Progress Report 2

December 1 2009.
Yesterday was my first progress report on my Finnish National Dress project. I am not undertaking to make one of each Finnish National Dresses, but do just want to share with you a wee bit of the variety. Here is a link http://www.kansallispuvut.fi/puvut.htm to many of the Finnish National dresses available. When - if - you go there, you will see it is basically just a series of links. Most will bring up a picture of the particular National Dress from that location. Some will bring up a verbal description. What does not happen, yet, is you do not get to see that location light up on the map of Finland, so you must get a very good map or atlas out to find all these locations.
For each of these dresses the details must be exact. If the blouse is linen, do not think to try cotton or even a linen/cotton blend. If you do not like hats or head gear then do not think of selecting one that has something worn on the head! Jewelry, footwear, socks... even the number, color and arrangement of stripes: it is all in the details.
I hope you're beginning to develop a mild appreciation for the magnitude of undertaking the making of ONE Finnish National dress - and it is not on the link here, but please don't let that discourage you from having a good long look at the scope, color and variety that is shown here. Please ogle!
As promised this is a progress report. Today I learned that my wool has just left so it might not be here next week but the week after. That means I ought to return to that cutwork embroidery practice. I am a bit confused and will have to call Eija tomorrow. Eija is the person who knows all the details about the National Dress that I will make (patience, I will show it to you soon enough and well before mine is completed). I have a marvelous text Högsäng och Klädbod by Hjördis Dahl - in Swedish which I am totally unfamiliar with, but which helpful friends like Leila and my teacher Ritva translate interesting snippets of. Anyway it seems that originally - or at least as far back as records were kept - my blouse was made of cotton, yet I am supposed to be making mine of 50% Linen 50% Cotton, and I would prefer to make it of linen. But as I said: making a Finnish National Dress is a matter of fine details, so I cannot be swayed by personal whim. You see I LIKE doing the cutwork embroidery on Linen. I can see the warp and weft threads. It is almost impossible to see them with 100% cotton and I am finding it very difficult with the 50/50 blend. So I'll call Eija and ask.
The other "progress" aspect to report on is that the package from Eija arrived today - so now I have more instructions: instructions for the belt, instructions for the skirt and apron, and two samples, one of wool yarn - a dark blue, almost navy, 2 ply, about 17 wpi - and a four ply white cotton. And these lovely supplies bring a plethora of other questions: is this wool the same as is used in the skirt and apron, or thicker? Should I make all of the belt patterns, or just one, or some or is there an order to the patterns? The cutwork lace pattern is just part of the whole lace - does she have details for the rest? Can I use other patterns also?
Tomorrow is Puikkoset. We're meeting here. I'm supposed to share something about spinning and dying silk. I will try to let you know what Eija says and send you a link to the dress that I am endeavoring to undertake and make. Meanwhile back to spinning!
Smiles,
Susanne