The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.1946, Blaðsíða 13

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
11
always in evidence a well developed
sense of proportion and balance. The
country side is reflected in their colors
which they combine beautifully, using
misty greys, pale yellows, earth browns
and mossy greens. The blues and reds
are very like the oriental blues and reds,
soft and clear.
The most common weaving techniques
are the salun, which corresponds to the
monks belt, the Glit similar to the Swed-
ish Dukagang; KrossvefnaSur similar to
the Norwegian Aklae, and flos which is
pile-weaving. The figured pile-weaving
of old, was very fine; it was done in a
single color and had the appearance of
cut velt. Card-weaving is another pop-
ular art, and is said to have reach-
ed a very high standard of perfection.
One of the foremost advocates of
homecraft in Iceland today, is Miss
Halldora Bjarnadottir, editor of Him, a
periodical dealing entirely with home
arts. Miss Bjarnadottir visited this
country some years ago, and brought
with her an exhibit of work done with
home-grown wool by the women of rural
Iceland. There were rugs, wall hang-
grown wool. There were rugs, wall hang-
ings, drapes, wool-lace curtains, up
holstery fabrics, bed clothing, couch
throws, all types of underclothing and
coat and dress fabrics, shawls and the
finest filmiest wool lace scarves of natur-
al wool shaded from white to deepest
brown and fading back into white, pretty
little insoles with bright patterns to
wear inside sheepskin shoes, everything
imaginable in knitted goods, and fine
colors obtained from herb and plant
dyes.
Increased tourist traffic has created a
demand for souvenirs, some of which are
very attractive. They make miniatures
of the old fashioned carved wood bowls
faskar) with cunning little handles and
hinged covers, paper knives and other
ornaments of bone, and quaint horn-
spoons with carved inscriptions. Sheep-
skin shoes with their colorful insoles
are reproduced in stone, and the native
birds modelled in clay then tinted in
natural colors and glazed, are especial-
ly lovely.
It would take too long to enumerate the
many beautiful examples of the carver’s
art ancient and modern which are to be
found in museums and art collections.
These together with brasswork, leather
tooling, bookbinding, and illuminated
manuscripts must be seen to be ap-
preciated.
This brief survey of home crafts of
Iceland suffices to show, that few mo-
ments were spent in idleness. The ham-
mer of the metal worker, the whir of the
spindle, the rhythmic beat of the loom
broke the monotony of long uneventful
winter days, and many a dull hour was
brightened by the silvery sparkle of
twinkling needles.
While these arts may not have aided
the nation economically (with the ex-
ception of the wool industry) they en-
riched it greatly culturally. For without
this contribution from its craftsmen the
cultural history of Iceland would have
lacked a very important chapter.
—Cuts kindly loaned by Mrs. E. P. Jons-
son.
The Icelandic Canadian
EDITORIAL BOARD: Judge W. J. Lindal, Chairman, 788 Wolseley Ave.,
Winnipeg, Man.; Gissur Eliasson, Secretary, 890 Dominion St.;
Holmfridur Danielson, Editorial Secretary, 869 Garfield St.; Capt. H.
F. Skaptason, 965 Ingersoll St.; Axel Vopnfjord, 1267 Dominion St.
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