A wonderful, classic sense of design and a love of history
Knitted Lace of Estonia
I think that a great many of us have been awaiting the publication of Knitted Lace of Estonia with no small amount of eagerness. I know that I have wanted to see it ever since I heard it was in the works about a year or so ago.
It is everything I had hoped for and much more besides! The wait has been more than worthwhile because the outcome is a showcase of a beautiful knitting tradition that will captivate for years and years to come.
I first encountered Estonian lace in a beautiful German book, Maiglöckchen ( Lilies of the Valley ) which focused on this traditional motif (you can still get the book on amazon.de - it's in German but with charts so you can easily follow the patterns). I fell head-over-heels in love with this lace, even though it is true that until you get the hang of it, those 'nupps' can be a bit of a challenge. Eventually, though, I was creating all manner of Lily of the Valleys and happily 'nupping' along.
Nancy Bush's wonderful book traces the traditions and then offers them to us in one amazing shawl or stole after another. Inspiring? Yes - enough inspiration for a lifetime of knitting joy.
Oh - and we happen to carry the yarn used for the specacular cover shawl: Skacel Merino Lace, one of the best wool lace yarns anywhere. Enjoy an enlarged veiw of this shawl below, and find the yarn for it here (you'll need 2 skeins)
Knitted Lace of Estonia
Knitting Vintage Socks
Nancy Bush's newest book is already one of my best friends. Her "remakes" of the classic Weldon's patterns are so wearably wonderful that my first impulse was to take off for a cave in the Himalayas with nothing but her book, yarn and, of course, a reasonable collection of needles. There, I was sure of it, I would have the time to do nothing but recreate these socks. Of course, reality intervened, I think in the form of Bob asking for dinner, and so I'm still here without all the socks knit (yet!). However, I'm working on it -- and know you'll want to do the same. This is a delicious book, one where knitting ideas intersect with history and stories of times past. I should add that Nancy, in her usual fashion, gives us all sorts of information about more sock construction techniques than most of us would have thought existed. Most important, to me at any rate, is that when she brought the patterns up-to-date, she in no way dumbed them down (unless you call changing the needle size from 00000 US to 1 US dumbing down -- I call it lifesaving, myself). You'll love this book, I'm sure of it.
Knitting on the Road
Although socks are indeed the perfect knitting project to take along anywhere, you don't have to leave your favorite knitting chair to love this book. Nancy Bush is a favorite sock designer -- her designs are classic, beautiful, a delight to knit and, best of all, very, very wearable. Here are 17 new designs, inspired by destinations the world over, that will take you on journeys of their own through techniques traditional and modern, with yarns from every corner of the knitting globe. These are socks you love making every step of the way -- and then you love wearing them and introducing them to your friends!
As if that weren't enough, Nancy Bush has provided an excellent introduction to all the techniques she uses and even gives us a "yarn equivalency" chart for over 50 likely sock yarns, by name and manufacturer. If you can't find the yarn she uses, you'll truly have no trouble finding a wonderful substitute.
Folk Knitting in Estonia
We all owe Nancy Bush a big "thank you" for gifting us with the pictures and patterns of Estonian socks and mittens -- socks and mittens, I might add, which are heart-stoppingly exquisite in their design and achingly beautiful in the love that has gone into making them.
This is a knitting tradition that is as alive to the song nature sings us as it is to the beauty and meaning of Estonian culture and tradition. Wonderful, wonderful stuff!