Emdal Studio Tapestry Blankets
Textile art dazzling enough to hang outdoors
One look at Signe Emdal’s contemporary scarves and it’s clear that they’re artwork as much as vehicles for warmth; the emotion-based color choices and nature-inspired patterns scintillate with an energy. In our interview with the artist back in 2014, the Danish textile artist explained how her vintage German knitting machine from the ’80s set physical limitations (including her self-imposed mission to be 100% no-waste) yet encouraged experimentation in digital patterns. Since then, the Copenhagen-based designer has been shifting her focus to larger pieces, especially blankets, and collaborating with Textiel Lab in Tilburg, Holland to create tapestries on a Jacquard loom.
One of Emdal’s new projects is developing custom-made art tapestries for outdoor events, offering something different to very lightweight cotton blankets or silk scarves. Her heavy knitted textiles might not seem the most practical to hang between the trees, but Emdal considers them “soft walls” that evoke emotion with their movement, color and contrast in nature settings. As floral symbols and flowers are a recurring theme in her work, she would integrate a couple’s favorite flower into a personal tapestry for their wedding, for example—becoming a keepsake that would last much longer than frozen wedding cake. The best feature that might not be apparent just from photos is how soft these tapestries are—Emdal uses a secret yarn mixture that makes the artwork feel like “fluffy, soft, thick bathroom rugs.”
Request a custom tapestry from Emdal Studio, and check out her “wearable art” scarf shop, too.
Gallery image courtesy of Kristine Funch and Emily Therese, all other images courtesy of Daniela Reiner
