Wait, how do you say it?
I think, to begin this blog post, I should probably tell you how to pronounce this funny little word. Well, I’m not even sure that I pronounce it right myself as I always stumble on it!
I usually pronounce it as ‘Croak-Bra-d’ - Interesting, right.
So, what actually is ‘Croak-Bra-d’?
Krokbragd literally translates into English as ‘Crooked-Path’, and you’ll be able to see why if you look closely at the weave. You’ll see the weft yarns that are packed in on top of each other, are not quite in a straight line. Quite cool that, isn’t it?
As mentioned before the weft yarn is completely packed in, which means you cannot see any of the warp yarn. This is a typical characteristic of a Krokbragd weave as it is a weft-faced weaving technique, like a tapestry, or a rose-path.
This technique can typically found in Scandinavia, woven in bright colours and thick wools. Due to it's durability you will probably find examples of Krokbragd with floor coverings or upholstery. The thickness of the weave itself would have provided Scandinavian Natives much warmth in the winter, as well as providing a vibrance and happiness to the cold dark winters with the use of colour.
You can see some stunning examples of Modern Krokbragd weaving as Rugs & Upholstery if you look up Angie Parker. An incredibly talented weaver and an expert in Krokbragd.
How do you weave Krokbragd?
Krokbragd is traditionally woven on a floor loom. However my trusty little looms Nigella & Keith are more than capable of weaving this technique. Nigella, however does need some adjusting as she is a Rigid Heddle Loom, but you can warp up Keith (a four shaft table loom), in a pointed draft, over three shafts, and he's ready to whack out a Krokbragd just like that!
Krokbragd is woven on three shafts, and it is important to note that the warp yarn must be thinner than the weft yarn. It is also necessary to space out the warp yarns, so the weft can be packed down, thus covering the cotton white yarn. In the pieces above I have used a thick knitting yarn that is quite soft, enabling the yarn to be squished in next to each other, rather comfortably...
I would highly recommend going over to Kelly Casonova to see how she weaves Krokbragd on a Rigid Heddle Loom.
For the Love of Krokbragd
Why do I love Krokbragd so much? Well, simply put, it is weaving magic! I absolutely love the way this weave comes together, pick by pick, colour by colour, block by block. As each weft yarns slides into it's correct position, the fabric slowly builds to create a beautiful piece of artwork, with no warp yarn in sight! The possibilities are endless with Krokbragd. I just need to make the time to experiment with it more!
It takes a lot of time to create a Krokbragd piece of weaving, even more so than 'normal' weaving, but I think this just makes me love this technique even more. It really is a labour of love and patience is a virtue! Even the back of the Krokbragd is glorious, as you can see in the middle photo!
What do you think of Krokbragd? If you have any questions or comments then tap away below!
I cannot wait to use this technique in my future projects. You can keep up to date with my weaving projects by following me over on Instagram or Facebook. You can even purchase your very own piece of Krokbagd fibre art over on my shop.