Viking Patterns for Knitting: Inspiration and Projects for Today's Knitter

by Elsebeth Lavold

Book Overview

Presents an ancient Nordic ornamentation that has been translated into an array of designs for knitters. This title features 14 projects, instructions and charts, colour photos, and 60 Viking motifs." This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 157076137X
• ISBN13: 9781570761379
• Release Date: March 2000
• Publisher: Trafalgar Square Publishing
• Length: 127 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 7.9" x 10.8"

Customer Reviews

Ett visuellt aventyr i nordisk form med tusenariga rotter.

Beskrivning: En härlig bok för alla som älskar att sticka! Med vikingatidens ornamentik som inspiration presenteras här i bild, text och diagram över sextio mönsteranalyser inkl hela runalfabetet. Dessutom fjorton kompletta stickbeskrivningar och ett rikt urval av de vikingatida föremål som utgör förlagor. Du får genomgång av stickteknik, materialkunskap och skötselråd. 22 färgfoton, ca 100 teckningar, 97 diagram, 14 modeller.

A Lovely Book for a Specialized Audience

I love this book, and have made several projects using the patterns. But it is not a book for every knitter, and certainly not for the new or casual knitter. For one thing, much of the book is taken up with archaeological discussion -- interesting, but those who buy the book just for the patterns may not feel they're getting their money's worth. Second, you really have to learn new skills to use it. I am a very experienced knitter, and can use both charts and traditionally-written directions, but it took me a while to grasp this new system (I wrote the code for the charts onto the page of each chart I used, and that helped). And, third, the sweaters themselves are not adaptable, simple, sized for everyone, or even necessarily suited for daily wear. All are very special, unusual designs -- the ball gowns of the sweater world -- and friends will say "Oh, you're wearing your Viking sweater!" every time you do.That said, let me also say that I submerged myself in Viking knitting for months after buying this book. The stitch patterns are like Aran cables, but they do not go from the top to the bottom in the usual way. Lavold has figured out how to get cables to twine all over the place -- even into medallion-ish closed shapes. I practiced the techniques and designs on slippers and hats and other small projects before attempting a sweater, and found them very usable for alll kinds of projects. If you knit enough to adapt patterns, you will find that the Viking designs will add interest to many other projects and patterns. And if you are a medium-sized person with dramatic tastes, you will love the sweaters, too.There are more than 14 projects altogether, including a cushion and afghan, one child's sweater, some coats, unisex and women's sweaters, and a number of smaller things like hats, socks, and mittens. All are beautiful and unusual.

Best collection of cable designs I've seen in 40 years!

I thought this book would be another pretty book about knitting. Was I surprised! Not only has the author done her homework as far as researching her subject, she has supplied her readers with really unusual and usable cables with accompanying charts as well as a display of beautiful photography. Often, stitch pattern books give stitch by stitch, row by row directions where crucial mistakes can often be overlooked (I should know; I've written them before for magazines). Elsebeth Lavold gives an instant understanding of how and where the yarn is going through her clearly drawn graphs so you can knit her creations or design your own. All knitting patterns should be written in this way so we can throw out the others!

A Knitting Breakthrough

I have knit for years and done tons of Aran knitting, but never could have dreamed up the knots Lavold shows in this book. The pictures, the history, the patterns in the book thrill me, and I look forward to learning how to make these impossible-looking designs come alive with yarn. Not only did I find the history compelling, but Lavold is a great designer. Watch how she runs bands of cables up the front of a cardigan, then they turn a corner at the shoulders and meet at the middle back of the neck to form a yoke. Incredible. I rarely knit from patterns and I have never seen a knitting book from which I actually intend to make so many designs. There are entire patterns -- heavy coats and pullovers of Lopi, a light blouse cardigan of Silketweed, hat and mitten set, pillow and afghan. It's mostly sweaters for women in different weights, but there are few other things for household, child, and men. There are also charts for pieces of cable and motifs so that you can create your own designs, as well as a rune alphabet in case you want to knit a message on your sweater in the stick-like figures; it would look just like a thicket of trees. The more I look through this book, the more I appreciate it. It's up their with Starmore's Aran Knitting for scholarship and design and beauty.

Excellent

Eslebeth Lavold has done extensive research on Viking designs and it shows in this book. The patterns in the book look much more complicated than they really are. Her technique for increasing and decreasing for cabled designs are simple and give excellent results. I condsider myself to be an intermediate skilled knitter and found the patterns quick and easy to execute. I stronly recommend this book to any knitter looking to expand their skills, or to anyone you likes cabled designs. Some of the yarns used for the sweaters in the book may be hard to locate,but substitute yarns are readily available. Eslebeth Lavold's designs rival the work of Alice Starmore although they are much easier to knit.This book belongs in your knitting library.