We had a relaxed morning in Anna and Janne's house just catching up on sleep and laundry. We met Eva, Ulla, and the kids for a trip to Reijmyre where we had lunch and looked at the glass works. (Sorry--the link is in Swedish). We got to see
some of their craftsmen make some amazing glass work. In this glass works, they use tools and techniques that were used in the 1800s.
Sometimes it takes two people to do the task. In this picture,
two men are adding some glass to an already partially formed work. After they place the glass in the right spot. a scissors is used to get through the glass and the top metal bar is removed. Molten glass is an amazing substance. It is quite pliable and formable, but once it cools a little, it gets quite hard and brittle (as we all know). From this pictures, it is hard to tell what the final product will be. After a dozen or so more steps, this turns into a gorgeous vase. In the next picture the craftsman is preparing to remove iron tube they use to in the process. You can see the vase now (it is upside down. The last step is to remove the tube and then use a blow torch (not an 1800s tool) to smooth off the connection.
It is a very impressive combination of skill and tools combined.
They asked for a child who wanted to blow some glass. Alfred was "volunteered" and he seemed willing enough. It was appropriate because it was Alfred's ninth birthday. They brought out a blob
of hot glass and had him blow it into a bubble.
It would have been nice to keep the bubble, but I suppose it would be impossible to transport and certainly not something for a 9 year old boy with a 5 year old brother to have in his room.
The evening finished with a nice dinner and Eva and Joakim's with a birthday cake for Alfred. We sang Happy Birthday in English and did the traditional Swedish saying as well.
Vidar, Alfred, Eva, and Vera.
