Traditional Himmelis

The word himmeli comes from the Swedish word “himmel”, meaning “sky” or “heaven”. At Raahen Taitopaja, over 150 different himmelis are displayed, allowing you to explore a true “Himmeli Sky”

Himmelis can be built from almost any tube-like material, such as rye, willow, couch grass, metal, plastic, paper, and glass tubes.

When making traditional himmelis, rye is the best material among grain varieties. The long golden-yellow stalks cut with a sickle should be dried in the sun in small bundles, turned several times to ensure even color.

Sea couch grass is a good substitute for rye. It is relatively easy to find in sandy coastal areas. It is also a durable material that is suitable even for beginners to work with.

The type of thread used in making himmelis depends on the materials being used. When working with natural materials, a thin cotton thread is used together with a so-called himmeli needle or doll needle. The needle should have a blunt tip to avoid breaking the straw.

The workshop has a wide range of ready-made himmelis for sale, most of which are glass himmelis. Himmelis made from natural materials are mainly made to order for customers. We also make so-called DIY himmeli kits for glass himmelis. DIY kits made for natural material himmelis are available by special order only. There are 38 different glass kit models available.

Making himmelis is a time-consuming process, and production is limited. Therefore, please take the Christmas season into account and make sure to place your order well in advance to ensure availability.