With her textile pattern "Tallstig", Emelie Almgren wants to pay tribute to an ancient sewing technique and bring important women's history to life. Together with a maker who has gone straight to the heart, she feels the work is ready to meet its audience. - It's unbeatable to follow the craft all the way to the finished product," she says.

To finally have a product that you have created in your hands is a wonderful and quite indescribable experience. Emelie Almgren knows that. When we reach her for a chat about her journey in eXpression Design, she has stopped in a parking space between Östersund and Sollefteå. In the back seat is a long roll of fabric that barely fits in the car.  

It's almost hard not to tear up the package right now," she laughs enthusiastically.  

As a child, she often visited her grandmother and grandfather at their summer cottage in Anundsjö. Walks in the woods became a common interest, and much later the memories of the pine path that she ran on from the big cottage down to the river for a swim would inspire her artistic expression. "Pine Path", as she has chosen to call her pattern, is rooted in the bright memories of her childhood and is at the same time a tribute to an ancient sewing tradition, the Anundsjö Sewing. 

Brita-Kajsa Karlsdotter is the creator of the stitch, which was only recognised after the death of the textile artist. In her innovative style, she used red thread scraps from toweling fabrics - a master of recycling. 

She took advantage of the game and therefore it also became a little "ugly" behind the fabric. It really inspired me, it was important to include the sustainability aspect. There is no waste, if we sew up a cushion we make sure to make other things out of the scraps. 

And just as Brita-Kajsa was inspired by what she found in nature, Emelie has embroidered pine twigs from the garden, using Anundsjö stitch, which are then printed on fabric.  

I want the craft to live on and have a greater value than perhaps being sold on at a flea market for nothing. I want it to have a place in the modern home. 

The first step is to sew up cushions, and when Emelie had to decide which manufacturer she wanted to work with, the choice fell on Kasam textile studio. It is a social enterprise under the Red Cross in Umeå that works with sewing and recycling. It employs two tailors, both of whom are new to Sweden.  

They bring with them from their home countries a special knowledge of tailoring and the idea is that they will run the company themselves afterwards, says Cornelia Helleday, Communications Officer.  

Kasam textile studio stands on several legs. They sew to order for companies, carry out alterations and repairs, and also have their own brand where they recycle discarded garments from the Red Cross second-hand shops in Umeå.  

We clicked right away, me and Emelie. She had such a clear idea and we fell in love with it," says Cornelia Helleday.  

For me, it was immediately obvious to be associated with Kasam, as they represent the values that are important to me," says Emelie Almgren.  

The printing is done by Frösö Handtryck. Also a conscious choice by Emelie.  

All their products are printed by hand in the factory in Jämtland. It has been an incredible experience to follow the craftsmanship all the way, from idea to finished product. 

Text: Elin Holmberg 

Photo: Elin Nerpin