Finnish Folk Rya Kits

This new series of Rya Rug kits that I am designing are based on the traditional folk Rya of Finland. ‘Suomen Kansanomaiset Ryijyt’.
Some of the earliest Rya in Finland date back to the 1700’s – 1800’s. Many of the rya of that period were geometric in shape, containing repetitive squares, diamonds, diagonals and fish net patterns.

Finnish Folk Rya – 1770

The Rya yarns were dyed using mainly local dye plants of the region, such as Anthemis tinctorial – Marsh Labrador tea, Myrica gale, Bog myrtle, Birch leaves and bark, Alder buckthorn, Alder leaves and catkin, Willow bark, Spruce and pine cones, Parmelia lichen, Lichen saxatilis, Northern bedstraw. Red’s were obtained from Madder root, Cochineal and Blues from Indigo, both of which were imported. Colours were darkened or blackened with the addition of iron to the dyebath.

Ryijy 1846

Ryijy 1779

Ryijy 1834

Hämeenlinna 1711

152 cm x 188 cm
Warp: Hemp
Weft: Woolen
# Threads between Pile rows: 12
Rya Pile Length: 1.5 cm
# Threads per Knot: 6
Owner Galerie Horhammer, Helsinki
Deposited in Finnish National Museum

Ryijy 1711

Ryijy Kuhmoinen

146 CM X 201 CM
Warp: Linen
Weft: Woolen – Light Grey and Yellow
# Threads between Pile Rows: Varied – 12 to 20 Threads
Rya Pile length: 1.2 – 1.5 cm
# Threads per Knot: 4
Owner: Governor Hennig Ernqvist
Orebro, Sweden

Kuhmoinen Ryijy

Pori 1836

149 cm x 206 cm
Warp: Hemp
# Threads between rows: 8
Length of Pile: 1 cm
Owner: Yrjö Uotila

Pirkkala 1792

158 cm x 190 cm
Warp: fine linen thread
# Rows between rows of pile: 6 – 8
Length of Rya Pile: 1.1 cm
# Threads per rya knot: 3-4
Owner: Trade Councillor N. Tirkkonen

Jämsä

145 cm x 171 cm
Warp: Thick Hemp thread
# Threads between rows: 24
Length of Rya Pile: 3 cm
# Threads per Rya knot: 3

Finnish Folk Rya Mini Kits

I will be adapting some of the Finnish folk rya rugs into mini versions. It has been difficult through Covid times to source materials. I have now been able to source some lovely wool yarns that I am currently dyeing with natural plant dyes for the kits.
Rya Kits, Prices and details to come shortly.

If you have any questions, please contact me.
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