Mittens from around Norway Over 40 traditional knitting patterns, inspired by folk art collections

Review by Booklist 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.--Jacobs, Barbara Copyright 2017 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Publisher's Weekly 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 intuitions such as Norway's Roros 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. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

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Review by Library Journal Review

Both colorwork and cables feature prominently in this collection of mittens inspired by traditional knitting from various regions of Norway. The colorwork patterns feature traditional patterns often seen in Scandinavian knitting such as roses, snowflakes, and stars, while cabled designs include all-over cablework ranging from simple to intricate. Sæther (The Joy of Stitching) provides photographs of knitted garments and accessories, daily life, and the process of spinning and dyeing yarn, adding further context to her historically inspired designs. Detailed charts serve as the primary instructions for each project, with brief written instructions listing basics such as yarn type, needle size, and the number of stitches to cast on. VERDICT Knitters of traditional Scandinavian stranded colorwork will be drawn to this collection, but it's also a solid choice for fans of cable knitting. © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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