måndag 2 maj 2011

Nice Work (If You Can Get It).

I´m really looking forward to going to work tomorrow. Yes, even more than usual. I´m so excited that I even have to blog about it!

The reason is that I´ve been invited to the press release of this book, held at the Skansen outdoor museum. A whole, big book about Scandinavian folk costumes.

I saw some of the photos for this book back in the autumn and I have been looking forward to seeing the rest ever since.


















It was actually the mother of this cute girl on the cover who showed me the photos. And a friend of mine said that I behaved like a stalker after that. I would perhaps prefer to describe my behaviour as more like that of an enthusiast.

Believe me, it was hard to try and feign some sort of indifference after seeing pictures like this:

Photo from the book Scandinavian Folklore






















These girls are wearing the Dala Floda costume, that just happens to be my own personal favourite among folk costumes. The jackets with knitted sleeves that belong to this costume are just as amazing.

A friend of mine at work was born in Dala Floda and she, of course, has a full costume. You can see it here on her blog. If you scroll down you will find photos of Eva-Karin and her daughter Amanda wearing their full Dala Floda outfits.

After nagging Eva-Karin incessantly asking Eva-Karin nicely only a few times she brought her beautiful embroidered mittens into work to show me one day.


































She told me that a very talented seamstress called Edith made these mittens for her about 20 years ago. Notice the expertly made "kavelfrans" (the fringe) and the embroidery on the thumb. Of course these mittens were made using the technique called twined knitting on such small needles that you can hardly make out the stitches. Nice work indeed!

Eva-Karin wearing her mittens





















And that is why I am so looking forward to going to work tomorrow.
It has turned pretty cold again so maybe – as a tribute – I will wear my Edith hat.





















The pattern was actually borrowed from a Dala Floda sleeve and named after the seamstress Edith from Dala Floda.

5 kommentarer:

  1. Jag har redan boken. Du kommer inte att bli besviken. Boken är fantastisk.

    SvaraRadera
  2. The mittens are amazing, and so is the hat. And the photos from the book are wonderful. I love folk costumes and wish there were more occasions to wear them - and that I had one to wear on those occasions. There was a Polish event at my church on Sunday, and many of the singers and the orchestra wore their beautiful costumes.

    SvaraRadera
  3. I love those mittens. I hope I can get my hands on a copy of the book!

    SvaraRadera
  4. Roligt med någon som du, Johanne, som är så entusiastisk! Du inspirerar även mig och jag ser också fram emot dagens boksläpp!

    SvaraRadera
  5. The folk costumes are so beautiful! And the mittens are a work of art. I don't blame you for looking forward to the release of the book. Love your hat too!

    SvaraRadera