Banished from Paradise

The miserable Wollmeise sock looks a lot better after I did unmentionable things to it with a hot iron.

I pressed and I pressed and I pressed.

But I´ve still got to make the second sock and we all know how hard that can be, right?

Another thing that feels pretty hard is that I´ve now spent my last weekend at the HV School. We have now covered seven traditional knitting styles of different Swedish regions. 

I´ve learnt how to make a special kind of fringe called kavelfrans. It´s often used on knitted garments in Hälsingland.

 

A kavelfrans adorning the cuff of a sleeve.

This old sweater from 1838 is simply magnificent. Look at this neat shoulder, for instance.

Marina, if you´re still reading my blog – this is for you!

One day I really have to knit a sweater like this.

And look at the detail on the neck.

Me want!

Maggie, a fellow student showed us how to make the kavelfrans using a special device.

Maggie has made a pair of spectacular mittens using the twined knitting technique and finished them off with a kavelfrans that doesn´t go av för hackor as we say in Sweden. These mittens are a piece of art.

Mittens courtsey of Maggie Webrink.

But now there are no more weekends at the HV School to look forward to. It feels as if I´ve been banished from Paradise. So I´ve got to sign up for another course in the autumn.

Karin Kahnlund has been a wonderful teacher, so generous with her extensive knowledge and a lovely person to get to know. Tack, Karin för denna fantastiska resa!

It´s been great to get to know the other students in the class, too. Today we just laughed and laughed, the way a bunch of only women will laugh together. But non-knitters would probably have wondered what on earth was so funny.

Comments

[docrock]

Even in all my norwegianish I would love to have that sweater too!!

[Nancy]

Ah...a Delsbo.... I'll share its custody with you! What a fantastic life-changing experience you've had.

[jackie]

wow, you are very fortunate to have that opportunity to learn such wonderful knitting techniques:-) Thank you for sharing them with us!
Those mittens are so cool and that sweater is incredible.