The bear coat – finally
Nelli the bear presenting the bear coat. I haven’t still made up my mind over weather to add a belt or some kind of fastener or not, but fortunately, bears aren’t fussy on this point.
The inspiration for this bear coat goes a long way back. I once saw a picture of a beautiful silk kimono with a pattern of waves along the hem, and an animal (I can’t remember which) flying or jumping over the waves. Last year in Copenhagen I saw a very similar kimono. And then when Eunny presented her Anemoi mittens I decided this was the pattern that was to be used for a bear coat inspired by the kimono. Anemoi stands for the wind gods in Greek mythology, and you need wind in order to make weaves, so the background to Eunny’s pattern suits my inspiration well.
Since I didn’t remember the wind gods too well, I had to check them up, and I got the following explanation: Of the four chief Anemoi, Boreas was the north wind and bringer of cold winter air, Notus was the south wind and bringer of the storms of late summer and autumn, and Zephyr was the west wind and bringer of light spring and early summer breezes; Eurus, the east wind, was not associated with any of the three Greek seasons, and is the only one of these four Anemoi not mentioned in Hesiod's Theogony or in the Orphic Hymns. Additionally, four lesser Anemoi were sometimes referenced, representing the northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest winds.
The bear coat is knitted with Regia silk in dark blue and white on 2 mm dpns. The Anemoi pattern is repeated five times over the coat, and the smaller pattern is used for the sleeves. The coat is knitted in the round with steeks, machine sewn in front and in the sleeve openings. Stitches for the sleeves were picked up around the arm openings. The front band is double, hiding the cut edge of the steek.
Comments
It's beautiful! I've often wondered how this pattern would look on a full fledge sweater and I love your use of it here :) That is one well-dressed bear!
Posted by: mel | March 27, 2007 09:31 PM
That's a truly lucky bear! Very pretty.
Posted by: silvia | March 27, 2007 09:56 PM
The coat is a real success. Thanks for the info about the winds, too!
Posted by: Brigid | March 27, 2007 10:33 PM
I cannot imagine a more beautiful bear coat - that is one lucky bear!
(Thanks for the Greek Mythology lesson)
Posted by: Pat | March 28, 2007 12:16 AM
Absolutely lovely! And I enjoyed the Greek mythology refresher. :)
Posted by: Francesca | March 28, 2007 12:34 AM
That is so cute! Love the design and colors.
Posted by: tiennie | March 28, 2007 03:25 AM
I love the bear coat. It's a great adaptation of Eunny's pattern.
Posted by: Sheila | March 28, 2007 03:32 AM
A little masterpiece! Your adaptation of the Anemoi pattern is so clever.
Posted by: Vifslan | March 28, 2007 09:27 AM
Voi kuinka kaunis takki! Kyllä nyt kelpaa Nallen ottaa kevättä vastaan. :)
Posted by: Pikku-Kettu | March 28, 2007 09:56 AM
What a lucky bear!! Thanks for the lesson on the wind gods. I love mythology and my husband studies the wind for his profession. I definitely will have to make him something with that stitch pattern. The kimono is fabulous--how about a little bamboo needle as a fastener??
Posted by: gail | March 28, 2007 06:59 PM
I regularly look in your blog. I love the bear and his coat and the fact this bear seems a real member of your family.
Posted by: annita | March 29, 2007 10:52 PM
Next summer my husband, daughter and I will be in Scandinavia. Five years ago we visited the south of Sweden (where we have friends in the Malmo area) and the very north of Norway(Nordkapp and the Sami area). This time our daughter will be part of a touring choir. Do you have any recommendations for what to see in Finland? We would like to visit places we haven't seen before and to take a trip to St. Petersburg as well. Thanks for whatever recommendations you can give us.
Posted by: gail | March 31, 2007 06:38 PM
What an utterly gorgeous coat for a bear. Stunning work.
Posted by: Sue | April 2, 2007 08:45 AM