SVENSKA TRASMATTOR
www.svenskatrasmattor.com
Newsletter No. 1, January 2012
Many people have have called for a newsletter from Svenska Trasmattor and finally it's here. But what is it
relevant to write about, and what subjects do YOU find interesting?
It goes without saying that the newsletter will be about trasmattor/rag rugs – the Swedish ones. But the
subject ”trasmattor” embraces far, and much is woven into the story of the Swedish trasmatta ...
January Sale
As a recipient of Swedish Trasmattors newsletter you can take part in our January Sale before anyone
else. Until January 22nd, we offer you a 25% discount on the trasmattors you buy. Instead of buying
through the website, simply send an email to eva@svenskatrasmattor.com and tell us which trasmattor
you want. We will deduct 25% on the price and send you an order confirmation / invoice.
Weaving techniques
Rosengång (Rosepath)
A trasmatta is not just a trasmatta. Many people have an internal picture of how a Swedish trasmatta
should look, usually something with stripes, blue colors and maybe a bit worn. But there are many
different weaving techniques that allow large variations and possibilities regarding as to how each
trasmatta can look. In this newsletter I will explain the technique called "rosengång".
Woven in ”rosengång”
Rosengång is the name of a technique that was very popular in the 1950s, when many trasmattor were
woven entirely in rosengång. But already in the early 1900’s rosengång was used to decorate trasmattors
otherwise woven with the simpler ”tuskaft” technique/plain weave, which is the most basic way of weaving,
made by weaving over one warp thread and under one warp thread. ”Tuskaft” in itself only gives the
simple stripes, that we often associate with Swedish trasmattor.
Rosengång can be explained as follows: ”Rosepath (rosengang): Woven with or without a tabby ground,
on three or four shafts, the pattern produces small diamond or rose shaped patterns”.
If you would like to learn more about weaving or weaving terms please take a look at
www.glimakrausa.com, a fantastisc site with lots of information.
Checkered trasmattor
Checkered trasmattor begin to appear in the late 1800s.
One dark, one light ...
The ”base” (widest stripes/parts) of old trasmattor were often woven with what is in Swedish called "spoland skyttelkastning". Here, the weaver alternates between two types of material/fabric, so every second
row is woven with one type of material and every second with another. This method is used to "extend”
the material so that the colors will reach further and to let fabrics with different thickness/quality to be
"neutralized".
Fringes
It is not common with fringes on older trasmattor. Until about 1930, the ends of a rag rug were often edged
with a piece of fabric, mos often cotton or wool ("halvylle"), a few centimeters wide. Most edges had a
neutral and "tolerable" color.
Möbelriksdag.
On January 4th 2012 the annual Möbelriksdag (Parliament of Design) was held in Lammhult. A meeting
place for the furniture and design industry, decision makers and designers, this year with more than 400
participants. TV was broadcast from Riksdag and can be seen on www.mobelriket.se. Svenska
Trasmattor was there, and we enjoyed the inspiration and ideas of more than 50 presentations on
Swedish economy, environment and trade, trends and perspectives, also on the future development of our
area: Småland!
Stefan Nilsson from Trend Group presented his bid on this years main design-trends: protest, pure, future
perfect, upstairs / downstairs, and supersport; no more retro, anti-consumption, lots of colors,
combinations of ”trash”/second hand” and expensive brands and a focus on health. Both his and other
presentations from the Möbelriksdag will be available from 11 January on Möbelrikets website
www.mobelriket.se. Overall, there is no doubt: "trasmattor" was written on all trends, opportunities are
simmering, and now it up to us - Svenska Trasmattor - to get something good out of the potential of both
the product and the region!
A contemporary weaver - Siv Andersson
Siv, who lives in Alvesta and has her vävstuga (weaving workshop) in Blädinge, is one of the active
weavers, who works with Svenska Trasmattor. Siv is a very thorough, experienced and skilled weaver
who "grew up in a loom" as they say in Småland. Sivs mother was also one of the highly skilled weavers
in this area, and in the 1950s and '60s, she sold her trasmattor to the many countries outside Sweden. We
are pleased to offer Sivs beautiful, newwoven rugs in our store.
New ways to use trasmattor/rag rugs ...
Sew several - preferably two, three, four - trasmattor together into large, handsome, broad carpets.
Joining two rugs can be done eg. by sewing in crosses with "trasor" /strips of cloth.
A good book
"Den svenska trasmattan" by Kerstin and Ingrid Ankert Frankow. Read it if you want to know (almost)
everything about trasmattorna and their history (but the book is in Swedish…)
Retailers wanted!
Svenska Trasmattor has retailers in the UK, USA and Sweden, and we are very pleased to be working
with them. But now we believe it would be interesting to take a step forward and find a partner in Denmark
- maybe an interior decorating shop in Copenhagen? If you are interested, please contact us:
eva@svenskatrasmattor.com or tel +46 (0) 70 615 0463
A rag rug feeling!
With this newsletter from Svenska Trasmattor I want to present Swedish rag rugs in all their glory! Old,
new, short and long, exotic, dark, bright, colorful and WONDERFUL! Created for everyday life and for
special occasions, for kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms. To be worn, trod on, admired and loved. The
history, techniques, weavers, future and not the least – the role they play in modern design and decor.
Is it possible to feel passionate about rag rugs? For me it is. Many rag rugs are so beautiful, they ought to
be hung on walls as pieces of art. We should be proud of the artistic and well woven rugs that have been
created and are still being created around us and highlight these amazing textiles.
Trasmattor are a part of Swedish cultural heritage. Creativity and recycling at its very best! Rag rugs, hand
woven on floor looms, from strips of fabric and produced by skilled weavers. A valuable document of
women's creativity and artistic abilities.
If you have questions, ideas or topics you would like us to take up, please write to
eva@svenskatrasmattor.com
Best wishes
Eva Valente
Svenska Trasmattor
Ladja Norregård 1
S-36030 Lammhult
Tel. +46 (0) 70 615 0463
www.svenskatrasmattor.com