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Dale of Norway knittingyarn for your handknitsweater
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I call them all Norwegian knitting patterns,
but there are important differences. |
Shetland and Norwegian two color patterns
Multi-colored
or natural patterned knitting is generally seen as "Fair Isle" because the
pattern revival in knitting of 1920s arose from typical patterns of the
island.
Until 1469 Shetland was owned by Norway
and Denmark. Shetlanders paid part of their rent and tax in quantities of
thick woolen handspun cloth called wad Mel.
By the 18th century the Islanders were trading hosiery in exchange for money
and goods from Dutch and German merchants. Knitters manufactured large quantities
of coarse woolen stockings and blankets, as well as the finer work upon
which their reputation rested.
The famous Shetlands lace shawl have no cast-on or cast-off edge, but start
from a single stitch, with edges knitted on the bias. Traditionally, the
shawls were passed through a wedding ring to show off their fineness and
flexibility.
In the 1920s, as a response to the popularity of Fair Isle patterns from
the neighboring islands, Shetlanders returned to knitting patterned goods.
However, a few lace knitters continue to ply their painstaking wedding shawl
knitting craft today.
Dark Shetland yarn is warmer than light Shetland yarn - it's thicker!
So dark sweaters are warmer than light sweaters ! |
Fairislesweater
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Fairislesweater
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Today, knitted garments patterned with
an overall effect, not horizontally striped, are described as "Shetland
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Handmade original patterns
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Fair Isle
The process by which these
Fair Isles are made is a mix of traditional and modern techniques. Wool
from local sheep is sent to mills on the northern coast of Scotland for
spinning. Some is left in its natural tones, some is chemically dyed. Much
of the wool is then returned to the islands, where the front and back panels
and sleeves are machine-knit, either in factories or on home looms. These
pieces are then distributed to cottage knitters, who hand knit the yokes
and assemble the sweaters. (Some of the sweater parts are machine knit in
mainland Scotland, then sent to the Shetlands for yokes and assembly, and
a small portion are assembled with hand knit yokes on the mainland.)
Fair isle is well known as a knitting
method and a pattern type. Real Fair Isle patterns are built up in horizontal
bands, by knitting two colored yarns in each row. The motifs are clearly
defined by careful selection of colors. |
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Small motifs with contrasting
colors are great for fair isle or Norwegian motifs, with some variations
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Handmade original patterns from Shetland museum
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More interesting information;
http://www.shetland-museum.org.uk/ |
Norwegian design
variation 1
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Norwegian design
variation 2
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Norwegian design
variation 3
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Norwegian two color pattern
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You will find often, different variations of my knitting charts, just to
show you, what a difference in colors you can achieve.
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In the 17 and 1800s it was important
for Norwegian young women to be good at knitting. If they could prove their
ability to knit clothes for a family, then their chances of a good marriage
increased. Knitting could also be an important source of income for the
family. Today there are many very skilful knitters in Östfold. This started
years ago with women knitting at home, making mittens, socks and jerseys
and selling these within their own communities to get cash income.
Gradually demands of efficiency and increasing costs lead to knitting machines
and what was once a spare time activity and secondary income became for
some their main work and source of income. |
Norwegian Design
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Norwegian two color pattern
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explanation
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you can use this chart
for a cardigan, left and right side, ( in opposite direction )
use all kind of small motifs to get a nice pattern
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another example of combining small Norwegian
motifs |
Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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For repeating patterns; the knitting chart shows only one or two repeats, and indicates where you are to begin and end the chart, for the piece you are knitting.
Each square represents one stitch, and the color given in each square represents the color in which you work the stitch. Make several knitting swatches in different colorways, knit a little of the pattern in your own color choice,
this way your
knitting work will be more interesting. The colors I used for the charts are only to make the
chart readable. Use interesting yarns, like mohair and cotton together in one row and add purl stitches
now and then, at the right side of your knitting work.
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Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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Norwegian design
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color knitting
fair isle pattern
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Combination examples of
the 3 "red" patterns |
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Combine these "blue" patterns
Enlarge Norwegian two color
pattern
until desired width and length
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Fairislesweater
+ knittinggraphs
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Fairislesweater
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Fairislesweater
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Fairislesweater
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pink is a variation
on the blue pattern |
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Bohuslän is a border province, a meeting
place for Norwegian, Swedish and Danish influences, which has nevertheless
maintained its own special folk culture. Bohuslän has also a strong knitting
tradition. In particular "Bohus Stickning" around 1900, know for its specially
shaped pullovers, thin woolen weaves and many color nuances. For Bohus
like mittens go to my
mittens page. Google
for more on Bohus knitting. |
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More information about knitting
The Aran Islands are located off the
west of Ireland, in Galway Bay. In contrary to popular belief, the typical
cable-patterned Aran jumper is a new 20th-century invention. In 1891 the
government set up the Congested Districts Board to help poor families to
survive unemployment and a shortage of potatoes. Because of this, they encouraged
local people to weave and knit garments to sell.
By the 20th century this cottage industry began to take off and the knitters
created complex patterns from stitches such as honeycomb, figure eight and
double diamonds. Instead of the dark colored, oiled wools traditionally
used to make fishermen’s jerseys, the islanders now experimented with soft,
thick, undyed yarn.
By the 1930s, Aran knitting was being sold to tourists from shops in cities
like Dublin and it soon became known worldwide. Vogue Knitting published
an Aran pattern in 1956 and the design became popular in America. Aran knitting
can now be done by machine, but hand-knitted jumpers are still sought after.The difference between the two garments
(Jerseys and Guernsey's) which took their names from the two bailiwicks of
the Channel Islands. Almost invariably Guernsey's are in thick dark blue
wool, whilst jerseys are thinner, and of various colors.
Jerseys became better known owing to the very large number of Jersey men
who entered the Newfoundland enterprises about 1600, and gave rise to local
shipbuilding, and the supply of woolen garments for the mariners.
The two garments are really identical
in shape, but differ by reason of the jersey knit, which is unlike any English,
French or Guernsey type, but it would take an expert in wool-craft to tell
the difference.
Gansey skills and patterns were handed
on from mother to daughter, and herring fisher girls (who followed the herring
fleet around the coast of Britain and worked at salting, gutting and packing
herring) could be seen knitting for their families well into the 1950s.
Nothing was written down until researchers like Gladys Thompson and Rae
Compton began collecting examples of the patterns.
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