...swedish inspiration

I'm going to delete my older blog soon, (Mary Lena's Blog) which I don't use anymore.

That's why I'm going to re-post a few of the most viewed posts !

This blog post is about two knit patterns inspired by a visit to Sweden

houses in Ronneby

Not only is Sweden a very attractive society to live in, 

there is also something everybody loves about the Swedish style.

A certain “je ne sais quoi”

the architecture, the traditional patterns, the colours...

300 years of Swedish textile design

Some 40 years ago my mom bought me this Dala horse when she visited Sweden 

a very old fashioned Dala

In the older days the Dala horse was mostly a toy,
but nowadays it is a symbol for the kingdom of Sweden.
The earliest reference of wooden horses for sale is from 1624 !
The pattern reflects a style of painting known as 'Kurbits". In the 19th century, Sticka-Eric Hansson from Mora introduced the technique of painting with two colors in the same brush. Today it is still a handicraft article, made of pine.

So I designed this beanie with these colours in mind 

Blue, white, red, green, yellow and brown 

and of course the Dala horse, the snowflakes...

I used the fantastic Organic Poll Dorset yarn

"Troubadour" from Renaissance Dyeing 
located in the French Pyrenees

Fingering / 4 ply (14 wpi) 

Ecru, Puivert, Troubadour , Miraval , Narbonne , Os.

I really love this yarn !

Ingrid's Beanie is available as a knitting pattern and as a kit, 
more info here

A big thank you to the model, Ingrid Anna

photos taken at the winter beach

De Haan - Belgium

but one could easily imagine oneself
on the famous Island of Sandhamn
in the Stockholm Archipelago 

Strindbergs house on Sandhamn

To go with the matching beanie:

Ingrid's Mitts
I designed these mitts with the same colours:
Blue, white, red, green, yellow and brown
Organic Poll Dorset yarn "Troubadour" from Renaissance Dyeing
Fingering / 4 ply (14 wpi)
Ecru, Puivert, Troubadour , Miraval , Narbonne , Os.

these mitts are available as a pattern and as a kit -
more info here

...

Kristianopel

Sweden is a wonderful country with lots of nature,
beautiful houses and very friendly people.


I hope I will visit it again soon !

:)