Observations: Knits and Essays from the Forest
Many of you are familiar with Lotta H Löthgren — knitwear designer, yarn dyer and yarn shop owner — who shares moments from her countryside life in Sweden (@elkmarketyarn & @lottahlöthgren). We are honoured to tell you that Laine is going to publish Lotta’s debut book this August! A book full of beauty and inspiration, glorious knits and words that will stay with you.
Observations: Knits and Essays from the Forest is a knitted walk through the forest and the seasons. With a keen eye for the innate wonders of the natural world, Lotta H Löthgren combines knitwear designs with notes on the landscape she calls home: a small village in the southeast of Sweden, nestled among forests and lakes. There, she spends her days writing, knitting, designing knitwear and hand-dyeing yarn.
Observations includes nine knitwear patterns for long-lasting, wearable garments and accessories, along with essays about living a life close to nature. The patterns have been created in a quiet conversation with the land, drawing elements from the natural world and translating them into stitches and fabric.
“This book is the meeting between myself and my homeplace, seen from a very human perspective but told alongside the low hum of the soil,” Lotta says.
Lotta H Löthgren is a knitwear designer, writer and yarn-dyer living with her husband, children, dogs and chickens in a small village in the southeast of Sweden, where she also runs her own yarn shop. Lotta leads a small, quiet life close to nature and the changing seasons. As a designer, she loves to interpret natural elements into practical and wearable garments, perfect for her way of life.
RELEASE DAY - AUGUST 25TH CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! **SOLD OUT--Now Accepting Preorders**
- 200 pages
- 9 knitting patterns (3 sweaters, 1 cardigan, 1 vest, 1 short-sleeved sweater, 1 shawl, 1 hat, 1 pair of socks)
- Sweaters and cardigans fit at least a 152 cm / 60″ bust, all accessory patterns come in 3 sizes
- Hardback, swiss binding (Print only. Note: A separate ebook will be available through Laine's online shop on 25 August)
- Printed in Latvia.
Release Date Sept 15th
Issue 18, Autumn 2023, includes:
- 11 knitting patterns (both charts and written instructions provided): 5 sweaters, 2 cardigans, 1 slipover, 1 shawl, 1 hat and 1 pair of mittens.
- An interview with the American knitwear designer and fashion historian Sydney Crabaugh, who specialises in vintage knits and runs her own virtual knitting school.
- An article about Shetland and its knitting traditions, with two inspiring designers — Gudrun Johnston and Mary Jane Mucklestone — as our guides.
- Jeanette Sloan’s Fibre Talk: a regular article on Jeanette chatting with interesting people. In this issue, she meets Tanis “Akutuq” Simpson, whose company produces yarn from qiviut: a fibre that comes from the undercoat of the muskox.
- Five Ways by our regular writer Päivi Kankaro, who gathers experts’ tips on mending your knits.
- Where I Knit: a regular piece that pictures people knitting in their favourite spot. In this issue, we meet Nora, who likes to knit on the rooftop of her home in Cologne, Germany.
- Seasonal recipes to inspire your autumn cooking.
- Book reviews.
Designers featured in this issue: Jenny Ansah, Marcela Chang, Melissa Clulow, Emma Ducher, Jenna Kostet, Ksenia Naidyon, Olga Putano, Tiia Reho, Anna Sjösvärd and Julia Wilkens.