This weekend, I visited the island of Kihnu, a place that is renowned for its rich cultural space, which was included in UNESCO's list of Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003.
In addition to other facets of the island's cultural heritage such as the local cuisine (which is mostly fish-based, but Kihnu bread tastes amazing and yes I did also eat seal when I was there) and folk music, Kihnu is also pretty well known for its traditional handcrafted clothes and accessories, which the locals still wear every day. The best known examples of these - at least to me - are the ankle length skirts (made from handwoven fabric which is typically predominantly red and striped like the little fridge magnet pictured below), belts and gloves/mittens (traditionally knit from fine white and blue yarn and covered with intricate patterns).
Kihnu also has a very old native sheep breed, so of course I had to buy a skein of yarn from local sheep while I was there. It's undyed and has a distinct smell of lanolin and I can imagine using it to make a lovely pair of socks. I also got a knitting needle bag from a local crafter.
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