Danish Folk Sock

I knit this pair of socks for my sister's 50th birthday. My mother came from Odense and I was told that our great-grandmother lived in this house, which is now a museum.

The original sock is in the collection of the museum, I have not seen it, the pattern comes from this book - Bondestrik - strømper til mænd og kvinder. S.m. Lisbeth Green og Gitte Nødskov, Landsforeningen Danske Folkedansere, 1983. But I like the idea that a man or a woman has actually worn this star pattern on a dress sock 150 years ago.
The pattern on each side of the small of the leg is called "svikkel". And it was "designed" to disguise and cover the ankle knuckles. They are not particularly pretty, perhaps even ugly but the purl patterns transform your leg into a slim, delicate part of your body.
I cannot publish the pattern, however if you want to knit a pair like this you can follow this recipe:

Old Danish Folk Sock

You will need 100 g of fingering sock yarn in natural, blue, or black.

A set of 5 dpn needles size 2 mm or 2,25 mm

A vanilla sock pattern, there is one here on this site.

An original sock pattern. On this website you will find two different patterns on page two.

Cast on the amount of stitches from the vanilla pattern on four needles, and work the border from the Danish pattern.

Continue with stockinette stitch and seam pattern for a couple of cm. Skip all the increases and decreases.

Begin the "svikkel" pattern using this trick: the center of the first pattern is the first stitch on needle 2 and the last stitch on needle 3 is the center of the second pattern.. Remember to start from the top of the chart or turn it upside down.

When the "svikkel" is finished, enjoy your work, and continue with a couple of cm of stockinette and finish the sock using your vanilla pattern.
There is also a pattern for lovely red cap to go with the outfit.

Danish??

Why did men from Spain to Sweden start to shave their heads and wear someone else’s hair in the mid-seventeenth century? Why did women decide that it was necessary to wear masks and other full-face coverings in public towards the end of the century? What was the economic and social impact of the sudden [...]

I am really looking forward to following this project:

Fashioning the Early Modern: Creativity and Innovation in Europe, 1500-1800
-and was very pleased when I found out that knitting is the Danish contribution to the research. While digging out for the Copenhagen Metro, archaeologists have come up with so many interesting knitting textiles.
And here is a  treat for you: Museumstekstiler.dk has copied a felt hat, you can even dye the yarn yourself.
Living in this small, old country it is always interesting to discuss what is actually a Danish Knitting Special. Not much. Perhaps nothing or maybe this :

The star lozenge pattern of some of the knitwear is typically Danish and has had a wide chronological spread. 
Originally the pullovers or only the sleeves were knitted with very thin needles, after that the knitting were dyed and felt. Perhaps it was done like that to make it look like a more expensive cloth. Like if you could not afford expensive pieces of lace trimmings, you could knit insertions.

I have worked a copy of a woman´s sweater from 1775. It is finished and it is gorgeous. I will try to make some fine photos and post about it later. It has a great story.
A fine project for the last days has been these arm warmers. From Sarah, Blue Garter.

Choosing the check and the stripes I wanted to give the mitts a Northern look. I was in an indicisive mood. I enjoy the way the fair isle pattern hugs the wrists. I definitely recommend this free pattern.