The Newsletter of the Ottawa Guild May 2014

TheTangled Skein Field Trip to Riverside Studio a knittingmaking plan Cannaweave sponsorsourmeeting our weekendNancy Bush with 1 In This Issue 3 Knitting with Kathy 3 Advertising Rates 3 Upcoming Meetings 4 Meeting Preview: Annual Meeting and Knitting Challenge Winners Announced May 12 5 March Meeting Sponsor: Cannaweave 5 Knitting In Literature 7:30 PM 6 Library Book Call 6 Guild Elections: Candidates List 7 Sheep Shearing Festival meeting 7 Ottawa Knitting Guild Executive Committee 8 Summer Charity Knitting Challenge Sponsored by 8 Riverside Studio Outing 9 The Practicing Knitter: The Plan Cannaweave 11 Workshops with Nancy Bush 13 April Meeting Recap: Knitting in Estonia with Fibre Studio Accessories Nancy Bush 7:00 pm 22 The End of the Skein Stitch doctor 207 WOODROFFE AVENUE It’s May, and I’m working on a mystery knitalong. I get a new clue every week, and I knit until it’s done, then wait impatiently for the next instalment. WOODROFFE UNITED CHURCH It’s surprisingly fun. This particular KAL is a circular lace shawl by Anna Dalvi. I chose an almost-black from my stash, and it’s going to be gorgeous. But, right now, it looks like a blob that hates getting its photo taken.

In other news, we’re having a field trip! You’ll find the details on page 8. We’ve also got Guild elections coming up this month, and a bunch of booths to run at various festivals this spring and summer.

Speaking of summer, I loved reading your replies to my question of whether you keep knitting during the summer. I think the End of the Skein is my favourite bit every month, actually.

Thanks for being so awesome,

, Newsletter Coordinator Amanda Schwabe

The copyright for each article in The Tangled Skein belongs to its respective author. Do not reprint or redistribute anywhere else without the author’s express permission. 2 Additional photography by Amanda Schwabe. Upcoming Meetings guild news May 12 Knitting with Kathy Knitting Challenge Winners / Annual Meeting By Kathy McEwen, President June 16 I am currently in between big projects and trying to motivation to finish them quickly, even though my Yarn Swap decide what to work on next. While I am figuring it mother wants a pair of red socks, and I need to start out, I am trying to finish some WIPs. working on them. But I refuse to have two pairs of socks on needles. Oh well, I guess mom won’t get A while back, I started knitting socks two-at-a-time. her red socks for Mother’s Day but in time for her My main reason for this is to avoid Second Sock July birthday instead. Syndrome, where I finish one and then don’t want to work on a second. Well, I solved the problem Anyway, back to my next project and summer for socks, but I still have that issue with other knitting: I am torn between starting a shawl or a items. I just finished a pair of mittens that cardigan/coat for the fall. I’m leaning towards the I started in November, and I had to force myself to cardi; after all, I have been wearing the same two finish them before starting something new. I also constantly the last few weeks, and I’d like another have one glove knit from our weekend workshops one. And it would be consistent with my habit of with Nancy Bush, and I really should knit the other knitting heavy wool things during the heat of the while I still remember everything, but I want to summer -- not really the best idea, I know, but it start something new. I don’t need gloves right does mean that I will have a nice new sweater to now, thanks to the nice weather. And, of course, I wear in September. have socks that are 50% done, and I should have finished them this month in time for my sister’s Decisions, decisions. In the meantime, I had better birthday, but I didn’t. So, now I don’t have much get back to those socks.

Advertising Rates

Full Year Single Issue Size Member Non-Mem- Size Member Non-Mem- ber ber Business $60.00 $80.00 Business $7.50 $10.00 card Card Quarter $120.00 $160.00 Quarter $15.00 $20.00 Page Page Half Page $240.00 $320.00 Half Page $30.00 $40.00 Full Page $400.00 $480.00 Full Page $50.00 $60.00

3 Stitch Doctor By Elizabeth Payne

Bring some waste yarn and needles, or bring your knitting and pattern, and come to the Stitch Doctor from 7:00 pm until 7:30 pm (before the Guild meeting) in the Friendship Room, off the main corridor near the back of the church. If you are having problems and/or you are interested in some new, improved ways of doing things, or you have suggestions for other knitters, come and meet informally to enrich your knitting experiences and gain new confidence to tackle new projects.

May The theme of this Stitch Doctor session is how to do Modular knitting. In modular knitting (also called patchwork knitting), pieces are knit together as the work progresses.

These modular pieces are like Lego: they fit together very well. The simplest pieces are squares or triangles, which involve a number of stitches and knitting the square by reducing stitches every other row in the exact middle of the cast-on stitches. The next piece is knitted by both picking up a few stitches and knitting some left over stitches on the piece you have knitted. No other skills are required. This method offers the opportunity to use colour as well as ends of yarn to make interesting clothing and other articles. If you bring some cotton yarn and needles to give a denser fabric, you may knit a pot holder for practice at the meeting!

Should you have questions about your other projects and more suggestions for topics, please bring them forward. At this time, knitters will be asked to select a topic for the last session in June.

May 12, 2014* Challenge: Head and Hands. We’ll be able to get up close to see the beautiful work entered, and we’ll have voting for the People’s Choice awards. When you Meeting Preview: arrive for the meeting, have a look at all the entries and grab a ballot to cast Annual Meeting and Knitting Challenge your vote. Winners Announced This year’s judges for the Challenge are Gen Nielsen and Caddy Melville Ledbetter. Thanks so much to both of them for taking the time to do that In May, we’ll have our Annual General Assembly, when we elect new people to difficult job! the Executive Committee that runs the Guild and deal with any Guild business. This year, we have a full slate of candidates up for election, so things should We’ll finish up with our usual Show & Tell time, so be sure to bring your knitting move along quickly. (You can find a list of the candidates on page to share. 6.) *Please note that this meeting is on the second Monday of May because of Once we conclude our business, we’ll move on Victoria Day. 4 to announcing the winners of this year’s Knitting March Meeting Sponsor: Cannaweave Thank you, We have an exciting new Sponsor-A-Meeting program! Each month, a sponsor Cannaweave, will donate a door prize for our meeting, and we’ll get to learn a little more for being our about them. What a great way for us to support local businesses that we love. meeting This month, our sponsor is Cannaweave: Fibre Studio Accessories. Donation sponsor! Darning set: Includes a maple Darning Mushroom and matching maple Darning Needle Holder Necklace.

Cannaweave Fibre Studio Accessories is a home-based business run by Laurie Harkin-Chiasson.

Phone number: (613) 448-3853 or Cell: (613) 286-0535 Email address: [email protected]

Laurie makes accessories and equipment for the fibre studio. Her accessories appeal to spinners, weavers, knitters, quilters, and Kumihimo Japanese braiders.

Photo: Laurie Harkin-Chiasson Some items that may be of particular interest to knitters are:

Darning Mushroom: the plain handle can also be used to darn glove fingers

Darning Needle Holder Necklace: holds your needles, pins, or pills. Top Knitting In Literature unscrews. Comes with 3 large needles. Contributed by Diane Susak Nostepinne: A portable yarn-ball winder.

“...Miss Silver opened a drawer, took out an exercise-book with a bright Wood Buttons and Toggle Buttons. green cover, opened it at the first page, and wrote a heading - The Harsch Case. After which she picked up a half-knitted sock of Air Force blue and Mini Magnifier Necklace: A 2-times magnifier, on a 10-carat gold-plate chain began to knit in the continental manner, needles clicking, hands held low, necklace. eyes fixed upon Janice, who was taking something out of her bag. The something was a long envelope which was filled with typescript.” Seam Ripper Necklace: A magnet clasp holds the ripper in place until ready to use. Sharp ripper end is stored inverted into the centre of the handle. Available in 24-carat gold plate or chrome. from The Fingerprint by Patricia Wentworth (1946) Many more items are being developed all the time. Contact her ahead of time, and she will bring items to a meeting.

5 Library Book Call you’ll have a chance to share a bit about your project. By Kate Cook, Librarian We also have a group on Ravelry for chatting and sharing, so feel free to join us there if you haven’t already! We’ve recently started using our It’s time to return your books before OKG recesses for the summer! Please Facebook page more often, too, so be sure to “like” us. dig through your shelves and your knitting bags and return all Library books to the Guild Library. Deadline is the June meeting, but sooner is Every spring, the Guild hosts a weekend of workshops with a well-known always better. knitting teacher. This year, our teacher will be Nancy Bush.

Many thanks, Feel free to ask lots of questions. We’re glad you’re here! Your Librarian!

New Members Guild Elections: Candidates List

If you’re a new member, welcome! Here’s a brief overview of what you Our Annual General Assembly is coming up at the next meeting in May. can expect: We have a full roster of candidates, and we’ll be voting on them to make it official during the Assembly. They are as follows: The Library is open every meeting except during Vendors’ Night (an event we have each October that’s more like a vendors’ fair than a meeting, Secretary: Sheila will be returning for a second term where you can buy local and other knitting goodies). Feel free to Newsletter Coordinator candidate: Jessica Speir sign out books using your membership card. They’re due back at the Special Events Coordinator candidate: Loralei Valade next meeting. Member at Large 1 candidate: Jennifer Hill Member at Large 2 candidate (half term of 1 year): Linda Williams Once our Membership Coordinator has entered you into the database, President candidate: Laurie Chochinov you’ll get a membership card and access to the Members-Only area of our website, www.ottawaknittingguild.ca. You’ll be able to choose your Each position serves a two-year term, but since Laurie will be moving own username and password, since the website will recognize you as from her Member-at-Large 2 position mid-term, Linda will be taking over a member by your email address. There, you can find a list of all the for the remaining year of the two-year term. members, back issues of the newsletter, The Tangled Skein, and more. Stepping down from their positions are: It will take about a month to receive your membership card, to be entered President, Kathy McEwen into the database, and to begin receiving The Tangled Skein in your email. Newsletter Coordinator, Amanda Schwabe Make sure to add “[email protected]” to your safe list in your contacts to prevent the newsletter from going to your Junk folder. Remaining in their positions to fulfill the rest of their terms are: Website Coordinator, Emilie Poncelet Your membership card also entitles you to discounts at certain local yarn Treasurer, Gen Nielsen shops. Don’t forget to ask when you check out! Membership Coordinator, Jean Grundie Librarian, Kate Cook At each meeting, you can expect some announcements, a speaker, a Program Coordinator, Belinda Tully break, a door prize, and Show & Tell. The Show & Tell time is for any and every member to demonstrate what they’ve been working on. We You can find more details about how the Guild works in our Constitution, hope you’ll feel welcome to stand up and share, too, right from your very which is posted in the Members Only area of our website. first meeting. To participate, just fill out the little slip of paper atthe http://ottawaknittingguild.ca/forms/okg_constitution_may_12_2008.pdf membership table when you first come in. Then, Kathy (or whoever is chairing the meeting) will call you up to the front with a group of other knitters. Suzanne will take 6 a photo of your knitting for the newsletter, and We have a couple other events taking place this lamb race to kick off events. Sheep Shearing Festival summer with booths to fill up. By Amanda Schwabe & Jana Dinelle To sign up or get more information, contact Jana Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg is again hosting Dinelle at [email protected]. Get ready for a fun weekend at the Agricultural their Fantastic Fibre Weekend, June 21-22, Museum! We still have spots available at our 2014. Last year, space at our table was limited to booth, so sign up at our next meeting. The sign-up two people per shift -- morning or afternoon -- for sheet will be at the membership table when you each day; that’s a limit of eight people, so don’t first enter. wait! Spaces for this event go fast! Jana Dinelle, at [email protected] You’ll get free admission to the Festival, and all you have to do is knit and chat about knitting with Riverfest happens at Pinhey’s Point in mid-August. visitors to the event. The Sheep Shearing Festival This event is a lot of fun, and it’s growing every takes place on the May long weekend, May 17-19. year. Pinhey’s Point is a picturesque and historic site where they are bringing history to life with If you’ve never sat at an OKG booth before, let me various events, such as games and tours of the describe it for you. The Guild provides a kit that house. Last year, they also offered a story teller includes our table cloth, some brochures, and the and canoe rides. Our table will be set up under a Guild’s blanket. All you have to do is bring your tent, and there are various activities for young and own knitting and maybe a couple of your finished old. items to display. Then, you just talk to people about knitting. It’s super fun. The Fibre Fest in Almonte is in September (September 13-14), where they will be having a

Ottawa Knitting Guild Executive Committee We would love to hear from you! If you have any suggestions, comments, thoughts, or questions, then feel free to send any of us an email. We love our Knitting Guild and are committed to making it wonderful.

President Program Coordinator Website Coordinator Kathy McEwen Belinda Tully Emilie Poncelet [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Treasurer Newsletter Coordinator Membership Coordinator Gen Nielsen Amanda Schwabe Jeannie Grundy [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Secretary Librarian Past-President Sheila Weinfurter Kate Cook Jana Dinelle [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Special Events Member-at-Large Member-at-Large This position is currently vacant. Nancy Onlock Laurie Chochinov [email protected] [email protected] 7 Riverside Studio Outing Directions from Google Maps By Sheila Weinfurter Drive 40.9 km, 34 min From 207 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa, ON K2A 3V1 Come join us on Saturday, May 31st for an outing to Riverside Studio in Wakefield to watch a demonstration of the dying techniques used by 1) Head north on Woodroffe Ave toward Anthony Ave, 700 m Kathryn Drysdale. Kathryn’s yarns are well known and exceptionally vivid and beautiful. 2) Continue onto Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway E, 7.0 km

We plan to meet in the church parking lot at 9:00 a.m. and car pool 3) Continue onto Wellington St., 350 m in a caravan to Wakefield. Because only about 15 people at a time can properly see the demonstration, we will be having two sessions 4) Turn left onto Portage Bridge, Entering Quebec, 700 m of approximately 20 minutes each. While one group is watching the demonstration, the other group can look around and purchase the 5) Continue onto Boul Maisonneuve N, 1.7 km beautiful yarns and pictures created by Kathryn. There may also be other artists’ studios in the same building open for our perusal. It 6) Merge onto Autoroute 5 N via the ramp on the left to Maniwaki will be up to each person to decide where and if they want to lunch afterwards and how much shopping they want to do in the rest of 7) Turn left onto Autoroute de la Gatineau/Route 105 N (signs for Qué- Wakefield (depending on whom they carpool with). bec 105 N), 5.7 km

Sheila will have a sign-up sheet at the May meeting and will be accept- 8) At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Ch Valley, 1.0 km ing the first 30 people who register. There is no cost, but please don’t forget to help pay for the gas of the driver. If you want to attend but 9) Turn left onto Chemin Riverside. Destination will be on the left. will not be meeting us at the church, please let us know ahead of time 715 Chemin Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0 so we won’t be waiting for you.

Riverside Studio is located at Place 1870, 715 Riverside, Wakefield, Quebec, J0X 3G0. Their phone number is 819-360-6592.

Summer Charity Knitting Challenge By Sandra Smith

I’d like you all to think about knitting something for charity this summer. It could be a hat or mittens for one of the shelters or for the Snow Suit Fund. Many of you have had recent practice knitting hats and mittens. You could make scarves for people who live on the street or afghans for kids in CHEO. You could use up your leftovers of yarn to make multicoloured afghans for the teens in CHEO. Just start knitting with a colour, and, when you run out, pick another one. Remember, teens will need an adult-sized afghan. If your stash of leftovers isn’t big enough for an adult afghan, maybe you could knit one for the kittens and puppies at the Humane Society. The size can be anything from 9” x 12” to 20” x 20”, and they really don’t care whether the colours work or not.

And because this is a challenge, there will be 8 prizes. For every item you bring in (a pair of mitts count as one item and an adult-sized afghan counts as two), you will have your name entered once in a draw for yarn. Knit five items for charity, and your name is entered five times. Details on the yarn to be awarded will be provided at the next Guild meeting.

Knitting for charity will help our community, use up some of your stash, and, if you win the draw, could add some beautiful yarn to your knitting basket.

Editor’s Note: To find more info on what you can knit for our local charities, read the article about Charity Knitting by Debi Brown found on page 7 of the October 2013 issue of The Tangled Skein. You can find archived copies of The Tangled Skein in the Member’s Corner of our website here: http://ottawaknittingguild.ca/site-menu/members-corner.php

articlesThe Practicing Knitter: a recent family get-together, and, as of the start of May, my 2014 project list The Plan looked like this: By Laurie Chochinov Project Due Yarn This month, the question from the Newsletter Coordinator to Guild members Lauralee’s Dishcloths (thank you gift) Immediately On hand was whether we knit through the summer. I’d like to say no. I’d like to have a summer filled with warm, lazy days enjoying life outdoors. I’d like to put Levi’s sweater (size 2T) September On hand my knitting aside and enjoy the fleeting warmth. But, inevitably, fall will Samara’s Sweater (size 4 child) September On hand come, followed by too many months of winter. By then, it will be too late to Catherine’s hat, mittens and gloves (all match- October Required have finished items ready to combat the cold. So, I’ll be knitting through the ing) summer. It’s the only way I will meet my deadlines. Sophie’s gloves (finish the workshop gloves) October On Hand Samara & Levi Hats & Mittens (subject to October Required We all face knitting deadlines in our lives. There are annual events -- holidays choice of winter coats) and birthdays -- that often require knitted gifts. There are also special events Marty’s gloves October Required such as baby showers, housewarming parties, engagements and weddings, all of which may require a knitted gift. This is in addition to the “normal” Michael’s gloves October Required knitting we do, such as regular sock replacement. Sometimes, it can seem Michael’s sweater N/A On Hand overwhelming. So how can the Practicing Knitter plan? Marty’s sweater N/A On Hand

The first thing is to have a list of all the projects you want to make. I have to put this list somewhere that I can see it at any time. One place is in If there is a production deadline, put that on the list. If my Knitting Journal. Using a page at the back, I can keep a running list, adding 9 shopping is required, add that as well. I did this after new projects and crossing off the completed ones. I can also use electronic resources such as a spreadsheet or word-processing program. This gives available later for those that require shopping. Slowly, my plan is evolving me the flexibility of adding more information, such as the patterns I will use, into a blueprint for summer knitting. specifics on the yarn, needle sizes, information, etc. My preference, though, is to set up individual projects on my Ravelry page. Similar to using The next step is to set up each project in its own knitting bag. When possible, a spreadsheet, the project pages give me all the information I need about my I include the yarn, needles, and pattern. Since many of my bags look exactly plans. the same, each has a removable tag that identifies it. The bags are lined up in a corner of the knitting room awaiting their turn. Now that I have my list in order of planned completion, I can determine the required start date. This is the most important part of the process. If I want This all assumes that my plan is only for new projects. What if I have to add a child’s sweater ready by September, I need to start it in early August. How replacement knitting? Last winter was cold, long, and had lots of shovelling. I do I know? Well, my records tell me that I can make a child’s sweater in want to know if our shovelling mittens will last another season. Will we need about three weeks.* This takes into account swatching, knitting, new hats or scarves? Did we lose any gloves this year? I will be cleaning all and seaming. If there is any special designing required, I have to add more our winter wear before putting it away for the season. At that time, I’ll look- time. Once each project has a start date, I can reassess the timing to see ing at everything critically. If something looks damaged, I add a replacement how realistic it is. For example, even though I can make a child’s sweater in to the plan. I will also look in the sock drawer. Heels and toes may be close about three weeks, I may not be able to make two children’s sweaters in that to wearing out. If so, I’ll be putting a sock or two on the list. The plan will time. One will have to be started three weeks before that. Now, I have to require regular updating as I move forward through the spring. start one child’s sweater in July and one in August. The plan is already being revised. I have to remember that the plan is not static. I will need to return to the plan regularly, removing finished items and adding new ones. As long as I have But, some of the projects require shopping. This is no hardship, of course, a basic plan, I will be able to continue to be a Practicing Knitter throughout except that the time required for this has to be built into my plan. Some the summer and beyond. So, in answer to the question, yes I will be knitting shopping is contingent on colour choices (children’s hats and mittens have through the summer. In fact, to meet the deadlines I’ve set up, I’m starting to go with the coats that haven’t been purchased yet). If I work ahead on right now. the projects that already have yarn and patterns, I know I will have the time

*Knitting time for a project may vary, depending on other responsibilities 10 that arise. Workshops with Nancy Bush By Amanda Schwabe

Well, our big workshop weekend is over. It all went smoothly, even though we almost didn’t have a speaker. (Nancy may have had a little trouble with the border guard on her way into Canada. Apparently, knitters are a suspicious lot. But now we know we need to send a note with our out-of-country teachers proclaiming them to be absolutely unique and essential.)

The venue was, as always, just perfect. That penthouse suite at the Victoria Parks Suites hotel is just lovely, with its natural light and room to walk around. Many of us sat out on the balcony for lunch and enjoyed the view of the next- Nancy is obviously not just a knitter, but also a researcher and historian at door Museum of Nature, particularly the mammoth sculptures, while we ate heart. She brought many Estonian-knit shawls and gloves from her personal and chatted. The coffee was also delicious. (I am now in search of a place collection to show us; she says she’s keeping them safe for future generations. to buy Seattle’s Best for myself to brew at home. Anyone know where I can (She asked us not to publish photos of them, though, since she’s using them get it?) as research for future projects of her own.)

As for Nancy, she was just lovely. Her passion for all things Estonian was What I can show you are photos of the projects we made. We learned different infectious, and her relaxed teaching style was very personable and put us all things every day; some of us stayed for the whole weekend, and some were at ease. She taught us in two different formats: as a large group and in small there for just one class or two. In each class, I, personally, learned something groups for demonstration. She also wandered around the room, offering new that I hadn’t known before. I think my favourite things were the new suggestions, encouragement, and help as needed. While we knitted, she cast-on techniques. There was one new one per class. The provisional cast shared anecdotes about knitting, about Estonia, and about how her passion on from Monday’s class was my favourite, since I had only ever heard of two, for that country came to be. and this third one is easier and firmer than either of them. Joy! (If you’d like

11 to see it, it’s also on page 70 of The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt. She calls it the “Purl Two-Needle Chained Cast-On.”)

On Saturday, we learned how to make a genuine Haapsalu lace shawl, with the traditional construction and even the proper sewing on of the lace border. We made tiny shawls and knit like crazy all day, trying to get our borders and triangles done in time to learn the sewing during the last hour of class. We also learned the fine art of making nupps (rhymes with “soups”), which are like bobbles but really not like bobbles at all.

On Sunday, we enjoyed two half-day classes. The morning class about Roositud (pronounced “rosy-tude”) was quite fun. It looks like embroidery but is made The afternoon class was about Estonian travelling stitches, which are basically as part of the knitting without an embroidery needle. little two-stitch cables that travel all around and back and forth. We had fun knitting up a bunch of samples from the charts. We also saw traditional gloves that incorporated these travelling stitches, and they were knit at a tiny gauge of about 14 stitches to an inch. We drooled and stammered in awe. Well, at least, I did.

12 Monday brought the last full-day class, and it was all about gloves. Even though it wasn’t technically about Estonian gloves, we still learned about Estonia a bit more because that’s who Nancy is. We learned that wonderful provisional cast on so we could skip knitting the cuffs and dive right into the fun bits of the thumb gusset and eventually the fingers. We knit these gloves up with skeins of Shetland yarn that Nancy had sent us in advance as part of our materials fee. It was so fun to walk in in the morning and see a pile of waiting yarn in beautiful colours! Mine was a weird green-yellow (chartreuse, I guess?) that called to me right away from the pile. It’s so odd, and I love it. The wool was pretty scratchy, but nice and sticky, and it should fluff up nicely to keep my hands warm. Hopefully, everyone will bring their gloves in all their pretty colours to the next meeting for Show & Tell. hint, hint

1300’s, Danes attacked and settled the northern part of Estonia, where they April Meeting Recap: ruled for a couple centuries. Germans have held the south, then Swedes, then Knitting in Estonia with Nancy Bush Russians. It wasn’t until 1920 that Estonia finally achieved independence, but By Amanda Schwabe in 1941, they were occupied by Nazi Germany, and then the Soviet Union took over for almost 50 years. Estonians have now ruled their own country for a Are you prepared to learn all about Estonia? It’s a fascinating country, with a mere 43 years, spread out between 1920 and today. rich knitting heritage. Different and beautiful techniques developed in various pockets of the country, and we’re going to talk about some of them. Tallinn, the capital city, is one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval cities, which makes it a great tourist destination. It is a walled city, and its city hall is Estonia is a tiny country, about the size of New Hampshire and Vermont put 700 years old. It boasts a strong craft culture and hosts lots of craft markets. together. It’s located just to the west of Russia, south of Finland across the It was a merchant city, part of a large network that also included the cities of Baltic Sea’s Gulf of Finland, and north of Latvia. To its west is the Baltic Sea, Amsterdam and Brugge. where there are various islands that are also part of Estonia. Two of them are Muhu and Kihnu, where some gorgeous knitting emerged. Here, in no particular order, are some other interesting facts about Estonia:

The capital city of Estonia is Tallinn, which sits on the Thatched-roof buildings still survive on farms across the countryside. 13 northern coast. Tallinn means “Danish town.” In the The houses are sparsely furnished with items made by the owners. Estonians also play bagpipes, which are similar to lowland pipes. as protection from evil. They were tied in belts when they couldn’t be worn.

Sauna is an integral part of Estonian culture. It is a Saturday-evening ritual Mittens and gloves started with braids or patterning. They often used grid- and is also used on nights before special events. The Estonians and the Finns type patterns of diamonds. Their colour patterns have names like “cat’s paw,” both claim to have invented the sauna. “peacock stitch” cuffs, and “card” pattern. Many of the knitting patterns were inspired by the pattern on woven belts. It’s possible that sailors from Estonia The Midsummer celebration on June 23rd and 24th is almost bigger than may have carried pattern inspiration to Shetland and the Fair Isles. Christmas. There are large bonfires, and brave young men leap over the fire. Brides and grooms wore special gloves during the wedding ceremony and In wintertime, women knit, spin, weave, and men do wood work, making bar- festivities, maybe even for three days. The gloves proved their trustworthiness rels, beer mugs, etc. and innocence. (Think “clean hands.”)

The bands on the barrels and mugs are called vits, like the knitted braids on And now, here are some Estonian regions and their contributions to knitting: the cuffs of the mittens the women make. Paistu The clothing indicated the location of their homes. Now, most -- but not all Roositud inlay technique -- Estonians wear their national clothing only on special occasions. Kihnu Fishtail cuff -- looks like but is much easier islanders are one of the exceptions. In the last ten years, they’ve been making toys with traditional colourwork techniques to interest the kids. “May bread suffice” is the meal blessing instead of something like “bon appetit.” Bread is an important part of their cuisine and culture. When flour Muhu Island is in short supply, they add sawdust. Love patterns and embellishments. Always decorate their doors with symbols. Estonian country sheep provided their wool. Use everything. Famous for embroidery (even on huge bed coverings). Spinners used high-whorl spindles with notches on either side to spin either S Predominant colours are orange, yellow, pink, and red. “Muhu rose” or “Muhu or Z. Nancy got to spin wool on one in a museum (with Norwegian wool). pink” is a well-known colour throughout Estonia. Colourful, striped skirts. Estonians stopping once machine spinning came. Spinning wheels Used natural dyes before aniline dyes became available, and then went crazy became obsolete, and many were destroyed. with colours! In fact, the women would travel long distances, walking across the frozen bay to get to the mainland, to purchase their dyes. Knitting eradicated the previous technique of Nalbinding (looping loops through Maybe ten pairs still exist of mittens that were knit with 200 stitches in one loops), which had been used for making mittens, socks, and hats with short round. They were very, very fine. lengths of yarn. They used to wear short socks with leggings (instead of tall socks). That made it easier to replace the socks when the feet wore out, without the need to Before knitted socks, people wrapped their legs in rags or woven cloth, tied on replace the legs. with laces, for warmth. They loved using German pattern books. The women would work on the mainland and come home with new patterns The oldest knitting found in Estonia is from the 1300’s. to use. Common motifs included flies, bunnies, cats, and other animals. A colourwork piece from the 1700’s shows that they used madder for red dye They loved to use many techniques together on the same garment: knitting, and wode for blue. , embroidery, braids, fabric, applique, lace... They also used travelling stitches in their designs. A bride would need about 200 pairs of mittens and socks to give as gifts to their new families. The mothers-in-law received the best Kihnu Island gifts, of course: bundles of intricate socks, mittens, and a blanket. A woman’s skirt would indicate her status: married, widow, loss. Hand-knit stockings were very fine, about 14 sts per inch. 14 Mittens were always worn or taken out, even in summer, They would wear four layers of socks to keep warm, so each sock was knit The Haapsalu knitters carry their yarn in their right hands, and many of their slightly larger to fit over one another. techniques, like the nupps, are more easily performed that way. They use The women used to beef up their legs by stuffing straw in their socks to make straight lilac- or apple-wood needles that are hand made and about 9” long or themselves look strong (and therefore attractive to a future husband). so. The clocks of the socks featured knit-and-purl patterns or travelling stitches. They knit symbols for protection into the men’s socks. It has become their tradition to make special shawls, with new and unique They still dress in their traditional clothing. stitch patterns, for visiting dignitaries. There is a “Greta Garbo” pattern, a The women together on Thursday and Sunday night to knit -- in dusky “Queen Silvia” pattern, and a “Crown Prince” pattern, made for Swedish Crown light! Prince Gustav-Adolf in 1936. (Estonians are still fond of Sweden, since they They wear red at the cuffs, hems -- every opening -- as protection from evil. were about the only benevolent rulers in the history of Estonia.) There are thousands of patterns of cuffs. Nancy has never seen two pairs the same. They sometimes use entrelac, even at the tiny gauge. The tradition of knitted lace in Haapsalu is being carried on by members of They ride bikes to get around the island. the Estonian Handcraft Union, Eesti Kasitoo. The younger knitters are using brighter, less traditional colours, and the older ones think that’s just fine, as Haapsalu long as they’re knitting. This city, renowned for its knitted lace shawls, is on the west coast, on a bay with water on two sides. It has a castle with a moat, which is now a museum. About Nancy Bush In the 19th century, Haapsalu became a popular tourist destination thanks to So, what got Nancy so interested in Estonia in the first place? Well, when she its curative mud and sanitoriums. In the 1830’s, the women began knitting was at the library researching for her book Folk Socks, she came across some lace shawls to sell to the tourists. books on traditional clothing in Northern Europe. One of them was in Russian and about Estonian clothing. In it, she saw hints of knitted mittens and socks There are currently about forty-five knitters in the lace knitter’s group, aged that looked interesting. As she looked at those pictures, she knew she had from nine years old up to ninety-three. found the rest of her life. She just had to know everything about Estonia.

Nupps, a special stitch technique that resembles bobbles, are unique to Why? She doesn’t know. But, she has spent the last fifteen years travelling Haapsalu. Instead of popping out from the fabric like bobbles do, they lay there, taking tour groups, learning from the Estonian women, and making within the and create bright white, dense ovals nestled amidst friends. The knitters’ group has even dedicated a bench to her in a Haapsalu the airy lace. park as a “friend to Estonia.”

15 Photos by Suzanne Lesage Write-ups by Amanda Schwabe showApril and tell

Nancy Moynihan (top right) Estonian Roositud sampler from class with Nancy Bush. Yarn: Shetland wool. Perfect size for a phone cozy.

(bottom right) Estonian Lace shawl sampler from class with Nancy Bush. Yarn: 100% wool. “A new shawl for Popsy, my bunny.”

Sheila Weinfurter (bottom left) Cassis shawlette, from Ravelry. Yarn: Frog Tree Pediboo Sock Tonal. She put five beads on every division “to make it a little special” as a gift for her son’s future mother-in-law.

16 Lise Labrecque (top three) Claret Cardigan by Megan Goodacre of Tricksy Knitter. Yarn: Manos del Uruguay merino/ silk. “This was a fairly easy sweater; the pattern is intuitive.” She’s very happy with it.

(bottom left) Freesia shawl by Annie Lee-Baker on Ravelry. Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Alpaca Silk from Wool-Tyme. Garter and lace. “I used 6 3/4 skeins (I bought 8!!). On Ravelry, people really complained about this yarn, but I loved it! Fun/easy pattern.”

17 Suzanne Lesage (left) Tube, Multi-Use, her own design. Yarn: merino. Suzanne was at a shawl class at the Needler’s retreat, sitting beside Peggy, when the teacher said, “Never use for shawls.” But Peggy’s yarn was kind of colourful. So Suzanne took it and made it into this tube instead. It was fun to see the colours pool. It’s like those tubes sold at sports shops and can be more in many ways, including a hat.

Laurie Chochinov (right) Cardigan from Cabin Fever’s Need a Plus Size Cardigan. Yarn: Fleece Artist wool & silk cuffs etc. and Shelridge Farms fingering. This yarn was a pullover a couple years ago, but her husband said, “It’s four inches shorter in the front,” and, “If you want to wear it on weekends, I promise not to laugh.” So she ripped it out and remade it into this.

18 Julia Yeung (top left) Yellow Dress & hat with flower on top. A back-up baby gift in case any of the red ones don’t fit. (top right and bottom right) Vegan baby sweater & matching apple hat. Yarn: cotton (plant fibres only). (bottom left and bottom middle detail) Latte Baby Coat, on Ravelry. For her sister’s baby, Julia’s first niece or nephew. It has basket weave hood and pockets. “I don’t think the baby will have much use for pockets.” But they’re adorable!

19 Gina Smart (top right) Baby sweater from a leaflet pattern. Yarn: sock from stash. This is a child-size stashbuster sweater. It had lots and lots of ends to sew in. She knitted back and forth (instead of in the round) so as not to lose the yarn’s patterning.

Loralei Valade (bottom right) Max shawl, on Ravelry. Yarn: Noro cotton with a smidge of wool and silk. This yarn “accidentally wasn’t from my stash.” It was a great $5 find at Wool-Tyme -- about 480 metres of Noro. The pattern is a very simple diamond motif.

20 Kathy McEwen (top left) Branching Fern Cowl, on Ravelry. Yarn: Merino/Possum from New Zealand. Very warm, extremely soft.

(top right) Oaklet Shawl by Megan Goodacre. Yarn: Handmaiden Great Big Sea Merino Silk. Beautiful yarn. “Loved the pattern, loved the yarn. Not sure what to do with it because it’s not really my colour.”

(bottom right) Earth & Sky shawl by Stephen West, on Ravelry. Yarn: Mirasol Nuna Merino Silk. “Absolutely love it.”

21 your wordsmonths to get ready for W-I-N-T-E-R. I might be more I knit all the time. I can’t imagine putting my needles The End of the Skein tempted to knit a lacy pattern in the summertime, away for the summer -- and I usually knit with wool, but otherwise, it’s needles full steam ahead. even in the summertime, although maybe not on Last month, we asked you the question, Laura M. something large and heavy that’s going to sit in my lap. Shawls are great summer knitting, as are “Do you knit during the summer? ” Yes. socks or lighter weight sweaters. Francine H. Anne G. These are your answers. I probably knit every day of the year! My favourite I love knitting outside on my deck while the kids place to knit in the summer is on the beach with run around the yard. I don’t think I could go the my feet in the water, sitting in a low beach chair in whole summer without knitting. It would be sad. the sand. My one wish, though, would be to have Amanda S. more fibre options for summer knits -- I’m not crazy about cotton, so if anyone has other suggestions Yes, I do knit in the summer. However, the projects Knitting is an off-season activity. If I don’t knit for light summer fibres, let me know. are small and light. By the end of the summer, during the summer seasons, my family won’t have Sheila W. I usually have half a dozen pairs of socks and a the hats, mittens, and sweaters they will need next couple pairs of mitts or gloves. These make winter. If I don’t knit between holidays, I don’t have I enjoy knitting in the summer, especially at our excellent Xmas stocking stuffers. the gifts I want to have for the holidays. I think I’m trailer on the St. Lawrence near Morrisburg. Gina S. like the gardener who buys plants in the spring to Peggy F. have tomatoes in the fall. My plans for finished knitted items for the fall can only be realized if I start Yes, I knit always. Summer, fall, winter, and spring! early enough, and that means summer knitting. Marina B. Laurie C. Of course I knit during the summer!!! How else do Yes, small things that won’t make me feel warm -- things get made for winter and vice versa? A day but still mostly wool, since I am an avid wool fan. without knitting is like a day without sunshine. Socks, small evening bags -- little things like that. Except when you are sick. Really sick. Bonus: they travel well, too. Moebius anyone? Dawn S. Gisele F.

Heck yeah, I knit during the summer; you wouldn’t I knit all the time, in every season. Thank goodness want to see me in full-blown withdrawal! for air conditioning if I want to knit a heavier, fuzzier Oddly enough, that’s traditionally the time I knit yarn type of sweater during summer weather. Even Next month’s question is blankets and afghans... go figure. And, of course, so, that hasn’t stopped me if I really want to knit I’ve always got a pair of socks on my needles ready that type. But, I never let the weather decide what Do you follow patterns to the letter, or to be pulled out of my purse at odd moments and I will knit. I knit whatever I like because as long as do you modify? in odd places. A row here, a row there, and voila: I have knitting passing through my fingers... I am a completed sock. Do I bother giving a nod to the happy! Send your answers to weather with my choice of knitting materials? Not Nancy Mac. really. I’m such a slow knitter that it takes me 12 [email protected]

22