Norwegian Knitting - Scandiwork Slippers
| Instructor: Kristin Drysdale | Class Capacity: 25 | |||
| Class Level: Intermediate |
Description ~ Norwegian Knitting - Scandiwork Slippers
Kristin loves teaching this class because it is colorwork in a nutshell. You will learn and master all the skills you need to conquer any colorwork project. In this class, you will complete at least one slipper. You have the option of knitting an Ingeborg (the easiest), Hansdatter, Hans Christian, Sørine Pattern, or Hansen included in class. You will learn how to knit and purl in colorwork. The first portion of the slipper is worked flat, and the top of the slipper is knit in the round.
Norwegian Knitting - Selbu Mittens and Symbolism in Norwegian Motifs
| Instructor: Kristin Drysdale | Class Capacity: 25 | |||
| Class Level: Intermediate |
Description ~ Norwegian Knitting - Selbu Mittens and Symbolism in Norwegian Motifs
In 1857 a girl named Marit Gulsetbrua Emstad made three pairs of mittens featuring an eight-pointed star in bold black. She wore them to church, and soon her whole town was designing and knitting black and white mittens. Soon it became a cottage industry and mitten were knit and sold around the world.
In Kristin's book The Nordic Knitting Primer, she designed a pair of Selbu Mittens to symbolize the Scandinavian immigration to North America. Norwegian knitting motifs carry a meaning with them. In this class you will learn all about the symbolism and secret messages you can use to make the knitting you do for loved ones meaningful and personal. In this traditional Selbu mitten, Kristin used waves to symbolize the journey, the date could be added to reflect their family's immigration, a man or woman could be placed on the thumb to represent their member of their family that immigrated, a star pattern on the palm to symbolize the stars they saw crossing the Atlantic , a Selbu Rose to symbolize Norway, a compass to represent the voyage, and flowers on the cuff to remind us all to bloom where we are. The knitters can modify my mitten and knit a mitten that tells their story , knit Kristin's original design from her book, or design a mitten of your own from her e-book.
Swedish Knitting - Ambidextrous Knitting and Swedish Lovika Mittens
| Instructor: Kristin Drysdale | Class Capacity: 25 | |||
| Class Level: Basic knitting skills. |
Description ~ Swedish Knitting - Ambidextrous Knitting and Swedish Lovika Mittens
This class focuses on knitting a new way. The easiest way into knitting colorwork is to hold one yarn in the left hand (Continental) and another color in the right hand (throwing). Both techniques will be taught in this class, and you will practice which way is new to you. In this class you will make Swedish Lovikka Mittens.
Lovika mittens were created above the Artic Circle in Lovikka Sweden by a young girl named Erika Aittamaa in 1892. They were knit with heavy Swedish wool, then combed to make them soft and fluffy, and then embroidered to make them festive. Because they are knit with one color, Lovikaa Mittens are a great project for beginners, or for learning a new way to knit. You will knit and embroider the mitten in class. These mittens are fun to make and knit up in a flash.
Estonian Knitting - Fingerless Mitts
| Instructor: Kristin Drysdale | Class Capacity: 25 | |||
| Class Level: Adventurous beginner. |
Description ~ Estonian Knitting - Fingerless Mitts
Estonian knitting has a rich tradition of colorwork with unique and beautiful techniques. In this class Kristin will teach how to work Roosimine into your knitting. Roosimine is an Estonian inlay technique that looks like embroidery, or weaving. Kristin wanted to find the perfect project for this technique, and choose Aleks Byrd's stunning Hilja Fingerless Mitts.
Kristin reached out to Aleks, and got permission to use her pattern for this class. Aleks named after her grandmother who taught her this technique. Roosemine is a combination of stranded colorwork and intarsia. Don't worry! It's easier than it looks! This is the perfect gateway project to learn this beautiful technique.
Danish Knitting - Danish Nattrojer
| Instructor: Kristin Drysdale | Class Capacity: 25 | |||
| Class Level: Adventurous beginner. |
Description ~ Danish Knitting - Danish Nattrojer
Nattrøjer or Night Sweaters were worn in cold weather both day and night. These sweaters were worn in Denmark for hundreds of years. Traditionally they were knit in a single color - most often blue, red, green and sometimes white. They were decorated with traveling stitches and star patterns in relief. They were often decorated with silk ribbon that was sewn on around the neckline.
The tradition Nattrøjer were short and worn under a cloth bodice. In 2019 Kristin designed Kirsten. Kirsten was Kristin's grandfather's grandmother. She immigrated from Denmark and Kristin imagines that at that time, she would have worn a Nattrøjer and packed one or two in her trunk. Kristin named this design after her and is a modern take on a Danish Nattrøjer. It is longer so that it can be worn alone. The pattern for Kirsten is included in this course, and we will be making swatches of a star and of a traveling cable stitch that can be knit with or without a cable needle. Danish knitting can be your souvenir from this cruise.