European knitting all thumbs

When Mary Chase of Blue Hill read that knitting makes my elbow moan, she called and suggested that I learn to knit the European way – holding the yarn in the left hand. She agreed to give me a lesson.

I arrived at her house with a ball of Briggs and Little yarn and a pair of Peace Fleece size 10 knitting needles.

She had prepared for my visit by assembling books about the Swedish tradition of knitting and an album of photographs of students – not of knitting – who learned weaving from her. Chase founded Peninsula Weavers in Blue Hill in 1972 after taking a weaving class at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts in Deer Isle. She fell in love with weaving and went on to study it in Sweden. In her 16-year stint as the owner of Peninsula Weavers, she sold supplies for weavers, imported yarn from Sweden, grew flax and taught others how to grow, process and spin it, and conducted classes in which more than a 100 people learned to weave.

She also showed me several pairs of mittens that had been made by knitters in Sweden using a technique called tvaandsstickat, or twined knitting. The technique involves two strands of yarn, alternately knitted with two strands of yarn of the same color, which are twisted after each stitch. The resulting fabric is durable and warm, only slightly elastic.

Twined knitting was traditionally used to make mittens and gloves, caps, stockings and sleeves. It was especially suited to decorative embroidery.

After cautioning me that she does not consider herself a knitter, Chase and I took up our needles. I did my best to shape my knitting technique to the European way – after a lifetime of doing it the American way, with the yarn held in the right hand. Mostly, though, I behaved like a cow on ice with its tail froze down. But Chase coached me along, and after a while I began to get a feel for what I was supposed to be doing and made some progress.

I was used to holding the knitting needles close to the points with my right index finger held low and close to the needle. The European way required that I hold the needles farther back and hold my left index finger high and farther away from the needle. Chase made it look SO easy. I’m still practicing.

What I enjoyed most about my visit with Chase, besides the pleasant conversation about knitting and weaving, was the privilege of benefiting from her many years of textile knowledge and experience. That spirit of sharing is a hallmark in the history of needlecraft and fiber arts – two women sitting down with yarn and needles, or loom and shuttle, to enhance one another’s skills and pass on what they know.

Snippets

A reader from Van Buren called with some good advice – scarves can be hazardous to your health, especially if you work around machinery. Many years ago his son survived a close encounter with a snowblower when his scarf got caught in the machine shaft. Snowmobilers and ATV riders, if you wear long scarves when you are out riding, be sure they are safely tucked inside your clothing, or leave them at home.

A reader from Hermon who makes dolls is looking for a source of “good clean feathers.” E-mail her at mathiasc.poulin@worldnet.att.net.

Bangor Humane Society likes to send home newly adopted cats with their own blankets. If you knit, crochet or sew, this might be just the charity project for you, your school or Scout troop. Call 942-8902 to find out how you can help kitty adjust to a new home.

Ardeana Hamlin welcomes comments, suggestions and ideas. Call her at 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.