Most of it is sewn on machine, but the shirt has handsewn whitework on it, and the whole thing is tailored. This is one of the simplest of the Norwegian bunads, as it has no embroidery on the skirt or vest, nor the apron. No other bunad is so devoid of colored embroidery. It is based on clothing samples from the Roccoco period, late 1700s, just as damask fabrics were at the height of fashion, which is why the vest and apron are of damask wool and linen respectively.
In addition to this red version, there is also a blue and a green, as well as a black, in the latter, the damask pattern of the vest is in yellow on a black background. The linen and wollen fabrics were woven on the farms of the area, so cotton and silk was considered finer, because they were 'boughten' cloth, and many other bunads have silk handkerchiefs or shawls. Ours is too plain for that, and glad am I for it, to be honest. I like mine exceedingly well in its plainness - I hardly have any patterned clothes in my everyday wardrobe!
The great thing about it, is that the bunad is acceptable wear to any great traditional occasions. Baptisms, weddings, the opening of a new hospital, state dinners - you can wear your bunad there to no censure. Makes life easier to know it's in the closet.
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