Latvian knitting: Carrying on an old tradition

Growing up in Massachusetts, Matthewman spent summers as a child at her family’s lakeside camp in the West Alton area. Her grandparents were from Latvia, part of the Baltic region, and they were steeped in the culture of their old country.

“My grandparents came to America in 1904 when the Russians invaded their homeland,” Matthewman explains. “They settled in Lynn, Massachusetts, and now and then my grandfather and my father took the train to Dover, New Hampshire, and from there, another train to West Alton near Lake Winnipesaukee.” They made the long journey because they loved being in the country, near the lake.

The family eventually bought property in West Alton and spent summers in a camp near the lake. Matthewman has fond memories summering in the area, and being with her parents, siblings and grandparents. She shares an amusing story of bringing along their family’s animals when they traveled to New Hampshire for the summers.

“We always had sheep when I was growing up, as well as chickens and ducks. We brought them with us in our station wagon,” she laughs as she recalls the long trips with adults, children and animals sharing the car.

The fact that Matthewman’s grandparents were a big part of her family added to an appreciation for Latvian culture and may be why knitting in the Latvian style is so appealing to her.

Matthewman met her future husband when she was a child, and they remained friends and married later. They moved to the Lakes Region permanently, where Matthewman had a career in dentistry. No matter where they moved, she was always knitting. Like many others, she enjoyed making hats and mittens to give as gifts, but it was some years later that she discovered Latvian knitting.

Her interest started on a shopping trip to a knitting store where she came across a book on Latvian mittens. The photos on the cover of the book, with knitted items in beautiful colors and patterns, was enough of an enticement for Matthewman to want to learn more.

“I researched Latvian knitting and eventually took a class in Boston that taught this type of knitting. I liked the colors and the history behind Latvian knitting, because it is about folklore and mythology.”

According to information at www.latvians.com, “Latvia is famous for the fact that the oldest mittens have been found here by archaeologists. They are estimated to be approximately 10 centuries old. The tradition of knitting mittens stems from the cold weather of Northern Europe; although it is worth mentioning that centuries ago mittens played a decorative role as well. By fastening them behind the waistband, they were worn in summer as a bijouterie and adornment. For several centuries they were the main form of gift and endowed with magical significance.” To this day, many people in Latvia wear the colorful mittens versus synthetic gloves.

A further enticement to learn to knit mittens in the old style is Matthewman’s Latvian heritage. In Latvia’s history, it was traditional for young girls to start a hope chest. Each girl would learn Latvian knitting and make mittens for her future husband. The mittens would go into the hope chest and when a girl married, the knitted items would be presented to her new husband, her mother-in-law and father-in-law, as well as other family members. The pattern on the mittens used symbols from mythology, the gods, destiny, fertility and the sun.

The culture and beauty of the knitted items appealed to Matthewman, and she knew Latvian knitting was something she wanted to pursue. Learning how to knit in this style, however, was not an easy task. Luckily, she was already skilled at knitting, and this made it somewhat easier to learn Latvian knitting.

“I often make Latvian mittens for gifts, but it’s time consuming. If I see a flaw in my knitting, I rip it out and redo it,” Matthewman says.

Among the Latvian items she knits are mittens, socks and hats. She was making and selling Lake Winnipesaukee hats but now makes mostly mittens. Matthewman hand dyes the yarns in acid-free dye.

“I get most of my yarn from a circa-1821 mill in Maine,” she says. She prefers the yarn be not too soft or too heavy and rough, which would make her knitting more difficult. “I use a hairy type of yarn that felts a bit. This is best for my style of knitting."

When knitting, she uses smaller needles for detailed work, choosing her own colors for the pattern. Most of the colors for Latvian knitting are shades of black, blue, red, and yellow. It is not often that colors such as pink are seen in the mittens.

Latvian mittens are about not only the craft itself, but also reflect the culture and symbols in each style. For example, she relates that the fringe on the top band of the mittens is specific. Other mittens sport a scalloped edge; Matthewman says it is identifiable to a region in Latvia, which is divided by regions.

Knitting in the Latvian style is challenging, and one must be dedicated to the process to catch on. Matthewman had the dedication and patience to learn and is now a skilled knitter in this old-world craft.

“Not a lot of people are knitting in the Latvian style,” she adds. “I am concerned about that, so I offer one-on-one classes at my house. I want to share how to knit in the Latvian way, so it doesn’t die out.”

Due to her skill and craftsmanship in Latvian knitting, Matthewman has been invited to send some of her work for an exhibit at the Latvian Cultural Center in Sabile, Latvia.

“The center staff love that a granddaughter of Latvians is continuing the tradition of knitting mittens,” Matthewman says. “I recently found out that my Latvian mittens and my Latvian heritage, and a photo of my grandparents, will be featured in a video from this exhibit.” The wool used in the mittens was from Horned Dorset Sheep at Three Creeks Farm in New Hampton.

If Matthewman’s Latvian grandparents were alive to see their granddaughter participating in an exhibit in their home country, they would surely be proud the traditions continue into the next generation.

“It is the oldest type of recorded way to make mittens,” Matthewman says.

She smiles as she concludes, “It is the challenge of the whole thing that I just love.”

For those who want information on taking a class with Matthewman, email marylyz71@hotmail.com.