Greetings from the farm,
Today I am celebrating the finish of another traditional Norwegian heirloom garment and the end of my autumn courses.
All that is left now, is to hand embroider the "merkelapp".
If you are interested in creating your own merkelapp, or learning the techniques to create a merkelapp for a traditional garment, please register your interest HERE - with addtional information at the top of the form.
A merkelapp is a label that is hand embroidered and sewn within a garment to document the year the piece was knit and the beautiful knitter that created it.
It will tell your knitting story in the future!
My aim within all of my Knitography Virtual Classroom courses is to always create heirloom quality pieces, that last a lifetime and beyond!
Note: If you are participating in weaving the Old Farm Tea Towels - this mini course will be of interest to you, as well.
*There will be a fee for the mini course, which covers the cost, tax, and use of the historic, embroidery pattern.
I now have access to these historic tecniques and the patterns after recently completeing my certification within the monogram module of traditional Norwegian folk art hand embroidery.
Participants within the mini course, will receive the historic pattern, but must gather together their own materials.
This will be a visual demonstration to be viewed at your own convenience.
There will not be any live sessions around this mini course.
I will send information to those who are interested and sign up, how to register, pay the fee, receive direct links to access the visual mini course and the PDF patterns.
A few additional farm updates!
Advanced Band Weaving wool is being spun and processed at the mill. As soon as I receive the sample cones, I will create a visual introduction to the wool and information for ordering.
A second batch of VAMS wool which we are using for our traditional HALS mini course is currently being spun and processed. As soon as it arrives on the farm, I will ship it out to you!
Upcoming Offerings!
Next week I will begin to offer a visual seminar to present the advanced construction of the traditional Norwegian raglan genser (jumper/sweater).
This visual seminar will not be a course with active knitting participation, it will be a visual demonstration, which includes the presentation of all advanced genser techniques from start to finish (cast on to bind off) for this traditional construction.
This offering is in preparation for my upcoming genser course - in which we will knit our påske genser for 2023!
This course will be a "choose your own path" course - so you choose your traditional Norwegian genser, I will make sure that it is suitable for the course and off we go to ready ourselves for Easter!
If you are a beginner to traditional Norwegian garments or new to our community, Velkommen!
However, you must have completed my basic stranded knitting course and you should expect to follow the course genser, which I will be demonstrating visually within the course.
Registration for this course will open at the beginning of February and the course will begin during the middle of February, which will gives us approximately 7 weeks to complete our genser.
I also have a beautiful, LUSH, HAP design coming this spring....it has a beautiful story behind
it from the forest path.
If you would like to hear the song which further inspired this piece you can do so HERE
The lyrics are a poem, and when I heard and read it, it felt like I was struck by lightning.
I will host a knit-a-long gathering around this piece, especially for the Knitography Farm Community.
I am looking SO forward to sharing this piece and this story from the old village farms!
The Epic Year Long Ullpledd MAL begins officially on January 29th!
Some are still organizing, but many have already cast on, knitting along.
For now we will gather together twice each month on the 2nd and 4th Sunday for the rest of the year!
I am so excited about the interest and participation witin this MAL - I have organised many extras and surprises! It is going to be...well, yes! EPIC!!!
Addtional information and sign ups for the Old Norwegian Farm Tea Towel Weave A Long will be updated during the coming week! Many are warped and we are ready to make a start weaving through deep winter into spring.
And last, but most important of all....my GREEN YEAR wool has arrived on the farm from the mill. I am processing it and will soon stock it within my farm shop.
I never rush this process.
It is a highly emotional time and experience for me.
As I do like to spend some time with this wool, which took me so much time and so much effort to create.
It is extremely challenging to keep something historic alive and relevant within a superwash, acid dyed world.
But, despite everything and many difficult days - me and my little flock...we keep going.
This year's lot is just stunning and I know there is still much value in this work!
Once again I have received the highest marks and praise for my fleece from the mill.
I am looking forward to sharing it with those that are truly interested in rare, heritage, Norwegian wool and its preservation.
This is the original wool found within the first ever pair of Selbu Mittens from 1857.
I am working with the mill, once again, to offer the lighter colours from the co-op shepherds once the wool is launched.
If you have read all of my updates, thank you!
I am have probably forgotten something that I wanted to mention....but this is enough for today.
I appreciate your support and interest in my work here on the farm.
I wish each of you - God helg!
Warmest regards from Norway,
Patricia x