Over the summer I made a cursed object: a bobbin lace pillow.

It’s made in a traditional way, passed down from a woman in Orsa. Only, instead of the horse hair she suggested I had to make it with human hair. The hair was ethically harvested, don’t worry. And it smells quite nicely of shampoo!

This style of pillow is for making freehand lace, called dalknyppling in Swedish.

#crafts #slöjd #hemslöjd #lacemaking #bobbinlace #knyppling #dalknyppling

There is always a lot of talk about what to wear on your head in the folklore costuming community.

Traditionally you would cover your hair. Currently we don’t (for everyday wear). People feel uncomfortable wearing traditional headwear with the costume, others feel it’s a disservice to tradition to not wear it. This becomes an evergreen discussion.

I wanted to pitch an interesting proposition: headbands! I’m mired in the fertile soil of Swedish trad costuming, but I’m looking to Norwegian traditions for this.

When I was last in Trondheim I noted that the Trønderbunad has several types of headwear and amongst them are embroidered diadems and head wraps. This is seemingly a younger tradition than the old fashioned wraps and hats. Now, in Sweden we have a problem: the hat is where the traditional lace goes. If you lose the hat, you lose the reason to make the lace, and perhaps the knowledge of making the lace too! Therefore I humbly suggest headbands as a modern alternative, for lace preservation and a modern, feminine folkloric accessory. It is a huvudbonad, which more people might be comfortable wearing for celebrations, which can still carry traditional significance, depending on materials and techniques.

Just my personal opinion. I think they’re neat.

#crafts #folklore #sewing #slöjd #folkdräkt #hemslöjd #bunad #husflid #klöppeln #knyppling #folkcostume #knipling #lace #lacemaking #spets #spitze #sweden #norway

I used to think I couldn’t come up with spontaneous art ideas. Like I was stunted and naturally didn’t have a sense of vision.
Turns out I was just untrained, and what feels like an artistic gift from the outside is actually a mental muscle that can be trained. Now my problem is I have too many ideas instead.
One of them was this: a little folklore piece inspired by Bohusdräkten in western Sweden. It’s meant for one of my nieces, unasked for but hopefully appreciated. It’s adjustable, from the lacing to extra material in the shoulders and waist. So hopefully she can wear it for a few years.
In Sweden we have this debate about headwear with folk costume. To wear or not to wear. But inspired by Norwegian tradition I decided to make her a little hair band with lace in a matching material to wear with the dress. And the thought struck me that adults could wear that too! I’m trying to make it a thing.
I’ve not weaved the fabrics or constructed the zipper but I’ve made everything else myself. The embroidery, the lacing, the lace, the hooks for closing, even the aglets to thread the string in front.
I hope she and her parents like it and that maybe when she is too big for it she can lend it to her cousin or potential siblings.

#crafts #embroidery #folklore #dress #sweden #folkdress #lace #lacemaking #girlfashion #broderi #slöjd #mjukslöjd #hemslöjd #folkdräkt #bohusdräkt #spets #knyppling #spitze #klöppeln #husflid #bunad #festdrakt

I did a research project for my master’s degree on freehand lace making in rural Sweden. And when I got back from my tour of the countryside I had to try it for myself.
Right now I’m in an anatomical era of work, and this blood system sort of work is top of mind. This piece also got selected to be shown in a local art exhibition this summer.
Unfortunately I have recently misplaced it, but I’m sure it’ll turn up if I make an effort to look for it.

#crafts #slöjd #bobbinlace #lacemaking #lace #knyppling #anatomy