This is a great news for all Arne and Carlos fans - their new book Knitting Scandinavian Style (the English edition) is out on the market and can be purchased on Amazon. When Amazon had sent me their email saying that the A & C book is on its way, I was on tenterhooks for the next 3 days checking out my mailbox a few times a day! Finally last Friday my postman brought me this:
... a package from Amazon with my long-awaited copy of the book. Woohoo!
It really made my day :)
This is a paperback and as all Arne & Carlos books, it is published by Search Press. It's the fifth book by this Scandinavian duo and as a great fan of A &C I'm lucky to have all of them including their Advent Calendar and a magazine with some Easter eggs, both published in Norwegian.
Looking back, the whole Arne and Carlos mania began for me with their first book: 55 Christmas Balls to Knit. I even learnt how to knit on dpns just for those gorgeous festive balls. This is also the moment when Arne and Carlos became the knitting stars in Europe (esp in The Netherlands, Germany and the UK), obviously excluding their own country where they have been known for years now. Each of their books is full of vibrant, colourful projects to knit or to crochet. Many projects have lots of child-like and dream-like character and perhaps this makes them so attractive and tempting. There is also that Scandi flair looming in the background in each of their books, which I just love and I'm always amazed at the abundance of the Scandinavian patterns and colour combinations. Lots of their projects is based on double pointed needles so if you know how to knit with them, you're half way there! These books are rather for intermediate and advanced knitters, beginners may struggle a bit as sometimes their instructions are not entirely clear and straightforward. I remember how I struggled with knitting the bunny's heel, the bunny being from their "Easter" book. In the end I worked it out but it required a lot of patience, trial and error method, consulting some other knitting books and a bit of frustration and swearing from my part. Anyway, with a bit of will and persistence you will be able to work through their patterns and instructions.
Now, back to the new book. For those who are interested in this book, here are some photos of what you can expect inside. Prepare yourself for lots of photos :)
The contents:
Lice sweaters - this one made me laugh and cringe at the same time. What an awful name for such nice knits! I googled it to find out what this is all about and Wikipedia says that
lusekofte, the Norwegian name for this type of sweater translates as lice jacket and it refers to those small single dark stitches scattered over the knitted fabric and reminding the Norwegian people of insects. Ewwww!
Here below Arne (on the right) is modelling such a lice sweater :)
More "lice" patterns, they are really nice and so detailed.
With this book you are in for a cultural treat - there's plenty to read about the knitting traditions in Norway esp about patterns from Setesdal region. Arne also goes back to his roots reminiscing about his knitting grandmother from whom he learnt his skills.
There are female and male jumpers to knit :)
Plenty of pillow covers to knit. Personally, I just love this red and white pattern. Would love to have a go at knitting this cushion cover sometime.
There is also an absolutely sweet teddy to knit. Doesn't he look great in those knitted patterns?
Expect also hats and mittens, all with beautiful geometric patterns, so characteristic of the Scandinavian knitting tradition.
Another pillow to make. Simple patterns and great colours make a lovely project.
Just love this cosy hat and mitten set!
Can you already feel the Scandi atmosphere of a wooden house by looking at these pictures? :)
Knitting mittens and socks is always what I wanted to learn. I hope this book will finally motivates me and gives me confidence to take up the new knitting challenges.
And another lovely pillow to make :)
Aren't they just beautiful? Pointy shape, lovely pattern, cosy yarn? :) Get your yarn stash ready guys!
There's also a quilt-type blanket to make. This one has got unusual colours. How do you like it?
More cosy geometric goodness :)
I just love this hat. So cosy, so warm, so distinctive. How do they do it? The Norwegians, I mean...
Another great pillow to make. I feel temped to try it sometime in winter :)
Another great pillow to knit in interesting colour combination :)
And how about this draught excluder? Isn't the pattern beautiful?
There is also a smaller project to knit - a tea cozy with cheery pompoms. Could you resist that?
Socks, socks, socks... fabulous colours and patterns.
They would even look good as Christmas stocking hung by the fireplace :)
Some gorgeous redness to knit :)))
Perhaps a project for the festive season?
A Christmas tree skirt - if you want to celebrate in Nordic style from the top to the bottom :D
Snuggly, cosy, warm, bliss... Roll on winter!
there are also cowls and wrist warmers to knit :)
And something for home too - checkered pot holders...
... and pretty festive coasters with 2 patterns to choose from :)
Oh, and a knitted mouse pad. You haven't expected it, have you? :P
Well this is more or less it what you can find in the new A & C book. When compared to the previous books, this one is definitely more about the traditional Norwegian knitting rather than toying with some playful childlish projects. What I like about is that the fact that Arne and Carlos included both bigger and smaller projects in it. Some will require a good knitting experience, some will take you only a while to make. Everyone should be able to find something for themselves. So if you think this is the book for you, head to Amazon and treat yourselves to some Scandi love.
In the meantime as the book arrived at my doorstep, I have been working on a new A & C project from one of their books. This time it's not going to be a knitted ball or an egg. Shh.... I won't tell you yet. You will find out soon!
And the last piece of news - well, Arne and Carlos are not spending their time wallowing in the success of their previous books. They are already working on the next one! It is going to be a book about knitting cozy house slippers and this is what the Dutch edition cover is going to look like. I guess we will have to wait a while for the English edition of this book. In the meantime let's enjoy our Knitting Scandinavian style!
In Dutch:
Arne & Carlos zorgen voor een warme winter met gebreide sloffen voor
jong en oud. In Arne & Carlos breien op hun sloffen passeren ruim
30 sloffenparen de revue, gemaakt met 1 basis breipatroon met hierop 3
variaties. Van hoge sloffen met pompoms tot sloffen met een Noors dessin
en in bonte kleuren; veel vormen, maten en motieven komen aan bod. Arne
& Carlos staan garant voor uren breiplezier. Brei de sloffen met
pure breiwol en vervilt ze vervolgens in de wasmachine. Het resultaat:
heerlijk warme gebreide sloffen. Inclusief stapsgewijze breipatronen en
sfeervolle fotografie.
Arne & Carlos zijn bekend van hun
breiboeken en breipatronen. Het Scandinavische breiduo ontketende een
ware breihype in Nederland met hun eerste boek Kerstballen breien met
Arne & Carlos.
Google Translate:
Arne & Carlos provide a warm winter with knitted slippers for young and old. Arne & Carlos knitting on their slippers passing more than 30 pairs of slippers in review, made with one basic knitting this pattern with three variations. High slippers with pompoms to slippers with a Norwegian design and bright colors; many shapes, sizes and designs are discussed. Arne & Carlos guarantee hours of knitting fun. Knit slippers with pure yarn and then felted them in the washing machine. The result is wonderfully warm knitted slippers. Includes step knitting patterns and atmospheric photography.
Arne & Carlos are known for their knitting books and knitting patterns. The Scandinavian breiduo unleashed a knitting hype in the Netherlands with their first book Knitting with Balls Arne & Carlos.
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