Monday, January 25, 2010

RUBY EIGHT PETAL ROSES

My ruby subject this Tuesday is the Norwegian eight petal rose. A pattern used in home craft from ancient time.Serina with her ruby lips is dressed in a hand knitted Fana sweater with white roses.

Here's a woven wall carpet, about 150 years of age, aakle, also with eight petal roses. Homespun and home colored yarn. I bought in on an auction 20 years ago.
This table runner is also woven, but only about my age, pre or post war-ish. We have it on our sofa table.
In Haugesund all girls from 0-14 wear bunads (double click to read more) like this as their primary outfit for feasts, public or private.My mother has made Serina's from scratch. ..
A closeup of the breast cloth,with the famous eight petal rose.
Serina's great grandmother, also by the name of Serina, embroidered her own adult Hardanger bunad in 1903. This is a macro of the pearl belt.

The breast cloth made by great grandmother Serina. It now belongs to my daughter. Eight petal rose once more.
In Norway you'll find eight petal mittens, eight petal logo for the Norwegian home crafts company, and now also for the big Norwegian oil company, Statoil. The funny thing is, I've seen ancient eight petal patterns from India and in Eastern Europe by the Black Sea. It's folk art, flown with the great migrations. However it has stopped and is living on in Norway, while it never has crossed the North Sea.

Originated by MaryT, check hers for today.

36 comments:

marian said...

what gorgeous designs..i love embroidery & weaving..happy RT :)

Ralph said...

The artistry and craftsmanship of all these woven items is stunning. In the US, traditions are not old and not often considered in the US tradition, only the traditions of their own heritage. The bund is lovely, the look of past generations...

Carletta said...

Such intricate detailed work!
Beautiful keepsakes!

Risa Tzohar said...

Very impressive!

toby said...

Lovely, and so interesting! Thanks for sharing!

Patti said...

The designs in this embroidery and bead work are beautiful. I cannot imagine making something like those lovely items! It must take so much patience.

You've shared such interesting traditions about the use of eight petals, Felisol.

maryt/theteach said...

felisol, what a wonderful series of photos of this lovely pattern, the eight-petal rose. I'm wondering if the Pennsylvania Dutch have this pattern in their repetoire. I must look into it. Happy Ruby Tuesday! :)

Marites said...

that is so beautiful and intricate! I love those kinds of craftmanship that is connected to the culture of the people. That's very nice that it is well-preserved. Happy RT!

Crown of Beauty said...

This is simply amazing, Felisol!

I have seen this design in some of the quilts that my friends own. But to see this beautiful design so carefully and intricately woven, or beaded...leaves me speechless.

Your culture is so rich, and we your blog readers have been privileged to have first hand information about it, as well as receive personal descriptions from you.

Going to your blog is like having a personal one on one tourist guide to your lovely country!

Love
Lidj

Hootin Anni said...

I learned so much by visiting your blog today. Excellent, and very very interesting!!

My R T is posted early on Monday afternoon...hehehehehe

HERE You'll need to scroll down a bit below my Tuesday's Heads or Tails meme.

Kris said...

Ooo, I love them all, they're so pretty! My bunad is more modern than the normal ones (Karen-draktå), in that it has a pattern created in later times that symbolizes Jæren. It's pretty, but if I was a millionaire, I'd have more variations, including the old, traditional patterns that go hundreds of years back! Haha. Anyway, lovely photos.

Debbie Petras said...

I love the bunads. And I think your ruby lipped daughter Serena is simply beautiful!

Felisol, I'm so glad you had the opportunity to see my photos from Sumstad, Norway. I was so excited to get them. One of these days, Greg and I will go there to visit and stay on the farm. I can't wait.

Love you,
Debbie

EG CameraGirl said...

Wonderful traditions that you are handing down to Serina! The designs are so pretty!

I'm reading the Ken Follett book, by the way. I borrowed it from my local public library. I'm only about 100 pages in, though, so I've only just begun. Fascinating so far!

Chubskulit Rose said...

That woven wall carpet is pretty and so is Sarina.

My Ruby Tuesday

Unknown said...

very interesting! lovely craftsmanship.

Troy said...

I always love it when I can read a blog entry and learn something I never knew before.

I think it's great that you have so many different generations of tradition to pass on along.

Troy

Ivon said...

I think the design is neat, but more important to me is that you and your daughter have items made by grandparents and great grandparents. Handmade by ancestors. Wow! thanks for telling us the background of the eight-petal rose

Laura said...

Wow! Those are gorgeous craftsmanship! Beautiful!

Gemma Wiseman said...

Amazing craft work! The detail is extraordinary! I do not know that 8 petalled roses were part of a cultural pattern! Fascinating!

Robin said...

Hey, I've got that pattern on my Norwegian sweater - I never knew what it was!

The textiles you show are beatiful. I'm in awe of people who can create such beauty out of a spool of thread or yarn.

Dianne said...

it is a beautiful pattern used in so many lovely ways

Jada's Gigi said...

I love your history lessons in living color!

Amrita said...

I have seen this motif many times, but never knew it originated in Norway. We have it in India too, you are right.

The handwork of the ladies of your family is phenomenal, absolutely outstanding.

I marvel at the way the carpet was preserved.

Serina looks lovely as always.

If I see a sweater with this motif at the second hand place, I am sure to buy it.

EJ said...

Those are great selection of woven stuff.

Cleveland Airport for Ruby Tuesday

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
I think the eight-petal rose came to Norway all the way from India via Eastern Europe.
It's funny that it never leaped over the North Sea to England, but has remained a part of home craft on all these years in Norway.
Culture migration is a strange thing.

Marice said...

thats lovely Felisol :) thanks for sharing!u may view mine here

annies home said...

very pretty and what neat handiwork that must take

❀~Myrna~❀ said...

Very beautiful , very interesting , Great info.
Blessings,
~Myrna

Annie Jeffries said...

Hi Elise, Your beautiful woven rugs make me think of our Navajo rugs that are woven in the Southwestern United States. The colors are primarily blacks, grays, and natural. The geometric designs and details are very similar. I'm privileged to have one that is about 40 years old.

Terry said...

oh felisol..these are so wonderful!
what a gift mom ljung and your gramma serina had, to be able to create such a dainty bunad. such fine stitches. oh wow!
and such a an nice name for a flower, "petal rose".
i must say that your princess is every bit as pretty as those roses..both older serina and little serina!.....love terry

Helena said...

This is truly beautiful work. I think it's wonderful that you are keeping traditions alive and have something that's been passed from generation to generation.

Robin said...

How fun to hear that my sweater really is local, with the pattern originating from the same place I bought it.

The bougainvillea shot on my blog was taken with a regular zoom lens, no fancy lenses or filters. I just got lucky with the light and the weather :).

John Cowart said...

Long ago I think I saw some American Indian bead work with a pattern similar to your 8-pedal rose.

Great photos.

Your Grandmother's handiwork is a blessing.

Corry said...

Felisol, beside my RA blog I also have an arts and crafts blog Scribbles and I was wondering if I could use your pictures of some of that gorgeous beading on my blog. Of course I will give you credit for it. :-)

Thanks for considering this.

God's Grace.

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

Felisol:
We had a runner almost identical to the one you pictured, in our home as we grew up. I'm pretty sure my mother brought it to America from Norway when she came as a young bride.
I love the Norwegian things you post... it's a large part of my heart!

Blessings!

Sonja

P.S... your daughter is beautiful!

Glennis said...

A very special design, I have not seen an 8 petal rose before, and the embroidered tops and belts are also new to me. They are real family heirlooms made with lots of love.