Welcome back to monthly posts of Nordic events happening virtually and in Southern California. Even though it’s not officially fall yet, it still feels like that as students of all ages begin to return to school.
Southern California readers, have you taken advantage of some of what the Los Angeles area has to offer during summertime? Many events continue into the fall. Also coming up soon is the family friendly Vista Viking Festival. California’s premiere Viking festival and Norse heritage event takes place September 21 and 22 just north of San Diego at the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista. Festival tickets are already available.
Come see Vikings in their camps and get a glimpse of Viking life. Listen to live music from local favorites. Browse the vendor village, enjoy food from food merchants, and wash everything down with libations of mead and ale from the Beer Garden. Try your hand at ax-throwing, archery, and spear flinging on the Weapons Range. Enjoy Norwegian and Viking cultural demonstrations, competitions, and battles! And back by popular demand is an exclusive tasting event with Viking Spirits. This special limited seating event will feature wine and spirits along with Scandinavian delicacies. Each of the four daily seatings is limited to 25 participants so get your tasting tickets early to secure your seat and time slot.
Online book clubs have selected their fall reads. Check out Nordic Book Club Meetings to see what is being read when. Does anything look interesting to you?
What’s on your calendar for September?
ASI Nordic Table Event: Apples in the Nordic Kitchen with Kristi Bissell (Thursday, 9/5, 1:00 p.m. CT)
Time to go wild for apples! In this virtual class, Kristi Bissell of the blog True North Kitchen will demonstrate several apple recipes, taking inspiration from Nordic ingredients and traditional dishes. From breakfast to fika to dessert, this class will cover a range of ways to incorporate diverse apple flavors and textures into our fall kitchens. The demonstration will include a simple apple compote, Danish apple trifle, and Swedish apple cake.
ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Wool Embroidery Intro with Laura Berlage (Fridays, 9/13-9/27, 2:00 p.m. CT)
Embroidering with wool has captivated imaginations since at least the Viking Age, offering beautiful and textured means for stitched expression. Dive into this world with textile artist Laura Berlage and learn about its many iterations over the centuries with this immersive introductory class, while stitching your own floral piece. During the course, students will learn 14 different stitches, how best to utilize them in a design, and good process discipline while stitching—skills and concepts that you can apply to any number of future embroidery endeavors. Great for beginners or those with some embroidery experience who are looking to master the finer points of decorative stitching with wool. Suitable for ages 16+.
Intro to Swedish with Jean Hanslin (Saturday, 9/14, 9:30 a.m. CT)
Are you curious about the Swedish language, but not ready yet to commit to a multi-date class? Are you looking for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? This two-hour introductory workshop taught by Jean Hanslin is the perfect way to get a feel for Swedish, pick up a bit of grammar, and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation.
FamilieTid with Vesterheim: Norwegian Folk Stories (Sunday, 9/15, 1:00 p.m. CT, free)
Join Vesterheim and celebrated Norwegian storyteller Johan Einar Bjerkem to hear folktales and sing some songs from Norway. You will meet trolls, princesses, and maybe even the character Askeladden! Bjerkem will also share the history of the stories and tales he tells.
Cooking Class: Breakfast Variations (Monday, 9/16, 4:00 p.m. CT)
In the online cooking classes hosted by Swedish American Museum in Chicago, IL, you are guided through Swedish recipes. In September, Sweden celebrates Brunch Day so in honor of that students will make Frukost Varianter – Breakfast Variations.
Embroidered Mittens with Steph Anderson (Friday & Saturday, 9/20 & 9/21, 5:30 p.m. PT)
Journey back to the Viking Era or earlier Iron Age and learn the same techniques those before us have used in decorating and embroidering their socks, mittens, and other nålbinding garments. In this class, you will be adding embroidery to your mittens. You will learn to add a little structure to the fabric of the nålbinding mitten, plan a design to embroider either using a pattern that is in your kit or making your own pattern, and learning embroidery stitches and techniques to make a mitten that has some beautiful embellishments. No embroidery experience needed. You will need to supply your own mittens by either purchasing or making your own nålbinding mittens.
Genealogy Session: The Viking Ship and the “Discovery” of America with Timothy Boyce (Saturday, 9/28, 10:00 a.m. CT)
Delve into ancestry and history at one of Swedish American Museum’s genealogy sessions. Timothy Boyce will tell the story of the Viking Ship, its amazing transatlantic voyage in 1893, its reception in the New World, and its subsequent history.
ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Design and Weave a Repp Band with Kerstin Neumüller (Saturday & Sunday, 9/28 & 9/29, 10:00 a.m. CT)
Join Swedish textile artist and educator Kerstin Neumüller for two online sessions to design and start weaving a repp band on a small rigid heddle style band weaving loom. The first session will focus on how to create different patterns in woven repp bands, a style in which warp threads tightly cover the weft threads. Kerstin will share a variety of possible patterns, giving students a starting place for designing their own band. Students will then use any small rigid heddle style loom they have on hand and their own yarn to prepare the warp and weft for weaving a repp band in the second class. This virtual class is an excellent option for students who need a refresher on band weaving, or for anyone who owns Kerstin’s book Simple Weave but wants to work alongside her live. Wide ranging discussion of project options on small looms, materials, and tips for weaving bands will fill in during work time. Suitable for ages 12+.
The Rise of Aquavit in the U.S. (Sunday, 9/29, 11:00 a.m. CT, free)
For a long time, the only aquavit an American could get was imported from either Denmark, Norway, or Sweden. In the mid 2000s, there was a surge of American distillers who began making the classic Scandinavian spirit for the American market. With this new batch of distillers came a new outlook of how aquavit could be enjoyed. No longer limited to drinking it straight with traditional meals, bartenders and spirit enthusiasts began playing with the use of aquavit in cocktails. Join co-founder and CEO of Vikre Distillery, Emily Vikre, as she shares the story of aquavit’s rise in popularity, as well the story of Vikre Distillery’s founding and its early life making a name for itself in the world of spirits.
ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Fanciful Paper Cutting with Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen (Sunday, 9/29, 1:00 p.m. CT)
Join Danish paper-cutting artist Torben Jarlstrøm Clausen live from his home in Odense, Denmark, to explore the universe of fanciful paper-cut beings. Working in the tradition of storyteller and paper cut artist Hans Christian Andersen (who was also from Torben’s hometown of Odense), students will work alongside Torben to release their own fantastic people from a piece of paper using only a pair of scissors. In just 90 minutes, students will experience the very best moment of cutting paper – when the paper is unfolded, the magic occurs, and your happy paper-cut person emerges! This workshop welcomes paper cutters of all levels who want creative prompts as well as a historic and contemporary look at paper cutting in Denmark and beyond. All experience levels are welcome; suitable for ages 16+.
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ASI Nordic Table Event: Danish Rugbrød with Kristi Bissell (Thursday, 10/3, 1:00 p.m. CT)
Hearty Danish rye bread (rugbrød) is one of the classic Scandinavian breads, often used for open faced sandwiches. While this bread can be hard to find outside of Scandinavia, it’s actually quite simple to make at home, even for novice bakers. Join Kristi Bissell, creator of the blog True North Kitchen, in this virtual class to see a demonstration of all the steps of her yeasted Easy Overnight Danish Rye Bread. She’ll discuss pan options, sourcing ingredients, and even share some tips on a sourdough variation.
Introduction to Spoon Carving (Friday, Oct. 4, 1:00 p.m. CT)
Learn how to carve a spoon from a fresh-cut tree using traditional Nordic carving techniques. Over Zoom, Jess Hirsch will lead students through the process of carving a spoon, using a prepared wooden blank. We will cover tree anatomy, axing out a blank (roughed out spoon shape), knife holds for the hook and sloyd knife, drying, and finishing – from tree to spoon! This class is great for the beginner or the person wanting to learn sloyd-style carving. Together, students will go through safe knife holds and the steps to carve their very own cooking spoon! Carving is just as safe as cooking at home – students only need good hand strength and flexibility to carve their own spoon. Please wear pants and close-toed shoes. This class includes a kit of materials.
ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Wool Embroidered Coin Purse (Thursdays, 10/10-10/24, 1:00 p.m. CT)
Embroidery is a beautiful way to make an everyday object feel special. Inspired by traditional Nordic embroidery designs, explore the world of wool-on-wool embroidery with a variety of stitches and learn how to transform the fabric and liner into a miniature purse, along with attaching the kiss clasp like a pro. All the steps and techniques featured in this course are great skills to learn if you are considering making a full-scale traditional purse in the future; and we’ll explore beautiful examples from across history and regions as we go. Finished coin purses will be approximately 4.5”x 4” wide. Students will have the option to select from a variety of wool fabric colors for their project kit and use embroidery yarns from the instructor’s own sheep. This class is a great way to explore wool-on-wool embroidery for both beginners and those with some embroidery experience. Suitable for ages 16+.
ASI Nordic Handcraft Event: Needle Felted Fall Landscapes (Thursday, 10/17, 6:30 p.m. CT)
Enjoy the relaxing art of needle felting while making a textile as pretty as a painting! Using a piece of felt as your canvas and wool roving as your paint, you’ll work alongside artist Kayla Ann to create an autumnal landscape you’ll be proud to display. You’ll come away with the skills and tools to keep needle felting beyond the online workshop. While the entire class will work on the same fall-inspired vista, Kayla will also discuss how to adapt other images into 2-D felted pictures and where to find supplies to do more needle felting on your own. Suitable for ages 14+.
Which events or experiences look interesting to you?
This is the finale to The Climate Quartet, a loosely connected series of books that each explores a different climate issue. This one is about seeds and features the Global Seed Vault located on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago. The story takes place in 2110 and is about a small group of people living there. They live in isolation having cut off contact with the rest of the world where, due to climate issues, hunger is a constant concern. I loved being immersed in the setting of Svalbard and it was interesting to see how subject matter and characters from the earlier books come together in this one. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Traveling to Sweden soon or just thinking about it? Want to know the essential phrases to use with your friends and relatives? Have some questions about what to see and where to go once you get there? This language and travel course taught by Gregg White will get the traveler to Sweden off on the right foot. This course is helpful for those not ready to commit to a full language course but want a brief introduction to Swedish and the lovely country where it is spoken. This class meets twice a week for two weeks.
Dr. Maren Johnson, Luther College’s Associate Professor of Nordic Studies and Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies Director, facilitates a regular bokprat (book group), discussing Scandinavian authors and Scandinavian life. June’s discussion is a twist on the usual format and features a discussion of Netflix’s new film adaptation of Ann-Helén Laestadius’s novel Stolen. This spellbinding Swedish story follows a young indigenous woman as she struggles to defend her family’s reindeer herd and culture amidst xenophobia, climate change, and a devious hunter whose targeted kills are considered mere theft in the eyes of the law. Based on real events, Ann-Helén Laestadius’s award-winning novel Stolen has been adapted into a film by Netflix that is part coming-of-age story, part love song to a disappearing natural world, and part electrifying countdown to a dramatic resolution—a searing depiction of a forgotten part of Sweden.
Join Goldsmith Liz Bucheit for a story of an almost lost sølje that was restored through tireless work and artistry. From a house fire to the workshop, learn about the process that a master goldsmith had to go through to help bring the beloved family heirloom of Norwegian silver jewelry back from the ashes to its rejuvenated beauty. Liz will tell a story of trials and tribulations, as well as elbow grease. She’ll show photos of the piece and process as it was restored from charred remnants to the cherished family heirloom that it once was.
Welcome to a lecture on Karin Larsson – an artist and interior designer who was married to the artist Carl Larsson. This lecture, hosted by Liz Stopka, will cover Karin Larsson’s accomplished life, with a focus on her contributions to interior design and clothing fashion. The virtual slide presentation will be conducted in English and is intended to complement the ongoing exhibit at ASI, 
Ready to tackle a showstopper of a summer dessert that is secretly easier than it looks? Kristi Bissell of 
Let there be light! Revel in the enchanting Nordic Midsummer with two handcrafted cocktails and a refreshing alcohol-free option. This class will discuss the history and traditions of Sankthans, the Norwegian celebration of the summer solstice, and incorporate ingredients that will bring the magic of the season to your homes and palates. This Vesterheim cooking class is designed as a small-group cook-along, and we invite exchange between the instructor and students in order to build community around food traditions.
Join Scandinavia House for a virtual book talk with author Helen Russell to celebrate the launch of The Danish Secret to Happy Kids. This book shares what Russell has learned first-hand and through talking to Nordic psychologists, sociologists and teachers about rearing well-balanced children. In doing so, she dives into the parenting culture of Denmark and other Nordic nations, from parental leave to school structure to screen time. Combining intellectual curiosity and research with observation, this is a positive, thought-provoking parenting book for readers curious about cultural differences.
How does immigration influence the pizzas served in Norway and Sweden? Join Vesterheim and Patrice Johnson for an evening of surprising tastes and fun twists on Nordic pizza. We’ll make our own dough, and then top it with the modern flavors of sweet corn and shrimp, white sauce with caviar, and Flygande Jakob (Flying Jacob). We’ll also toss a traditional pizza salad and shake up a couple of New Nordic-inspired beverages.
Explore the beauty and fun of beading on a loom in the Scandinavian tradition! Inspired by designs from Nordic bandweaving, this class will take you from start to finish for making your own sparkly beaded bookmark. Learn about the historic use of loom beading and how a remarkably simple process can transform seed beads into delightful designs.
Have you heard the saying: You have to learn to walk before you can run? That thought is the same for rosemaling. Before you paint, you can learn a few things to help you on your rosemaling journey. Join others for five evenings of learning some basic, yet helpful concepts. This class is a mixture of discussion and hands-on experiences to reinforce the learning. Topic will include styles of rosemaling, woodenware, oils vs acrylics, brushes, and basic paint palettes. This class is intended for first-time rosemalers; no previous experience is needed.
In August, join beloved rosemaling instructor Lise Lorentzen to explore basic rosemaling techniques and paint rocks that you can use in your garden or give to friends! Inspired both by a painted rock in Vesterheim’s collection and by the groups that paint rocks to hide in nature, this class is the perfect way to explore the traditional handcraft of rosemaling as a family. This program has been designed for families to experience on their own schedules. The $30-per-family price covers the cost of a special folk art class kit designed for two participants to explore rosemaling.
Let the garden lead the way in this virtual cooking demo that celebrates all things dill! Kristi Bissell of 
Tomatoes might not be the most typical Nordic ingredient you think of, but they are treasured by northern gardeners with long summer days. Allow Kristi Bissell of 
Join instructor Hannah Garry (owner and manager of 
Presented in Faroe Islands Culture Days, see virtual screenings of some of the best contemporary films from the Faroe Islands in “Fog-Swept Cinema”. From April 19 through May 5, a virtual screening package will be available with three feature films — the coming-of-age drama Dreams by the Sea, the surrealist feature 111 Good Days, and the documentary Skál — as well as four short films, showcasing today’s leading filmmakers from the North Atlantic archipelago. Virtual screening packages are available throughout the U.S.
Turn out kardemummabullar (cardamom buns) worthy of a bakery display case with a little help from Kristi Bissell of the Scandinavian cooking blog 
Have the whole family come together and learn some Norwegian songs. Singer, Norwegian language instructor, and youth educator, Eddy Galstad will lead the family in learning songs from “way back when,” as well as share some songs that the kids might have heard already. This free event will be a learning and sharing opportunity for multiple generations of the family.
If you’ve ever thought about trying rosemaling, here’s a great opportunity to take the brush in hand! Rosemaling is the wonderful folk art of Norway that is based on the flowing scrolls and flowers that are made up of “C” and “S” strokes. This class introduces students to these basic strokes that are the foundation of rosemaling, as well as the detailed line work that completes a rosemaling project. The class will include demonstrations and plenty of hands-on practice. Students will practice strokes and complete a project on board. The class will be taught using acrylic paint. If you’ve painted with oil, this would be a good opportunity to explore acrylics. A complete kit of supplies (a $40 value) is included in the cost of enrollment.
In June, join Vesterheim for some family fun and learn some Norwegian language and culture along the way. The vocabulary and phrases will focus on life north of the Arctic Circle! Through hands-on activities, fun crafts, light-hearted games, and short videos, you and your family will learn and practice your new Norwegian skills. A kit will be delivered right to your home containing supplies for these language activities, a helpful reference sheet for all the new words and expressions you will be learning, a fun craft, and a yummy treat.
Join Swedish textile artist and educator Kerstin Neumüller for two online sessions to design and start weaving a repp band on a small rigid heddle-style band weaving loom. This virtual class is an excellent option for students who need a refresher on band weaving, or for anyone who owns Kerstin’s book Simple Weave but wants to work alongside her live.
In this webinar, Steph Anderson will talk through what went into the study and recreation of Birka grave Bj 619. The goal of this project was to look at the archaeological notes from 1877 when it was first discovered and textile analysis from 1974, and then to create an interpretation of the grave. This grave dates back to the late 700s to early 800s. Steph will walk through the process of research, talking to archaeologists and working with the Museum of Natural History in Stockholm, textile producers, blacksmiths, and others to get as historically accurate information as possible. Let her introduce you to the woman of Bj 619 and give you a brief glimpse into her life.
Delve into ancestry and history with the Swedish American Museum at one of their educational Genealogy sessions. In May, Kathy Meade will be discussing ArkivDigital. What is new in ArkivDigital? ArkivDigital provides online access to newly photographed color images of Swedish historical records. We have added many searchable indexes, so you can now search by name for more church books, estate inventory, census, and military records. We have also added some more Swedish-American church books. You will learn how these updates make researching your Swedish heritage simpler and faster.
The literature containing Norse mythology remains one of the most fascinating bodies of medieval storytelling anywhere. Norse myths include a great wealth of digressive anecdotes and an equally large cast of characters. This class will attempt to make sense of Norse myths by examining the structures of the tales and investigating the background in which they were written down in manuscripts. Come explore what is known (and unknown) about Norse mythology with Old Norse expert Dr. Paul Peterson. The course will be held virtually and take place over four weeks with one meeting per week.
