Jeg er født ind i en familie hvor alle kvinderne havde travlt med håndarbejds sysler: Farmor Karen syede, og det var alt fra tøj til små plastik betræk til sylteglassene til genbrugs the-sier lavet af farfars underbukser! - dengang bestod skridtet af et netmateriale lavet i bomuld, perkekt til en hjemmelavet the-si! Men hun kunne også hækle og hun lavede fine hjemmesko med lædersål til alle fem børnebørn. På min mors side er det hovedsagelig strikning det altid har handlet om, mormor Louise,eller Isse som hun altid hed, strikkede fantastiske knæ strømper med hjorte og stjerne motiv - til alle ni børnebørn naturligvis (dem må vi finde opskriften frem til og sætte på siden her). Moster Helle, Hanne og Nette både syede og strikkede, Hanne var i en periode del af et brugskunst butikkollektiv i Norge hvor hun bor, hvor de solgte syede og strikkede textiler. Min mor Jytte har altid haft gang i mindst to eller tre strikketøjer, jeg husker bl.a et shocking pink bukse og vest sæt strikket i tyndt vævegarn som jeg var meget glad for som 6 årig. Hun strikkede også trøjer, veste og kjoler til os allesammen, min bror Ole var dygtig til at brodere korssting - indtil de andre drenge fandt ud af at han syslede med noget så tøset, så holdt han op. Men hænderne er skruet godt sammen på manden, i disse måneder er han egenhændigt igang med en tilbygning til sit hus, jeg er vældig imponeret!
Til jul og andre højtider når vi alle sammen var samlet blev der strikket imellem alle retterne, det var derfor naturligt at jeg som 6 årig også ville lære kunsten.Mormor lærte mig det grundlæggende, hun havde tålmodighed som en engel med mig, for det var svært i begyndelsen. Da jeg blev ældre var det også hende der lærte mig at strikke strømper for de der hjorte strømper var inspirerende! Senere lærte min mor mig hvordan man strikker "hønsestrik" og hulmønstre og en masse fif især om finish. Det at strikke blev "a way of life",og det er ikke helt forkert at sige at jeg strikkede mig gennem gymnasiet, ellers tror jeg jeg var død af kedsomhed! Senere kastede jeg mig over tegning, maling og fiber arts og tog en uddannelse som textildesigner fra Danmarks Designskole i København. Jeg har siden arbejdet med textile designs og billedkunst simultant, nogle gange svinget mere mod det ene end det andet, men håndstrikningen har altid været bestant. Nu synes min mor og jeg det er tid til at viderbringe vores viden om skandinavisk strikning og design, og dele ud af vores forkærlighed til garner der er lavet i fibre af høj kvalitet og indfarvet i skønne nuancer.
I was born into a family whose women were always working with their hands.Grandma Karen sewed everything from clothes to tea strainers - made out of grandpa's underpants! Let me explain; in those days the crotch was made of a cotton mesh material, just perfect for a homemade tea strainer! That is if you had the frugal mind set of my grandma. But she also did crocheting and made cute slippers for her 5 grandchildren. On my mother's side knitting was the main activity. Grandma Louise made fantastic knee stockings in intarsia with reindeer and stars for all her 9 grandchildren. (We need to find that pattern and post it here.) Aunt Helle, Hanne and Anette all sewed, knitted and did embroidery. Hanne made a living as an artisan for a period in Norway where she still lives. My brother Ole was skilled at cross stitching until the other boys found out and called what he was doing "girlish" - as a result he stopped. But he is an artisan also, building an addition to his house with his own hands, of which I'm immensely impressed! My mother Jytte always did and still does have at least two to three knitting projects going. There were plenty of sweaters, vests, dresses, pants, hats and scarves for everyone. I particularly remember a shocking pink pant and vest outfit that she knitted in lace weight worsted yarn. I was only five years old and I cherished it. When the whole family got together there was knitting between meals and it seemed natural for me as a 6 year old to want to learn also. Grandma Louise taught me the fundamentals, she had the patience of an angel because it was so difficult for me at first. Later, since I was so inspired by the reindeer she also taught me to knit stockings. When I was a teenager my mother taught me not only intarsia and lace work, but also showed me tips in knitting and finishing. Knitting became a way of of life and I don't think I could have finished high school without being able to knit during class - it would simply have been too boring. Later I became interested in drawing, painting and fiber arts and graduated as a textile designer from the Danish School of Design in Copenhagen. Since then I have worked with art and design simultaneously, sometimes on one more than the other, but knitting by hand has always been a constant. Now the time has come for my mom and I to share our experience in Scandinavian knitting and design making and also to make it available to the knitters of the world.
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