Handarbetets vänner skola – graduation 2024

Textile craft is hotter than ever, but how is the scene for young gradauates this year? Here is my report from Handarbetets Vänner Skola.

Handarbetets Vänner, or more accurately, their school showed the graduates from 2024. Eleven students, so not a huge crowd. And this is a graduate show where there is emphasis on craft.

The school is very much focused on educating skilled and wonderful craftspeople, and so this year. To give it some sort of reference I look back at what I saw at the school last year. My report from 2023 is here.

That time I noted that we are leaving fashion and getting into weaving. This year weaving is so much bigger than previously. Almost all, almost, is about weaving. Very little of other textile techniques.

I talked to my craft expert friend and she noted that the textile industry in Sweden right now is fascinated by textile star Josefin Gäfvert and her rough, emotional weaving skills. Her art is heavy, sweaty and more emotional than the constrained embroidery you can see at other places. And I do agree. A lot of the influences here are a from Gäfvert.

Is it a good year? Absolutley. I wish for a bit more emotional distress. Like with my comment from Konstfack. It kind of looks like students try to be nice and get a job – not change the world.

It is super interesting to walk around with my craft expert. She sees things I might have missed. Here you can notice how the weaving changes direction all of a sudden.

Thick yarn. Weaving as art. For the wall and not anything functional. Rough and raw. Kind of the opposite of embroidery. Three pieces from three different students: Eva Lalander, Linnea Norberg and Freja Hallin.

Weaving and icons. With a brighter colour setting, this could absolutley be a Loewe or Gucci carpet. By Jessika Höglund.

Intricate weaving where you give the carpet sections of “body” meaning the tree trunks. All in one piece. Notice love carvings in the birch bark. By Carin Enhager.

Kristina Påhlman Himmelsjö.

If we’re leaving traditional weaving – there are other textile works too. Like these old bedsheets made into curtains by Nickis Fischer Kask. She is using a technique called “sneak stitch”.

Yes, still weaving but in an industrial way. Here together with Klässbols. I love the pattern. Should resemble crayfish. Do you see it? Perhaps my favourite project at the school. By Ebba Lundahl.

I always love colour and what’s not to like here. Perhaps also the most contemporary of all works. Feels digital and crafty at the same time. I missed to take a picture of the name so will update here later. Just found out. The name of the student is:  Fredrika Engberg Paulsrud.

Myrna af Wetterstedt worked together with woodworker husband and made this cabinet. Notice how the woven front have cut lines to give it a fringe.