Thursday, October 13, 2011

Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy Oh Boy

Yesterday, in an antiques shop near the harbor in Reykjavik, I found these* under a stack of old sheet music.

Good Find

Last night, inside the blue one, I found this.

Amazing Find

That's the most exquisite hand-drawn lace chart I've ever seen. I think it's time for a mystery knit.

*Kunst-stricken is "art knitting"–in other words, knitted lace.

88 comments:

Rabbitch said...

You're braver than I am (as if we didn't already know that). I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

m1k1 said...

ENVY X 10,000
My op shops never have anything of that degree of exquisiteness (is so a word).

Melodie Neal said...

Dear Franklin

Please go to Iceland more often; you blog far more frequently (and interestingly) when you are there. However, when you are done freezing off parts of your anatomy, please consider Sydney, Australia. We also have wondrous sheep, and we are warmer.

Jeanne B said...

Oh, my. That is a find! Wow.

Overstap said...

O My O My...I see a stunning new shawl appearing @ the Icelandic Horizon...

Anonymous said...

What a find :) I don't know if you need help translating the German for the mystery pattern (it is a deckchen so a small doily from what I could decipher from looking at the photo), but if you do I'd be happy to help.

Cheers, Eva

Sweet Camden Lass said...

At this point, I need to check that you're still breathing properly.

You are still breathing properly, aren't you?

Good.

*Squeee!*

Caryn said...

Well, that explains the squee of pure joy I heard last night. Can't wait to see what this becomes, and then I want to make one! What a great find!

charlene.knits said...

Come back soon or I worry that you may not come back at all! I am really enjoying reading about your adventures.

patti anne said...

I gasped, more than once! What a find...the knitting gods have given you a chalenge, one you can't refuse.

Lynn said...

There *will* be a mystery knit-along, right?

Beverly said...

Wow! It's a good thing you are in Iceland and can get help with the language! Otherwise, how would you know what a cursive "r" stands for? Or an end parentheses? Or a "not equals" sign? Interesting symbols! Have fun making that into something.

Sean said...

OH, how wonderful. What a great find. I'll knit along on this lovely mystery. Sign me up!

Sally said...

Holy Handarbeitsbucher!!!!!! Complete and utter score! Extreeeeeme jealousy but so happy for you!

Tini said...

Awesome! If you need help translating,just let me know (beeing German should help ;) at least a bit ;))

Pat Salvatini said...

I never find anything that interesting. You have all the luck.

Mamma Spice said...

I was thinking. . .if you kept the chart the same, but changed up the stitches legend, that could be very interesting indeed.

Syd said...

Squeeeeeeee! Perfect find!

Rox said...

What a fantastic find and a fun challenge, to boot. Probably the best souvenir you could have hoped for, eh?

Patty said...

That handmade chart with it's beautiful writing is worthy of archival mounting and framing to enjoy forever. Can't wait to see the knit! Looks like you are having a great time!

Mari said...

Oh my......lucky lucky you!

Ruthcrafts said...

So jealous! I can't wait to see what it knits - and what the symbols mean :)

deirdre said...

Ohhh, so exciting!!!

Natalie Servant said...

What a lovely find! Looking forward to seeing what it looks like when it's knit.

Sara said...

What a great find! I love antique stores and used bookstores. They sometimes have real treasures. I'm so glad that you are having such a wonderful time!
Sara

Carol said...

What a great find! I was going to offer translation help, but I see others have beaten me to it. I'm in Chicago if that makes a difference.

terri said...

You are a lucky boy!

margene said...

Stunning find!

Stirling said...

I fully expect to see that whateveritis in class in December!

Rebecca said...

Ahh! I have pored over scans of those but never seen them in person. I am intensely envious.

Denise Bein Kroll said...

That has to be the most perfect souvenir find. Ever. Look forward to seeing the future pattern.

Unknown said...

You're such a lucky finder. I also wanted to offer my help in translating but am the forth in line now. But I'm very interested in a knitalong. Hope there will be one.
Enjoy your trip

Bgstoner said...

Is is going to be a mystery knitalong or just a mystery knit for yourself. Because you know there will be knitters that will want to know how it looks when you are done, right?

Julie said...

It's like you're one of the Hardy Boys...have fun on the mysterious adventure! I love hearing of your travels.

Mel said...

Frábært! I was wondering whether the handwritten chart was written auf Deutsch eða á íslensku, but I can see it's in the former. Fun!

My verification "word" is "inglabl", which sounds rather Tscherman, denkst Du nicht?

Kirsty said...

Oh, how absolutely gorgeous! I'm looking forward to seeing how such a pretty chart knits up.

old lady said...

Oh please, I vote for the mystery knitalong!! Lets be brave.

Cara said...

You are insane, truly insane... But, I can't wait to see what it looks like.

geogrrl said...

Wow! What a great find. Iceland IS a country with a tradition of beautiful knitting. Any chance of seeing some scans from these books?

Denise said...

Oh Franklin, how wonderful! Good luck, looking forward to seeing the finished lace! (properly blocked, of course.)

Stephanie V said...

What a fabulous find. I am totally green with envy. Looking forward to the mystery knit. Heading off to the nearest thrift shop - now!

Knitting the Camino said...

Of course we are all jealous. I'm looking forward to seeing you write about this on Knitty soon.

(My word verification is "pubso" - is that Icelandic for I need a drink?)

PageOfCups said...

Wonderful - I'm really (!) jealous!
Oh, these are german books and the handwritng is german too. I can decipher some explanations:
rechts = knit
links = purl
umschlagen = yarn over
verschränkt abstricken = knit through the backloop
And the next explanations are too blurred on the picture to read them

Hope it helps to knit :)

Shan said...

So awesome.

KiwiJames said...

So pleased that they have the letter s in their alphabet...

kaykatrn said...

!. I want the one on the cover of the blue book.
2. I am totally thrilled by the use of a fingernail-cutting moon to designate a stitch. My imagination is running wild trying to decide what that stitch looks like!
3. I am now going to count stitches and see if I can figure it out.
4. Don't suppose I will get too far with all the other unusual signs, and my lack of German!
5. Lucky Franklin!

kaykatrn said...

I have really poor color memory. Or complimentary color memory. Or something!! Especially since the cover of the the red book is the only picture that shows!

Anonymous said...

Hi Franklin,

i you want some assistance with the translation, just ask, it would be a pleasure.I wonder what pathway it took the pattern to get to this store,might be an interesting long story from a time long ago...

Bonnita said...

Bingo! What a great find! Now get to work so we can see it finished. You know like the pink goodie you were making for that sweet niece of yours. ;o)

PenCraft said...

I am so jealous I just about peed myself.

Unknown said...

Like finding buried treasure!

Eileen said...

That gives me chills. It's one of my favorite treasures in the world, finding someone's separate notes or patterns in an old knitting book...can't wait to see what it becomes in your hands!

LindaV said...

OMGOMGOMG! I've scored vintage knitting books at antiques shops, but never anything like this. It's like the Antiques Road Show of knitting. Oh! The provenance! (OK, so your chart was drawn by a mystery knitter. I'm still counting it as provenance.). Sigh.

June said...

Oh, what fun! Have a great time unraveling the mystery (but hopefully not the project).

kathy b said...

How cool that you can speak the language of another knitter in another generation in another language...I know it will be a fantastic knit Frankliin...I look forward to seeing it along the way

Anonymous said...

I am jealous.

Gail said...

They are auf deutsch. Remember to look to the end of the sentence for the verb!

(and what a find!)

Susan (and SmokeyBlue in spirit) said...

WOW!
I am looking forward to hearing about how it is translated and who you got to do that for you. Or are you going to guess?

Please count me in for the Mystery Knit.

Emily and Laura said...

The universe clearly knew who would be THE perfect person to find this chart! I know you'll have a marvelous time knitting it, and I can't wait to see the beautiful results!

Anonymous, too said...

Oh, my -- another episode of "Indiana Habit and the Raiders of the Lost Chart!"

Rows Red said...

Oh. Sweet. Jesus. What I wouldn't give to own such copies myself! Would you perhaps be speaking of a public knit along?

Anonymous said...

so glad to see that all the hardships you endured in iceland resulted in some small benefit!

annie said...

Be still my heart! That is a beautiful page and chart. I'm sure you have googled by now and seen that Lacis has a pdf translation of Kunst-Stricken II...how exciting!

Amanda said...

OMG, what a find. Torn between love (10000) and jealous (10000). Glad to know they're going home with someone who will appreciate them!

Alaska said...

How fantastic!!

CAT said...

Oh Wow!!! What an amazing find! One any lace knitter would admire for sure. Can't wait to see you knit them up.

Seanna Lea said...

That is a great find. I love that you are going to try to winkle your way through that chart.

Krystina said...

Don't you LOVE those moments?!? Kinda like the time I found an antique singer sewing machine... that worked... it's like it was meant for you!

JoAnn said...

So when you see your hand reaching out to grab something and you have no idea what it's doing, do you actually ask it or just trust that it's found something that belonged to you in a past life and is making sure you don't loose it again? Personally, I don't ask anymore.

kuduja merike said...

Karma, dear Franklin, karma. <3

Karen said...

Yet one more reason to go to Iceland. My jealousy knows no bounds!

Looking forward to the mystery knit.

Karen said...

I am a member of another Yahoo group that concerns itself with the lace design work of Herbert Niebling - and these titles/publishers sound sort of familiar...

Laurie said...

awesome. Completely awesome. Great find!!!

Ed said...

I love it...that chart was meant for you!

Kyle Kunnecke said...

now THAT'S a fantastic find! I'm happy you found them; without doubt I'm sure you'll bring some of those patterns back to life!

quiltcontemplation blogspot said...

That chart should be framed. what a find. congrats.

Síle said...

That's amazing :) Congratulations on your find :)

Torhild (a Norwegian in the NL) said...

how exciting. i can c now that i def need to go to iceland! (but how can i keep BF busy when exploring wool, patterns and sheep??) keep us posted with your further findings pls.

SamD said...

Simply amazing. One knitting human made that lovely graph then an appreciative knitting human found and honored it. I will enjoy the eventual story of your adventure.

WonderMike said...

I'm so jealous you found those!!!

Dulcinea said...

That is beautiful. Whoever drew that chart would be delighted that someone has found it, and may put it to good use*.



*Please put this to good use I am desperate to see it knitted up!

Alwen said...

OH MY BOB.

Did you feel my jealous hit you?

want

I wanted to go to Dutch antique markets, but my mom's hip couldn't handle it.

Never mind, I'll just go weep over my Lacis reprints. I'm fine! I'm okay!

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شركة منزل الشموخ said...



ان الخزانات من اكثر الاشياء التي يجب الاهتمام بها ومتابعتها والحرص علي نظافتها ,لذلك فان عزل الخزانات يساعد بشكل كبير في التخلص من مسببات تلف الخزانات وعدم تأثر المياه بدرجة الحرارة واشعة الشمس. حيث تحافظ علي صحة وسلامة السكان من التلوث الذي يحدث نتيجة الصدأ او البكتيريا المتكونة بسبب عدم غسل الخزانات بإستمرار , لذلك يجب عليك عزل الخزانات حفاظا علي صحتك وصحة افراد عائلتك , وشركتنا تتخصص في عزل الخزانات بأفضل واحدث الطرق والتي نضمن من خلالها امان تام للمياه ,وحيث نستخدم مواد آمنة جدا بحيث لا تتأثر بوجود المياه حولها.
شركة عزل خزانات بتبوك

انتشار الحشرات بالمنزل يتسبب لنا عميلنا العزيز في الكثير من الأضرار؛ لذلك يكون التخلص منها أمر ضرروي للغاية، ويجب السعي له بكل الطرق، ونحاول استخدام كل الطرق والمبيدات الحشرية للتخلص من الحشرات المنتشرة داخل المنزل، ولكن في الكثير لا نصل لنتائج مرضية لنا، لذلك تقدم شركة مكافحة حشرات بتبوك افضل الخدمات باقل الاسعار
شركة مكافحة حشرات بتبوك
يعاني كثير من السيدات في أثناء تنظيف المنزل من ضيق الوقت وعدم كفايته للانتهاء من تنظيف المنزل بسرعة وبشكل كامل، ويبحثن عن طرق للقيام بالمهام بسرعة أكبر للتغلب على هذه المشكلة
شركة منزل الشموخ لتقديم خدمات التنظيف بارخص الاسعار وبعاملة مدربة، فنحن افضل شركة من خلال تخفيض الأسعار وليس تخفيض الاسعار فقط ولكن الجوده والخامه والحصول علي افضل نتائج حتي نبني سمعة طيبة عن شركتنا من خلال عملنا فقط لأننا رواد في مجالنا
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