Sunday, August 15, 2010

scenes from a gathering of vikings

it was a glorious, sunshiney day for a visit to the viking market at the viking harbor museum in bork havn. 250 people who spend their summers dressing and living as vikings (if you don't count the campers i saw out back) gathered and sold traditional viking wares - hand-dyed yarns, ironwork, jewelry, bows and arrows, hides and the like. we came away with a lovely bow and some safe-for-children arrows for sabin, a bit of hand-dyed embroidery thread, a couple of skeins of yarn and a lot of ideas. we tried to buy a viking "stove," - handmade by one of the viking blacksmiths, but none of them seemed to be for sale (we encountered the same with several of the arrows sellers had on hand) - they were for their own use and not for sale (making me wonder why they were there with a stall, ostensibly to sell, but i digress). but here are some highlights. i definitely wouldn't mind spending my summer this way...

viking yarn candy - all hand-dyed with natural plant dyes.
clothing fit for a viking. i did wonder if the main audience for many of the stalls was the other vikings
mmm, food fit for a viking - a pancake with tart forest berries,
served in a smart, environmentally-friendly wooden bowl with wooden fork.
more yarn candy, tho' the woman here admitted she was a cheating viking since she had used some dyes from south america and the vikings wouldn't have done that (the pinks and purples came from those).
i wanted to be good, but i did buy two shades of gorgeous purple from the far left.


we will definitely be getting one of these at some point.
tho' oddly and totally against the viking spirit of trade and commerce,
the ones we saw were not for sale.

the tools of the trade - if you're a viking jeweler
pretty shiny beads make lovely viking jewelry.
see, i can take pictures of random people in public.
but apparently only if they're not facing me.


another of those fabulous viking stoves - one of these WILL be mine even if i have to take a welding course myself to get it.

beautiful baskets. and yes, another people picture!

more yarn candy - and look at that embroidery!
a feast fit for a viking.

i definitely NEED one of those bread dough bowls.

look at that baby viking.
and another adorable baby viking. isn't she sweet?

15 comments:

ballet news said...

oh wow this just looks so interesting... and the colours ! Wonderful. And how lovely that the sun actually shone ! All we have had is rain...

Happy Week !

Anne said...

Maybe it's my ongoing immersion in lots of highly technical and technologically advanced things lately that's making me want to run, not walk, far away from everything to do with the 20th & 21st centuries, but this experience looks 100% awesome. Hello, my people!

I think that between the two of us, we could make off with a couple of those viking stoves. But I'm afraid I'm going to have to arm wrestle you for the bread dough bowl.

Elizabeth said...

Yes, it was fantastic!!!! I took so many pictures, learned a new way of embroidery, needle-binding and took away tons and tons of inspiration. These people are true craftspeople. The boats were great, the houses a way to return back in time and did you see the candleholder in the church. That is definitely one for my christmas list if it was possible.

I guess, you understand already that I had a great time yesterday!!! Hope you did too.

Maggie May said...

oh. my. gosh. that baby slays me. such cuteness!!!! and color! what a wonderful day.

Char said...

i want to go to a viking faire. i do. and i love that dough bowl.

Lisa-Marie said...

Hahaha, I just noticed your 'leave your comment' comment. It made me laugh!

Love the beads, and the wool and that pancake looks delicious!

SH -ic said...

tks for sharing and a good start on mopnday are you going by horse vikylady

Snap said...

Wish I was there! Fun, fun, fun! (My fingers are tingling just looking at the yarn.)

Lisa at lil fish studios said...

Good. Gravy.

I need one of those bread bowls. NEED I TELL YOU! Sorry, didn't mean to yell. So much loveliness packed into one post. The colors, the yarn, the bowls, the beads, the babies. Divine.

Joanna Jenkins said...

The pictures and the colors and that sweet baby's face at the end are gorgeous but PLEASE give me one of their pancakes with the berries. I'm drooling :-)
jj

will said...

I think you will need a blacksmithing forge - not a welding torch if you want to make the cooking stand.

And the dough bowl is a straightforward project. All you need is a thick piece of wood, an axe, hand saw, scorp and carver's chisel with a curved sweep. Simply cut the wood blank to shape then hollow out the bowl.

inna karenina said...

looks like fun! I want to go to viking market now as well.. :-)

Gwen said...

it's like a renaissance faire for vikings. did you miss the fake queen and king? and life sized chess board?

mrs mediocrity said...

I want to be a viking! I don't know if you know my other secret, which is that I make jewelry...I love the photos of the beads and the tools.

And the yarn, and the babies...

kristina - no penny for them said...

oh my, the colours in these are just wonderful!