VEIKKAALA, Finland — Eija Koski has devoted her life to what is known here as a himmeli, a traditional Christmas ornament made of straw stitched together to create an elaborate web of geometric shapes. But for Ms. Koski, who is regarded internationally as one of the object’s most talented producers, a himmeli is more than just another holiday decoration. “For me, it’s a three-dimensional structure which speaks a mathematical language of beauty,” she said of the ornament, whose Finnish name comes from himmel, the word for sky or heaven in German and Scandinavian languages. “They speak to me.”On a rainy October afternoon, she stood in a stylishly converted cow shed that serves as her workshop and display room and where, before the pandemic, she regularly conducted himmeli-making courses for enthusiasts from as far away as Japan. Surrounding her were pale wooden crates packed with himmelis bound for an exhibition in Switzerland in November.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 19, 2021 20:35 UTC