Nordic Knitting Series with Kristin Drysdale

Schedule:

Ambidextrous Knitting - REGISTER

Thursday, October 26, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$85/Members; $90/Non-Members

Nordic Colorwork Hat/Cowl - REGISTER

Friday, October 27, 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$85/Members; $90/Non-Members

Designing and Knitting Selbu Mittens - REGISTER

October 28, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
$150/Members; $165/Non-Members

National Nordic Museum Nordfjord-Kofte - REGISTER

October 29, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
$150/Members; $165/Non-Members

Class details and supplies:

Ambidextrous Knitting

REGISTER
Thursday, October 26
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$85/Members; $90/Non-Members
Skill Level: If you can knit and purl, you can thrive in this class!
Homework: None

This class centers on yarn holding in both hands and focusing on new techniques. Students will practice the method that's new to them, then apply it to colorwork. Based on Chapters 1 and 2 of Kristin's book The Nordic Knitting Primer, this class is ideal for colorwork newcomers or those progressing from two-color knitting to three. Knitting with one color in each hand is the simplest path to colorwork mastery, blending Continental and British styles. Before diving into colorwork, students will concentrate on their new knitting method and even create charming fingerless mitts!

Participants will need:

• Yarn: Worsted | Woolfolk – Får 100% Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino Wool | 142 yards/130 meters per 50 g/ 1.75 oz skein | Color: 27 (Gold) | OR approximately 94 yards (87 meters) of equivalent yarn
• US 4 (3.5 mm) knitting needles, any length
• Gauge and swatch: 22 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches/10 centimeters | worked in garter stitch
• Scissors

Nordic Colorwork Hat/Cowl

REGISTER
Friday, October 27
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$85/Members; $90/Non-Members
Skill Level: Adventurous beginner. This is a great first colorwork class!
Homework: If making the Lasse Hat, please complete Steps 1 and 2 of the pattern before class. If you are making the Setesdal Cowl, please complete the ribbing before class so that we can jump into colorwork.

Based on Chapter 3 of The Nordic Knitting Primer, this class will focus on working stranded colorwork by carrying one color of yarn in each hand. Students will also try carrying two strands of yarn in the left hand, so that they can decide which way works best for them. They can choose to make either the Lasse Hat or the Setesdal Cowl. Both patterns are an excellent intro to Nordic knitting!

Lasse Hat

Participants will need:

• Main color yarn: DK | Woolfolk – Tov DK 100% Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino Wool 160 yards / 146 m. per 50 gram per skein | 1 [2, 2] skeins | Color: DK 07 (blue)
• Contrasting color yarn : DK | Woolfolk – Tov DK 100% Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino Wool 160 yards / 146 m. per 50 gram per skein | 1 (1, 1) skein | Color: DK 00 (white)
• Gauge and swatch: 26 stitches and 32 rounds = 4 inches and 10 cm
• Total yardage for hat: approx. 192 (212, 226) yards/ 175 (190, 202) meters
• Sizes: 3-6 months; 9-12 months; toddler

*Note from Kristin: I chose to make this hat in the softest yarn I could think of. The 3-6 month size takes every bit of 1 skein of the main color. To conserve yarn, and just to be safe, you could knit the first 9 rounds of the brim with the contrasting color. The brim is folded under, so you wouldn’t be able to tell which color of yarn was used. Or, you can buy an extra skein to make sure you have enough of the main color. Or, you can buy 3 skeins and make this hat in 2 sizes, because you will be sad when your baby outgrows it!

Setesdal Cowl (see above)

Participants will need:

• Main color yarn: DK | Woolfolk – Tov DK 100% Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino Wool 160 yards / 146 m. per 50 gram per skein | 1 skein | Color: DK 07 (blue)
• Contrasting color yarn: DK | Woolfolk – Tov DK 100% Ovis 21 Ultimate Merino Wool 160 yards / 146 m. per 50 gram per skein | 1 skein | Color: DK 00 (white)
• Tapestry needle
• Measuring tape
• Stitch marker
• Pencil

Designing and Knitting Selbu Mittens

REGISTER
Saturday, October 28
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
$150/Members; $165/Non-Members
Skill Level: Basic colorwork skills (all adventurous beginners/intermediate knitters and beyond are welcome)
Homework: None

In 1857, a girl named Marit Gulsethbrua Emstad made three pairs of mittens featuring a centuries-old eight-pointed star in bold black and white. The motifs she used were inspired by Norwegian folk art from wood carving, rosemaling, weaving, and even single-color knitting, with the motifs made in relief with knit and purl stitches. These beautiful traditional motifs are packed with Pagan and Christian symbolism. Marit showed off her mittens knit with a black and white Selburose at church and the next week, her friends brought their own. Before long, the whole town was knitting their own Selburose mittens, and a cottage industry was born. Marit was a trendsetter!

This class will focus on designing and knitting a personalized Selbu mitten. Students will learn about the elements of traditional Selbu mittens and delve into the meaning behind each motif. Kristin's new Selbu Name Day e-book has beautiful and symbolic Selbu motifs that knitters can choose to mix and match to design and knit a mitten that tells their own unique story. Knitters may choose to design their piece based on one from Kristin's book, a family mitten, or even a mitten that represents the immigration of their family to America.

*Note from Kristin: if you are overwhelmed by designing a mitten, you can still take this class and knit either my Simple Selbu Mitten from the Nordic Knitting Primer, or my Immigrant Mitten that symbolizes the Scandinavian immigration to North America and personalize it for your family. My hope is that these mittens become heirlooms.

Participants will need:

• 2 skeins of fingering weight yarn (Rauma Finullgarn or Rauma Gammelseries – 100 % Norwegian yarn or equivalent. Use Finullgarn for a relatively simple Selbu Mitten and use the Gammel series for more complex designs with a smaller gauge.)
• Gauge varies depending on the size and mitten design. Be prepared to make a mitten that could be between approx. 27/29/31/33/35/ stitches over 4 in. or 10 cm.

National Nordic Museum Nordfjord-Kofte

REGISTER
Sunday, October 29
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
$150/Members; $165/Non-Members
Skill Level: Basic colorwork skills (intermediate knitters and beyond are welcome)
Homework: Get gauge in colorwork knitting in the round on 16-inch needles. Work the ribbing for the cuff for one sleeve. Cast on and work the ribbing for the body. This way we will be able to work on the colorwork in class.

If you have visited the National Nordic Museum and you are a knitter, there is a chance that you have admired the cardigan hanging behind glass in the Museum. The motif used for these works is called Nordfjord. It’s a traditional Norwegian Kofte, and the one that hangs in the Museum has some particularly lovely features! Kristin's goal was to write a pattern for this beautiful sweater that is easy to follow, and to teach a class that will give you all the skills to make your own Nordfjordkofte.

This class will focus on starting the colorwork of the sweater sleeves and the body, and working the buttonholes into the fabric. After six hours, you will be ready to proceed to the rest on your own! Kristin will assist after the class has concluded via Zoom to check on students' progress.

Participants will need:

• Yarn: Raumagarn Finullgarn | Contrasting color 200 (200, 250, 250, 250, 350, 350, 350) g | Main color 250 (250, 250, 300, 300, 300, 350, 350) g
• 4 skeins of fingering weight yarn (Rauma Finullgarn or Rauma Gammelseries – 100 % Norwegian yarn ). Two skeins of both the main color and the contrasting color is needed for class. (Note: to get the same dye lot, it is recommended to purchase all the yarn at once).
• Gauge 24 stitches colorwork stockinette = 4”
• Needles | DPNS: 16”, 32” (or 40”) circular needles. | Size: approx. US 3 (3.25 mm), US 4 (3.5) mm, or size needed to obtain gauge
• Measuring tape
• Stitch markers
• Pencil and color pencil
• Swatch in colorwork on 16” needles to make sure you are on gauge for the sleeves.