Estonia’s best-known textile tradition is the Haapsalu shawl, a knitted lace piece of remarkable delicacy.
Origins in a spa town
The tradition dates to the early 19th century, when Haapsalu was a seaside resort. Estonian World reports that Russian aristocrats, including the Romanovs, came for the healing mud baths and wrapped shawls around their shoulders on the cool walk from the warm baths. Local artisans then began making their own, and early rural designs became steadily more elegant. Another account describes nobles wearing them on the waterfront promenade.
How it is made
A true Haapsalu piece is knitted from fine wool in a single solid colour. Square scarves have a patterned centre, a decorative border and a separately knitted scalloped edge that is sewn on. The signature detail is the nupp, a small bobble whose name means button or bud in Estonian. Because nupps cannot be made by machine, hand knitting was revived after some machine-made versions appeared. The shawls are so fine that they can be pulled through a woman’s ring.
Keeping the craft alive
The craft is passed down through generations of professional knitters. Haapsalu’s Lace Centre has a permanent exhibition and summer workshops, and shawls have been given as gifts to the women of the Swedish Royal Family. Girls learn knitting at school, and a summer lace festival includes a pattern design competition.
Sources: Estonian World: Mud baths, Haapsalu shawls and the start of a tradition, Visit Estonia: Haapsalu Lace Centre, Piecework: Rebellious and True Haapsalu Shawls, Australian National Maritime Museum: Haapsalu scarf, Amirisu: Haapsalu Lace Shawl from Estonia, Wikipedia: Haapsalu shawl.
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