Glory Toom and Aime Metsar - award winning tutors return to

Beautiful Silks for a one day workshop Estonian Lace - Lilly of the Valley.

Glory and Aime in front of fine wool shawl, photo Hannah French. Aime is wearing her handspun, handknitted Estonian traditional lace scarf.

Estonian Knitted Lace November 26th 2011 cost $132.00 plus materials. Code EL03

See Hannah French's interview with Aime and Glory on utube

1 day workshop Saturday 26th November 2011. The aim of this workshop is to teach the classic lilly of the valley design. This has a left and a mirror right . Master this stitch before you go home, and knit a scarf later incorporating the lily of the valley classic stitch.

Artisan's Profile: Glory Toom and Aime Metsar, authentic Estonian lace knitters who grew up in households in Estonia with tales of Grandmother spinning day and night to clothe her many children, always with wool, and the weaving that went on in those houses. Both learned knitting early in life, and came to lace knitting through their cultural group activities. Aime and Glory have taught lace knittting for many years. You will get the start you require, or be able to finish a lace shawl if you have started on in their previous workshop in March this year, again with support from both tutors. Glory assures us they will again teach you the nopps! Aime assures me that knitting lace is not hugely difficult, it is a matter of doing the stitches and following the patterns. Aime and Glory are bringing some of their work, and will also bring books in the Estonian language with the symbol patterns contained inside. A photocopy of some patterns will be supplied by Aime.

Amie and Glory will satisfy both your craving for knowing more about lace, and put it into the context of their lives. Both women are imbibed in the traditions of Estonian knitting. Aime has won national awards with her lace knitted shawls, both knitters have taught this art for many years.

Further information:

Aime tells me number 5 needles are good, please bring those and any yarns you want to use. Yarns suitable will also be available for pourchase on the day. Workshop participants gain a 10% discount on any purchases, during workshops - this covers all our products and services,

Doors open at 9:30 for a 10:00 start. Tutors finish at 4pm. Doors close at 4.30pm.

For more history see at bottom of page

Lilly of the Valley Estonian hawl knitted by Lorraine O'Brien - photo Hannah French

Tales from the past......

Glory related the wonderful story of the origins of Estonisn lace knitting. She tells how she learned from her grandmother that it was the wealthy Italian and Russian women coming into Estonia in the 17th Century to take the mud baths - the Estonian women saw their beautiful lace knitted garments and beagn lace knitting. Due to the geography of the area they also tell that there is a strong relationship to the Shetland Islands. See more about Estonian knitting on this website -

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