Recent Acquisition

A new book that I love: Twisted-Stitch Knitting: Traditional Patterns & Garments from the Styrian Enns Valley by Marie Erlbacher, published by Schoolhouse Press.

The book contains a small bit of history, instruction for the technique, 174 pattern stitches with photos and charts, and a number of sweater and sock patterns. It's the "stitch dictionary" aspect that appeals to me most. These are the type of small cable patterns often referred to as "Bavarian", worked with travelling/crossed stitches that are twisted by knitting into the back to give them a more raised or chiseled appearance. The book is a great resource.




You may wonder about the gloppy bits at the lower end and in the middle of my swatch. Well, I hate to admit it, but I did lose my place (more than once) on an 8 st, 4 row pattern repeat. The charts in the book are really fairly simple and straightforward, but employ a different system than I am used to reading; and the eye/brain/finger connections went askew a couple of times. It didn't help that I started late in the evening. Note to self: use Post-It tape to mark rows worked, even for short pattern repeats.