2025 is the Year of the Book, marking 500 years since the publication of the first printed work containing the Estonian language. To celebrate, events are taking place both in Estonia and everywhere Estonians live around the world.
One of the most delightful initiatives bringing book lovers together is the collective embroidery of the Year of the Book pictorial tapestry. The idea came from the late Krista Aru, who together with Mart Jagomägi selected the book-themed historical events to be depicted on the tapestry. Historian Aivar Põldvee contributed his expertise in regards to historical accuracy. The story of the Estonian book was drawn by students of the Pallas University of Applied Sciences’ textile department—Brigitte Mihkelson, Inger Tammela, Kristiin Kuuslap, Marite Rikkas, and Sofia Lanman—under the guidance of department head Professor Aet Ollisaar and Marju Roos. Since March, the tapestry has been traveling around Estonia so that everyone interested may contribute to it.
In the spring, before the 5th Estonian Music Week (EMW), the festival organizer—the Estonian Museum Canada (VEMU), in Toronto—was looking for ideas regarding interactive activities at the EMW Village Party. We asked the Book Year central committee member Mart Jagomägi whether Estonians in Toronto could also take part in the tapestry project. Unfortunately, it turned out that the tapestry’s route within Estonia was already planned down to the last detail, leaving no space for Toronto. After further discussion, we reached a solution: the Estonian tapestry would get a twin. A second 17-meter tapestry would be printed, divided into five sections, and sent around the world. The sections are now circulating not only in Canada but also in Australia, the US, Finland, and several countries in Europe.
In Canada, the tapestry has been embroidered on many occasions in addition to the EMW Village Party. In June and July, it was at the Seedrioru midsummer festivities and summer camp. In August it traveled to the Kotkajärve Forest University, and in September to the dance camp Nou Pois Äläud at Jõekääru, organized by the Estonian Arts Centre in Canada, a charity associated with the new megaproject KESKUS International Estonian Centre. In September, it could also be embroidered at VEMU’s Year of the Book event “Turning Pages Through Time: A Seminar Dedicated to 500 Years of the Estonian Book and Literary Culture,” as well as at the 55th anniversary of Tartu College and at the opening of the National Library of Estonia and Joonas Sildre’s joint traveling exhibition for the Year of the Book. In October, Latvians joined Estonians in embroidering it at the joint Oktoberfest, organized by the two communities. The tapestry also visited the Toronto Estonian Supplementary School in October. In early November, Estonian educators met with the local Estonian community, and both locals and visitors tried their hand at embroidery. On November 8, the tapestry was at VEMU’s book fair, and on December 7 it reached the Montreal Estonians’ Christmas gathering. It has also been embroidered at sorority meetings, VEMU’s language café, and at the Bibliography Club. Upcoming embroidery sessions include the large Estonian community Christmas event/market in Toronto and others. Embroidery guidance has been offered at Seedrioru by Merike Koger and Anne Remmel, and in Toronto by Liis Teedla, Helle Arro, and Maaja Matsoo.
The European tapestry segment began its journey in Denmark, then traveled to the Netherlands and Switzerland, and at the end of November to Germany. Some impressions from the journey follow. Krõõt Kaljusto-Munck from the Estonian Embassy in Copenhagen reports:
Thanks to literature café participant Lemmi Tui, Estonians in Copenhagen had the opportunity to stitch themselves into history. The tapestry brought people together for several weeks—needle and thread moved briskly, and whoever tried it once always returned. Embroidering took place on August 27, August 30, September 3, September 6, and September 10. Among the male embroiderers were Ambassador Andre Pung and musician Villu Veski. On September 3, Prime Minister Kristen Michal happened to be at the embassy and spoke with the embroiderers.
In the Netherlands, stitching took place in Rotterdam as part of the Year of the Book event series “Cultural Duets,” which hosted Tõnu Õnnepalu and Jaan Tootsen on September 28, Urmas Vadi and Piret Raud on October 11, and Lauri Räpp and Justin Petrone on November 15. Embroidery also took place in the local Estonian school and Estonian homes. Kaire van der Toorn Guthan coordinated the tapestry’s movement from one place to the next.
In early November the same tapestry segment traveled to Switzerland. Kaja Kumer Haukamõmm was the coordinator in Bern, and Anna-Kristiina Pae in Geneva. In Geneva, 6–7 people gathered on November 11 and had a lively and cheerful time. In Bern, stitching took place on 16 November at Kaja’s home in Muri bei Bern, with participants Anni from Basel, Triin from near Bern, and Lisanna from Bern. An idea arose to embroider the Swiss flag into the tapestry, since Gutenberg and his printing press come from Switzerland. Participants also suggested forming a handicraft group to craft and chat together like their ancestors—both therapeutic activities. The tapestry then traveled to Triin’s home, where eight more enthusiasts stitched.
Next on the itinerary is Germany: Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, and Munich. The movement of the tapestry is coordinated by Katri Helena Hackländer.
In Finland, a lot has already been done in a short time, and even more is planned. The tapestry’s journey is overseen by Estonian language and culture teacher Koidu Oja, who reports:
The Year of the Book tapestry’s journey in Finland began on Teachers’ Day, 4 October, when the Estonian-language Education Society, in cooperation with the Estonian Embassy in Finland, organized the traditional Teachers’ Day event. Estonian teachers working in Finland gathered at the embassy for the entire day, first participating in a workshop by literary scholar and therapist Berit Kaschan, and then celebrating Teachers’ Day in a livelier way. Kaschan provided many valuable insights. Her message resonated: as long as the story continues, so does life. The Year of the Book tapestry also tells the story of our written language.
The tapestry then traveled to the Finnish cities of Lohja, Jyväskylä, and Vantaa. Upcoming sessions will take place in Rovaniemi and Tampere. The tapestry has been embroidered by Estonian children, Estonian language students, their parents, and Estophiles. In Vantaa, children stitched together with children’s author Triinu Laan, who visited from Võrumaa.
The largest embroidery session took place at activity room at the Helsinki St. Martin’s Day Fair on November 15–16. The fair attracts thousands of visitors. Sadly, only about ten people can embroider at a time. Still, it can be said the tapestry project is very popular in Finland, and the workshop has been requested again.
At the end of September, stitching began at the New York Estonian House and continued until the end of October, with four sessions in total. The tapestry then travelled to the Lakewood Estonian House, where it remained until late November. From there it will travel to Washington (in December) and its final stop before being sent to Estonia will be the Chicago Estonian community (in January).
In New York, 24 people participated, including f ive teenagers and children who came with their parents and added their own small but heartfelt contributions. Several participants had not embroidered for a very long time, or at all, so it took some time to remember or learn the techniques.
Elke Liisa Lõhmus, who is coordinating the tapestry’s journey in the US, believes that the most beautiful part of the project is the opportunity to spend time together and get to know one another better. Collective embroidering becomes not only a creative activity but also a community-building experience that participants will surely remember.
In Australia, a shared embroidery session titled “Kutse vaibale” (an Estonian play on words, which means an invitation to an official event as well as to embroider) was held on October 26 at the Sydney Estonian House, organized by the Sydney Estonian Craft Group, with coffee and treats. The success of the event owes thanks to the Estonian Society of Sydney chair Ave Nukk and photographer Esmée Okamoto. The next stitching session in Sydney took place on November 16.
If your community, society, or friend group is also interested in embroidering, contact your local organizers or write to piret.noorhani@vemu.ca , and we will help get the tapestry to you.
Anyone who can hold a needle can take part. The tapestry’s images are pre-printed in color, and the necessary yarns are provided. Participants must supply their own needles. Instructions can be found on the website: https://raamatuaasta.ee/ et/programm/eesti-raamatu-aasta-suur-piltvaip 500-aastat-eesti-raamatut.
Embroidering will continue until February 2026. After that, the segments will return to Estonia for the conclusion of the Year of the Book. There they will be sewn together into a single 17-meter tapestry, which will find its permanent home at VEMU. The tapestry stitched in Estonia will be kept at the Estonian National Museum.
Koidu Oja summarized the Finnish Estonians’ experience like this: “Stitchers have said that the last time they held a needle with thread was handicraft class in school. When stitching begins, there is conversation and story-sharing, but soon a meditative calm takes over, along with the joy of handiwork.” Indeed, even the author must admit that she also has not embroidered since handicraft classes at school.
Triinu from Switzerland wrote: “What a wonderful undertaking! So much fun and laughter and such a warm feeling of home—no event has brought such a feeling for ages! At first some hesitated, but once needles were picked up, everyone’s eyes lit up and ideas flowed about how to hide codes in the tapestry that only fellow Estonians would understand—whether a Lotte book title, Stahl as Sammalhabe (Mossbeard, a character from a popular children´s book “Naksitrallid/Three Jolly Fellows” by Eno Raud) or the grammatical rule of the attribute of a toponym embroidered in computer code. A truly delightful experience!”
There are also those for whom the Year of the Book tapestry was their very first embroidery experience. VEMU team member Kati Kiilaspea is one of them. A few days ago I heard that she has now acquired all the necessary embroidery tools and intends to actively continue. Isn’t it wonderful that thanks to the Year of the Book, Estonian women’s embroidery traditions are rising from the ashes?
But the tapestry project has also accomplished its main goal—to teach the history of the Estonian-language book. We must be grateful to Krista Aru and all those who set this valuable initiative in motion. VEMU thanks the Book Year central committee members, local coordinators, embroiderers, and everyone else who has contributed to the diaspora Estonian tapestry project. Special thanks go to the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the foreign missions that have supported the tapestry’s journey. What else is there to say—let’s keep stitching, all the way to the triumphant finish!
Piret Noorhani
Chief Archivist, VEMU