Vernaaide linten: The Ribbons of Marken, The Netherlands

This is my daughter Tracy Horner at 7 months on the island of Marken

I have been interested in this embroidery for years.
Marken island, in the Markermeer bay off
Volendam in the Netherlands, is a very picturesque
village. The women, as part of their national costume,
wear small white, dainty, lacy caps with embroidered
ribbons which are usually tucked inside. The patterns are
elaborate and no two women make the same design. In fact
the designs were kept secret and never shared for many
years. Each woman had many ribbons and decided
which to wear according to the day or occasion.
Christian holidays had special biblical ribbons.
The Geloof, hoop en Liefde (Faith, Hope and Love)
were for confession or when banns were published.

I first found the patterns on my friend Gigi Ries site in 

Belgium. Scroll to the archives and you will find wonderful
pictures of Marken and even more wonderful pictures of
antique embroidery and Gigi's new patterns to buy. Gigi is my
friend of many years from our stitching group in Portland.
Yes, she flies all the way from Belgium for this! Also we get
to see her at the TNNA shows.
I lived in Germany for quite a few years. Tracy was born there and
when she was 7 mo. old we traveled to the Netherlands and Marken.
Unfortunately I had no clue to the wonderful embroidery then!

Gigi's picture of a Marken girl with ribbons.

Couple wearing old costume (1966 picture of mine)

5 little darling boys on a hay barge

My favorite picture of the dykes and bridges

fisherman working, note wooden shoes

local fishmonger

Lots of people strolling with baby carriages

Woman on Marken with cap but I can't find the ribbons!
Probably tucked under. Note the embroidery on the
back of the cap.

This lady was not too happy having her picture taken. In the next picture, she was scowling at me! Pretty curtains.

Doing the wash on Marken, lots of aprons!

Flower seller. It was April and we just came from the Keukenhoff (another story)

Heroic, Determined, Merciful  (Heldhaftige)

This pattern is from Gigi's private collection of antiques, charted by Margreet Beemsterboer
for Kunst and Vliegwerk.
The linten were almost always embroidered in
black on white and have aged to a dark brown
in many cases, as Gigi's antique piece below.

One of Gigi's original pieces, see initials of original embroiderer at edges.

Gigi's bands charted by Joke Visser, pattern purchased at

Kunst & Vleigwerk

My sampler from a compilation of patterns

I started to do the "Coat of Arms Sampler" on the
Yahoo group with Martina Dey but got a little
waylaid doing my favorite bands from
Johan Sibmacher's Schon Neues Modelbuch 1597
and then the Vernaaide linten and heaven only
knows what other motifs I will add. I will stop

 a little before the 55" of the linen. I am using

Carries Threads crimson silk and plain natural 36ct. linen.

Bird band from Joke Visser's vernaaide linten pattern (K&V)

      The alphabet is from a French source in the 1500's. I am having more fun than you can imagine
researching the 16th century patterns. They are
all over the internet now, with charts. Check out
the blogs and university libraries. It helps to have
"Patternmaker" to organize charts and fit to size.
In other words, I am not getting too much work
done around my house!

Norsk Needlework, New Shetland pattern, "Bishop's Lace"

Bishop's lace in its glorious colors!

Here is the sweater I have been making for almost 1 year.
I got slowed down by tendinitis but after a hefty plan of
physical therapy I am cured and knitting/ embroidering like crazy.
This pattern includes 16 colors of Jamieson's Spindrift.
Beautiful colors like "Moorgrass", "Paprika", "Fern".
Don't panic at the #. You never use more than 2 in a row.
My charts are super clear and include the symbol plus
the colors. The instructions are extremely complete.
The motifs include the "Bishop Lace" Flower, (garden
variety of Queen Anne's Lace) and from my Norsk roots
the "Selbu Rose". Knitters of my mittens will be familiar
with this pattern. It looks very different dressed in all the colors!

Check out the yarn colors with the MOSS colors!!! even turquoise.

It goes with Ivy and Ferns too

Here is a closeup

Bishop's Lace well known in English gardens.

It has many little flowers off one stock just like my flower in the pattern.
The pattern will be available both on Ravelry and my website  http://norskneedlework.com
in a few more minutes.

Yaquina Fiber Arts annual Spin-In, Newport Oregon 2012

Whimsical Ewe, felted lamb

 This happens every year and it keeps getting more fun!
There were way more people and since the
 weather was as perfect as it gets on the
coast in February they came from far away.
There were terrific vendors representing all
kinds of fiber, yarn and little felted lambs.
I must confess I am a fiber addict, sometimes
drawn to the new colors of roving, sometimes
simply to the  feel of it. I fell for some Merino/
Tussah silk top from Opulent Fibers.
I got some in pale turquoise and some in
apple green. Maybe for some fair isle?
I also got some pure white wool from the Falkland
islands. This was from my friend, Elsie.
This feels as soft as marino but Elsie said it will fluff up more.
I am anxious to try spinning it.

We spun, visited, ate, drank coffee (all provided by Sassafrass Sue's of 

Toledo, yum)and spun some more.

One more booth that was as always, beautiful, is Spindlewood for

for fantastic hand worked spindles. Sorry I did not get a picture.

They have great Nostepinner too

 

Bags and more lambs by Whimsical Ewe soon to have a shop on Etsy

197 spinners turned out Sat on a bright, sunny windless day!

It is hard to get over 100 wheels in a picture!

Every wheel maker represented with women of all ages.

Elsie of Elsie's Discount Roving 3mi N of Depot Bay

Tash, expert felter! made her own dredlocks

Margret's vest made of her spun wool

 Remember, any one can come visit our guild meetings at the
Toledo Library the third Saturday of the month from 10-3.
Bring your lunch and drinks. Welcome!

Freda and some of the Yaquina FA's spinners

Merry Christmas!

This is going to be odds and ends of things that don't fit anywhere else, 

but I want to wish all my friends and family

Merry Christmas!!

Pretty iron heart candle holder from my friend Kim!

My Nisse that I made a long time ago...knit the clothes and then stuffed them. Super fine skis of tongue depressors and sticks of barbeque skewers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Super fine skis of tongue depressors!

 My daughter took this picture of my 6 grandkids sitting on a log.
 It was taken in August when they all visited.
I think it is the only one I have of all 6 and it is pretty special to me.

Masquerade... finished for my youngest, Darcy, for her birthday.

 

 

 

 

The pattern is from my daughter Tracy's Ink Circles.

I used all limited edition silks I had been

storing up. I love the colors from Carries Creation,

and the linen is Tarnish from Picture This Plus.

Have a Happy New Year too!!!

Thanksgiving to Birthday with a Gold Mine in the middle!

  

  What a fun vacation!                                                                                                    

Old bank vault door is now entrance to the mine

entrance to mine with wine cellar along sides

  

I flew to my son's in Nevada for Thanksgiving, then my daughter Darcy's family took me to northern Ca to visit their "cabin" with a gold mine on the property. We had a fantastic time in warm sunny weather. I was able to go way back in the mine. It has not been actively mined since the 30's.
It was owned by Germans until the 2nd world war and all the details of production and such were lost after the war. It was fun to see the old pick marks, left over cart rails and initials on the walls. I really love the beautiful design in the old bank vault door.
Just inside is a wine cellar with quite a few bottles in pipes aligned along the walls, perfect temp! It was pitch black inside so I was amazed how well my Cannon G10 flash lit up the walls, also in the later picture where I was knitting. The generator went off but I was pre warned and had my mine headlight. Again my camera lit up everything. It was REALLY
dark with no street or other lights!

    

tunnels go way back in and branch off

picked out roof

dates from in the 30's

My grandson mining, he is getting good at this!

curvy winding roads for miles to get there

view to west where my SIL proudly waves his flag!

living room with lots of deer, elk, moose horns and chandelier

 

 My children call this "the cabin" but I felt like it was a gorgeous hunting lodge!

Extremely comfortable.

Best view to capture the blazing sunset

antique bow and arrow

more antique tools

cozy kitchen

catch and release of 2 praying mantis, my grandkids

grandson with his bow

Darcy's chuck-it game after breakfast with Dex, Elsa and Leo

my "dog"grand child   6 month old Elsa

Leo and Elsa

Darcy climbing "the rope"

Knitting in the sun, even barefoot! it was so sunny

Truly tuff, continues to knit when generator was off  with

mine headlight!

totem pole SIL carved for cabin/ gorgeous!

Birthday present from my 3 children, painting of my dogs! 

                       They were also featured in our local animal shelter calendar! Miss and Mr "January"

Daughter Darcy's beautiful table for my birthday dinner!

What a fantastic vacation! I was wiped out for a couple days after returning home.
I don't have quite the same energy as the 4 grandkids and 3 dogs!

Published Today: Til Karin - 4 Elements

Til Karin - 4 Elements

                      Karin Larsson, wife to Carl the famous Swedish painter, wove
                      a tapistry in 1903 that was very modern for her time.
                      The first time I saw this tapestry shown in their home,
                      I thought it was about Pentecost with the
                      cross in the center and the flames. It was much later I 
                      found out it represented Earth, Wind, Fire and Water.
                      It has fascinated me for years. Her piece is shown in nearly
                      every picture of their dining room, on the back of the sofa.
                      It took me about a year to design my version, and
                      another 6 months to stitch the piece.
                      It is done on 36 ct Legacy linen from Picture This Plus,
                      Gentle Arts Sampler threads. The small details are in 
                      Assisi style with some backstitch. It is fairly easy to stitch and
                      to see the colors evolve. Their overdyed thread is a joy to use!
                      Karin has always been my heroine. She had 7 living children.
                      She wove tapestries and embroidered many pieces for the
                      home plus sewed most of the clothing for the family, cooked 

                      and took care of them all. She made the Larsson home a

                      beautiful,  warm environment.

                      The pattern for my embroidery will be at the
                       "Online Needlework show"  today.
                      It may be purchased by shops but viewed by all.
                      It will be available at needlework shops now,
                      but also at my daughters site Ink Circles in the future.