Today’s a good day to share something beautiful. This is my new hardingfele, a nine-string fiddle that’s the national instrument of Norway. Hardanger fiddles were developed in the 17th century, and (despite being branded “the devil’s instrument” during the Haugean religious revival) they quickly became the most important instrument in Norwegian folk music. Typically, they […]
There’s been a shortage of posts this year, mainly because my hands have been full of yarn. The epic quest to embroider my own Norwegian bunad continues, but I’m discovering that embroidery takes a long time. The skirt on my new Valdresbunad is three meters wide, and it takes about an hour to embroider an […]
I’ve recently begun work on a project that will probably take a year to complete. At least. Briefly put, I’ll be creating (and writing about) a Norwegian national costume, known as a Bunad. Expect a number of future posts concerning the history, construction, and use of Norwegian folkedrakt (folk dress) and bunader (bunads). Today, however, […]
I grew up celebrating Midsummer on the June 21st solstice, and it wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized there were other days in June to celebrate the triumph of the sun. The feast day for John the Baptist, known in Norway as Sankthans (Saint Hans), falls on June 24th, so naturally there […]
Looking back on 2020, I’m reminded of all those ardent heroines of 19th century novels, filled with ambition and fiery resolve, but stuck in their homes doing needlework. Since doing needlework is better than doing no work at all, I spent the early weeks of the pandemic sewing up several dozen face masks for my […]
The old Nordic tales reference a race of supernatural beings known as the huldrefolk, the “hidden ones” who live in an unseen world running parallel to human habitation. They’re invisible, except to those who have the power of sight, and their true name is never spoken. I’ve thought of them often this past year, while […]
One of the most popular pilgrimage sites in North America is El Sanctuario de Chimayó in New Mexico. It’s a small, unassuming adobe church nestled in the mountains north of Santa Fe. We drove to Chimayó on a hot day and took turns visiting the church and the Stations of the Cross, since we had […]
Summer is retreating at last, and I’m very happy about that, as autumn and winter are my favorite seasons by far. (Winter equals wool and knitting, of course!) Since it’s scorching here in New Mexico, I’ve been busy with various indoor activities, including showing my quilt at the Modern Threads Exhibit in Albuquerque. “Alchemy” is […]