Did you know that Sydney-based handicrafts society Eesti Seltsi Kunsti-, Käsitöö- and Etnograafia Ring (SESKKE) has a folk costume library of over 300 items, led by Maie Pikkat, where you can borrow Estonian costumes, at any age and size?
How it all started?
A few years ago, Maie Pikkat brought an incredible idea to SESKKE: to start a folk costume library in Australia. This idea was born from her love of folk costumes and her evolving understanding of the meaning behind different patterns, colours and pieces. She shared the idea with the folks at SESKKE and there was unanimous support — but the question was, how were they going to do it?
Maie shared that she had enough space to house the folk costumes and there was also a personal connection to a range of costumes created here in Australia in the 1960s and 1970s. Her grandmother Anette created quite a number of costumes that people are still wearing today or donating to our library. Now, Maie did not want people to assume she was taking the costumes for herself, so SESKKE agreed this would become an ongoing project for them, one of many, with Maie as the curator of the costumes. This project has taken on a much bigger meaning than initially thought.
How SESKKE obtains Estonian folk costumes
There are a number of ways SESKKE collects folk costumes from all over Australia. Some are donated by folks with no intention of asking for them back; others are lent to the library on the condition that they will be returned when requested. This allows others to wear and enjoy the range of folk costumes in the library. There are also a number of pieces lent to the library that come from both my own and Maie’s personal collections. Currently, including our own collections, we have over 300 folk costume pieces — and still growing.
This year, 2025, Maie and I travelled to Estonia with the intention of bringing back a suitcase full of material to create more skirts for children. We proposed this to SESKKE and were given a budget to do just that! Our fundraising efforts are being put to good use in serving the community. We travelled to some lesser-known areas of Estonia and scored beautiful belts at nearly half the price you would pay in Tallinn. These items had to come home with us and were added to the library, along with a full suitcase of material.
If you are travelling to Estonia and want to know about these hidden spots, please get in touch with me at marissa.pikkat[at]outlook.com and I will be happy to share.
What we have in the library
When we talk about the size of the library, we are not just talking about a belt here or a skirt there. We are delighted to share that full sets have made their way into the folk costume library, including a number of sets created by my great-grandmother Anette. Maie knows which ones Anette created because of a particular signature style — her skirts are exceptionally vibrant.
Over the years, Maie has collected and cared for full sets and many individual pieces, which we put together for folks to use at various occasions. What I really enjoy about this library is that it is body-inclusive. There are items in a wide range of sizes, from very small through to size 26. This was intentional — we want everyone to feel connected to their Estonian roots, no matter their size. Between all our items, Maie and I manage to find something for everyone.
How we keep track of items
When someone brings an item to the library, Maie diligently catalogues it with a number and name. If someone donates their item, it is labelled with the next number in the sequence and the name SESKKE. If an item is lent, it is labelled with the lender’s name and forms part of a separate collection.
This system can be difficult to manage at times, especially when we take the whole library to the Sõrve summer camp for use, but it works and we have not lost a single item yet. SESKKE has successfully applied for funding from the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia (ECFA) to assist with a new management system; however, many of the easier options come with ongoing costs, so this remains a work in progress. Any donations or ideas on how to manage this efficiently are welcomed by SESKKE ahead of Sõrve 2027.
When items are lent out, folks must sign a contract in blood — just kidding! We simply take their contact details to follow up and check the items back into the library. Thankfully, this system has become more efficient over the years at Sõrve.
Where we use the library
The library has been used over many years at numerous events. The biggest event of the year for Maie and her team (myself included) is Sõrve summer camp. Maie takes all the items to Sõrve, where we unload them and hang each piece up in the lounge room of our tare (cottage) for the week. I fear that at the next camp we may not have much room left to move in our tare once all the costumes are hung and ready to be allocated to children, adults and leaders.
At Sõrve 2025, our Ambassador shared with me during the kultuurietendus (cultural afternoon) that this was the biggest display of Estonian folk costumes he had seen outside Estonia. When I shared this with Maie and SESKKE, they were absolutely thrilled.
The library is also used at other events throughout the year, such as choir performances, Mother’s Day performances by young children, or Lepatriinu (children’s folk dance group), and various other cultural occasions. Maie has also received requests from community members for graduations and multicultural days at primary schools. It is incredible to see the library used for a range of activities, allowing people to share in their pride of Estonia.
How the items are cared for
Maie takes great pride in caring for the folk costumes, some more delicate than others. This is particularly important after Sõrve, as children often sweat in the heat, and some pieces return with make up on it — something I am guilty of myself. Thankfully, Maie is always there to rescue both the folk costumes and me.
Following Sõrve, Maie often spends the next month carefully cleaning the folk costumes before storing them away for future use. Thankfully, she is supported in this work by her husband Toivo, daughter Danae, son in-law Leslie and newly recruited grandson Lekso. I sometimes also help, especially when creating new pieces. I jokingly tell Maie she is running a sweatshop when she asks myself and others to help make pärjad (traditional headpieces).
In early 2025, with the support of SESKKE, Maie attended a one-day workshop on caring for old textiles. This course provided valuable insights into how to care for delicate items, such as lace and hand-dyed wool, including how to avoid colour running and moth damage. I attended as well, and we learned so much, including best practices for storing fabric not yet made into garments. It was very insightful and has helped us find new ways to care for old folk costumes so they can be worn and enjoyed time and time again.
What’s next
There have been talks about showcasing the folk costume collection in Sydney. This would be a big undertaking. It would require a lot of work and substantial community support, but it remains a possibility for the future. In the meantime, Maie will continue to care for and grow the library, with people generously offering their own costumes or those of late loved ones, when they are unsure what to do with them.
SESKKE, Maie and I are incredibly grateful to everyone who donates or lends their costumes because it allows others to experience the joy of Estonian culture through traditional wears and gives each item new life. There are so many emotions when you attend a cultural event such as Vabariigi aastapäev (Independence Day) or emadepäev (mother’s day) and everyone is in their folk costumes. These experiences bring up much joy, pride, connection and a sense of belonging.
How to get involved
If you would like to donate or lend your costume to the library, please contact Maie at maiepikkat[at]bigpond.com and start a conversation. She is always thrilled to receive something new and excited to show me when I visit. That said, I can’t miss it — the newest pieces mostly end up hanging on coat hangers in my bedroom. When I sleep over, I fall asleep surrounded by folk costumes, and it brings me pure joy.
