"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit either." ~ Elizabeth Zimmerman

12/19/14

Next Years Knitting Challenge

Each year I like to set myself some kind of goal, or theme for my knitting. This year was supposed to be the year of sweaters for me. I have one finished, and one more than halfway done, so I consider it a success.

One of the things I've been thinking about getting into for quite some time is colorwork mittens in the style of Latvia/Estonia/Norway. I've decided 2015 will be the year of colorwork mittens. Over the last few months I have obtained some awesome books on the subject. They aren't in English, exactly, but the patterns are easy to figure out, and wonderful. Many of them come from mittens in various museums. Each book does have an English translation of some of the information written in the book. So I can learn from them.



I was reading Suur kindaraamat last night and found it to be very interesting. In Estonia, mittens have always been very important to their culture. Girls were taught to knit mittens very early in life and would knit dozens of pairs that they saved for their wedding day to give to the wedding guests. She also would knit a pair of white ones for her groom. After marriage, they would knit mittens for their funeral, not to be put on themselves, but for the attendees and the officiants of said funeral. An Estonian woman would knit hundreds of pairs of mittens over her lifetime for herself, her family, and her community. I find that fascinating.

I started this mitten earlier this month. I have made some progress on it.



It got shoved aside to finish the Christmas knitting. That's done as of last night. HURRAY! (No pics until after Christmas though.) So it's back to it I go, and the moose sweater too, of course. I might not get hundreds done, but I expect it to be a very interesting knitting year. I've already learned how to knit braids. They're super easy, and so decorative!

I am so glad to have the Christmas knitting done. The Christmas shopping is done too. Just need to wrap everything up. I'm gonna work on that this weekend.

We got a little bit of snow this week, but mostly, when there's been precipitation, it's been rain.

I haven't beaded in ages. I'm missing it terribly. I need to make some time to get back to it.

Live long and prosper. \\//

3 comments:

  1. Love those mittens. Cold here in michigan. Hint hint.

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  2. This will be the year for me as well to learn that style of knitting. I have the same books and have really enjoyed them. Here is a link to my pinterest mitten board that you might like to look at. I've collected so many patterns or pictures!
    http://www.pinterest.com/dfuller553241/mittens/

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  3. Maybe this will be my year to learn this too. I've wanted to for so long.

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