This design, Desert Suns, was recreated by an active fellow rya rug enthusiast, Denise Hall. (Read about her in my book on p. 120-121.)

She re-made a rya that her talented mother-in-law had made years ago, but this time Denise developed the graph using a spreadsheet software program. I am so impressed. I have seen some Rauma designs made this way, but very few. Denise also kept track of all the yarn she used to make it--exact quantities of both Rauma and Lundgren yarns. She even figured quantities of Rauma yarn to substitute in case I run out of the Lundgren color--which is a possibility over the coming years.

All "new" designs get a "test run" meaning if you want to be the first to recreate Denise's Desert Suns, we are very interested to help you be the first. I haven't calculated the price yet for the 120x120 cm size rya--that is about 47" square. But it will be less than it would be if all the yarn was Rauma. I will also add a 10% discount to the kit price in thanks to you for providing feedback and photos regarding how it goes.

Since I'm anxious to get the newsletter out today, this will be a priority once someone steps forward and says, "Yes, I want to be your guinea pig." I'll personally prepare the kit and threading card, package and send it to you.

Contact me at byrdcallstudio@gmail.com

Svensk Hemslöjd in Sweden bailed us out of having no 24" backing last summer. I ran out a few weeks ago, but happily just received another bolt. This process is working great.

And finally the Lundgren backings woven in the USA of acrylic and cotton linen. When I bought back my grandparents' rya business from the woman who had purchased it in the 80's, I found that she had 27" wide acrylic backing woven in NY. I bought all four very heavy bolts. I thought it would last forever. I sold the last of the bolt to a rya rug maker in Canada a few weeks ago.

I do still have small hemmed pieces which are still listed in my Etsy shop. Great for wall-hangings. Well, its last days are numbered.

In the Fall Newsletter, you may have noticed a "call for weavers" who were interested in weaving rya rug backings for sale or for the learning experience. There are many of you here who expressed interest. I forwarded weaving patterns, and instructions to the ten or so people who contacted me. The instructions and patterns were sent to me by weavers who had already figured it out or had good books on Nordic weaving techniques.

The challenge would be whether or not an individual weaver could weave and sell a backing at a price that the buyer would be happy to pay. The backings I sell now were woven in mills where the cost is reduced due to the mechanization of the process. Is there a weaver among us who would like to be the "point person" to gather and share info with other weavers at least to keep the backing weaving skill alive if not for retail sales? Maybe a weavers' cooperative could pool orders and coordinate weavers. I would love one of our weaving rya friends to step forward and say, "Put me down as the contact person." I'm afraid if no one is interested in coordinating it will fall by the wayside if left to me alone. I am realizing that I am one tired woman who better not take on any more challenges.

If anyone is weaving a backing and wants to share it with our readership, send me a photo, the details, and a price, and I can share in the newsletter. The buyer can contact you directly.

I am thrilled to have shipped 52 softbound Rya Rug Books to Jenni Vanhanen in Finland in February. She sold out of the first 3 cases of books I sent her. 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!

Gretchen Romey-Tanzer of Tanzer's Fiberworks in Brewster, Massachusetts is now weaving small backings to help non-weaving students learn the off-loom rya technique. She is offering a class on Wed., March 8 which I highly recommend if you are nearby. It is only two hours long and priced very reasonably for all you will receive.

Hetty said,

"Reworking this 1970’s Rya rug, it was 1/3 finished. I’ve removed piles of knots and have been integrating and blending color. It is cheerful work during the recent snow storm.

Carol is a visionary. Every rya she makes takes me to another world!

This is a vintage backing (from the estate of David Swanson in Brunswick, ME). It is LARGE. I'm guessing 5' wide and 7' tall, but sometimes I exaggerate.

Carol was inspired by a photograph of looking skyward in a slot canyon of Arizona.

She uses colors and blendings that are unusual and gives me goosebumps when I see them.

Carol, I thank you for keeping me up-to-date on your progress

over the past few months.

Stay tuned, friends.

Faith has had a vision with this design for a couple of years. Basically she has made a beautiful frame for this large rya rug and is now deciding on what to put in the middle. She has used the wisdom of the Rya Rugs Friends Group to ask advice for various aspects of its progress. Now she has a graceful sketch of the middle. I think you are almost there. Graph it? Sketch it on the backing? Still more choices for you, Faith. We are rooting for you.

My husband, John, is a woodworker and very helpful when it comes to recreating the nifty needle organizers that my grandfather, Bill Lundgren, designed and used to make for Lundgren Rya.

Last week we ran out of the Western Red Cedar blocks. We still have the Black Walnut and Tulip poplar blocks available and the "Character blocks" with personality. See the listing.

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 seeing the beauty around you.

I'm really going to try to get the next newsletter out in early April!