We are building a new website for the Njál’s Saga Tapestry Exhibition.

A group of designers are preparing a permanent exhibition to open in the town of Hvolsvöllur, South Iceland in 2028. While we are working on the exhibition space we are able to show a shorter version of the Tapestry to the world, the Traveling Tapestry.

The Njál's Saga Tapestry is 90 metres long and is based on Njál's saga, also known as Saga of the Burning of Njál. It is the greatest of the Icelandic sagas, written in the late thirteenth century in Iceland. This is a family saga that revolves around friendship, feuds and battles, passion, power struggle and vengeance, honor, shame and reconciliation.

The Njál's Saga Tapestry was embroidered using methods of stitching that are often referred to as the Bayeux stitch as they were used for the famous Bayeux Tapestry in France.

Through the Hands of a Community

The Njál’s Saga Tapestry was created and embroidered in Hvolsvöllur where most of the Saga takes place. It was founded by Christina M. Bengtsson, a history teacher and Gunnhildur Edda Kristjánsdóttir, a regional librarian. The images were drawn by award-winning artist Kristín Ragna Gunnarsdóttir.

They collected a group of local residents interested in Icelandic literature, culture, and handwork to join the project and then got a remarkable idea and invited the world to join them and sew. Njál's Saga tapestry is embroidered in Hvolsvöllur by people of all ages from 150 countries and six continents, along with many local Icelanders. The log book that was kept records 12,518 entries of sewing sessions by thousands of people. The project took 7 years and seven months and the final stitch was taken in the autumn of 2020.

The Njál’s Saga Traveling Tapestry Excerpt

A few of the most dedicated women that worked on the Njál's saga tapestry continued to sew the Traveling Tapestry which is a 5 m long excerpt of the Saga.

A great supporter of the project, Claudia Pétursson organized more than 15 events and festivals in North America in the summer of 2025. She lectured at conferences, art centers and festivals where the traveling tapestry was on display.

Pakhusstrik in Copenhagen, September 11-13th 2026

The Njál’s Saga Tapestry project will be presented at the Pakhusstrik Festival in Copenhagen. The Traveling Tapestry excerpt will be on display as well as embroidery workshops hosted by Gunnhildur Edda Kristjánsdóttir, Claudia Pétursson and Lovísa Ragnarsdóttir.

More information is available from Nordatlantens Brygge.

List of the events in the US and Canada, organized and presented by Claudia Pétursson in 2025.

SASS Annual Convention – SASS

April 24-26/2025 – Minneapolis, MN, USA

Gimli 2025 - Annual Convention – INLNA

May 1-4/2025 – Gimli, MB, Canada

Annual Convention – New Iceland Museum

May 1-4/2025 – Gimli, MB, Canada

Teaching Class – University of Washington Nordic Dept.

May 7th, 2025 – Seattle, WA, USA

Embroidery Classes – National Nordic Museum

May 10th, 2025 – Seattle, WA, USA

Metchosin Art Center - presentations, workshops, school visits – Icelanders of Victoria

May 12-19/2025 – Victoria, BC, Canada

Presentation – The Historical Society of Point Roberts

May 21st, 2025 – Point Roberts, WA, USA

Presentation – Blaine Icelandic Heritage Society

May 22nd, 2025 – Blaine, WA, USA

Historic Markerville – Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society

July 14-25/2025 – Markerville, AB, Canada

August the Deuce – The Deuce - ICA of ND

July 31-Aug 3/ 2025 – Mountain, ND, USA

Islendingadagurinn – Icelandic Festival of Manitoba

Aug 3-4/2025 – Gimli, MB, Canada

Tapestry Showing and Classes – Historical Cultural Society of Clay County

Aug 5-13/2025 – Moorhead, MN, USA

Tapestry Showing and Classes – Danish American Club/Hekla Club

Aug 14-20/2025 – Minneapolis, MN, USA

Event at St. Martin Village – St. Martin Village

Sept 5th, 2025 – Rapid City, SD, USA

Event at Library – Rapid City Public Library

Sept 6th, 2025 – Rapid City, SD, USA

Denver Gathering – Icelandic Association of Colorado

Sept 8-21/2025 – Denver, CO, USA

Presentation at monthly meeting – Handweavers Guild of Boulder

Sept 9th, 2025 – Boulder, CO, USA

Embroidery Workshop – Handweavers Guild of Boulder

Sept 13th, 2025 – Boulder, CO, USA

Boulder Gathering – University of CO at Boulder/Nordic Program

Boulder, CO, USA