Spiralvävd

Spiralvävd, or spiral weaving, is a textile technique and design in which a spiral motif is produced through the arrangement and interlacing of warp and weft. The spiral can be centered and expand outward, or form multiple arms; the effect is achieved by controlling the order of thread placement, color changes, or by weaving on looms designed to accommodate circular patterns.

In practice, spiralvävd is commonly realized on circular or conical looms, where warp threads are started at the center and wound outward in successive turns, while weft passes interlock to create the spiral turns. It can also be achieved on rectangular looms by using color-stratified weft or by weaving techniques such as tapestry or plain weave with a planned color progression that traces a spiral path across the fabric.

Materials used include wool, cotton, linen, and blends. The technique lends itself to decorative fabrics such as scarves, rugs, wall hangings, and bands. The visual effect ranges from muted, tone-on-tone spirals to bright, multi-colored spirals, depending on the choice of yarns and color plan.

Spiralvävd is found in various weaving traditions and has been adopted by contemporary textile artists to explore movement, form, and ornament. It is related to other spiral motifs and to weave structures that emphasize radial symmetry, such as spiral twill and circular weaves, though it remains distinct in its emphasis on a central starting point and outward growth.