Category Archives: Latvian mittens

Mittens are a very important part of several Latvian traditions. Probably the most popular tradition where Latvians use a lot of ethnographic mittens are weddings. An ancient Latvian wedding tradition says that unmarried girls have to fill up their hope chests before entering the marriage. It’s an old tradition, that was respected by their mothers and grandmothers, so from early childhood girls were taught to knit, embroider, crochet and sew to be able to fulfill their chests with knits and other handicrafts. Knitted mittens were one of the most important things of the chest and also an indicator of girl’s skills. They represented patience and imagination, because every mitten had […]

A pair of hand-knitted mittens is not only a universal symbol for wintertime happiness and comforts – for Latvians, mittens are much more than a way to warm your hands. Every ethnographic Latvian mitten tells a story, marks an anniversary and represents a specific region in Latvia (Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale, Latgale). Each pair features a unique design, utilizing a wide variety of traditional colours, patterns and symbols. Tines company has set up an exhibition “Latvian mittens” with 44 framed 19th century and the end of the 20th century ethnographic mitten copies of all Latvian regions. For 2 years this unique exhibition will tour to different Latvian embassies and various museums […]