Weaving in Iceland - Ós Textile Residency, Blonduos
I took a few textile design classes during my time at Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, where I developed a strong interest in handloom weaving while also exploring printmaking and dyeing. Since then, I’ve continued weaving on a frame loom at home, creating tapestries as part of my personal practice. In July 2024, I was part of the Ós Textile Residency in Iceland. Here’s a glimpse of some of the work I created during the residency.
I developed a series of tapestry designs inspired by Icelandic landscapes and architecture, focusing on the colors, forms, and flora. Alongside weaving, I experimented with naturally dyeing Icelandic Lopi wool using lupine plants and flowers gathered during the summer season.
Lupines grow abundantly during the summer in Iceland, making them the perfect source for natural dyes using both the flowers and leaves. In my first batch, I used only the leaves to dye the yarn. By experimenting with temperature and soaking time, I was able to achieve different shades of yellow. Later, I dyed the yarn using lupine flowers. Even though the flowers were blue, violet, and purple, the yarn transformed into beautiful shades of green.
The landscapes from my daily walks around the town became the main inspiration for my tapestry pieces. I was constantly drawn to the changing colors of the mountains, grass, sky, and flowers around me. What felt especially magical was how the naturally dyed yarn reflected the exact tones of the landscape at that moment. Alongside weaving and dyeing, I also spent time sketching and illustrating scenes from my surroundings, some of which I later transformed into embroidered pieces.
