Traditional Decorations with Lucet Cord *

Teachers: Liina Laaneoja, Annika Vaalma

Annika and Liina are the company Etnowerk - Estonian brand of handcrafted cardigans full of emotion, bold beauty and ethnographic motifs. Their handicraft education is from UT Viljandi Culture Academy.

Annika is the embroidery queen. She makes the finest embroideries to decorate knitwear. Inspiration comes from folk costumes and the outcome is modern clothing for a modern woman.

Liina is the master of colours and bold decorations. She mixes crocheted ethnographic laces with different textiles and uses these combinations on knitwear. The colourful result makes everyone happy – both the wearers and the admirers.

A lucet cord (kaaruspael, kaarusnöör in Estonian) is a four-facet ribbon made mostly of red, but also of green, blue and yellow woollen yarn. A lucet hook is used for making lucet cord. In South Estonia, lucet cord was used to decorate women's jackets and men's and women's long-coats. It was also sewn onto the bottom edge of skirts. On the islands, the ribbon was used as a fastening for buttons.

The course will give an overview of the historical techniques used to decorate with lucet cord. The participants will learn how to make, finish and fasten lucet cord on the lucet hook. You can try out various historical decoration techniques. For this purpose, a woollen fabric folder will be prepared where you will learn how to fringe with lucet cord, decorate with twists, fringe a slash flap of a long-coat and make button holes.

The materials used in this course are included in the participation fee: coloured woollen yarn, lucet hooks, ribbons for the slash flaps, a sewn woollen folder, needles and buttons.

The participants may also bring their own yarns if they wish, and may also bring an item of clothing to be decorated with a lucet cord. The course is suitable for beginners.