Sunday, May 20, 2007

My lace schwibbogen

Nancy asked me which of the lace pieces in the hutch did I make myself? It is the schwibbogen. I was so proud of myself for finishing this piece which was very difficult. If you click on the photo, you will be able to see it in more detail. I purchased this pattern while visiting in the Erzgebirge region (Ore mountains of former East Germany) in a tiny handwork shop. I contacted the designer, Sigrid Hackel, of this lace pattern and ordered the wooden frame which her husband makes especially for her patterns. She herself lives in the region and teaches lacemaking there.

A schwibbogen is an arched candle holder with contains a scene in the arch. Now the schwibbogen are made with electric Christmas lights and are most often made of all wood although they are sometimes also made of black metal. These lights can be seen in the villages of the Erzegebirge. Many houses have these wonderful decorations in their windows at Christmas time. Some of the schwibbogen contain the people which were symbols of the area ~ the miners, toy makers and lacemakers or the church and carolers of Seiffen. Nowadays you see many of these arched decorations with a religious scene. These lighted arches date back to the 1700s when miners supposedly made the arches to place at the mouth of the caves in the dark winter months.

6 comments:

Ragged Roses said...

That lace is beautiful - you really are very talented!
Kim x

Nancy said...

Heidi this is breathtaking! Very beautiful both in design and your work. I am amazed that you can actually sit down and make this with your hands. I also love the story behind this decoration.

Thanks for sharing this,
Nancy

Joanne said...

Heidi ~ I love your schwibbogen. Thank you for sharing the story with us. Your lacemaking is beautiful!!
-Joanne

Anonymous said...

Oh my goodness, Heidi, this is just stunning. I love the beautiful lace panel's design and the pleasing flowing curves of the frame it is in. What a wonderful design and made so expertly and lovingly. You are really talented and so modest about your skills. It must give you the great pleasure everytime you look at it :>)
Hugs, Angela

Anonymous said...

Absolutely gorgeious Heidi. Nothing compares to the beautiful work of ones own hands.

Briefkasten Lottchen said...

Jetzt beginnt wieder die Schwibbogenzeit ... :)