Tendrils

This sock pattern is called Tendrils, the designer´name is Mary Lou Egan.

Here is another pattern from her knitting basket : Coquille 

 Mrs Egan is inspired by organic shapes - and knitting her patterns makes me think of the Art Nouveau period: In Denmark called "Skønvirke" (1895-1920) The decorations were inspired by wild flowers, insects and the flora and fauna of the sea.
Kristian Rørdam, Danmarks Tilblivelse (1898) A wild danish forest, drawn in "skønvirke" style (Danish Arts and crafts : Art Nouveau, Jugend style").

In Britain the movement was called arts and craft.

"The Arts and Crafts style started as a search for aesthetic design and decoration and a reaction against the styles that were developed by machine-production. Arts and Crafts objects were simple in form, without superfluous decoration, and how they were constructed was often still visible. They tended to emphasize the qualities of the materials used ("truth to material"). They often had patterns inspired by  flora and fauna."
This goes for knitting, too.
The sock yarn is an ordinary solid blue, however the stitch pattern has 3D effect on the solid yarn color, reflects the light and makes it look like semisolid. And the knitted fabric becomes elastic and lofty.
Tendrils is a birthday present for my son, who appreciates a hand knit sock.

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.

..modify them so that they can be worn

I accidentially found this book from 1985 browsing the internet for "old knittin´"  85 pair of socks from Danish museums, from all regions in Denmark have been examined and the beautiful purl patterns thoroughly written down.
I was extremely thrilled when I found out that a pattern was located to my village. And I immediately knew that I would work a pair of socks for Gete, who has been dancing and teaching folk dance most of her life. This Spring she celebrates her 25 anniversary as a chairwoman of my local church choir.

 Here she is in the church looking for music.

I wanted to make Gete a pair of snug socks she can wear a chilly summer night on her terrace. The original sock is thigh-high, the wool is 2 ply with no reinforcing, the needles very thin. To modify an old pattern so that the socks can actually be worn causes a lot of questions. I wanted to use reinforced sock yarn, not thinner needles than size 2 mm. For the purl stitches to show the thread must not split. Lorna´s Laces Shepherd Sock yarn has those qualities.

I wanted to use as many of the original details as possible.

The border with decreases.

 This is called [Svikkel], in English [Clock]

I did not like the original heel because it had a seam so I made this in stead.

 The toe is from the original pattern.

 

This photo is taken from Den Gamle By´s Museum through glass in a very dark room, just to give an impression what the old socks looked like.

And yes, Gete was pleased with her socks. And I had a very good time knitting.

there's beauty in the silver singing river

This weekend I went to Copenhagen. My sister lives there and had invited us to celebrate her birthday on Sunday.
Saturday afternoon we spent the day together with my Son II and my DIL. First we visited National Gallery of Denmark/ Statens Museum for Kunst. The Museum has run an exhibition of Bob Dylan´s paintings and it was the very last chance to see it. My husband is a dedicated fan.

There's beauty in the silver singing river

There's beauty in the sunrise in the sky

But none of these and nothing else can match the beauty

That I remember in my true love's eyes

- - -Bob Dylan, "Tomorrow is a Long Time" 

Afterwards I took a little stroll to see the other part of the Museum. It has a beautiful new extension and I enjoyed the view of this very old beech through the enormous window.

I was told, that before they built the extension there had been a park with a toboggan run and children had actually sledged at the very spot where we were standing.

I saw many fantastic paintings, however, I fell in love with this one, Melancholy, her shoes and the orange skirt caught my eyes and her expression puzzled me and I decided to borrow a book about the artist next time I go to the library.
When we left the Museum, I noticed this young man sitting outside the Museum wearing sunglasses and suddenly was I was 45 years back in time.

From Culture to Nature. Next door to National Gallery is Botanical Garden with a small cafe and we had our afternoon coffee outside in the April sun.

I just had to look inside the old greenhouse and imagined how it must have been to visit it in 1813 and experience palm trees and exotic flowers before television and photos existed.

Sunday I went to my sister´s birthday. She passes a milestone and only wanted a pair of socks. Loksins! is Icelandic and means Finally!

I thought of Spring when I chose the pattern. The yarn is Shepherd Sock, and the colour is Fjord.

I also bought her a Buff. I wish I could find a stitch pattern and knit a cowl like it. The fabric is extremely elastic but only sideways. It does not give an inch when I try to stretch it vertically.
How to wear it? If you have not seen the video, take a look at it here.
We had such a great Sunday celebrating my sister. We had a gorgeous brunch prepared by her friends and the socks were admired and greatly appreciated.

Vintage Socks Again and Again

It was a nice quiet time after New Year. Sun and snow. I took a walk on the beach. People were strolling with prams, and a couple were out having a bath. Now I am recovering from a appendix operation I had the other day.You can´t always knit!!

I finished a pair of socks for my grandchild from Knitting Vintage Socks. When I saw the photo of the pair in the book I thought they were baby boots. However, they turned out to be a perfect boot sock for a toddler in a pair of wellies.

I guess children a hundred years ago wore them in a pair of bootee. Like these little Ellen is wearing. In that case the cuffs probably were placed over the bootlegs and kept the socks in place. A very clever construction, practical and lovely.

The yarn is Arwetta Classic, which I choose for it´s softness and colours.

A Peasant Meal

I aim at living a simple life. It means, that I try not to rush here at Christmas time. However, I love the music and chocolates, but I try to avoid knitted gifts. A week ago I asked my husband if he had a present list. Of course he hadn´t, because he only wanted a pair of socks. I told him in a low voice about my resolution but realized I had to make an exception in his case. His birthday is ultimo May. Not exactly the woolen sock season.
I have a weakness for Hedgehog Fibres and ordered her last colour in stock a sock yarn called Damned Nation. I could not tell from the photo which colour but it was a man´s colour, very dark.

I chose the pattern from Knitting Vintage socks called Gentleman´s Half Hose in Ringwood Pattern from 1899. Nancy Bush tells that the pattern was used for gloves knitted and exported from Ringwood in Hampshire. 
Husband has big feet. 30 cm long. And I was afraid to run out of yarn. Hedgehog fibres sock yarn runs 350 m, so I decided to work the cuff in a black Arwetta from Filcolana.

The leg pattern extends in a very elegant way into the heel flap, and I worked the last 10 rows and the turns with the black Arwetta, too.

While I was knitting I began to wonder which nation this colour was named after. No, I will properly not get an answer, and suddenly my mind moved into the painting by Van Gogh called The Potato Eaters from 1885. Painted in Holland. His palette of this period was black, olive green, raw umber, pale ochre and raw sienna.
The peasants are eating their potatoes, I see the warm light from the oil lamp. The steam from the hot meal, the woman pouring up a hot drink for them all. The painting radiates a respect for manual labour, people working and eating together.

pilgrim

Lovely sock yarn from Hedgehog Fibres and 5 DPN size 2.25. The link is to Beata´s blog. The colour is called Pilgrim and I used a pattern from Barbara walker´s Treasury called Coin Stitch. The cuff and heel are worked in (1 ktbl x 1p) ribbing.

A woolen sock in a canvas shoe is a very good match when summer temperature is below 20 *

Superiority #2

I am still working on the EZ Cardigan and I have learnt how to secure steeks by crocheting in stead of machine-stitching. Eunny Yang has made a very clear tutorial.
I am happy with the yarn choice I made. It is light and sticky and not too expensive, which I was thinking about while I was cutting up .
I am about to finish the first sleeve and is really taken by the gauntlet.
In between working this hair-raising object I needed a tranquillizer. It has been meditation to knit these long socks. Thanks to Laura Chau who wrote the 8 pages long perfect pattern. The socks just fit and stay put.