Start your sewing adventure with us.    Join Seamwork

Articles on this site were all published prior to 2017 and this site is no longer updated. Please visit our current Articles, Patterns, and Classes for the most up-to-date content and products.

Notes from Scandinavia

This trip was amazing.

Stockholm and Copenhagen were two of the loveliest places I have ever set foot in. Much like Paris, you sort of feel like your jaw drops at your first glimpse of the skyline and pretty much stays in that position until you leave. These were gorgeous, gorgeous cities. Did I mention gorgeous? Really. Gorgeous.

I won’t bore you with a blow by blow, because I mostly want to share photos and thereby relive the experience. But I will say that all of your tips helped tremendously, even though I didn’t end up doing much fabric shopping. And I’m sorry I didn’t have a chance to meet up with any of you locals! I was still feeling ill part of the time and didn’t have the mental energy to plan a meet up, but I will certainly be returning to your part of the world because I loved it.

One of the reasons I love travel is that it has this powerful ability to completely clear your mind. You realize how big and beautiful the world is and how silly and insignificant all your piddly problems are. I feel utterly refreshed, with a completely new perspective.

Stockholm

Those vistas over the water really say it all. Stockholm is beautiful, as are the people.

Copenhagen

And then Copenhagen. I want to move here. The flowers, the green spaces everywhere, the bicycles, the utterly peaceful zones within an otherwise bustling city. This city completely stole my heart.

If you’d like more, check out my Stockholm and Copenhagen sets on Flickr.

Sarai Mitnick

Founder

Sarai started Colette back in 2009. She believes the primary role of a business should be to help people. She loves good books, sewing with wool, her charming cats, working in her garden, and eating salsa.

Comments

Erika

May 29, 2012 #

Lovely pictures! Glad to hear you enjoyed Scandinavia =) I was born and raised in Stockholm, but moved to northern Sweden some years ago. I still visit family there every now and then, and was actually in Stockholm both these last two weekends. For once I had some time to wander around the city centre, and I fell a bit in love in my old hometown. It really is beautiful at this time of the year!

Anyway, wonderful pictures, you really captured Stockholm at her finest! =)

Marie

May 29, 2012 #

Oh my goodness, what stunning photos! Thanks so much for sharing, I now need to visit these places like crazy!

Tessa

May 29, 2012 #

Great pictures! I was hoping you would post some more. I like how you matched the sail on the sailboat, and I love the purple shamrocks. I even got them (potted, not cut) for my mom for Mother’s Day this year. Oh, how I wish I could travel abroad this summer!

Sarah

May 29, 2012 #

Oh, how wonderful! Thank you so much for allowing us to travel vicariously through you by sharing your lovely holiday. I especially like the ‘living’ archway.

Nicole

May 29, 2012 #

Thanks for sharing! I’ll be going to Copenhagen in the fall for a conference, and you’re making me even more excited. How easy was it to find vegetarian food? Do you have any restaurant recommendations?

Sarai

May 29, 2012 #

I actually thought vegetarian food was pretty easy to come by, with lots of things specifically labeled vegetarian on menus. We rented an apartment, which we usually do so we can cook and save a bit of money, and it’s fun to shop at the local markets. If you visit Christiania, the food at Morgenstedet is vegetarian, inexpensive, and SO good.

I found the food in both cities to be really diverse, much more so than in other European cities I’ve been to. The number of food choices seemed closer to what we’re used to here in the states.

Miriana

May 29, 2012 #

It might be time for you to watch The Killing and The Bridge to get a glimpse of the slightly grittier sides of Denmark / Sweden.

Tasha @ Stale Bread into French Toast

May 29, 2012 #

Just lovely photos! I have now added both cities to my “places I would love to visit” list!

Ginger

May 29, 2012 #

How gorgeous! Great photos!

Christine

May 29, 2012 #

Were you singing “Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen” the whole time you were there? I have that song in my head just from looking at your photos. Thank you Danny Kay.

Sarai

May 29, 2012 #

Haha, no… but I am now.

Annette

May 29, 2012 #

Holy moly! Those are absolutely gorgeous photos. I can totally see why you fell in love with the place. Someday I would love to visit such a lovely place, if nothing else, just to remind myself these places really exist.

Tyler

May 29, 2012 #

Wow. Just wow.

Lauren

May 29, 2012 #

Gorgeous photos!

Emily

May 29, 2012 #

Absolutely gorgeous pictures!!!

Amanda

May 29, 2012 #

Wow, amazing photos… I can see why Copenhagen stole your heart; I love the water and the gorgeous colours! Is it like Venice, where they get around by boat quite a bit?

My partner and I are dying to travel the world too, but it’s costly, so it’s nice to be able to live vicariously through others in the meantime while we save up! :)

Sarai

May 30, 2012 #

There’s not nearly so much water travel as Venice, but definitely seemed to be some since everything is around the water. A local could probably answer better, since we really just took the tourist boat to various museums and whatnot. :)

Credit cards with good rewards programs can really help you make travel affordable!

Johanna

May 29, 2012 #

I have to agree with the others and say… Such beautiful photos!
I wish I had such talent or at least a decent camera.
Glad to hear you had a good time in Scandinavia, since I live here and am proud of Sweden.

scuffsan

May 29, 2012 #

Your photos are amazing! Looking at them I’m thinking I’m crazy for moving from Stockholm, but Gothenburg isn’t all that bad either.

Alice

May 29, 2012 #

Your photos are magnificent. Really lovely. Before you decide to move there, though, be sure you know what winter is like!!!!

Sarai

May 30, 2012 #

Ha, yes… we were thinking a 6 month sojourn would be about right. Spring through Fall. ;)

Alice

May 30, 2012 #

Wise thinking! I grew up in Upstate NY and know what those winters can do. That’s why I now live in Northern CA.

Julie

May 29, 2012 #

Gorgeous photos. The colours are so rich. Makes me want to holiday in Europe this summer. I can just taste the buttery flakiness of those pastries!

Claire Leach

May 30, 2012 #

Lovely photos! I must admit that I am addicted to the ‘Nordic Noir’ of Wallander, The Killing, The Bridge and the wonderful political ‘Borgen’ set in Copenhagen. These are a real antidote seeing the sunnier side.

Donna

May 30, 2012 #

Beautiful photography! You’re right, travelling kind of resets your mental and spiritual clock. Well, it can, if you let it. :) Thanks for sharing!

MariaDenmark

May 30, 2012 #

Wow! Great pictures – I can’t believe you were in Copenhagen, and I can see from the pics that you were very close to where I usually hang out:-)
Denmark (and especially Copenhagen is absolutely at it’s best in May.
Let me buy you a drink when you come back to Copenhagen!

Sarai

May 30, 2012 #

Next time for sure! I felt guilty not meeting up with anyone. But I really felt I needed a break from making plans, if you know what I mean. :)

Angela

May 30, 2012 #

OH those photos were wonderful, gorgeous! Thank you for sharing!

Marie-Louise

May 31, 2012 #

I’m so happy you loved Copenhagen. It’s my hometown and I love it sooo much. Last week the weather were amazing- almost summer. This week it’s so cold. Brrrrr.

Christine

June 1, 2012 #

I love the Northern European Cities and happily have friends living near Copenhagen so I can visit. I think it is the light and the colours for me. and of course style and design. My favourite and most influential.
Next time you go make time to go to Museum Louisiana – It is a bit outside the city but is the most amazing modern art gallery – one of the world’s best.