Knit (Spin) Sweden! - by Sara Wolf & Josefin Waltin (Paperback)

About the Book

Travel to Sweden, home to at least 19 different breeds of sheep and a centuries old spinning and knitting tradition. Meet the international famous and newly minted knitwear designers who live there and enjoy their sensational knitting patterns.

Sara Wolf has reproduced knitting designs from Sweden's museums and translated them into knits using commercially available yarns. Josefin Waltin has spun the different breeds to show how hand spun yarns can be used to bring out the amazing characteristics of Swedish wool. Some of these sheep live north of the Arctic Circle. Others are primitive breeds descended from the earliest domesticated breeds.

Join Sara and Josefin as they describe how to incorporate wool from sheep with locks a foot or longer into useable yarn, and discuss how to achieve next-to-skin softness from others by choosing an appropriate spinning method. Learn about the rise in interest in heritage and endangered species of sheep whose wool is now valued, where it was recently burned or composted for lack of a market. Find unusual, boutique yarns in cities, on farms, and at spinning mills across the country.

Richly illustrated, with easy-to-follow written knitting instructions, there is something for everyone in this book, from the hardcore fiberista to the armchair traveler.

Book Synopsis

It's easy to find a local yarn shop, find a traditional knitted item to buy as a souvenir, and go home satisfied that you've made a connection to a new place. For author Sara Wolf, that wasn't enough. She wanted to see what the locals were doing; talk to other knitters about their craft; find yarn from local sheep and understand the culture. In writing this book she not only visited yarn shops but also sheep farms throughout the Swedish countryside, countless museums with textile collections and a few spinning mills, too.

She's spent significant time swatching various Swedish yarns, learning about native sheep breeds, and how to locate commercially available Swedish yarns. Many are truly artisanal craft yarns found only at fairs or craft shops. Others are available online, although often only in Europe. This book intends to create a wider audience for Swedish fibers, both commercially produced and conservation breeds. If there is a demand for the fleece, wool, and yarn, there will be encouragement for farmers to rebuild these herds.

About the Author

Sara Wolf is a life-long knitter who spent her career in a variety of museum storage rooms as a textile conservator. Her love of textiles and travel led her to seek out yarns and knitting techniques around the world. She now uses West Brookfield, MA as a jumping off point to research, write, and teach knitting. She also thinks of herself as a spinning wannabe. She occasionally dips her toes into weaving, all while dreaming of the next sheep-based adventure.