Nordisk strikkesymposium 2015/en
Nordisk strikkesymposium 2015 is based at Revsnes Hotell in Bygland from June 28th to July 4th, while the activities are arranged at different sites, on the fjord as well as on dry land in Setesdal. A meeting was held at the hotel on January 14th, and the article below (in norwegian) was sent to the local newspaper Setesdølen. Alas, they had no space for it. The symposium is arranged by Bygland husflidslag and Norges husflidslag with Annemor Sundbø as coordinator and in charge of the programme, as well as main contact.
Prelude to «A knitting tale safari to a Nordic sweater reunion»
35 craft-happy women from Åseral, Kristiansand, Grimstad, Arendal and Setesdal came together at Revsnes hotell Wednesday January 14th to get to know more about Nordisk Strikkesymposium 2015. This is the second time around this symposium is arranged in Norway, as well as at Agder. A full week is planned for the participants, and the place and time is Setesdal June 28th to July 4th.
While Annemor's listeners enjoyed a nice meal of soup and freshly baked rolls, she enthralled them with the plans and thoughts concerning the summer camp for crafters that is to take place here in a couple of months. The audience had travelled relatively far this evening, but some of the participants will travel even further. People have registered from Korea, Japan and the Netherlands already! The around 120 participants from 10-15 countries and a large part of the programme will be based at Revsnes hotell. For us locals, and non-fulltime-participants, it might be possible to grab a lecture or maybe even a course/training on the fly. If thers's room, there'll be tickets on sale. That such an arrangement is in need of volunteers, is a fact. Please get in touch with Annemor or Signe Berit if you want to be one!
Our valley's rich crafting tradition is something that the participants will experience. The programme is not quite finished yet, but it's clear that there'll be a trip to Ose with it's Storstoga from the 1650's in the north. There'll be a market, a knitting café and various presentations taking place there on Wednesday. The woodfired SS «Bjoren» will during the passage to Bygland be site of a workshop on Thursday, and on Friday Valle and Setesdalsmuseet, the silversmith Hasla as well as Husfliden will be locations visited. On the last day, when we're leaving Revsnes hotell, it will be possible to visit Sjølingstad Uldvarefabrik. All this, and more: the courses, lectures and other activities hasn't even been mentioned! At the market there will also be stands where local craftsmen sells their own handicraft, just as it probably will be at the hotel.
Annemor gave us many tid-bits of what the lectures will be about, as for instance patterns and techniques from various countries - i.e. the story of the fisherman's sweater and Det Københavnske Compagnie, the fairytale of the commercial knits company Oleana and the heritage from my grandma from Setesdalen (Carlos og Arne). Traditions from the little island Fair Isle or the Baltic states are other themes.
That the teachers will come from near and afar, became clear when Annemor told us about the themes: sweaters from Skåne, Komahogan from Japan, works of wool from the Faroe Islands and løyesaum (embroidery on the setesdalsweater) as well as Mor Astrups knitting technique from Norway. She also mentioned the possibility of workshops on e.g. wool dying, bread-baking and rope-making.