Preparing for Constitution Day with a little needlework
One of the most important days of the year in the Norwegian society is our Constitution Day - May 17th. On this day we celebrate the fact that we got our very own constitution back in 1814, after having been ruled by the Danes for 400 years.
Our Constitution Day is celebrated more thoroughly than how most countries celebrate their national days, and for first-timers it can seem a little daunting and an overly nationalistic experience. But it's really a celebration of democratic rights for all, and everyone's invited, regardless of nationality, ethnicity and religion. Where other countries have military parades, it's the children that parade our streets on Constitution Day. There are lots of games and parties for the children, and it's a day to be spent with friends and family.
One of the most important ingredients of the Constitution Day is the bunad. The bunad is our national costume, and although it can be worn by both men and women, the majority that wears it are women. The bunad is an intricately embroidered dress with loads of bling. That means it's an expensive garment, and the dresses often run in families, being handed down from one generation to the next. This year, it was my eldest daughter who inherited a bunad from a cousin. I cannot say how old this particular bunad really is, but I wore it when I was a teenager, and it was old at that point. My aunt was the first owner of it. She had it in her youth, and she is well into her sixties today.
Because the cousin is 16, and my daughter only 11, amendments had to be made to the dress. Hence, the needlework. The bunad had to be taken in at the shoulders and around the waist. It's quite easy, straight forward work, but since the dress is such an old family heirloom, it made me a little nervous all the same. It turned out okay though, and my daughter is now ready for May 17th - Constitution Day.
Details of the beautiful embroidery
The waist needed to be taken in a fair bit
The shoulders too!
Looks okay on the outside
The back after having been taken in
Won't she look lovely come Constitution Day?
Now it's a perfect fit
Beautiful piece of your heritage!
thank you @jamethiel :)
Hi @lil-mich. Wow, what a wonderful #NeedleworkMonday story and project. The dress is adorable! I love that it has been worn by generations of your family to celebrate national pride. Go Norway!
hehe thank you @crustalize :) it makes it very precious that it's worn by other Family members. This particular cousin is my daughters idol, making it all the more special. :)
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STOPI really like the colours of both the fabric and the embroidery. I also enjoyed reading about the historical background @lil-mich.
Thank you🌺 !
glad you liked it @cryptocariad :) the embroidery is lovely, and this bunad is a simpler version. A lot of other bunads are even more intricate. It's mainly older women who maintain this tradition of embrodering. Like in many matters, it's a dissappearing skill.
Hi lil-mich. What a beautiful piece. I love blue color. And the embroidery detail is beautiful.
thanks @jicrochet :) I love the coulour as well. this is a not very common kind, most bunads are black, With even more intricate embroidery. :)
Wow thanks for sharing a little history with us today!! It really sounds like a fun day for everyone! The embroidery detail on this dress is beautiful and she looks so lovely in it. I love how it gets passed down from generation to generation :)
it is a fun day, and also a hectic one. :) this year both my girls will be parading with their school in the morning, before games and food in the schoolyard. Then in the afternooen they will participate in another parade with their activities, gymnastics for the one and theatre for the other. The gymnasts will probably be doing gymnastics while parading, and the theatre group is dressed up in lovely colourful costumes used in previous plays. It's all good fun. :)
Wow I want to come now!!! 😂😂😂 I hope you all have such a good time! Sounds like your girls will be tired after everything, that’s a full fun day ahead! 😊
Luckily, the day after is a school holiday this year! 😂
Oh yes that’s a good thing! 😅
I would have died of nervousness... such a beautiful dress. The colours, the embroidery... wow. My sewing skills suffice to make a simple skirt but fitting such an old garment would have given me a heart attack. But you did so great, your daughter looks beautiful in this dress and thank you for explaining the story behind this garment <3
If I could sew my own skirt I'd be over the moon! I am sure your sewing skills well outperform mine, this was done purely out of necessity! :)
But thank you for your kind words @neumannsalva :)
Believe me a skirt is so easy, only straight lines to sew, no zipper, buttons or anything. I am a total beginner with sewing (therefore the skirt without zipper :-D) I have no idea how I could fit clothing to another person (taking something in or so...)
What a gorgeous dress!! No wonder it made you nervous trying to alter a precious heirloom. You did a great job :) Thank you for sharing the history behind it, as well!
Nydelig bunad!