Swedish Festival

Waist bags - called vaskors

L to R: Linda, Aunt Liz, Janet, Sandy, Diane, Pat


Sandy getting details from one of the hosts.

This photo was taken in the class room at Gammelgarden in Scandia.

Author Ewa Rydaker with her book Lucia Morning in Sweden. She autographed my copy.

Models of Swedish costumes.

She is carrying the birch bark basket for cheese making. The narrator is in the background.

Notice the waist bag - vaskor

This model is carrying a matching doll.

Part of my family and a dear friend attended the "Traditions in the Trunk Celebrating Swedish Folk Dress" at Gammelgarden in Scandia on October 3. It was a fun event where we saw beautiful handmade quilts and costumes from many of the provinces of Sweden. Since we have some Swedish heritage, this was especially fun for us. Though Aunt Liz knew of the town my Great-great grandfather, Nels Peterson, immigrated from when he was 14, none of the hosts seemed to know where it is located. I had fun imagining Nels' mother - my Great-great-great Grandmother, in one of these fine dresses. I thought they were beautiful! I also liked many of the hats they wore. In some ways, the dresses reminded me of the German dirndl - I guess it was because of the apron. (Maybe that's why I like wearing aprons so much!)

During the style show, the narrator, Margareta Hedblom, who had come from Sweden just for this event, told us it was the custom in the mid 1800's (about the time my family would have immigrated to America) for a bride to bring 12 pair of hand-made birch bark shoes to the marriage - one pair for each of the first 12 months of marriage. One model carried a birch bark basket which was used in making cheese. Each model wore a waist bag (vaskor). This would be similar to modern day "fanny packs."