Hönestrik.

I came across a new word today.  Early this morning, I was looking at interesting designs for the sweeater in the Mulespinner dark gray that I am working on right now, and it popped up on a particularly interesting hem pattern on this sweater.    

Hönestrik.  Isn't that a great word?    But what does it mean?  I could find pictures easily.    

The first thing I noticed was the brilliant colours.  It reminded me a lot of the way that Kaffe Fasset used colours in the 70's (I AM a child of that period so yes, I remember everything Kaffe besides just his knitting, his art, his needlework.  Sigh.)

I could see parts that were influenced by fair isle and by traditional Scandinavian knitting, but the essence of it, the real meaning of it eluded me.  

"Hønsestrik - a Danish knitting style from the 70’s, which literally translates into “Chicken Knit”. Hønsestrik is done with bright colours on a double pointed needle, so no purling is needed. The technique seems to have found inspiration in fair isle patterns, but with the Hønsestrik patterns resembling every day objects, animals and people to a greater extent. But besides the very bright colours and naive patterns (which I think look adorable on kids, maybe not so much on grown men with beards…) Hønsestrik is really all about making a political statement and challenging the norms of society at the time." - Knitted Cakes

Read this blog and it's wonderful posts.

Anna Bauer's website has a list of European sellers of the books.  It is not available in English and is not listed on Amazon.  But it is entirely possible that I might purchase a book and learn to read Swedish  for Chicken Knitting.

I am not sure which part I like the best.  The colours.  The rebellious roots of it.  The sheer and utter joy it gives me to look upon it.    

Hönestrik.  It might be true love.