Socks from Around Norway: Over 40 Traditional Knitting Patterns Inspired by Norwegian Folk-Art Collections
Brand: Trafalgar Square Books
Categories: Books, History, Europe



Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.5 x 11 inches
ISBN-13: 978-1570769221
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1570769222
Publisher: Trafalgar Square Books
Print length: 200 pages
Publication date: February 26, 2019
subtitle: Hardcover – February 26, 2019
author: Nina Granlund Saether
review: Editorial Reviews Review "Sæther celebrates traditional knitwear from Norway, her homeland, “where it's easy to end up with cold fingers more than six months of the year” with this collection of 40 classic knitwear design patterns best suited for advanced knitters. The book requires prior knowledge on how to knit “in the round” and produce Fair Isle color work. Readers must know how to follow pattern charts, including being able to “mirror” a chart for the second mitten. But even nonknitters will appreciate the book's histories of guilds, needles, and ball hooks over 400 years and the tales of prized mittens held in cultural institutions such as Norway's Røros Museum. Delightful snapshots of Sæther as a child knitting with her mother sit among photographs of many mittens in bright colors. The whole book delights and instructs."―Publishers Weekly, June 2017 ― Mittens from Around Norway Review "If a modern knitter were seeking a challenge (or more than 40!), it starts here. Because, as most needleworkers admit, using small needles, fingering yarn, and choosing multiple colors mean following patterns with great care and no little skill. Norwegian author Sæther has simplified as much as possible in this tribute to her country's mittens, going far beyond the well-known black-and-white designs attributed to Selbu to include every region. Even without a singular dedication to the craft, the historical documentation is fascinating. Some of the facts she shares: the Selbu knits didn't use ready-made patterns. Men's gloves feature fold-up cuffs; women's feature long, single-color cuffs. The patterns range from a streamlined heavy-duty fisherman's glove to complex cables and images (deer and flowers, among others). Level of difficulty is rarely indicated; yarns, too (as she points out), might call for U.S. substitutions. All feature great color photographs, graphs, and abbreviated instructions. There is also a good section on tips and techniques. This volume offers scholarly information combined with brilliant designs."―Booklist, August 2017 ― Mittens from Around Norway "If you think Selbu mittens are the be-all and end-all, know you've only scratched the surface of the humble hand warmer's legacy. ... Cables and fans; single-colored stockinette; rose, moose, and cat motifs; plus snowflakes, snowflakes, and more snowflakes: On these pages are mitts for kids, men, and women from all corners of this beautiful country."―Noro Knitting Magazine, December 2017 ― Mittens from Around Norway About the Author Nina Granlund Sæther grew up in Asker, Norway, just outside Oslo. Her love for and interest in knitting, sewing, embroidery, and crochet started before she was even old enough to go to school. She is educated as a craft teacher, and worked for a short time in high school. In 1987 she started her career as a journalist with Norsk Husflid, a Norwegian arts and crafts magazine. Today she works as an editor in chief at Hus & Bolig, a magazine about houses and property. In 2013 she was honored for her work by The Norwegian Specialized Press Association. Sæther has written several books about arts and crafts, and also designs for some Norwegian magazines; her focus is creating original and visually striking craft in a Scandinavian-influenced tradition. Read more