admin – Paivatar Yarns and Design

Plant Dyed DK / Aran Yarns

For those who like to nalbind, knit, crochet, make rya rugs or stitch with DK or Aran weight yarns, I have sourced a few lovely types of yarns that I hand dye with natural dyes. I hand dye different types of yarn in small batches on a weekly basis, so please check in to see what is currently in stock.

DK Superwash Blue Faced Leicester Wool Yarn
Blue Faced Leicester is a wonderful British breed of sheep wool that is soft to handle, has a long staple length and a lovely sheen to the wool.

DK Superwash Singles Spun Merino Yarn
This is a luxurious soft yarn, as Merino is known to be. I find that the Merino yarns don’t take up the natural dyes as intensely as some of the other sheep breeds do. The plant dyed colours are softer and gentler in shade.

DK Organic Wool Yarn
This lovely organic wool originates from the highlands of Peru. All natural, no chemicals, natural plant dyed colours.

DK Organic Merino Wool Yarn
A beautiful organic Merino Wool yarn originating from Peru.

DK Plant Dyed Wool

Aran Plant Dyed Wool

Sami Craft Supplies

A selection of Saami reindeer leather kits and craft supplies are now available for purchase.

Sami Reindeer Leather Bracelet Kits

These Kits include:
Reindeer leather strip
Pewter thread
Reindeer Antler button
Linen thread
Nylon thread
Leather Glovers needle
Sharp needle

Pewter Thread

Pewter thread is traditionally used for embroidery and embellishments on Sami style clothing.
The pewter thread is 96% tin and 4% silver. Nickel free.

For more information about how pewter or tin thread was made by the Saami please visit All Fiber Arts – The Saami Art of Tin Thread Spinning.
The sizing of pewter thread refers to the diameter of the thread before it is spun.

Thread Before Spinning	Spun Thread Size
.25 mm	.70 mm
.30 mm	.80 mm
.35 mm	.90 mm
.40 mm	1.05 mm
.45 mm	1.15 mm

Tin or Pewter thread is available in various widths and lengths:
.25 mm, .30 mm, .35 mm, .40 mm

Vadmal (Wadmal)
Vadmal is a felted woolen cloth that has been beaten in cold water to make it smooth and water resistant. It is lovely for use in Saami style clothing, embroidery and for Viking style textiles.

VADMAL (Wadmal) is a type of woven and felted wool that has been made in Scandinavian countries for many years. The wool cloth is woven on a floor loom and then beaten in a hammer mill until the wool felts to a smooth surface. The Vadmal felting process creates a wool cloth that is water and wind resistant.
Along with reindeer skins, Vadmal cloth is used by the Sami for much of their clothing and crafts. Wadmal is also used for reenactment clothing.
The Vadmal Wool fabric is made with natural wool colours and may show some small darker spots in the fabric. This is not dirt but is small flecks of naturally coloured sheep wool (greys and browns) The surface of Vadmal wool is smooth and makes a wonderful fabric for hand stitching and embroidery.

For more information about Vadmal wool cloth, please visit my Blog at All Fiber Arts.
Please contact me if you are looking for Sami craft supplies that you don’t see listed. I have a small studio, so space is limited and I don’t keep everything in stock but can order it in.

Please check my Etsy shop for the latest Saami craft supplies in stock.

Paivatar Yarn on Etsy

Sami Reindeer Leather Jewelry

I make a selection of reindeer leather jewelry, bracelets, arm bands, necklaces using natural materials and techniques in the tradition of my ancestors. I use natural reindeer leather, organic cotton yarns and pewter thread.

The bracelets or arm bands are decorated with organic cotton bands that have been woven on Sami style heddles or a Scandinavian band loom. The Sami wove colourful bands for many uses, as shoe laces, as belts, as ties for their sleds, as harnesses for the reindeer, as trim and decoration on their clothing. Some of the bracelets are also embroidered with Pewter thread, known as poor man’s silver that was also used to decorate their clothing.

Reindeer leather is a precious commodity that is difficult to source. Most of the reindeer hides are used by the Saami people for their own clothing and personal use. I am only able to purchase the reindeer leather in small quantities that are sold as scrap leather. Nothing is wasted. I order all of my supplies from the Sami people in Norway, Sweden and Finland.
Some of the Sami bracelets and arm bands are also trimmed with fish leather.

Please check my Etsy shop for the latest bracelets in stock.

Paivatar Yarn on Etsy

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 repetative squares, diamonds, diagonals and fish net patterns.
The Rya yarns were dyed using mainly local dyeplants 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 Cochineal and Blues from Indigo, both of which were imported. Colours were darkened or blackened with the addition of iron to the dyebath.

Pori 1836
149 cm x 206 cm
Warp: Hemp
# Threads between rows: 8
Length of Pile: 1 cm
Owner: Yrjö Uotila

Hämeenlinna 1711
152 cm x 188 cm
# Threads between rows: 12
Rya Pile Length: 1.5 cm
# Threads per Knot: 6
Owner Galerie Horhammer, Helsinki
Deposited in Finnish National Museum

Ryijy - Hammenlinna 1711 — Ryijy – Hammenlinna 1711

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

Ryijy Rya Rug - Pirkkala 1792 — Ryijy Rya Rug – Pirkkala 1792

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

Ryijy Rya Rug - Jämsä — Ryijy Rya Rug – Jämsä

I will be adapting some of the Finnish rya rugs into smaller versions.
Rya Kits, Prices and details to come shortly.
If you have any questions, please contact me.
I am updating this website on a regular basis with new hand dyed yarns, handwoven items and other products. If you would like to keep informed of the latest developments, please Subscribe to my new Newsletter.
Päivi

Ikkuna Rya Rug Kits

I first designed these ‘Ikkuna’ Window Panes Rya kits about 20 years ago. I wove the first sample rya on my Glimakra tapestry loom. Each window pane gives a view of a different hand dyed colour, framed in black. The popular kits have gone through many variations over the years.

Ikkuna Rya Kit 2020

The new 2020 version of this rya kit will be dyed using the colours of nature. The dark window panes are of natural brown wool.
The coloured windows will each be dyed using natural plant dyes.
When working with natural dyes, the colours are seasonal. Not all dyeplants are availabe throughout the year. The type of soil that the plant grew in, the growing season, the quantity of dyestuff in the natural plant, the acidity or pH of the water, the temperature and length of time in the dyebath are all factors that affect the final colour that emerges. There are no repeats when working with nature’s colours. Each kit is unique.

Ikkuna 2020 Rya Rug Kit
48 Squares of Natural Plant Dyed Colours
Surrounded by Natural Brown Wool
Backing Length: 45 cm x 50 cm
Finished Size: 40 cm x 40 cm

The Rya kit includes:
Rya backing canvas
1.5 cm Rya Ruler
Plant Dyed Rya wool yarn
Pattern

If you have any questions, or would like to order a larger size in this design, please contact me.
Päivi

Hand dyed and hand spun yarns are now sold through my Etsy and EBay shops.

Paivatar Yarn on Etsy
Paivatar Yarn on EBay

Tapestry Yarn Kits

These are hand dyed tapestry wool yarn kits. The yarns that I use for these kits are organic wool, no nylon, no chemicals, just pure natural wool. The yarns are all dyed using natural plant dyes.
The wool yarn is similar in weight to Appleton’s tapestry wools and are suitable for embroidery, tapestry work, needlepoint, crochet, fine knitting or nalbinding. These yarns are sold through my Web Shop and also on Etsy and Ebay.
Continue reading “Tapestry Yarn Kits”

1970’s Rya Rugs

These are some rya rugs I designed a few years ago, in the style of the 1960’s – 70’s rya rugs. The yarns were all hand dyed. The rugs were woven on a floor loom.

Solar Sky Rya Rug
Approx size: 45 cm x 70 cm

Diamonds and Tears Rya Rug
Approx size: 50 cm x 50 xm

Vortex in Blue Rya Rug
Approx size: 45 cm x 50 cm

Prime 17 Rya Rug
Approx size: 40 cm x 70 cm

Licorice Allsorts Rya Rug
Approx size: 40 cm x 70 cm

Aurora in Hemp Rya Rug
100% Hemp Yarns
Approx. size: 70 cm x 220 cm

Scandinavian Weaves Workshop

Over the coming weeks, I will be offering some new weaving courses, designed for the Intermediate or more experienced hand weaver.
The workshops will specialize in Scandinavian traditional weave structures.

The weaving workshops will be offered as 1 or 2 day courses.
4 Shaft Table Looms will be pre-warped and ready to go.
Other weaving yarns and materials will be provided.

The workshops will take place in my home studio.
I can accomodate up to 2 persons per class.

Please note:
Due to the current Covid19 Virus, I will not be offering workshops at this time.

Please contact me if you are interested in any of these workshops and would like to be kept informed of further information.
I will also update information about the workshops via Twitter.

Some of the new weaving workshops will be:
Rya Rug Weaving Workshop

Finnish Raanu Weaving Workshop

Kuultokudos Transparency Weaving Workshop

Täkänä Doubleweave Pickup Workshop

Krokbragd Weaving Workshop

Author: admin

Plant Dyed DK / Aran Yarns

DK Plant Dyed Wool

DK Merino Singles Wool Yarn Madder

DK Merino Singles Wool Yarn Alkanet

DK Merino Singles Wool Yarn Bloodroot Yellow

DK Merino Singles Wool Yarn Woad Blue

DK Merino Singles Wool Yarn Grey Logwood

DK Organic Merino – Woad-2

DK Organic Merino – Green1

DK Organic Merino – Birch Bark 1

DK Organic Merino – Orange Madder-4

DK Organic Merino – Persian Yellow-1

DK Organic Merino – Green2

DK Organic Merino – Orange Madder-1