Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions

Knitted Lace of Estonia: Techniques, Patterns, and Traditions
By Nancy Bush

Publisher: Interweave Press
Number Of Pages: 160
Publication Date: 2008-12-01
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 1596680539
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9781596680531

Product Description:
Combining some of the oldest knitted artifacts in Northern Europe with authentic tips and expert advice, this distinctive guidebook demonstrates a wide range of knitting knowledge. Featuring 14 heirloom-quality projects, this savvy reference includes traditional lace-knitting techniques such as the starburst, twig, peacock, and lily of the valley patterns. Modern variations on classic methods and adding lace edges are also explored, and photographs from several Estonian museums beautifully illustrate various completed designs. With accessible graphed and written instructions, the projects include Estonian-style shawls, stoles, and scarves.

Summary: lovely historic lace!
Rating: 5
A lovely and wonderful book. I really enjoy the historical section in the front which explains the knitting traditions. The patterns are beautiful and include a good assortment of shorter and easier patterns (like the Lily of the Valley Scarf), up through huge labor-of-love type patterns (like the Crown Prince Square Shawl). This book is a definite necessity for any lace knitter! (But be warned, this book is not for beginning knitters! You should have some experience with patterns before attempting anything from here.)

Summary: Want a knitting challenge? Start here.
Rating: 5
I'm fairly new to lace knitting so this book appealed to me as a way of learning more about techniques. It was well worth the money just for the patterns alone, which introduce all sorts of techniques I haven't yet tried. Expect to find knitted-on and sewn-on edges and three completely different approaches to the triangular shawl (although most of the patterns are for square or rectangular shawls, or scarves).

This isn't for the novice knitter unless you're very determined - some of the techniques are quite challenging. That said, I find that most patterns are much simpler than they look once you get started on them. Ms Bush includes a lot of information about techniques, so it'll also be a useful reference - plus, she gives a wealth of information about the history of Estonian lace and the knitters of the area of Estonia from which most of these patterns are derived. I would have liked a few more patterns in the sample collection at the back of the book.

I find myself looking quite often at this book - I'm rather backed up with projects right now, but as soon as I can I'll be embarking on one of the triangular shawls, which is one of the prettiest shawl patterns I've seen. This is an excellent buy.

Summary: Lovely Lace
Rating: 5
My goal was to learn to knit Russian lace. It is
a precise, difficult process. This book made
the instructions very clear. I've nearly completed
a scarf which is beautiful. I'm ready to chance one of the more difficult projects.

Summary: Enchanting
Rating: 4
Opening the cover of this book feels like you're going to read a fairy tale instead of knit a shawl or scarf or some other lacy snowflake of yarn. I have to admit I'm still too scared to get started on any of these, but I'm slowly overcoming it. My intimidation has more to do with awe than fear. Every pattern is so delicate and lovely.
Part history, part pattern and part tradition, this book has an entire culture tucked into it's cover.
I was more delighted with the pictures here than in my fairy tale books as a child. I'm still not sure which project to start with, but I am planning on creating an air-spun shawl by spring so I'll update this and let you know how the knitting itself fares.
If I knew what the knitting included I probably would have given five stars....stay tuned and we may have one soon.

Summary: There's knitting and then there's lace and then there's Estonia
Rating: 5
Once again interweave books.com has opened up a new world with their presentation of "knitted lace of Estonia" by Nancy Bush.

Nancy Bush teaches workshops for guilds, shops, and at conferences throughout the United States, Canada, Finland, and Estonia. She is the author of "socks", "Folk Knitting in Estonia"," Knitting on the Road", and "Knitting Vintage Socks" (all from interweave).

In this book we get everything from an overview down to the nitty-gritty details of the 14 projects. We first start out with an introduction to Estonia and its history. This gives you the feeling that you are continuing a tradition. There are color pictures diagrams (charts) and photographs that lead you through the world of knitting lace. There is even a section on how to make a unique stretching frame just for lace. The end items are scarves and shawls ahead of gossamer feel but no exotic clothing which requires slicing and sewing. We also have a source for yarns and a bibliography.

Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby

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