Local Mohair Carpet links Prince Albert with Sweden

- Sally Arnold -

Prince Albert resident, fine artist and designer, Sally Arnold and her Swedish partner, Anders Paulsson, are developing an exciting project that will link Prince Albert and Anders’ historic family farm in the south of Sweden in a highly original way.
In 2008, the couple will launch a new art gallery and wine tasting locale, with a custom-made spa set in a modern glasshouse adjoining the old, Swedish farm buildings. And the focus will be on offering top-quality South African products – many from Prince Albert – ranging from art, design, contemporary furniture, wines to beauty treatments by South African therapists.

Sally and Anders spent three months at the end of 2006 sourcing the collection pieces for their project. Included in the articles from Prince Albert, among them Avoova game boards, watercolours by Alf Gundersen and a vintage Climax windmill, is a large mohair carpet designed by Sally and woven at the Wolskuur Spinners. The carpet will grace the tasting area of the wine restaurant and art gallery at the “Swedish-South African” farmhouse.

Sally approached Petra van der Merwe of Wolskuur Spinners in December last year with a simple crayon sketch of the carpet based on the brand name of her new business concept, Three Lily Buds. One hot afternoon, the two women drew up a large cartoon to scale on brown paper, which Petra then cut into strips for easy insertion into the largest loom in the weavery, one that was 2.5m wide. Hannes van der Merwe began dyeing the natural mohair skeins: sky blue, red and sand. Touches of green bouclé were also used for the stamens.

Two experienced, long-time weavers at Wolskuur Spinners, Jennifer Botes and Carolina Pieterse, were responsible for translating Sally’s pencil drawing into a 2.5 x 4m mohair carpet. A three-week process in all, with physical prowess and deft weaving required at the heavy industrial loom. Once completed, expert Petro Claassen, cut the carpet free and placed it on a large table for neatening and steaming, which took a further two days.

Petra and Sally, assisted by Sarah Lottering, then decided to give the piece an unusual finish: a special stitch in white wool all around the three large flowers to further accentuate their shapes. After two days of manual stitching with extra-large needles, sitting cross-legged on the table tailor-like in order to reach every flower, the carpet was ready for the final steaming, drying and professional packaging by Hannes.

The carpet is a fabulous, handcrafted work of art, the product of the combined talents and expertise of six women and one man. Sadly, the weavery is down-scaling and will no longer be using all its industrial looms. However, the women’s skills and a selection of Hannes’ impeccable looms are still very much in business at the at the Wolskuur Spinners shop on Church Street.

To see Sally Arnold’s carpet, check out her website: www.threelilybuds.com