, Maryland . . . I will be teaching a 5-day morning class in designing and making rya rugs at the culturally diverse Traditions Camp of Common Ground on the Hill
at McDaniel College from July 3rd - 7th from 9:00 - 11:45 AM. Local folks can just sign up for my class, but the more fun way to attend is to pretend you are a kid at "sleepaway camp." Stay in the college dorms (or get a local hotel room), take my class all morning, then lunch in the dining hall with incredibly interesting people. Then there are three more periods to the day in which you can enroll for all kinds of artforms. . . musical instrument arts, bluegrass, blues, Celtic, Old-time . . . literary, dance, visual arts, Native arts and culture ... After dinner, attend Gallery Talks each evening presented by all the Visual Arts instructors. My Gallery Talk is on Wednesday, July 5 between 6:30 and 7:30 (free for all). End each evening with concerts or dancing or distinctive lectures--or all three! Check out their catalog! Register with them online.
Last time I checked, our Rya Class had 7 students, so if you are considering this experience, don't wait too long to enroll.
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In Colorado . . .Rya Classes are being planned for this fall at Jefferson Farms Natural Fibers Farm Studio in Salida, Colorado. Fiber artist, Kirsi Aryan-Edwardson will be teaching rya classes on the wool and linen Finnish backing made by Taito Pirkanmaa. Details are in the planning stages for Sept/October, so stay tuned. No registration yet.
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I n Massachusetts . . . If you are planning a vacation on Cape Cod or if you live there, at Tanzer's Fiberworks Weaving Studio, Gretchen has a “Rya Corner” for people to see examples of completed pieces and a sample in progress. She has a selection of handwoven rya backings for sale, (12” square, 21” square, and larger backings around 25” x 38”). $30 per square foot. Check her website to see if there are any classes you'd like to join.
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Zoom Classes . . . I have been asked many times about teaching via Zoom. I am hesitant because I'm not very proficient in running a Zoom program especially one where I'll need to switch cameras from talking face to overhead hands at work. It's out of my comfort zone. There. I said it. Maybe a kind, local person can come by my house and help me figure it out. Hint hint. Another reason I've put off Zoom teaching is not knowing what the backing situation will be from week to week. I hope to improve in this regard in the coming months. |
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No Open Studio Days are planned at this time. My days are very long and full. I know yours are, too. Recently there hasn't been enough interest to warrant setting aside a day, so we'll wait for less active days. Between my foot healing in a boot, and a garden to work, and every day orders and communications, my basket is full at the moment. Thanks for understanding. |
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New in Etsy Shop: Non-Kits ready to go!
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Have you ever seen the Food TV show "Chopped"? Competing chefs open a basket of unknown ingredients and in a short period of time have to come up with a spectacular meal from those ingredients. They (almost) always do.
In my Etsy shop I've listed several color combinations from which you can choose your favorite "pile" and I send you the pre-selected bundle of 450-500g (4.5-5 skeins) along with a 16" backing that only will require about 3.5 skeins to complete, needles and basic instructions. YOU decide what to do with the colors. Your are the designer; I just get you tempted and started.
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This was a grouping I listed a couple of months ago. I often use vintage and untagged yarns that I can't easily sell otherwise. Offerings change frequently, because these have been selling very well--a good sign there is creativity surging out there.
This grouping was purchased right away and just look at what the designer made -->
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Maryellen Pugh from Sedona, Arizona designed this beauty! She completed it very quickly. She is gifted, wouldn't you say? |
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New Rya Design Progress of "Desert Suns"
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Remember in the last issue of the Newsletter, we shared a NEW design by Denise Hall to be available as a KIT? I was looking for someone to be the guinea pig to test the kit to make sure everything worked out. Well, Gretchen Romey-Tanzer stepped up to be the first. I thought you'd enjoy seeing her progress.
I KNOW the designer, Denise, is thrilled to see this!
Look at the beautiful set-up of the work space. It makes a world of difference to have an organized area for working on your rya.
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^ This is what the completed rya looks like in case you forgot. It is available as a kit on Etsy
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Since March a couple other designers have stepped up to offer their designs to the array that I promote and sell. I'm always interested in hearing from you. What is critical to me is that you can provide a reproducible graph that matches backing I carry and know exactly what colors and color combinations that were used on the needle so I can recreate the kit to achieve the same outcome. It can be a little tricky especially if you adlib a lot. Denise actually took the time to make the rug keeping accurate tally of all the detail and graphed it with a spreadsheet software program which is beyond my abilities. But maybe not yours? |
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Purchasing Your Rya Supplies--
Website Shop? ... Etsy? ... or by Email?
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I have mentioned this in previous newsletters, but thought it would be helpful to many of you to clarify this again. All three ways work fine. I personally get your order whether you buy through my website, my Etsy Shop, or you send me an email listing what you want. Here are some things to be aware of.
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Website Shopping
Sales tax is only charged to Maryland residents. If you don't live in MD, this can be quite a savings over Etsy.
Easy for you if you find what you are looking for. It has all Ryegarn, Prydvevgarn and Lundgren yarns itemized.
Most backing orders require a personal email since they are in flux and usually will be hemmed for you.
I welcome your feedback on the website.
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Etsy Shopping
Every item I offer in Etsy has detailed descriptions and up to 10 photographs so you can really see what you are ordering.
I offer some limited offerings on Etsy that I don't offer on the website to save time. I am more masterful of the Etsy listing set-up than I am on the website set-up.
Easy messaging feature.
Easy to read reviews of items.
If you find me on an Etsy ad, they take a substantial % from what I am paid--sometimes causing me a loss due to the sales.
Etsy must charge your state sales tax with every order. Sometimes I cringe when I know you could have saved that with a direct Byrdcall purchase.
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Emailing Me with Requests
I welcome emails especially when you have unusual needs or want me to help you with a choice to match a color or to see if my discount bin has a substitution you could use. If you want a backing cut to an exact size and various yarns, sometimes it is just easier to say it all in typed words. I will fill your order just as quickly and invoice you with easy to pay online (safe) invoice. Tax only charged to MD residents.
Personally I like to get to know you as you travel on your rya journey!
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Do You Have My Rya Book yet? |
Not to be boastful, but I just wanted to share this with anyone who doesn't have my book in case they assume it will be too advanced, too basic, or not clear enough in some way...
Here is a link to my website BOOK sales page showing the comments I have received since the book was published in March 2020. Many of you will recognize your words. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart
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Past Video Links You May Have Missed |
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I'll start by warning you that watching these could take up a good part of your day, so use judgement and maybe come back to this section when you have plenty of time on your hands. |
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Hand-Crafted Traditions ~ Rya Rugs ~ by Ken Koons This is the video that took me from my path as an artist and changed my life forever. After this video came out I knew I had no choice but to write a book. May 29, 2011. I've learned a lot about rya since this video!
10 min. 29 seconds
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Rya Show & Tell
(Thank you for sharing your photos!)
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Carol Solinger from Odenton, Maryland, rya designer extraordinaire.
3 feet x 5.5 feet
Note: The vase in the photo to the right coincidently matches it nicely.
"Below is the photograph of the South Antelope Canyon in Arizona. There
were many views of the rock formations, revealing beautiful veins and textures. My rug follows these ridges and the variation in values in
this one picture. I followed the lights and darks and textures but
added my own colors."
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"I have been working on knotting a nautical flag series, (using the same 12” square backings). The flags in this grouping are the letters, A, B, C, F, L, and Z.
The small size can be used for a wall piece or as a chair pad."
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Brenda Barton from Van, Texas came up with an amazing idea of turning the stained glass window shown here into a wall-hanging rya.
She wrote, "Melinda, a friend of mine has bought a small chapel and has converted it to an event center. The attached is a picture of one of the stained glass windows and I wanted to see if you thought this would work to convert to a Rya rug design. Let me know what you think. Thank you. "
We had several emailed conversations with lots of photos sent to help with the color selection.
We decided it would be too complicated to graph or draw all the swirls of color in the glass, but not too complicated to draw the straight lines and then work on one window pane at a time. So she will adlib as she goes.
She bought a Pirkanmaa backing 80 cm (31.5") wide and 76" long. I assisted by counting off where all the rows were so she could knot the dark line between the window panes with an equal amount of spacing between each one, I tied a red thread on the rows at those points.
This takes a bit of bravery to do a rya like this, but Brenda is well-experienced with many kits which will help her in this process. She will share the outcome with us upon completion.
The bottom picture shows the yarn she is starting with. She won't need a lot more than that, but we were estimating and there will be tweaking amounts to be expected. All the whites and beiges are from my vintage discount bin.
See the red knots I put on the backing to allocate the dark lines?
This is one design that will never be a kit since it cannot be duplicated again.
Go, Brenda!!
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Beth Neff from Iowa Falls, Iowa has been enjoying making various small ryas of her own design.
Here is her rya story:
I’m not careful with technique. I don’t pay much attention to the neatness of the knots or to keeping the length of the loops even. I’ve tried keeping some loops uncut but I’ve often found that cutting them all gives more freedom to brush the yarn in different directions.
What I enjoy most is the mixing of the colors and the yarns. I always use one or two Prydvevgarn threads (out of four or five) for strength and then it’s just the Wild West. I still have some knitting yarn left but I use a lot of bamboo for its softness and sheen and also mercerized cotton, again for its brightness. I guess it’s the colors that give me the most pleasure.
One of the reasons I’ve stayed with the smaller pieces is that I am absolutely “math challenged” as you so kindly put it. But also I’ve just found that the small size is pleasant to work with.
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Beth has fun. Loops cut or not cut, she is getting joy from the colors and the process. |
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She is my only customer/friend who has used Taito Pirkanmaa, Wetterhoff, and Rauma backings. She likes an adventure.
Ride 'um, Cowgirl!
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Support Retailers who Sell my Work |
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Rudolph Girls: Independent Bookstore in Westminster, MD |
Last month Rudolph Girls started carrying my rya book. If you are in the area and have been thinking of buying my book, go there and buy it. Then I'll bring them a couple more! I told them I was pretty sure they'd sell and I don't want to be proven wrong. They are located at 15 E. Main Street, Suite 112, in Westminster MD. If you haven't been there, take the time to check them out. Tell them I sent you. Click to learn more about them
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The Vine on Main is a Sykesville, MD landmark. It is located by the railroad tracks on Main St. They sell carefully selected wines, beers, fair trade clothing and gifts, and support local artists like me. The Vine has about 70 of my art T-shirts for sale. They are my top sellers of t-shirts all year long. Check them out. Tell them I sent you!
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Plenty of my books are available by mail from Finland now. I shipped 52 softbound Rya Rug Books to Jenni Vanhanen in Finland in February. Now she is well stocked. To my friends in Europe, hopefully it will cost a lot less for shipping from Finland to you than it costs to have it come across the Atlantic. Jenni is super busy this month, so it may take a couple of weeks for the books to be listed in her shop for sale, so be patient, and check it out!
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And once again,
Thanks for reading all the way to the end.
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Thank you for your kind correspondence and friendship. We are all united by rya. It is the "river that runs through us."
As always, stay happy and well, and enjoying the beauty around you.
I so appreciate your reading my newsletter--even the many of you who have told me you are not particularly "rya people" but you just like seeing what others are doing.
You're the BEST!
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Enjoy the rest of the spring and may your summer be full of beauty!
Knot on!
Melinda
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A Couple of Links that Might Come in Handy
A couple of links here that I know are enjoyed by many of you. Special "Shout out" to the Rya Rugs Friends on Facebook. The Group always welcomes new members. We are over 500 Friends now! If you wish I wrote a newsletter more often, I recommend you join the Friends Group so you can be inspired almost every day.
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Direct Link for Book Purchase |
Whether you have been waiting for this book for years or if you are just discovering at this moment that it exists, no reason to hold off on treating yourself! The reviews have been excellent. It is now available in either hardbound or soft bound cover. Click on the cover image to learn more.
Price: $ 49 Hardbound
Price: $ 39 Softbound
S & H: $ 5.00
6% MD State tax for instate purchases only
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 fun. Thank you.
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c/o Melinda Purcell Byrd, Owner
P.O. Box 162
Woodbine, MD 21797
410-615-2473
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