Midsummer celebrations

 It was time for the yearly outing of my folk costume, from Vika. Just like last year all official celebrations were cancelled due to the pandemic, but my boyfriend was invited to a small private celebration and I joined him. For the first time I could wear a complete costume, with my brand new pocket. 

I even took the time to starch the loose lace piece (stycke in Swedish) that goes under my cap.

And since it's around 7 years since I shortened the skirt of my costume it was about time that I rehemmed the apron to the new length as well, instead of just pinning it up with safety pins. The new hem is quite bulky since I didn't want to cut anything but just folded it under it self. You never know when you might need the fabric so I try to not cut anything off the costume.

It was also really fun that our host collects folk costumes so that he can lend them out to his guest, and he had a partial male Vika costume that he lent to my boyfriend. I thought it was very cute that we were a matching couple.

The borrowed costume was missing the vest, so he had to have the jacket closed all the time. Maybe if we go there next year and he can borrow the costume I can see if my father's old vest to the costume could be adjusted enough to fit.

I had brought my violin with me, and then there was a traditional birch trumpet in the house. I just love this photo.

And to prove that at least one of us can actually play the instrument we are holding.

I don't know a lot of folk music, but it was fitting that this piece that I'm playing is a walz from the neighbouring parish from where we were.

A quick summer wrap skirt

 I think a lot of people who sew have fabric in the stash that they are saving for something special, but maybe don't really know what that special thing would be. My special fabric has been in my stash for something like 12 years. It has felt special because my parents bought it for me in Fiji, when they made their last long trip together. I haven't been sure what I would do with it, I feel like it should be something special, at the same time I have been unsure on how much it would actually last for.

Well today I decided that the time has come, instead of fuzzing around and wait for the perfect inspiration. I have wanted to make a summer skirt, and this was the only fabric that I had enough of, so summer skirt it was.

As a pattern I used my by now standard skirt pattern. To make it a wrap skirt I added an extra half of the front panel, that goes over the rest of the front. It's fastened with two buttons at the waist.

All in all it took me 2 hours to put it together and I'm pretty happy with the result.

HSM21 challenge 5 Purple - a traditional pocket

 I have now finished theh pocket for my Vika traditional costume.

Except for the embroidered front piece it consists of a backpiece of the same broadcloth. Both the front and back were lined with a layer of linen. For the backpiece I also added a layer of green wool, that will be visible in the opening of the pocket. The instructions calls for using the same fabric for that piece as the rest, but I thought it would be nice to add a hint of green, especially since there is a lot of green in the skirt and bodice.  Then the opening was bound with a black piece of tape, and finally the front and back pieces were bound with the same tape to attach them together. I'm not sure what kind of tape it is, since this was in the kit for the pocket that was bought almost 20 years ago. It felt like some kind of ribbed cotton tape.

Unfortunately the kit for the pocket was done for a size S or M. For me with an XL waist the tape that was supposed to go around the waist was nowhere long enough. Since this tape isn't supposed to be seen, it is worn under the bands for the apron, I simply took a regular piece of cotton tape and lengthened the original tape. I think I have put the piecing under the apron as well so it shouldn't be too visible.

To finish off the pocket I made a small button loop on the pocket and added a button to the tape for closure. Now the instructions only call for a button, and my sister has a handmade dorset button on hers, but I felt that it would be more me to use one of reproduction 16th century buttons that I had left from my goldhaube project.

And this is the finished pocket, which was basically the last piece to complete my traditional costume. Now I only need to rehem my apron, and make a new shirt but that's a bigger project and I can use my old shirt.

This is a closeup of just the embroidery, since that is what puts the pocket in the HSM challenge.

What the item is: a pocket for the traditional costume of Vika parish, in Dalarna, Sweden.
How it fits the challenge: The traditional costume was codified in the 1920s so it is within the timeline of the HSM and the embroidery is done with a lot of different shades of purple.
Material: 0,25 cm blue broadcloth, 0,10 cm green wool flannel
Pattern: Part of the traditional costume instructions
Year: 1920s (even if it is also worn today)
Notions: Embroidery silk in purple, pink and green, cotton tape for the binding and waistband, 1 button
How historically accurate is it? I have taken a few liberties, like the button, so for the 1920s version of the pocket I would say it is 70%.
Hours to complete: It is an UFO, so technically 20 years, but since I took it up I have probably used around a month.
First worn: I'm going to wear it for the Midsummer celebrations
Total cost: I have no idea since this was part of a kit that was bought 20 years ago by my sister.