This is an old knitting project, but I just read about it (here) and found it interesting. In 2006, 4,500 pairs of mittens were made for those attending the NATO Summit in Latvia.
Each pair features a unique design, utilizing a wide variety of traditional colors, patterns and symbols. For Latvians, mittens are much more than a way to warm your hands. Every ethnographic Latvian mitten tells a story, marks an anniversary and represents a specific region in Latvia. Some mitten designs are specially intended for weddings or other special events. There is even a rich tradition of folkloric etiquette associated with the wearing, storing and displaying of mittens. While most Latvians will not be able to attend the NATO summit, you could say that hundreds will have a hand in making the NATO guests feel at home. Many of the knitters are producing an average of three pairs for the Summit, although many, excited by the prospect of sharing their traditional skill with the world, are eager to produce more. For most Latvians, this project is a special source of national pride, because it combines tradition, culture and history with something of lasting practical value that will be enjoyed around the world.
Take a look at the gallery of mittens...What amazed me was that there was only 268 knitters are involved in the knitting process (265 women and 3 men. That's some amount of work... If you're into mittens it's interesting because the oldest surviving mitten comes from Latvia. You can read about The Thousand Year Old Mitten here.
No comments:
Post a Comment