Grey Socks in October

These are grey socks kitted in thin sock yarn Fabel on needles size 2,50 mm. I searched the internet for a nice stitch pattern and finally found this that I liked because it gave me a retro-feel.

They are knitted on a circular needle using the magic-loop technique.This is not my favourite method, since I prefer knitting socks with five needles, but I have decided to knit some socks in this way. I think that it could be useful if I want to bring some sock-knitting when travelling since it prevents dropping needles.

I added one strand of yarn and knitted the heel in twined knitting to get a stronger fabric. If you know how to do twined knitting I can recommend this.
For those of you who like the stitch pattern I have charted it.

Chart for grey socks stitch pattern - knitted in the round

Socks knitted by my mother

My mother taught me how to knit when I was about six years old. First garter stitch scarves, but quite soon after that socks on five double-pointed needles. In the beginning I did not master the heel and the toe decreases (of course) but I managed the cuff, leg and foot.

Since then most of the socks I knit is knitted the way she taught me. Teaching somebody to knit is a great gift. Knitting has given me a lot of joy.

My mother will be 88 in December, and she still knits. She finished these socks last week. They are knitted on double-pointed needles, 2,50 mm with Fabel sock yarn. Her eyesight is not very good nowadays, but I guess that a life of knitting socks helps her hands to find their way.

Folklig virkning - Nås socken Dalarna / Traditional crochet from Nås parish Dalecarlia

Ulla Berglund Brasch - Folklig virkning Nås socken Dalarna

Finally! Ulla Berglund Brasch - "Folklig virkning Nås socken Dalarna" (in Swedish only) is a book on the tapestry crochet tradition from Nås, Dalecarlia. This kind of crochet has been done since the mid 1800´s when the first pattern books for crochet were published in Sweden.

Hjärtvärmare - Heart warmer

It is exceptional that this technique so quickly was incorporated with the traditional peasant costume in Nås, since the traditional costumes at that time already had a relatively strict form. The book is based on an inventory of traditional crocheted items from  Nås done in 1993-1996. The crocheted shawls called "Hjärtvärmare" (translated that would be: heart-warmers) from Nås are famous. The inventory registered 41 of these shawls, most commonly red patterned in black and white.

Crocheted mittens from 1855

Other items that were crocheted were mittens, hats, suspenders, purses, bands  and wrist-warmers. The book gives us the history, the technique, the materials,  and a lot of pictures. It also has patterns for one shawl and a pair of mittens.

Crocheted bands

Crocheted suspenders

My interest for this crochet tradition started when I visited Nås and Dala-Floda in 2014:

Roses in embroidery, crochet and knitting in Dala-Floda - part 3 (Crochet) 

Roses in embroidery, crochet and knitting in Dala-Floda - part 5 (A visit to Nås)

Tveband - Jakten på en strikketradition / "Twined knitting - In search of a knitting tradition"

This is a very interesting book about the Norwegian twined knitting tradition. Translated to English the title would be something like "Twined knitting - In search of a knitting tradition". I knew that twined knitting had a tradition in Norway. I had heard that they wore their mittens "inside-out" compared to us in Sweden. But that was about it. Information about Norwegian twined knitting has been very scarce.

Margit Bredesen, in cooperation with Magnhild Tallerås (textile advisor), has written a book (and knitted all the mittens in the book) that is thorough. History, techniques, similarities and differences between Norwegian and Swedish tradition, as well as a bunch of patterns (traditional and more modern) are to be found in this book.

Treasuring all the information this book has to offer I find it very inspiring to get a "new" angle on twined knitting. This is a book that has been long missing and a twined knitting tradition well worth a good book like this. I agree with the author that twined knitting is an old and interesting technique that is worth preserving, part of the cultural history of Norway and that this book shows the unique Norwegian tradition.

This book is only available in Norwegian.

It is published by Grue Husflidslag

It can be ordered at gruehusflidslag@gmail.com

ISBN: 978-82-91195-40-7

Blue socks in October

Blue socks

Autumn has come. A perfect time for sock knitting. In my yarn stash I found this yarn from Opal and decided to knit myself  blue socks. This is a basic sock with an Old Norwegian Cast-On, that I think is called "dubbel korsuppläggning" in Swedish. A cuff with a simple ribbing (knit 1, purl 1). When knitting the heel I added one strand of yarn and knitted it in twined knitting. This is an old way of making the heel stronger when knitting socks.

Heel in twined knitting

All in all I ended up with a nice pair of socks. And have started on a new pair.

Autumn is here