THE LAURDAL LOOM Sjølingstad, 24 September - 6 November 2014

The loom was in bits and pieces. It had been moved between several locations, and not used since 1948.

What are Gunnveig and Einar thinking about the project? We have been working together here at the mill on and off for three years. I think they are still as patient as I am.

We are recreating the 727 fabric, a classic quality textile for suits and uniforms. It was the best-selling article from Sjølingstad in the 1950s. It is not special in any way, but rather plain. It is the kind of fabric used for suits that were meant to last for decades, perhaps a lifetime.

Assembling, adjusting, mending.

The loom is hitting hard from the left side, softer from the right. From time to time it loses its power altogether.

It is a challenge. Unpredictable. Not rhythmical.

When we worked together at Sjølingstad in May this year we reached a turning point. We went through a series of profound adjustments with one of the other looms in the workshop as a model. We discovered that there were significant, but almost hidden, differences between the looms. The Laurdal loom started to perform better. Still unbalanced, but we started believing in it.

Yesterday morning I expressed how pleased I was that the loom worked all right. A couple of hours later two machine parts lost connection, and the shuttle got stuck in the shed and tore the fabric. Einar went to Sørmek and had a new bolt made for the parts that troubled us. The new bolt made it possible to tighten the connection precisely.

Weaving, body tense, alert, waiting for a sound or movement that signals something is about to go wrong. Gradually relaxing. Now, in November, the Laurdal loom delivers metres of fabric without faults.