Welcome to Day 12 of 24 Days of
a Baltic Christmas! Today as we celebrate the halfway point of the series we
are joined by Rachel Russ, designer and knitter. Here is Rachel’s post entitled
Latvian Mitten
Mania Alternative: Mini Lapel Mittens.
If you
are a Latvian, you know a good Latvian mitten when you see one. If you AREN’T of Latvian or of Baltic descent, you may STILL know a good Latvian mitten when you
see it!
Latvian
mittens require a lot of patience, expertise and practice. Many in the knitting
world aspire to make a good Latvian mitten. Yarn Harlot (famous knitting blog
writer Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) had a foray into the world of the Latvian mitten;
her wonderful journey was chronicled here. A non-Latvian knitter proved it can
be done, and done well!
This
mitten bug: when it bites, it bites HARD… Lizbeth Upitis wrote
a book back in the 1980’s that sparked a mitten craze of knitting where
non-Latvians could knit (and try to figure out how) like-a-Latvian. Upītis’
book Latvian Mittens: Traditional Designs & Techniques was my first adventure
figuring out the puzzle of making a REAL Latvian mitten. After trial and error
and much yarn tangling, a nice mitten emerged that was not the size of an oven
mitt, nor as small as a 6 year old child’s hand.
Through the years, as one who has followed the Latvian
mitten trail all over the internet and blog spheres, one thing is clear; they
are not for every knitter to make. It isn’t an easy knit. Much frustration and
angst awaits many a knitter who will bravely pull out their tiny size metal
knitting needles and pretty balls of woolen yarns with the big dream
of a patterned hand warmer to woo recipients.
Much
time is spent poring over patterns and colors, reading about techniques for
cuffs, and then trying to meet gauge (the stitches per inch measurement) in
order to produce a pair worthy of gifting to a loved one, or to wear in public.
The
alternative?
Mini Lapel Mittens.
What?
You’ve never heard of these clever little creations?
Let me
enlighten you, and they may knock you over with their teeny tiny charm, enough
to make you cast around for your own little pair to wear and display this
holiday season!
Miniature
Lapel Mittens are made with the purpose to wear not on your hands, but on your
person…
Some
have made them exclusively for wreaths or other holiday decoration, and some
wear them all through winter on their jackets. They are a small, fiddly project
with little time commitment.
Dexterity is a plus when making these.
WARNING:
be prepared for many compliments and or possible requests!
Resources
for patterns to make your own pair of miniature mittens, Latvian-style or
otherwise:
Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski
Latvian Mittens Traditional Designs and Techniques by Lizbeth Upitis
Latvian Mittens: Design and Techniques by Mary Germain
Mini-Mitts by Carolyn Vance for Cast On magazine
Mini-Mitts Ornaments by Spilly Jane for Knit Picks Yarn
Half-Pint Mittens by Susan B. Anderson
May
this season bring you joy and warmth as you fondly make your own pair of Miniature Latvian Lapel Mittens.
Rachel Russ is a 1st
generation Latvian-American living the mitten lover’s dream in her Minnesota
yarn insulated home with her hubby and 4 kiddos. She designs knitwear in her
spare time, and writes a little too. You can find her on Ravelry, Facebook page
Baltic Stitches LLC, Instagram and her blog. Her dream is to spread Latvian
knitting to every yarn store across the USA.
(Confession: I have worn out many a pair of
Latvian mittens… if only I was capable of knitting myself more – what a talent!) Thanks to Rachel for joining us today on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, we look
forward to seeing more of your fantastic creations!
Stay tuned for Day 13 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, featuring a staple of the Latvian sweets table!
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