What type of knitting is associated with the Sámi? The majority of traditional Sámi clothing was made of reindeer skin or wool felt. Very little was knit, except for mittens. This online course will explore the knitting motifs of the Skolt Sámi, whose traditional homeland lies at the junction of Norway, Finland and Russia. Skolt Sámi mittens are distinct from those of the Sámi to the west, because their patterns are created by altering colored-stitches with a main-colored-stitch, almost always in a natural, cream-colored wool. The Skolt Sámimotifs have retained their patterns’ names, almost all of which are associated with elements of nature. Birch leaves, ptarmigan’s foot, boat’s bow… these are just a few of the Skolt Sámi motifs. Join instructor Laura Ricketts in casting on and knitting a mitten with a symbolic, Skolt Sámi pattern while examining this rich tradition in wool. Students should know how to knit, purl, knit in the round, and have stranding experience.

This course is currently full.

You will need the following tools for this class:

YARN
Rauma Finullgarn (also sold as Finull PT2 now) (100% Norsk wool yarn, fingering weight; 191 yards [175 m] /50g [1.75 oz.] ball); two balls in #400 white (MC), small amounts (approx 25 yards) of #418 red (CC1) and #438 blue (CC2); available at Ingebretsens.com 

NEEDLES
Set of 5 double pointed, size US 0 / 2 mm, or size needed to obtain gauge

NOTIONS Scrap of smooth waste yarn for thumb, tapestry needle and markers
GAUGE 16 sts x 20 r = 2 in / 5 cm over stranded pattern, worked in the round and blocked