Northern Knits

I love craft books.  I have thought about counting all of mine but haven't gotten around to it yet.  I love decorating and cookbooks as well.  I get so many new ones each year.  I actually had the thought the other week -"what happens if I buy them all and there are none left for me to buy?" 

I only received five books this Christmas.  One my mom gave to me and the other four I bought with a Walmart gift card. The book my mom bought me is Northern Knits: Designs Inspired by the Knitting Traditions of Scandinavia, Iceland, and the Shetland Isle

I had the book on my wish list.  When I opened it I thought it had such pretty pictures but that I couldn't possibly make anything in the book because it is all above my skill level.  Then a week and a half ago I took part one of a two part knitting class to learn how to do stranding and make mittens.  My mittens are actually coming out pretty well.  It is only with two colors so I have lots of questions for this Saturday's class on using more than two colors.  So now I think maybe the book isn't way above my skill level.

One thing I really like about the book is the history about the origins of knitting in Iceland, Shetland, and Scandinavia.  I have read a good amount about the history of fabric and quilting but know very little about the history of knitting.   I like how she organized the patterns by country and had a little history about the country before the patterns.

And then there are the beautiful patterns.  Here are two of my favorites-

-Pictures are by Interweave

If I could only knit faster.....