10/22/2012

My Wicked day






It´s my  wicked day and time for the witch  to fly


Booo



We don´t have Halloween in Sweden, the commercial interests couldn´t get  the Swedes to be influenced to feast Halloween. You could see some pumpkins for sale in the shops, but not so much more. No spiders, no skeletons and no ghosts and not even one witch.
At first I  hadn´t any idea what to sew, and I  started to blame myself being so hasty to hop in something that I  couldn´t maybe  manage to get something out of it. 

But as I love challenges, I thought  there must be some solutions to my problems and I must find some idea of what to create.

I started to google in order  to find some Halloween posters to get inspirations to create my wicked projects.
And what I found were Halloween witches that seemed to be   some kindreds and look alike to our Påskkäringar,  Easter bitches. 


Påskkärring is very much part of the old Easter traditions even into Christian times and some traditions are still practiced.

Påskkärring is a witch with a hideous face and a large nose, dressed in head cloth and a wide robe, flying through the air on a broomstick. The stick should be used with the broom in front (often wrongly depicted). With her on the broomstick is a black cat (always a symbol of bad luck and sometimes a transformation of the devil) and a coffee-pot (coffee grains were used to predict the future or cast evil spells).

All påskkärringar (plural form) gather on the hill Blåkulla for a "congress" during the  Easter where they meet with the devil. The major travelling days are Wednesday and Maundy Thursday. Many claims have been made as to where in Sweden this Blåkulla is located. A recent claim is on Blå Jungfrun, a small island i between the Öland island and the mainland.

I then got the fantastic idea to transform a Swedish påskkärring to an American Halloween witch with a Swedish touch.
I started to sketch and draw my witch and I have had so fun making my wicked lady with the necessary attributes, but I found it difficult to  give her a large nose and  grim face, my witch is maybe to pretty but I think she is cool.

I started with a grey background fabric  of 12,5 inches square,

My  witch is enjoying her journey through the blowing  winds lazy  resting on the broomstick,  as it was a flying carpet with her head on  a big fat cat as her pillow. Her companions are a black raven sitting on her knee and a big spider on her breast. And don´t you love her sexy  stockings and her boots.

 The landscape is Swedish with a church tower embellished with a golden cock, here is the Swedish touch to the Halloween.
Dont you think she is a very cool and wicked lady??
I had so fun making the witch and I hope that you will enjoy my wicked wall quilt and my story of the Swedish påskkärring.
I hope  that I have given you  some good and hearty laughters.


A great thanks for Madame Samm and Wendy Witch for organizing and doing this fantastic blog hop

This was my wicked project and be more wicked and visit the other wicked ladies today


Hill Valley Quilter (That´s me)





111 kommentarer:

  1. Wonderfull witch, hope she finds her way to Blåkulla....
    and don't fall off her brum.. :-)
    Have a wicked bloghop...and just enjoy...
    regards Ingrid

    SvaraRadera
  2. i love your wirch and cat on a broom

    SvaraRadera
  3. I absolutely love your mini! I love the detail from her red nails, to the quilting of the shingles/roof tiles, to of course her hose! I love the story too! Fantastic work! You are very talented!!

    SvaraRadera
  4. Really enjoyed reading about the Swedish witches thank you and your finished wall hanging is wonderfully wicked.

    SvaraRadera
  5. I love her stockings also! She looks like she is totally enjoying her broomstick ride. Very cute!

    SvaraRadera
  6. What a wonderful story. Your witch is so cute! Thank you for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  7. She's a wonderful witch! Thanks for sharing the info about the Easter witches too. That's the marvelous thing about quilters on the internet - I'm always learning something new!

    SvaraRadera
  8. This is really so awesome!! I hope you make top 2!!

    SvaraRadera
  9. Thank you for sharing the story about your Easter witch and your witch is so neat! Love the fish net stockings!

    SvaraRadera
  10. Thank you for sharing the story behind the holiday. Your creativity is stunning and you came up with such a delightfully 'wicked' witch for us today. Yes, I like the fish net stockings too!! Brilliant!

    SvaraRadera
  11. Oh she is just fabulous - love everything about your quilt - the moon, the clock tower, the witch - just lovely. Thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  12. Great Work with so many details...
    and thanks for the story.

    SvaraRadera
  13. wow so much detail in those blocks, they are really cute! thanks for sharing

    SvaraRadera
  14. Definitely wicked to put a pin-up witch on that broomstick! She seems very relaxed, but that maybe because she has been travelling a long way to get to the retreat.....I love this one and I really enjoyed reading about a Swedish tradition!

    SvaraRadera
  15. You are right your witch is pretty! I love your wallhanging and especially loved hearing the story behind it.

    SvaraRadera
  16. What a Great Block. I enjoyed details of the cat and the stockings. Maybe her name is "Wickedly Pippy" Thank You For Sharing. You might be the forrunner bringing Halloween to Sweden!

    SvaraRadera
  17. Anonym23.10.12

    Love your wicked witch. Halloween is commercialized very much in the US. I'm sure you checked Wikipedia for a good description. Children go house to house, knocking on doors and when you open they say, "Trick or Treat." You put some candy in them, the idea being that if you don't they'll play a trick on you. It's fun for the little ones whose parents accompany them with flashlights. Sometimes a few families will go together. My husband enjoys seeing the small ones, but for me it was always a nightmare as a teacher, having to deal with children sneaking candy during class. With the increased emphasis on nutrition due to the obesity problem in our country, it's a conundrum. Teenagers and adults also enjoy dressing up and going to parties and sometimes get carried away with celebrations. I hope that gives you an idea what it is like. Thanks for sharing your exquisite work.

    SvaraRadera
  18. What a nicest block and love the story.thanks for sharing

    SvaraRadera
  19. Så läcker hon är!

    SvaraRadera
  20. Your project is wonderful and so creative. Thank you for sharing your wickedness today!

    SvaraRadera
  21. Oh my ... you did a wonderful job. I love your witch !!

    SvaraRadera
  22. That is really cute. Nice job. I missed out on the Halloween hop. Maybe next year.

    SvaraRadera
  23. Very wicked, indeed. Excellent witchiness. Thanks for the lesson on your culture. It was great.

    SvaraRadera
  24. OHHHH Britt-INger...this is absolutely eerie...magical, whimsical and adorable..you were certainly in our top picks today...no disappointment here...love this

    SvaraRadera
  25. Fabulous! I love your block! The witch is wonderful - I like the bird on her knee!
    Thank you for sharing!

    SvaraRadera
  26. so, so glad you stuck with it. She is wonderful down to the last detail. Yes her stockings are great. Thanks also for the story/history, great start to my day. Take care.

    SvaraRadera
  27. I love your witch and the history behind her. It's one of the big perks of blogging, learning thru others eyes! You have done a beautiful job with your quilting. What a treasure.

    SvaraRadera
  28. Love it! What a great job and interesting story.

    SvaraRadera
  29. It turned out quite lovely!

    SvaraRadera
  30. You are so creative and this looks like a good beginning for a childrens story , the little quilt is amazing!

    SvaraRadera
  31. LOL...those are just adorable pieces

    SvaraRadera
  32. Hi!!! It is too cute!!! It does make me laugh!!! Love it!!! Very WICKED!!!

    SvaraRadera
  33. Sounds just like stories of witches here in Cajun country! Your witch is perfect.

    SvaraRadera
  34. Loving those sexy stockings, great job, thanks for sharing today!!

    SvaraRadera
  35. Wickedly wonderful! Love how she is resting on her broom stick! Enjoyed learning about Swedish Easter. Thanks!

    SvaraRadera
  36. I just love what you did with your Swedish Witch..... :) thanks for sharing
    in stitches

    SvaraRadera
  37. Very cute. Love the sleeping witch.

    SvaraRadera
  38. Fantastic! I love your witch!

    SvaraRadera
  39. I love your witch, and thank you so much for sharing your tradition!

    SvaraRadera
  40. Love your Svenska witch!! When I got married someone gave me a "kitchen witch" as a good luck charm for my kitchen - they told me it was Swedish - I thought they were crazy because I had never seen one before! Now I wonder if it wasn't an Easter "bitch"? You did a wonderful job on your block - thanks for sharing!

    SvaraRadera
  41. Love your block and appreciate your sharing the history of witches from your country. Thank you for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  42. What a great witch! Thank you so much for the little lesson about your traditions! There are certainly a lot of elements we have taken from that for our Halloween witches. You did a wonderful job!

    SvaraRadera
  43. I love your witch and the story behind it! blessings, marlene

    SvaraRadera
  44. Oh the the story and the witch! Wow!!

    SvaraRadera
  45. Anonym23.10.12

    Very WICKED block. Thanks for participating...Come see me tomorrow on KwiltyPleasures.

    SvaraRadera
  46. We hosted an exchange student for a year who was from Stockholm, so it is very interesting to learn about your culture. Love your witch!

    SvaraRadera
  47. Absolutely awesome mini!! Love the stockings and the spider...so perfectly placed. Thanks for the inspiration and sharing in the hop!!

    SvaraRadera
  48. I love your wallhanging. The witch is great. ANd I enjoyed hearing your story which I had never heard before. It was the perfect block for Halloween.

    SvaraRadera
  49. Britt_Iinger, I love your story, thanks for sharing this. Your Halloween quilt is superb! I like your witch on her broom with cats very much! Thanks for showing!

    SvaraRadera
  50. I enjoyed reading of your traditions in Sweden. I always find them so interesting. I love learning of how other countries celebrate the holidays! Your little witch and cat are wonderful! She is rather pretty though! Must be the use of todays makeup! LOL! Great job!
    hulseybg@gmail.com

    SvaraRadera
  51. Ooooo, very spooky creations! I love your witch!

    SvaraRadera
  52. What a great story! I love your wicked witch!

    SvaraRadera
  53. Vilken härlig Halloween häxa du har gjort, nu ska jag in och titta på de andra också! Kram

    SvaraRadera
  54. Thank you for sharing this wicked lovely with us. Are you going to share the pattern at some time. I love the story. Safe tripping the witch :)

    SvaraRadera
  55. I like your witch, she looks very comfortable on her broom :-)

    SvaraRadera
  56. I love your witch. That is a cute project!

    SvaraRadera
  57. Takk for participating in the Wicked hop!

    SvaraRadera
  58. So so cute. Thanks for sharing your talent.

    SvaraRadera
  59. Anonym23.10.12

    So very interesting... and I am glad you rose to the challenge! Well done. Thanks for the story and background for your block.

    SvaraRadera
  60. Anonym23.10.12

    Vilken underbar häxa!! Such a wonderful witch!
    Gun, Sweden

    SvaraRadera
  61. Love the witch and her kitty pillow! Thanks for sharing and for hopping with us :o)

    SvaraRadera
  62. Riktigt fin lösning på utmaningen. Kul att du använde dej av vår svenska variant, påskkärringen.Bra jobbat, kram till dej.

    SvaraRadera
  63. Britt, I love your witch. Thanks for sharing your block and the history of your Easter tradition.

    SvaraRadera
  64. Great witch block and story...thanks so much for sharing!

    SvaraRadera
  65. I love your wicked witch!! And thanks for sharing the Swedish witch story!!! Loved it!!!

    SvaraRadera
  66. Oooh, you did a wonderful job on your witch! I love all the details on this mini quilt.

    SvaraRadera
  67. Wow-this is wonderful!

    SvaraRadera
  68. Rosemary B here:
    Thank you for telling us such a lovely story of how it is in Sweden! I loved it! I feel smarter now :-)
    Your creation is absolutely beautiful and amazing.
    Here some people go crazy with Halloween, I mean really crazy with the front of the house completely full of crazy decorations and lights, Google it and you will find some examples,
    Well, I really love your attempt at this, yOu are so creative, Thank you so much for sharing

    SvaraRadera
  69. SO neat!! Thanks for sharing!! :-)

    SvaraRadera
  70. Very nice, Thanks for sharing

    SvaraRadera
  71. Really interesting about your Easter traditions and lack of Halloween! Love your little quilt!

    SvaraRadera
  72. Very nicely done. Love the witch, love the stitching, love the story, great details. Absolutely wonderful.
    Thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  73. wow! you are so creative! I can see how it started with one idea then just kept growing...I seem to remember you doing the same thing on an earlier blog hop too!

    SvaraRadera
  74. Anonym24.10.12

    So very clever!

    SvaraRadera
  75. She looks amazing!!! Beautiful quilting job!

    SvaraRadera
  76. I love your block...it is beautiful. I also must say that I also enjoyed reading your story. Thank you so much for sharing with us all.

    SvaraRadera
  77. Oh, Britt-Inger, I loved the story. Thank you so much for sharing it. That must be where we get the witch from in our Halloween. So many Swedes came here in the early 1800's, they just brought this with them. And of course, your wicked witch-----love, love, love it!!

    SvaraRadera
  78. Cute block; I love the witch!

    SvaraRadera
  79. Den här kommentaren har tagits bort av skribenten.

    SvaraRadera
  80. You did a wonderful job and I loved you wicked witch. Thanks for joining in even though you don't have Halloween .

    SvaraRadera
  81. It is interesting to realize that what occurs as our holidays are not celebrated elsewhere...I love your spirit of adventure! Thanks for jumping in!

    SvaraRadera
  82. Your witch is beautiful and the detail is great. You have given halloween a whimsical look and that is great. Good for you to undertake this task and thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  83. Your witch is wonderful & fun to see.
    Well done.
    cheers
    maggie

    SvaraRadera
  84. I LOVE your witch block. Do you think you could write up a pattern so that we could ALL have a pretty witch? I like the Easter witch story.

    SvaraRadera
  85. That's some witch. Looks like it was fun to make!

    SvaraRadera
  86. You did a nice interpretation of the halloween theme! thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  87. Your witch is cute but I really like the raven!

    SvaraRadera
  88. Your block is great! I just love it!

    SvaraRadera
  89. What a creative mini.

    SvaraRadera
  90. Amazing block! I think that it was just plain darling that you decided to have your witch and her cat lying back and enjoying the ride!! Adorable.  Great houses! Loved the crow/raven on top of your witch and the spider as a brooch. Wonderful quilt stitching. You do marvelous work. Thanks for your story, too; so interesting. Hmmmm, Easter?? That is a new one for me.

    SvaraRadera
  91. Vilken ljuvlig madame:-))
    Verkligen kul och fantasirik.
    Kram Gudrun

    SvaraRadera
  92. Wicked work thanks for sharing!

    SvaraRadera
  93. You are very creative. I love your witch. I think you captured the spirit of Hallowe'en perfectly.

    SvaraRadera

  94. What a wonderful little quilt!!!

    SvaraRadera
  95. Your witch looks very glamorous. A lovely block.

    SvaraRadera
  96. Great job! This Swedish witch would fit right in at Halloween!

    SvaraRadera
  97. Your witch is a devilish diva!
    Such a delight, thank you for sharing :)

    SvaraRadera
  98. Since my husband's family is Swedish, I found this very interesting. Great witch.

    SvaraRadera
  99. You certainly gave me laughs! I had to read Easter Bitches more than once to make sure I had read it right! Love your blocks! Thanks so much for sharing with us all!

    SvaraRadera
  100. This is pretty neat! I like the crow on her knee.

    SvaraRadera
  101. I love your block. So very cute. Thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  102. Vilken härlig käring. Och docka.Du gör alltid så läckra saker i underbara färger.
    Elisabet i Järfälla

    SvaraRadera
  103. Anonym28.10.12

    Så helt underbart! Kram My

    SvaraRadera
  104. Clever, creative and so interesting! I think your Swedish witch is wonderful (love all the details you added... like her stockings... wow!).

    SvaraRadera
  105. Cute witch! Thanks for sharing.

    SvaraRadera
  106. What a darling lackadaisical witch! Fun blocks -- great job!! :)

    SvaraRadera
  107. Anonym30.10.12

    Cute but way too many blogs for this blog hop. I prefer smaller blog hops.

    SvaraRadera