April - Crazy Quilt Meeting

Bonita Kallestad gave a wonderful program about this Norwegian bunad. It was made for her mother’s cousin’s daughter’s confirmation and Bonita’s mother purchased it from her. Bonita’s mother is on the photo with her brothers and sisters.

Most Norwegians wear a bunad with which they have a geographical association. They are valued signals of identity and ceremony, thus being created for the purpose.

Bonita's family was from Vest-Oppland Norway. This is the bunad of that geographical area.

The bunad, first presented in 1939, is a skirt and bodice in blue wool with flower motifs embroidered in several colors of woolen yarn. A small bonnet in the same color and fabric as well as a decorated pocket purse were also made.

The motifs were inspired from a old sleigh pillow found at the farm Augedal in Brandbu.

This is a great book about all the customs in Norway.  It can be checked out at the Willmar Library.