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Viking Patterns for Knitting: Inspiration and Projects for Today's Knitter
In Viking Patterns for Knitting, ancient Nordic ornamentation has been translated into an exquisite array of designs for knitters. Featuring 14 projects, clear instructions and charts, inspiring color photos, and 60 Viking motifs.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 20, 2010
Big fan, have lots of her books that aren't listed on goodreads. This discusses her books generally.
As I took possession of Zarah http://www.ingenkonst.se/eyc8_e.htm today, I wondered yet again about my love affair with the Elsebeth Lavold, Sweden’s best kept secret as far as the knitting world is concerned. Most of my knitting friends don’t understand. A lot of her stuff is plain frumpy by our standards – by Swedish standards too? - that I don’t know. It even becomes comical:
Again, by our standards her cable work is wooden, set into boxy shapeless designs. Compare, in particular Debbie Bliss’s modern adaptations of cable themes. And yet.
At her best, she is so good. Look at the cover of Out of the Wood:
Or this:
And, of course, she insists on using real people as models and this has quite an impact on the look of her work.
It’s fascinating to compare the picture above with one of an overweight woman badly dressed:
Suddenly the very same pattern looks – well, would you knit it? And yet just before you turned to that page you’d thought how much you loved this. I must say, the two pictures have me confused. I want to look the girl ‘a’ not girl ‘b’ and I’m just not sure what would actually happen if I knitted this.
One of the things I like about her is her responsiveness to queries. I wanted to knit the cover design Mellow Yellow a few years ago, but the recommended colours were discontinued. When asked she came up with some nice alternatives. I bought the yarn, about a year later set about knitting this jacket, only to discover that a really careless mistake had been made in the pattern and I had only half as much of one of the two colours as I needed. Bugger. The thing that amazes me, though, is this is a world-class designer, it is the cover pattern of a book and yet evidently I was the first to try knitting this, well after the book appeared. Therefore I was the guineapig. \
Look on Ravelry and none of her patterns are very popular. She is making a push in the US and she has a really nice line of yarns, so maybe this will change. She DOES deserve to be right up there so I hope she really does make it out of Sweden and into the world at large.
She has a comprehensive website, with her biography, all her books and pictures of most of her designs here: http://www.ingenkonst.se/.
As I took possession of Zarah http://www.ingenkonst.se/eyc8_e.htm today, I wondered yet again about my love affair with the Elsebeth Lavold, Sweden’s best kept secret as far as the knitting world is concerned. Most of my knitting friends don’t understand. A lot of her stuff is plain frumpy by our standards – by Swedish standards too? - that I don’t know. It even becomes comical:
Again, by our standards her cable work is wooden, set into boxy shapeless designs. Compare, in particular Debbie Bliss’s modern adaptations of cable themes. And yet.
At her best, she is so good. Look at the cover of Out of the Wood:
Or this:
And, of course, she insists on using real people as models and this has quite an impact on the look of her work.
It’s fascinating to compare the picture above with one of an overweight woman badly dressed:
Suddenly the very same pattern looks – well, would you knit it? And yet just before you turned to that page you’d thought how much you loved this. I must say, the two pictures have me confused. I want to look the girl ‘a’ not girl ‘b’ and I’m just not sure what would actually happen if I knitted this.
One of the things I like about her is her responsiveness to queries. I wanted to knit the cover design Mellow Yellow a few years ago, but the recommended colours were discontinued. When asked she came up with some nice alternatives. I bought the yarn, about a year later set about knitting this jacket, only to discover that a really careless mistake had been made in the pattern and I had only half as much of one of the two colours as I needed. Bugger. The thing that amazes me, though, is this is a world-class designer, it is the cover pattern of a book and yet evidently I was the first to try knitting this, well after the book appeared. Therefore I was the guineapig. \
Look on Ravelry and none of her patterns are very popular. She is making a push in the US and she has a really nice line of yarns, so maybe this will change. She DOES deserve to be right up there so I hope she really does make it out of Sweden and into the world at large.
She has a comprehensive website, with her biography, all her books and pictures of most of her designs here: http://www.ingenkonst.se/.
July 19, 2017
Picked up a copy of this book at the library because although I've had my eye on it for years, I couldn't make up my mind whether to buy it. Having read it, I probably will buy a copy even though I'm not likely to knit any of the patterns in it. They're mostly worsted woolens, which I just can't wear in Florida.
I knock off a star partly because I don't find the patterns useful, but mainly because there are not enough photos of the garments, especially of the pattern details. For most of the garments, there is only one photo. A knitting pattern book should have loads of pictures of the projects.
The technical information and charts may prove useful if I can incorporate them into lightweight non-wool designs. The studies of Nordic knotwork are the book's main focus, and they are excellent.
I knock off a star partly because I don't find the patterns useful, but mainly because there are not enough photos of the garments, especially of the pattern details. For most of the garments, there is only one photo. A knitting pattern book should have loads of pictures of the projects.
The technical information and charts may prove useful if I can incorporate them into lightweight non-wool designs. The studies of Nordic knotwork are the book's main focus, and they are excellent.
March 1, 2023
MORE TO KNIT
If you like to challenge your knitting skills, learn new stitches or create a beautiful intricate piece of fiber art then here is where to begin. Patterns of all types. Hats, coat sweaters,sweaters r all here. The challenge is in learning the stitches. I recommend reading the introductory chapter and then create swatches to learn the various cable stitches. This book is not for beginners but it detail in history and images gives anyone seeking help a fair start. Me I will be swatching!
If you like to challenge your knitting skills, learn new stitches or create a beautiful intricate piece of fiber art then here is where to begin. Patterns of all types. Hats, coat sweaters,sweaters r all here. The challenge is in learning the stitches. I recommend reading the introductory chapter and then create swatches to learn the various cable stitches. This book is not for beginners but it detail in history and images gives anyone seeking help a fair start. Me I will be swatching!
December 19, 2024
Not really a Kindle book
I now see why this was only $2.99. It appears to be essentially a xerox copy of the book , turned into a PDF. You can see the shadows of where it was copied. There are color photos of finished products but the rest is difficult to read.
I’m sure it’s true of the original but I would prefer to have written pattern instructions in addition to the charts and having not very legible charts will make my transfer to directions time-consuming.
I suggest spending the extra money on the actual book, which is probably rendered properly.
I now see why this was only $2.99. It appears to be essentially a xerox copy of the book , turned into a PDF. You can see the shadows of where it was copied. There are color photos of finished products but the rest is difficult to read.
I’m sure it’s true of the original but I would prefer to have written pattern instructions in addition to the charts and having not very legible charts will make my transfer to directions time-consuming.
I suggest spending the extra money on the actual book, which is probably rendered properly.
April 11, 2018
Patterns with cables. What's not to like?
June 30, 2019
Love the idea and many of the patterns, but I wish there were more pics of the actual knitted items.
November 30, 2022
Excellent book. A must read.
July 2, 2023
Good Primer
Good details and tips. I would caution on buying an e-version of the book as I found it almost unreadable. I then purchased a regular print copy and so much better.
Good details and tips. I would caution on buying an e-version of the book as I found it almost unreadable. I then purchased a regular print copy and so much better.
January 7, 2024
Kindle Version Is Bad Scan Job!
This is just an amateur job of scanning a book.
This should not be purchased by any one!
Lazy and shameful!
This is just an amateur job of scanning a book.
This should not be purchased by any one!
Lazy and shameful!
August 27, 2024
Viking patterns
This one was so interesting as reading the history of each pattern. Really liking the size and color choices that I can expand on.
This one was so interesting as reading the history of each pattern. Really liking the size and color choices that I can expand on.
April 16, 2024
This book includes a great deal of historical information that was worth the price even if the patterns had not been included. But there are patterns, and they are well written, classic designs.
July 5, 2009
One of my favorites. I made two of the sweaters, with accessories, from this book and they continue to be favorites in my wardrobe. I use the techniques all the time in my own creations, and go back for more inspiration. I still want to make more of these patterns.
October 31, 2012
Beautiful designs for the advanced knitter. It helps to have basic knitting techniques, the patterns are easy to understand and well written. This is a favorite book for me. Even if I'm not knitting I pull it out for inspiration.
December 18, 2007
Beautiful designs for the very advanced knitter. Maybe in about 15 years, I'll be able to use this style of knitting.
May 24, 2009
I would have titled this "Celtic Cables" or "Viking Cables." Pretty intricate stuff with photos of the artifacts that inspired them.
April 17, 2016
I dream someday of being able to accomplish these patterns.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews