Knitted Lace of Estonia

By Nancy Bush
Published by Interweave Press
ISBN: 978 1 59668 053 1
Price: £16.99
Reviewed by Jenny Lewis

This has to be one of the most beautiful books featuring knitted lace that has ever been published. I love it.

The first chapter describes the history of the remarkable Estonian lace knitters covering 14 pages. Following this there are 14 lace patterns for scarves and stoles which use some amazingly lovely lace stitches. Estonian lace is unique in that the patterns are not found in English knitted lace, but are complex, fragile, feminine and very up-to-date. There are stunning designs and borders. Also included are hints for designing your own lacy items.

There are plenty of superb fine yarns in the shops and on the web, and these come in a huge variety of colours and yarn types. They have become very popular indeed since the book Victorian Lace Today hit the bookshops a couple of years ago. Fine yarn and large needles create beautiful flowing projects which can be made by any knitter with some experience.

The photography is excellent and the instructions are given in abundance. These are not written, but are given in chart form which many people favour. The more ’difficult’ stitches are shown in diagram form and although a challenge are clearly represented.

I can find no faults with this book and being a lace knitter myself, I highly recommend it to anyone wanting something different and challenging.