Thursday Show and tell; Poetry in Stitches

I'm joining Meggie of the prairie with her show and tell, a lovely blog to read about her life in Texas.
Some days ago I read a post written by Willy of the blog Hej Tjorven about the Norwegian company Oleana. Their collection exists of blankets, cushions, cardigans, sweaters and related items. They have a magnificent use of colors and patterns. They exist since 1992.
Solveig Hisdal is their designer. She also has written a rather gorgeous book with knitting patters, called Poetry in Stitches, and I bought that book about 10 years ago.

This is one of my favorite knitting books. It's a delight to read and look at. In the book you read about the way she develops her designs. She visited lots of country museums looking for old patterns, techniques for textile production, rose- painted chests, cupboards, wallpaper, skirts, embroiderd panels of folk costumes.(bunad) This way she was looking for inspiration and ideas that she could carry on and communicate through her work. National costumes in particular have inspired her to make patterned knitwear from wool, silk and brocade. For example, from an embroidered panel of an old bunad bodice came the idea for a bride's dress. The decorative edging on traditional, short, black, tight-fitting woolen jackets inspired her to create a border for modern knitwear. She also applied the idea of a protective lining on the hem of a skirt and certain other pieces of knitwear. And the brocade of an old bodice inspired the use of contrasting shades of the same color in knitted articles. Several of these basic characteristics have become trademarks of her collections.
What makes the book very special to me are the photo's of the textile and landscapes that inspires her.
Well, have a look.

This is ofcourse a selection of all the beautiful garments you can find in this book, it is a delight to read and look at. Years ago I knitted the last pictured cardigan for my sister. The garments are mostly knitted around, so you have to make "steeks"  for the sleeves and in the middle.  I asked my mother's advice.  The details on the sweaters and cardigans are beautiful, velvet ribbons, collars (the black one), beads. This book is really a treasure to possess.