Virtual Knitting Tour to the baltics July 14-16

 TERE TULEMAST KÕIGILE! WELCOME!

Tonight, we'll gather to get (re)aquainted and to meet our new traveling buddies.   

In the course of this fun-filled evening, we'll make a traditional Baltic dessert and will be joined by author Donna Druchunas who will speak about how knitting helped her find her roots in Lithuania.

ROOSIMINE: ESTONIA INLAY KNITTING with Aleks Byrd

Roosimine is an Estonian inlay technique that creates the appearance of embroidery through intentional floats in contrasting yarn on the right side of your knitting. 

The name roosimine translates to “decorating with roses”, which comes from a style of short stitch embroidery done on the Estonian island of Muhu.

It’s the perfect embellishment technique--and it's way easier than intarsia!

SOCK TOES THE LATVIAN WAY 

with Zanete Hussain 

Discover the amazing (and easy) cuff-down sock toe decrease method Latvian sock knitters use, resulting in a perfectly round toe without the troublesome grafting of live stitches. 

(What? No Kitchener?!?!)

BRAID-O-RAMA: LATVIAN BRAIDS AND THEIR VARIATIONS

with Ann Weaver

In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to work Latvian braids as well as multiple variations of the traditional technique:

• braids with long floats
• clumps of braids
• multiple-color braids
• dense layers of braids
• even a twisted two-color cast-on!

Explore the exciting variety of these highly-textured and often quite colorful horizontal design elements.

The pattern for Ann's Braid-o-rama Cowl will be gifted to all so you can show off, I mean practice, your new mad skills.

Special kits in your choice of colorways will be available soon.

COMMUNITY VAKARIENĖ 

During this fun and casual evening, we'll share fun facts about the Baltics and head to the kitchen and prepare one of the most famous dishes of Lithuania.

Don't forget the sour cream!

FLORAL MOTIFS IN ESTONIAN LACE 

with Brooke Nico

Estonian lace is rife with lovely floral motifs created by manipulating your stitches in unusual ways.  

Join Lace Virtuoso Brook Nico to learn pro tricks for creating the nupps and gathered stitches that make up the foundations of these patterns. 

Leave the session with several new charts for Estonian floral motifs--and the skills you need to create them!

10 UNIQUE LATVIAN FOODS AND DRINKS

with Zanete Hussain  

Discover the unique food, drinks, and desserts that are a must-try on your next trip to Latvia.

Until then, learn how to make a few lunchtime favourites such as Kefir Soup or Rye Bread Pudding with authentic recipes.  

STORIES OF ESTONIAN FOLK COSTUMES

with Aleks Byrd

Crafts are very much tied to traditions, identity, and sense of place in Estonia. 

For example, each parish in the country has its own colour palette, stranded colourwork knitting pattern (for mittens, socks, and gloves), weaving patterns, as well as embellishment techniques for knitting and embroidery. 

It’s all about the details! You can practically pinpoint the place a textile was made, sometimes the individual maker, and for women, you might even be able to tell if they are married, single, or widowed! 

Discover more about the rich textile traditions in Estonia as we look at Estonian national folk costumes (rahvarõivad in Estonian). 

SYMBOLS IN STITCHES

with Donna Druchunas

Why is it that so many people are interested in knitting patterns and stitches from around the world? Is it because there is so much variety in beautiful designs? Or is it because we want to challenge ourselves by learning a new lace stitch, an unusual cable technique, or a difficult colorwork pattern? 

Perhaps we want to learn about our ancestors’ contributions to history or to trace our own roots. 

But while we are exploring history or learning about ourselves through knitting, we are also opening ourselves up to experience what it's like to be in another place and time, and to see the world with different eyes.