Icelandic Handknits

For a while there in the early 20-teens, I was on a sort of quest for heritage knitting techniques.  Lacking a true history of my own heritage, I was investigating a lot of different methods from several different countries.  Icelandic Handknits was one of my attempts to learn true old-world techniques.  Unfortunately it was not the right type of book for that.

Don't get me wrong... this hardcover volume is gorgeous, and the author did a lot
of wonderful research.  Unfortunately she took it and followed the current trend of trying to put a modern spin on historic patterns.  Just once, when I buy a knitting book based on the historic knitting of a certain region, I would like to find traditional garments.  Adapt them to modern needle sizes and yarns, certainly, but keep the traditional forms.  One set of traditional shoe inserts does not make up for pages and pages of baby sweaters and faux Lopi sweaters.  And when did our great-grandparents knit tote bags??

I give this book a four out of five.  The hardcover is excellent quality (although a spiral-bound book is always more desirable when buying a knitting book you will actually work from) and some of the shawls and scarves/hats/mittens are gorgeous.  I just really doubt that my great-great-grandmother would have wanted to put all that expensive wool and time into a tote bag or a beaded headband.