By Lill-Karin Elvestad 

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in Lokalhistorisk magazine, Number 1 and 2, 2016, in a special themed issue, “Art and Handcraft,” and translated by Robbie LaFleur.

A worn piece of clothing, crumpled and frayed. At one time a warm stocking for a young woman, but now a seemingly worthless rag? Not for the project leader Lillian Magnussen with the project “Registration of Clothing in Troms.” Since 2011, the project, run by by the Troms fylkeshusflidslag [Troms County Handcraft Association], has registered all sorts of clothing, as well as accessories and jewelry, belts, caps, and shoes. 

“Museums have put a lot of effort into the preservation of objects, houses, boats, and bits and bobs. But they have few textiles, when things like clothing can tell us much about our ancestors’ histories,” said Lillian Magnussen. 

The Troms County Handcraft Association is a part of the Norges husflidslag [the Norwegian Handcraft Association], and in many areas of the country the registration of textiles has been underway for many years. 

“In the South several thousand articles of clothing have been registered.  In North-Norway we have not reached 1000. We are well underway, but it has not been so easy to make people interested and curious enough.” 

Registering

Since 2011 seminars and meetings have been arranged to attract people to come with clothing. The project has traveled around the whole county, sometimes in cooperation with the Troms historielag [Troms History Association], and we have registered a good deal of clothing and accessories. We have also registered  some of the objects that were once in rural settings and those in museum collections. But one would like to see more. 

“It is important to emphasize that we don’t keep the clothing. We describe the details of an item on a form, take photos and measure its dimensions. We also register as much as possible about the owner, together with where they lived, how old they were, and whether there is a special story connected to the clothing,” Magnuson explained. 

The textile experts with the project also look at the way the clothing was sewn or constructed. The handwork can tell us a lot, especially if the clothing is quite old. It mirrors society, and how people lived. For example clothes from a fisherman might tell whether he has adequate finances. Clothing was patched for reuse, and later was used for rugs or insulation. The smallest scraps were used as long as possible.”

Information on the clothing was added to a database called Primus. Everyone can see information and photos on the clothing through the Digital Museum, but private information, like the names, are withheld. 

Clothing History

The oldest find in Målselv so far happened when clothing was found in a window frame. The bodice of a dress was used as insulation. It appeared to be from the 1700s, or 1800 at the latest. For this project we wanted older clothing, preferably from before the 1920s, and not newer than the 1950s. The older the clothing, the more interesting it is, but clothes from the 1930s and 40s also have stories to tell. The Norsk institutt for bunad og folkedrakt [The Norwegian Institute for Bunads and Folk Dress] takes a thorough registration of the oldest clothing items and puts them online at digitaltmuseum.no. 

Magnussen thinks that one of the problems with registering more clothing is that people are reluctant to bring clothing that is wrinkled or stained. But as a rule the things you find in a paper bag in the loft are not newly-washed. 

“So we try to gain the confidence of the people bringing in clothing. If they don’t want to tell about an item, or they don’t know anything about it, there’s no pressure. But for those of us interested in textiles, seeing these items can as valuable as gold.”

So far mostly women’s clothing has been registered, but also underwear and work clothing belonging to men. There has been little children’s clothing, explained Magnussen, who lives in Målselv. In Målselv and Bardu the immigrant history is especially interesting, and clothing from the colonizing era of the 1800s can tell us much about the people who came. Did they use a different clothing style than the people who usually lived in the North? Could you tell the difference between a new settler in Målselv and someone who was born on the coast? And if you can, how? 

More is needed 

Registration is also about the preservation of the handcraft itself. “Earlier it was common to sew all your clothing yourself. You sheared the sheep, carded the wool, wove, and sewed. Later store-bought clothing was available, and cotton became common in Norway as the 1800s progressed. Before, wool and linen that you grew yourself were most common. Both the fabric itself, and the methods used for sewing and construction, tell a story.”

Since the project started in 2011 it received resources from Troms fylkeskommune [county]. It will continue through 2015, and longer if more resources are available. The project leaders are sure there is more clothing to be discovered. For example, throughout the county there are countless homes and outbuildings that are full of old things, junk, paper bags, packages — and clothing.

“We really want to get in more clothing. Everything is of interest! We are also interested in old photos that show clothing customs,” says Lillian Magnussen, who finished by noting an especially fine clothing item that was registered. “A silk shawl with fringes was submitted from Sørreisa. It was well-worn but had a beautiful rose pattern in blue brocade. It was from the 1800s, and its owner had been especially proud to own such a fine textile.”  

March 2024.

Editor’s Note: According to the project leader, Lillian Magnussen, all the data are safe, but there has been no activity with this all-volunteer project in the past few years. They hope to find new, younger volunteers to take it up again!

Lill-Karin Elvestad’s research led to learning about the amazing textile talents of her great-great-grandmother. Read her tribute in this issue: “A Tribute to Ane Marie Aleksandersdatter.”

Lill-Karin Elvestad is a writer, journalist and historian from Troms. Her interests lies in cultural history of Northern Norway, and she’s written several books and a lot of articles for various magazines through the years. She lives at a little farm in Balsfjord, in the midst of Troms, with a husband, two cats and two nearly grown up kids. On the farm there’s a house from 1926 which she restored in 2022 and now uses as a meeting place for arrangements, writing-courses and story-nights. More about Elvestad on Instagram: @lillkarinelvestad or Facebook: Lill-Karin Elvestad forfatter

Translated by Robbie LaFleur

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