This past weekend I had a booth at the Ballard Seafood Fest. I had the good luck to be placed next to an artist named Augusta, who makes woven pewter thread and reindeer leather bracelets in the Indigenous Scandinavian Sami tradition. Her company is called Nomadic Artistry and she has some lovely photos of the many varieties of bracelets that she creates. I had to have one. You can see why.
Augusta is originally from Petersburg, Alaska. This town on Mitkoff Island in the Southeastern part of the state is known by most as "Little Norway". It's full of fishing folks and beautiful scenery, judging from the photos I saw. Someday I'd like to visit.
To make the bracelets, Augusta weaves or braids fine pewter threads and attaches them to strips of tanned reindeer leather. She uses reindeer antler or pewter buttons as a clasp. The leather softens and molds to your wrist over time and is extremely comfortable to wear.
Judging from the condition of the one Augusta has worn on her own wrist for many years, they are extremely durable as well as looking delicately refined. I would have taken a picture of one on my own wrist to show you the scale, but then you'd all see my blue veins, scars and freckles...and no one really needs that, right? Just take my word for it. My Sami bracelet holds its own against the David Yurman torque that I've worn for the past 20 years. Now it has a friend on my wrist to keep it company. :-)
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