#vikingsofinstagram

Handsewn clothes for a little Viking

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that our little boy will be introduced to the Viking reenactment life… And, at the age of one month, his first pieces of Viking clothing and gear are already in place!

The first garment I’ve sewn for him is this red tunic.

Check out my latest blog post at Valkyrja.com (link in bio)

#viking #vikings #vikingage #vikingbaby #babyviking #vikingchild #norse #vikingreenactment #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingtunic #handsewn #historicalclothing #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/valkyrjacom/p/CYpY0XCtlfy/?utm_medium=tumblr

• Til árs ok friðar •

Best wishes for a good and peaceful year, for growth, health and abundance in the time to come

#tilársokfriðar #yule #vikingwoman #vikingmother #pregnantviking #ninemonths #viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingdress #historicalclothing #reddress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/valkyrjacom/p/CYPrhYQNnhp/?utm_medium=tumblr

My highest wish for New Year’s is a quiet celebration at home with my new little family. ❤️

I have spent the last few days in hospital due to a nasty infection, and while I love and admire the Norwegian health care system I must say I’m officially tired of spending time surrounded by naked concrete walls, beeping sounds and nightly disturbances by others than my newborn baby. My expectations that the “fourth trimester” was supposed to be tough led me to walk around with an untreated infection for weeks rather than seeking treatment, and I learned the hard way that gritting your teeth is not necessarily the best way to cope in all cases… I am recovering well now and it looks like I may be discharged tomorrow, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed to be home on this side of the new year!

How will you celebrate this New Year’s Eve? ✨

#newyear #newyears #gudvangen #njardarheimr #vikinghouse #vikingvillage #viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYH93e5ty4u/?utm_medium=tumblr

• Móðir •

Styrki þig guðir
og góðar vættir
álfar og dísir
og allt sem lifir
gróður jarðar
og geisli sólar

❤️ New blog post at Valkyrja.com ❤️

#vikingwoman #vikingmother #motherhood #pregnantviking #ninemonths #viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #reddress #yule #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CX1cLMtL5xD/?utm_medium=tumblr

• Ýlir •

Ýlir ís the first of the two Yule months in the Old Norse calendar. It was also called Frermánuðr (frost month) in some sources. ❤️

Want to read more about the Old Norse months? Check out the blog post I wrote earlier this year: Valkyrja.com/norsecalendar.html

#viking #vikings #norse #norsecalendar #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #reddress #yule #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CWyGcyEt8w_/?utm_medium=tumblr

Bú er betra,
þótt lítit sé,
halr er heima hverr.

~

One’s own house is best,
though small it may be,
each man is master at home.

(Hávamál - the Words of the High One)

#gudvangen #njardarheimr #håvamål #hávamál #viking #vikings #vikinghouse #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CVqOJlWNGG8/?utm_medium=tumblr

♥️ Rauðr smokkr á bringu - gylltir dvergar á öxlum ✨

Have a good Saturday night everyone!

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #reddress #fallvibes #autumnvibes #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CU0SG4gNSRz/?utm_medium=tumblr

The leaves are starting to turn from green to deep red and gold, and the air is cooler, crisper…

I got a new camera lens for my birthday this month, so I have been out capturing that autumn vibe.

New blog post with photography on my blog Valkyrja.com (link in profile)

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #fallvibes #autumnvibes #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUAu82FtjxL/?utm_medium=tumblr

The shoulder straps/loops on apron dresses seem to have usually been made of linen, also when the remainder of the dress is made of wool.

This is for example seen in the rich Birka material where vast majority of findings of such loops were linen, even though plant fibres usually decompose rapidly under Scandinavian preservation conditions.

This may be surprising to some, since we more often see wool loops on apron dresses among historical reenactors (including myself)!

Why do you think that is? Do you find it prettier when the shoulder straps and dress are identical in color and material?

That has been the case for my part. But after having made and worn these, I can definitely get used to this! Linen straps are also more durable and less stretchy, so they do their job well holding the heavy brooches in place.

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #spurkeland #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTKGBQOj_Zg/?utm_medium=tumblr

• The blue aprondress •
Part 4/6 of “The woman at Spurkeland”, early 900s CE

The second garment in the grave was identified as an apron dress.

Underneath the tortoise brooches, there were pieces of both the upper and lower looped straps used to suspend the dress over the shoulders. These were made of plant fibre, specifically linen.

Apart from these straps, the findings do not reveal more details about the design of the apron dress. I therefore based my interpretation on the largest and best-preserved existing find, namely the Hedeby/Haithabu fragment, with a closed and fitted design flaring from the hips and six-strand braids running down along the back.

I used blue wool fabric in a plain tabby weave, handsewn with wool thread. This seemed like the most plausible alternative based on previous findings as well as those wool fragments that were indeed found in the grave (more about that in part 5/6)!

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #spurkeland #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTIfHmgrF6M/?utm_medium=tumblr

• Linen underdress •
Part 3/6 of “The woman at Spurkeland”, early 900s CE

Findings of textile remains from the Viking Age are rare. Those that do survive have often been in direct contact with metal objects (protected by metal corrosion). Their location relative to various metal objects such as brooches, buttons or tools may provide clues about the type of garment, and analyses of thread-count and any dyes can indicate its quality and value.

Interpreting textile findings therefore requires a lot of just that: interpretation. That was also the case for this grave finding. According to textile conservator Lukešová, the small fragments found in the grave likely stem from three different garments.

The first was a linen undergarment, based on fragments of linen found under the tortoise brooches that do not stem from the apron dress. My reconstruction is a handsewn serk in undyed plain weave linen, and has a rounded neckline. While I usually sew serks with keyhole necklines, these were uncommon in findings here from West Norway. This is also supported by the fact that was apparently no brooch or fibula attached to this undergarment.

The findings provide little or no clue about the shape of the remainder of the serk, but I made square underarm gussets for better fit and movement (based on e.g. Skjoldehamn and Birka finds), long sleeves, a single panel for both front and back (no shoulder seam) and two side gores. This is basically a simple and straightforward serk design, made to form a practical and comfortable undergarment without more guesswork than necessary!

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #spurkeland #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CTC3LYDt9qv/?utm_medium=tumblr

The woman at Spurkeland, early 900s CE

Some years ago, a friend of mine found a tortoise brooch on a farm here on the west coast of Norway, which led to archaeological excavations that revealed a woman’s grave from the early 900s. The finding remained unpublished and has not been recreated until now. I was up for the challenge. How often do you come across such a relevant finding so close to home?

I’ve been working on this project for the past months, and will be sharing it with you here in the days to come! You will find the whole story and all photos on my blog Valkyrja.com (link in profile) ✨

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingtid #reenactment #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #livinghistory #levendehistorie #archaeology #spurkeland #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CS47YwPLh28/?utm_medium=tumblr

• Lofotr •

As you may know I am half Icelandic, but my Norwegian half is actually from the north of Norway (not from Bergen where I live). This photo is from last summer when we went on a roadtrip north to stay in my fathers’ childhood home in Lofoten.

And of course we had to visit the beautiful Lofotr Viking Museum, with it’s large and magnificent longhouse! ✨

#lofotr #lofoten #longhouse #viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja (at Lofoten, Norway)
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSXSMu2rSXC/?utm_medium=tumblr

This week I started my summer vacation! *happyface*

I normally don’t write much about my “modern life” here, but I am a senior researcher within the field of health psychology, coordinating a large international clinical trial. It’s a lot of fun but also a lot of work! I am very excited about having several weeks off, to relax and enjoy my hobbies and projects I’ll also be travelling to Iceland to finally visit my family there again

What are you doing this summer? ☀️

#viking #vikings #norse #vikingage #vikingreenactment #vikingreenactor #vikingsofinstagram #vikingsummer #vikinglife #vikingwoman #vikingbling #vikingdress #handsewn #historicalclothing #aprondress #vikingblog #valkyrie #valkyrja
https://www.instagram.com/p/CRiw8TwrxjY/?utm_medium=tumblr