Lomis Teppe Again Graces Altar in Lomen Church
The Lomen church again has a Lomisteppe on the altar. Ever since the 1200’s or 1300’s such a weaving has adorned the altar of the Lomen stave church. But in 1972 the old teppe was taken to Oslo as a part of an exhibit of church art. At that time experts discovered it was so fragile from age that it ought to be preserved under controlled conditions at the Kunstindustrimuseet, Oslo, to retard further deterioration. Thus the teppe remained in Oslo.
It was felt however, that the church should have its own Lomis-teppe. To accomplish this, Marit Anny Loken Tvenge went to Oslo to examine the original teppe, to make notes on colors, dimensions and to sketch the pattern (see Budstikken May 1978). Then she sat down at her loom and produced an exact copy of the precious altar covering.
On Ascension Day, 1980. after the church services, Marit Tvenge presented the teppe to Pastor Per Vaernes, who placed it on the altar. The teppe is 130cm. by 85 cm. and is thus the largest of the three such teppe type preserved in Norway. Tvenge also produced a second teppe – a kristneteppe from yarn which remained after the Lomis-teppe was finished. This has received a spot as a wall hanging near the baptismal font.
Marit Tvenge is an expert weaver and has been at the Vesterheim Museum, Decorah, both in 1979 and 1980 conducting courses in weaving. On her first visit she was perturbed to note the museum did not have a Valdres bunad on display and determined to remedy that. On her visit in 1980 this was done. Husfliden, managed by Ingrid Bolstad, gave a complete bunad. Fossen-Helle made bunad silver consisting of a belt, two soljer, cuff links and veskelas. The cuff links were a gift from Fossen-Helle, the other silver offered at a very low price. The Skogstad store presented bunad shoes. The Valdres-Decorah committee, headed by Mrs. Ada Alnaes Vegan, solicited money to pay for the silver. And thus Vesterheim Museum in Decorah has a Valdres bunad.
