One of my main interests is textiles and what better place to investigate textiles, then to come to Sweden.
In the first day I was here, Agnete took me to the Red Cross Shop nearby. This op shop was more like an antique shop to me. and on the shelves were old textiles - some most certainly handwoven. so far there is not much tapestry to see, so the domestic textiles are starting to become very interesting but also it's great to see the care they have taken in weaving every day, functional textiles. My first find in the Red Cross shop were cotton/linen curtains, white with a red rosepath (rosengång) pattern, starting with several rows along the bottom, then getting less as you move up the curtain. these are a pair of wide but short curtains, perfect for a kitchen window and at $10, one bargain I could not go past. I thought that I had done well, but then on the way out to the car we just peeped into the shed. There was a old large inkle loom (now I have seen the same in several museums) which I knew I couldn't take back with me, but very interesting in the meantime to look at. then in a bucket there were some plain mats, nothing special, but poking out the corner was a rag rug which looked a bit old and dusty, but we hauled it out, unrolled it and a great mat was revealed. It too is probably woven in rosepath and the design and use of colour is really pleasing, so checked the price tag and for $3 it would have been ridiculous to pass by, so yep paid for that one too. It is probably 2' wide and 5' long. Agnete washed it when we got home and it has come up looking really nice and it is nice and thick and will still take a lot of wear. and at only 2' wide will easily fit into my suitcase I think!!
I am going to try and get photos up on this site, but time in front of computer takes away seeing other interesting things. if I don't get photos up now, you might like to come back later and they will be there!
Last Wednesday we went into Stockholm to the open air museum, Skansen. This was started way back in 1891 and it has many old buildings brought from all over Sweden to record its history. At first glance the brochure doesn't say much about textiles, so after paying $20 I was thinking I might be a bit disappointed, but happily I was wrong. I think that textiles are so much a part of the Swedish history that they sometimes forget to mention it as its expected that you know that there will be textiles!!
anyway, it wasn't that far into the park that I stuck my head into a house and there was a loom. Mostly these looms are 4 shaft counter balance looms, some had steel reeds, but there was one with a reed reed! There were also inkle looms and spinning wheels. I spoke with one woman (the staff are dressed in costume and are happy to talk - even in English - to dopey tourists!)who was in the Finnish Village. This area commemorated the Finnish migrants to Swedish life. anyway, she was spinning grey wool to be knitted into socks that are then felted. She described the first stage as knitting elephant socks, ie huge ones, then using a wooden template the sock is felted down to human size. There was a wooden template for a knee high sock as well.
In another Swedish farm house, there was a young guy making linen nets and there were hanks of handspun linen - although he was using store bought linen for the net. There was a loom being dressed quite finely with commercial linen, but the young girl said she would use their handspun linen for the weft. She would be using a simple twill design, not totally rosengång, but similar, but using all natural coloured linen as she said linen is hard to dye with natural dyes.
The folk costumes are really beautiful examples of woven fabric and I took several photos of the girls and women wearing these throughout Skansen. Most of the houses are open for inspection and although they may be concentrating on another aspect of Swedish history there are always heaps of textiles. the rag mats on the floor, the bedspreads with rya knots, the tables dressed with runners and place mats are all just a part of each display. So if you are in Stockholm and want to see traditional textiles a visit to Skansen is a must.
Talking of folk costumes, Agnete has her own folk costume which is traditionally brought out on Midsommer Eve. And so last Friday it was given another airing. I may post a photo of this. But this time it was worn by an Aussie not a Svenska! First there was a stiff cotton, maybe linen, (I will check) undergarment, like a light summer dress, long, with short sleeves. Over that was worn the long woollen skirt, vertical stripes on a dark navy background. this was tied at the front. Then hung on the waistband was the pocket (purse) where maybe the keys were kept or money. over that, the apron was tied partially covering the purse and covering the ties of the skirt. The top waist coat was then worn, this is woven striped woollen fabric also, lined, with a short dirndl. this was laced up, so would fit any size. For me it wasn't laced as tight as a young maiden like Emma!! The next item was a blue and white shawl, clipped together with a fancy clip. To top it all off, a cap with needle lace frill, for married women, so that their hair was covered. The cloth of the cap was blue with embroidered vines and flowers. The white lace frill was embroidered with woven patterns. for someone like me who never wears a skirt, it was somehow sorta Right to wear this long skirt that swirled - I felt like a strong woman - humph look out for me!! strange I know!!
On Midsommer eve we were to a small village where there was display of folk dancing (another passion!!) alongside another old farm house which was open for visiting. This was the farm house where there were 17 children in the family. Once again old textiles everywhere, just part of their every day life. At the end of the house was the loom room with a 4-shaft counter-balance loom with really fine reed reeds, along with the wider steel reed threaded for rag rug. spinning wheel also and the large inkle loom that seems to be common throughout.
Stay tuned!
