Tuesday 7 June 2016

Happy new year!

Yes, I know we're in June, but I realise this is my first blog post this year. Not that I've been hibernating, but I've mostly been swatching for new workshops and suppose I haven't really felt like blogging about them, even though I do enjoy swatching. However, here's one of them: it's for a two-week course starting on Friday at HV in Stockholm.



No, I'm not a giant (anyone who has met me will be able to testify) although you might think so comparing the stitches to my hand. This is my personal gauge record, 70 stitches to 10 cm/4 in, which I managed by combining twined knitting and 1½ mm needles. The pattern is from Richard Rutt's A History of Hand Knitting.

Speaking of books, here's a photo of a treasure, a stunning collection of Latvian mitten patterns available from Sena Klets. Actually, I've seen this book before, but now that I have an English copy I can read about culture and traditions too. Extremely highly recommended! (Time to go back to planning and proof-knitting, but hopefully it won't be another five months before next post...)


7 comments:

sandra said...

Happy 2016!Gorgeous swatch, I bet it is very warm.

Katrine said...

Hej Ivar! Det ska bli bra att ses på Bornholm :-) Jag skulle gärna varit med på Sticksymposiet också - men det får bli nån annan gång :-)

Connie said...

Ivar,

I am glad you like the book! It is one of the best and beautiful books on latvian knitting...

I say so because I am working with it every day and this summer the book will be published in three more languages!

So you will find a topic for your second topic this year, I am sure!

Have a nice day,

Connie

Asplund said...

Sandra: thanks - and yes, it is very warm indeed! Not particularly elastic...

Katrine: ja, på Bornholm ska vi hygge oss!

Connie: I'm glad to hear the book will be published in more langugages - the more, the better!

ron in mexico said...

Thanks for reviewing the book. I am sure it is full of delightful patterns. Your swatch is wonderful and what an achievement. I imagine it makes a very dense fabric. What would it be used for?
Ron in Mexico

Yarndude said...

I own that book in Latvian and even though I can't read the words, there is so much inspiration on the pages! I use it all the time.

Asplund said...

Ron: it is indeed a wonderful book! The swatch pattern is from a medieval cushion found in a tomb in Spain. I might turn my swatch into a mini cushion (not to be put in a tomb) eventually, but I want my course participants to be able to see what the wrong side looks like.

Yarndude: yes, isn't it an endless source of inspiration - regardless of language?