Besides the pure tactile pleasure and the fabulous colors, one of the things I love most about crochet and knitting is their universality. I like to imagine people through the ages and people from around the world forming the same stitches, and finding the same comfort and creative expression in these beloved fiber arts.
Thanks to the internet and the passionate generosity of creative people around the world, we are not limited to our own perspective. Here is my attempt to guide you to inspiring sites from around the globe. Admittedly, most do not have English versions, but that need not exclude the English-speaking visitor. There are many translators available to help us on our tour.
You may find that the translations of some pages are rough and gramatically incorrect. Remember that the translations are literal translations and that grammar rules differ from language to language. The simple phrase "All the pretty little ponies" may come out as "All the small pretty colts"; but this slight variation is not enough to prevent us from enjoying and learning from our visit. If you plan to follow a pattern written in another language, I think it is best to learn the few words necessary rather than to rely on the translator. Please also note that translators translate only text files. Words incorporated in picture files will not be translated.
I like to imagine I am sitting with a friend whose language I do not know. Through our shared passion for the subject, we somehow manage to communicate. After all, the stitches are the same despite their different names. I can learn much from her if I am patient.
If you would like to visit the pages in their original languages, simply click on the links below. To translate a page, copy the address into the translator and select the appropriate language. (To copy a link, highlight the link by holding the left mouse button down and dragging across the link. Ctrl C will copy the link. Then click inside the translator window and press Ctrl V to paste the link into the window.)
Once you are in translator mode, any links you chose from the translated page will also be translated.
Crochet
http://valia88.chat.ru/newcrochet/crochet.htm Knitting East
http://www.knitting.east.ru Elena
http://www.elena.pp.ru Knitting Info
http://knitting.archangelsk.ru Handiwork--Crochet
http://ntl.narod.ru/rukodelie/crochet/index.html Yarn
http://www.yarn.ru/index.htm
