Hello from Helsinki Finland!
I have just spent a day with Irina here, a quilter who has created a following for her quilt pattern business. I found her online before my trip, and she graciously agreed to meet me on my free day in Helsinki. We walked all over the city, had lunch, and ended up at the Open Air Museum on Seurasaari Island. Here they have brought historic structures from all over Finland, to create a walkable history of how the Finns have lived throughout the last several centuries. We took a tour with a young man in a local costume, and he obliged us by filling in details about the history of textiles in Finland also. We learned that in 17th century farms, the textiles were kept in a separate storehouse building, to make sure they were not damaged by smoke or fire. The textiles were so valuable that they were stored in their own little mini-log cabin.
These houses are scattered amongst the forest on the island. We crossed a 19th century bridge from the mainland to the island, and stepped back through time, just like in a fairytale.
This is a view from inside the Karuna Church, which was disassembled in another village, and moved to the outdoor museum. It used to sit on the shore, and there is a replica of a sailing ship hanging inside over the pews… a prayer for safety and a show of gratitude from someone who survived a shipwreck.
I am sharing an image from inside the little wooden church, of the window behind the altar. Fresh wildflowers sit on a lace-trimmed linen altar cloth. This simple blessing captured the spirit of the day, learning about the Finnish lifestyle and history.
We are past Midsummer here now, but the days are still 18 hrs and 40 minutes long. The sun is rising at 4 am and setting at 10:45 pm. The sky remains light long after the sun sets, glowing from just beneath the horizon. Tomorrow when I go to Savonlinna, the sunrise will be at about 3:30 am, and will set at 10:48 pm. I am sure you know this is because Finland is at such a Northern latitude…and in the winters the days are very short and the nights are long!
At the end of our day together, Irina said she felt we had known each other forever. That is the great thing about the quilting tribe. Wherever I travel, I can always find at least one quilter, and we hit it off immediately. The Worldwide Quilting Tribe share the vibe of compassion, helping, and making. This is the foundation of all the best things in life, in my opinion. We are so lucky to belong to this worldwide family of makers!
Sharing your love of fabric…
Luana and Paul
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Travel/Quilt Calendar:
July 4-12 – Helsinki & Savonlinna, Finland
August 18-24 – Bear Camp in Alaska (via Homer)
Sept 28-30 – AQSG Seminar – Louisville, KY
