Learning an old craft - Gammelt håndverk

I love crafting. I love making things. Things that are used. In our everyday lives. And I especially love making everyday items that add a bit of beauty to our days. Almost two years ago I discovered this lovely blogger and was inspired by her beautiful handknits, but especially her sheep skin crafting. A few weeks back I finally fulfilled my dream of learning this craft and started taking classes. And it's everybit as fun as I imagined it to be! What I am working on now (it is by no means finished, a few very important finishing touches are missing) is going to be a pram snuggle bag for our little girl. And when she gets older she can use it in a rocking chair. This craft is based on old Norwegian traditions, and bigger versions were used for hundreds of years as bed covers to survive the chilly Norwegian winters. Back in the day they added the symbols on top as protection from evil spirits, while I mainly care for their aesthetics. In God I trust, so I don't need symbols to keep me from harm. However, I think it's fun to incorporate some symbols I hope will be important to my daughter.

This is made out of two sheep skins, and will be folded in two to fit into the pram. Every stitch sewn by hand, with love and anticipation. I will be sure to add more photos of the entire process and the finished product, of course.

As the eager student I am I have been working on it a lot at home in between classes, so I hope to spend the last two classes learning how to make mittens, hats and booties.

When I brought it home after the last class on Sunday, where I printed the pattern on it, Filip showed his approval straight away. He wanted to cuddle it and sleep on top of it. I think he may need a sheep skin blanket of his own!

And by the way, apologies for very little blogging these days. I still stop by, and I still love reading your blogs, but work is crazy busy these days, so it's hard to find time and energy to blog as often as I would like to.

Jeg har endelig oppfylt en to år gammel drøm: jeg har begynt på skinnfellkurs! Jeg holder på å sy en vognpose til lillejenta vår! Når hun vokser ut av den kan hun bruke den i en stol/gyngestol, så denne typen fell kalles også livstidsfell. Dette håndverket er basert på gamle norske tradisjoner, og større skinnfeller ble i hundrevis av år for å holde varmen i den kalde norske natta.

Vognposen er ikke ferdig enda, noen svært viktige detaljer mangler! Det kommer flere bilder etter hvert. Jeg har vært veldig ivrig og sydd mye hjemme, så håper på å lære meg å sy lue, votter og tøfler også på kurset. Ingen tvil om at fellen falt i smak hos Filip, han ville legge seg til å sove oppå fellen, så spørs om ikke han også må få seg en skinnfell etterhvert. Inspirasjon fant jeg hos denne flotte bloggeren.