Make your own bodice insert

Hardanger Folk Museum and Folgefonn Folk Art and Craft Association are organizing several weekend courses focused on the various techniques used in creating the Hardanger bunad. In this course, you will learn to sew an insert with beads on red fabric. These inserts come in many variations, with the most common featuring a large eight-petal rose. However, you can also sew a heart-shaped insert, a «Holmabringklut,» an insert with a bead net, or beads on canvas. Participants choose which type of insert they wish to sew. The goal of the course is for participants to progress far enough during the three days to complete their insert at home.

Description of the Inserts You Can Learn to Sew:

• Holmabringklut: Named after the Kølle sisters who lived in Holmen, Ulvik, in the early 1800s. They sewed many inserts for sale and are particularly known for inserts featuring appliquéd eight-petal roses.
• Heart Shape: This design became fashionable around 1840 and was commonly used in inserts. Straw beads were often used to create the heart shape, with the interior decorated with both straw beads and other types of beads.
• Other Beaded Designs on Red Wool Fabric: These often feature a large eight-petal rose in the center with two half eight-petal roses on either side.
• Bead Net: This can be threaded with one or two needles and is later mounted onto red wool fabric.
• Beads on Canvas: Likely the easiest to learn, where individual beads are sewn using half cross-stitches.

Schedule and Registration

The museum and the art and craft association are offering one bodice insert weekend course in 2025, taught by Agnete Sivertsen.

• Dates: Friday, March 7, to Sunday, March 9, 2025
• Location: Hardanger Folk Museum
• Time: 09:30 – 17:00 each day
• Registration: Email post@hvm.museum.no or call +47 474 79 884 by February 20, 2025

Other dates can also be arranged. We organize group courses year-round.

Note: The course may be canceled if fewer than four participants register.

Prices

• Members of Folgefonn/Norwegian Folk Art and Craft Association: NOK 4,400 per course
• Non-Members: NOK 4,900 per course

The course fee includes coffee, cake, and a warm lunch every day. Materials are not included and depend on your chosen project.

Note: The course has been extended to three days (Friday to Sunday) to ensure participants make as much progress as possible on their chest cloths. If you can only attend for two days, that is also possible. Please contact us to discuss arrangements.

Accommodation

The museum has a discount agreement with Utne Hotel for accommodation. Although the hotel is not open for the season this weekend, it offers accommodation without breakfast in the art annex at NOK 1,400 per person in a single room or NOK 1,000 per person in a double room per night.

Alternatively, accommodations can be found on platforms like Airbnb. If you need assistance finding a place to stay, please let us know, and we’ll help you sort it out.

Questions and More Information

Contact Agnete Sivertsen:

• Phone: +47 95 93 46 98
• Email: agnete.sivertsen@hvm.museum.no