Book Review – Krokbragd – Contemporary Weaving with Colour by Angie Parker

Krokbragd – Contemporary Weaving with Colour begins with probably the best opening line of any weaving book:

“Krokbragd is the Scandinavian weaving technique that is difficult to pronounce, slow to weave and yet strangely addictive to those who learn to master its intricacies.”

I’ve been weaving since my early teens, and at some point, I’ve woven a few vaguely weft-faced bits of cloth – some intentional bound rosepath samples and some unintentional weft-faced scarves where I was too stingy with the warp sett and enthusiastic with the beating, ending up with an unfortunate, closely-packed weft. But Krokbragd? Until recently, I knew very little about it – only that it’s a weft-faced weave, probably Scandi, and, I assumed, best suited for rugs. I also didn’t feel confident enough to attempt pronouncing it aloud.

Then I discovered Angie Parker on Instagram. She’s a handweaver and designer based in Bristol, UK, and her work immediately caught my attention with its bold, modern colour schemes. I quickly learned that Krokbragd was her specialty. I followed, liked and generally admired her creations, all while realising I still didn’t fully understand what made Krokbragd, well, Krokbragd.

When I saw that Angie was publishing a book, I meant to pre-order it, but – true to form – I forgot. A few weeks ago, as I watched her ship out those first pre-ordered copies to people more organised than me, the FOMO hit hard, and I finally got my act together and placed my order.

While waiting for the postie to turn up, I made a note of a few things I hoped the book would cover:

• The history of Krokbragd – where specifically in Scandi-land does it come from?
• Traditional patterns and colours, and how does modern Krokbragd compare?
• Colour theory – would Angie share insights into her stunning palettes?
• Weft and warp choices – what fibres/yarns/counts work best? What to avoid?
• Technical intel – sett, tension, beating techniques, and the number of shafts required for more complex patterns
• Edges – is it a tricky structure for maintaining clean edges when switching between weft colours?
• Projects – Angie is known for her gorgeous rugs, but can this structure be used for other applications?

Now that I have the book in hand, I’m thrilled to say Angie has answered all of these questions and more. First of all, it’s a gorgeous hardcover book, and it’s so wonderful to be able to order a book directly from the author. I’ve collected quite a few weaving books over the years (mostly second-hand), but it’s a real thrill to support a living author by buying their work. Marguerite Porter Davidson had been pushing up daisies for nearly half a century before I ever laid hands on a boat shuttle for the first time!

Not only does Angie teach you how to confidently pronounce Krokbragd, but she also delves into its origins (Norway), historical Krokbragd patterns and colours, and highlights work by contemporary weavers like Petra Marciniak, Robbie LaFleur, and Karin Bøe. She shares a bit about her own weaving journey too – she got her start in weaving at art college, taught by Master Weaver Susan Foster who was a peer of Peter Collingwood.

Angie goes on to discuss the essential equipment for weaving Krokbragd, including the correct selection and use of temples and ski and stick shuttles. There are instructions for weaving Krokbragd on both shaft looms and rigid heddle looms, as well as tips on loom and shuttle maintenance. She explains the best yarns for the warp and weft (and which to avoid), touching on the sustainability factors of different fibres and clarifying the count systems (Nm, cc, Ne, etc.) and sett. She even mentions the Spælsau sheep whose wool was traditionally used for Krokbragd weaving in Norway – a detail I really appreciated!

Angie also touches on the mental health and wellbeing benefits of weaving which many of us can attest to (other than when you notice a threading error in the middle of your warp after you’ve already sleyed the reed and are 20cm into your weaving – Okay, let’s not talk about that), alongside advice on how to protect your body while weaving rugs, a full body workout that can really take a toll on your muscles and joints if you’re not careful.

In terms of technical intel, Angie explains how to thread your warp and the lift sequence, which is made easy to understand with hexagonal diagrams she has provided. It’s all explained so clearly that you’ll feel confident weaving any of the patterns she includes, tweaking them or even creating your own. She also shares how to carry the weft up the selvedges for neat edges, ensuring you won’t be judged by the weaving police! Once you’ve finished your first project, she explains how to stitch in the loose weft ends and offers various finishing techniques for your edges (hemmed, tassels, etc) for a modern finish.

Now for the creative part – Angie shares advice on planning colours and proportions, colour theory, symmetry, and how to find inspiration in the world around you. Scattered throughout the book are several valuable insights into the business of art and the economics of weaving. She also offers solutions to common troubleshooting issues, such as pulling in, weft packing issues, uneven warp tension and selvedges, and mistakes like accidentally picking up the wrong warp threads. And how to gracefully admit you’ve been pronouncing Krokbragd wrong for many years.

The strength of this book lies in its excellent balance of theory, technical insights, and inspirational content, with a small section at the back dedicated to applications and projects. It provides just enough to spark your creativity for Krokbragd projects beyond rugs – such as framed woven artwork, basic upholstery, sachets, cushions, small bags and cases. These projects are perfect for weavers who may be nervous around a sewing machine or hesitant to snip into their woven fabric.

For more advanced weavers, there’s also mention of double and combination Krokbragd with shaft switching. Finally, in response to my earlier curiosity about the difference between Krokbragd and bound rosepath, Angie defines the technical differences (four picks to complete one full pass) and for even more value for money she even includes sett recommendations and a draft for a bound rosepath project! At the back of the book, she includes her handy hexagonal weaving draft paper specifically for designing Krokbragd (with warp threading and tie-ups already marked in), which you can photocopy. The glossary and list of equipment and (mostly UK-based) yarn suppliers are also very helpful, as is the bibliography, which lists quite a few useful weaving books, magazines, and websites.

In summary, this book would make an excellent addition to any weaver’s library, whether they’re new to boundweave structures or not. If you’re completely new to weaving, you may want to take a class or pick up a book focused on beginner weavers (maybe something by Peggy Osterkamp or Learning to Weave by Deborah Chandler). If you’re a seasoned weaver, don’t worry, the chapter on equipment and dressing the loom is a very small proportion of the overall book if you want to skim through that, although I did learn some new tips – like the plaster trick when winding on rug warps, and inlay tapestry at the selvedges!

Anyway, that’s all from me. If you’d like to get yourself or another aspiring Krokbragd weaver a copy, visit Angie’s website!