Favorite Mittens

by Robin Hansen

Robin Hansen can justifiably claim to be the person who started the groundswell of interest in roots knitting patterns for mittens. When Fox & Geese & Fences: A Collection of Traditional Maine Mittens was published a generation ago, it was an instant success, and nary a knitter above the age of thirty has not heard of it. It was followed by a second, equally inspiring collection: Flying Geese & Partridge Feet: More Mittens from Up North & Down East. Favorite Mittens is a compilation of some of the most popular traditional designs from Robin's groundbreaking first two books, presenting these tried-and-true patterns in a new format, with step-by-step directions revised and updated for ease of knitting, thanks to the helpful feedback Robin has gotten from the knitters who flock to her workshops all around the country.

Genres: Knitting, Nonfiction, Crafts, Reference

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2005

Reviews

[Naomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My grandmother had this book in her small library of knitting patterns, as an inspirational reference. Hansen has collected a number of lovely traditional patterns. Swatching on this one is a must, though, to account for yarn, needle, & knitter variations and the fact that these are interpretations of traditional patterns. My grandmother made dozens of pairs of mittens annually, based on one underlying pattern, but mostly in the same needle size and yarn weight, adjusting her pattern from experience. If you don't have that kind of experience (ten years on in knitting and I'm starting to develop it), then a swatch will save frustration and time. Just swatch in the round. Turn it into a coffee cup cozy later, or felt it up and sew it into something. Meanwhile, have fun with the motifs Hansen's collected!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

a classic knitting book - that looks at a number of different knitting traditions and traditional patterns. A great one to go back to for the basics - is not as fancy and nicely laid out as some new books but great techniques and classic patterns

[Matthew Gatheringwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

I came across Fox and Geese andFences: A Collection of Traditional Maine Mittens shortly after I began to knit. I was intrigued by the beautiful mittens, but stymied by what seemed to me confusing patterns. As I recall, I tried several patterns, but abandoned them all in despair. Now, with the revision of Fox and Geese and Fences and its sequel, I have another chance. The idiosyncratic style of the original patterns has been standardized somewhat and, although I still wouldn't recommend this book for beginning knitters, I'm willing to try some of these beautiful mittens again.

This book is as much a work of ethnographic scholarship as a book of knitting patterns and Robin Hansen's description of tracking down obscure craft traditions and the colorful people who have kept them alive makes for interesting reading. Here's her introduction, for example, to the section about making mittens in the style of those worn by the fishermen of Chebeague Island:
"Time was, when a man went out in his boat in winter, he took his mittens off a nail on the boat, dipped them in the warm salt water cooling the engine, wrung them out good, and put them on wet. Then be began hauling and baiting his traps. His hands stayed warm in the wet wool mittens even working with wet traps dragged out of a frigid Casco Bay. When he peeled the mittens off later, his hands were so warm they steamed in the cold air. Then he hung the mittens up again by little loops in their cuffs and went ashore."

She hasn't just inspired me to knit, she has made me curious to know if there is a wet mitten tradition among fishermen where I live...

[annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

not quite as good as the original, but stellar none-the-less.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much clearer than the original - still has the local flavor.

[Chemteacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clever book of mittens, although not as nice as the author's latest book.