Villasukat - Finnish style wool socks

I had no idea how much inspiration I would draw from blogging. I find inspiration in my daily surroundings at any given time – walking through my neighbourhood, driving home and ogling my surrounds while perched at the traffic lights, Pinterest (boy I could ogle those images for HOURS!). But I would have to say there are some pretty awesome blogs out there, and seeing photos of homemade items and handicrafts has really opened up a previously untouched interest in my creative side.

All my life I have been surrounded by an underlying Finnish influence when it comes to design and art and craft. Our family home had a very obvious Nordic look. The walls were adorned with tapestry and ryijy (handmade wall rugs) synonymous with Finnish textile design. My grandmother used to knit wool socks and crochet and do all sorts of other various handicrafts. I remember as a kid my Mum was always knitting, crocheting or sewing. It’s funny that I have always been surrounded by it but haven’t really taken notice of it. Until now.

I stumbled across the gorgeous blog called Pieni Lintu on the weekend and as I was reading through her posts I stumbled across this one. VILLASUKAT!! When I saw these photos I felt like I had walked into our old family home. Villasukat are essentially wool socks, but what makes them amazing is they were traditionally handmade by our grandmother (I assume this applies for most Finns). Come winter we would dig out the villasukat, it was a given. Winter and villasukat go hand in hand, like salted herring and beetroot. Prune jam in tarts. Potatoes, just potatoes. I can truthfully say when I would see my grandmother pull out the knitting needles and start knitting a new pair I would wonder, ‘How many pair of villasukat do I really need?’. But now I realise, I don’t need them, I WANT them!

So, where to start. I guess I should first learn to knit. That might help. I did knit as a kid (I apparently called myself a 'knit twit' as I was learning) but I don’t think my memory would stretch far back as to recall how to actually do it. Secondly, I may need a pattern of some sort. And thirdly, and this is the one I will do first, I must go shopping for some beautiful coloured wool! Boy I am excited. They might be ready in time for next winter. Of course, I will post a piccie when they are completed.

{Just quietly though, don’t hold your breath.}

{Image source: Pinterest}