#kjolsäck

[omgthatdress]

Kirsten holds a pretty special place in my heart because her story is the one that most closely fits my own family’s. My grandmother was raised on a farm in Iowa that was originally purchased in the 1850s by her great-great grandfather, an immigrant from Norway, and remains in the family to this day. She was raised speaking Norwegian and even had aunts who barely spoke English!

In the book, Kirsten receives her first American dress as a gift when she reaches the Larson’s farm, a hand-me-down from her cousin. It is made out of the roller print cotton that would make for inexpensive and sturdy workwear on the prairie.

(Chester County Historical Society)

(Augusta Auctions)

Her sunbonnet needs a little bit more fabric on the back of it to cover her neck, but I guess they were going for the nostalgic and more aesthetically pleasing Little House on the Prairie sunbonnet of the 1970s.

(The Met Museum)

(Nordiska Museet)

Kirsten’s bangs are inaccurate, but I think Pleasant Rowland has owned up to it being wrong. The looped braids are Swedish, but also were a popular hairstyle for American girls in the 1850s.

While ladies of the city like Cécile and Marie-Grace wore shoes made of delicate silk, the rugged women of the frontier like Kirsten wore shoes made of leather.

(Wisconsin Historical Society, found by @in-pleasant-company​)

One of the things I love about Kirsten’s collection is how Swedish it is. Immigrant communities in the Midwest could be pretty insular, so a lot of traditional folk costume wound its way into everyday wear. The little pocket on Kirsten’s waist is a Swedish garment called a kjolsäck.

(Nordiska Museet)

Southern Sweden is one of the regions where Baltic amber is found. Extant examples of it are super rare, but amber did find its way into Swedish jewelry, like Kirsten’s pendant.

(Nordiska Museet)

#1850s #American Girl #Kirsten

[ljussangen]

Ylvas

#folkdräkt #folk dress #kjolsäck #sverige

[violently-canary]

TAG GAME!

Tagged by @lumilasi and @plastic-cutlery-queen (ty 💖)

Rules: Tag the people you want to get to know better/ catch up with and answer these questions!

Last song: Palastinalied by Estampie 💕

Last movie: God im a but unsure but i think it was the first Matrix movie that i hade to watch for my philosophy class.

Currently reading: An absolutely Riveting (or not) book called Scientific theory for beginners  for my advanced civics class and Moby dick for my advanced english class.

Currently watching: Im not really watching anything rn. Mostly just youtube stuff lol.

Currently craving: Just food. I didnt really eat any lunch today so im Hungry. But like if i have to be specific id probably say hot chocolate or a kind of expensive brand of instant ramen.

Currently working on:

1. Im desiging a stand for a friend

2. Im like 75% thru a johnny joestar and lucy steel drawing

3. A drawing of me and my friend in the avatar universe with bc yeah 👉👈 😳

4. A drawing of my stand that i designed a while back

5. Im altering a skirt but i dont have a working sewing machine atm so its taking sooo fucking long

6. A custom apron i designed. Its almost done!

7. Something called a kjolsäck which is part of traditional swedish folk costume. Its a sort of tiny bag that you tie around your waist.

8. A lucy steel cosplay bc the need to start cosplaying again hit me like a fucking train last week.

9. Like 50 diffrent essays but i try not to think abt that

Currently playing: Im not a GAMER so i dont really have a game im currenty playing. But the last one i played was an old mario kart game with my friend on the wii at my school. It didnt go well 🙄

Tagging (no pressure tho 💕) @payuappa @kalofi @holyrobo @zallosaurus @spaceeballs

#idk why one of the headings look like that tumblr on mobile is just like that i guess #anyway im working on like 50 diffrent things at a time per usual #also anyone feel free to do this even if i didnt tag u!!

[ljussangen]

#kjolsäck