Silmuskudumise põhivõte - kas aadlidaamide graatsia või talutüdrukute kiirus?

Knitting is a widespread textile technique throughout the world, but the main technique of hand knitting or the manner in which the needles and yarn are held and the stitches are formed is different in different parts of the world. In general, there are three different knitting methods that can be distinguished: knitting by throwing the yarn with the index finger (right-hand knitting)of the right hand, knitting from the index finger of the left hand (left-hand knitting), and knitting from the thumb of the left hand. Over time, knitting methods have changed in many regions for various reasons. People have tried to find more economical work movements, and in 19th century England there were attempts to make the movements more graceful. Knitters in Estonia have stuck to their habitual ‘throwing’ technique for centuries and have not allowed German, Russian or Nordic knitters to influence them. However, knitting from the index finger of the left hand has recently started spreading in Estonia, following the example of Finland and influenced by written materials. This has become the prevalent style among young knitters in Estonia today. Studying knitting movements and comparing them with the methods used in neighbouring countries gives us a clearer picture of the development of knitting culture in Estonia and the cultural influences on it

Knitting style – the grace of noble ladies or the speed of peasant girls?

Knitting is a textile technique with a global spread, yet the method of holding the yarn and needles differs between geographic areas and cultures. There are three main knitting styles: holding the yarn in the right hand or throwing, holding the yarn in the left hand or picking and knitting with the yarn in front of the work and manipulating it with the thumb. Knitting methods have been subject to change over time. People have tried to make the movements either faster or, as is the case with 19th century England, more graceful. Estonian knitters stayed true to throwing for centuries and were not waived by German, Russian or Scandinavian knitters. However, picking has become prevalent within the last century following the Finnish example and published materials. Studying the Estonians’ knitting style and comparing this to neighbouring countries provides an insight into the development of and influences on Estonian knitting. Keywords: knitting, knitting history, knitting styles, picking, throwing, Continental knitting, English knitting, Portuguese knitting, Estonian knittin

Rahvarõivakool Chicagos. Veebi vahendusel / National clothing course in Chicago, online

Between January 2021 and May 2023, the Estonian Cultural Society in Chicago collaborated with the NGO Rahvarõivas and provided a national clothing course for Estonians in the USA. The idea came from the Estonians in Chicago, building on NGO Rahvarõivas’ experience in providing national clothing schools since 2009. To unite the domestic and expatriate Estonian communities in understanding the intricate tradition of Estonian folk costumes, this comprehensive course spanned both theoretical and practical elements. The online format allowed participants from multiple U.S. states to join. This initiative attracted 12 people between the ages 13 to 76. Participants came from the states of Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Washington, Wisconsin, and Massachusetts. At the final presentation, 12 exquisitely crafted ensembles representing 10 Estonian parishes were showcased. While most participants completed one ensemble, some accomplished two or even three sets of garments. The course encompassed 360 academic hours of classroom work, plus independent work. The curriculum was based on the supplementary education program established in Estonia in 2018. The course objectives were to ensure that both homeland and expatriate Estonian communities have the same understanding of Estonian folk clothing traditions. The curriculum included theoretical lectures from April to June to prepare participants for the practical phase beginning in September. The organisers and the teachers reviewed the entire curriculum together. Based on the technologies, they tried to anticipate possible obstacles and think of solutions ahead of time. Individual work plans were created, and materials were assembled. The participants who visited Estonia in the summer of 2021 had the opportunity to visit the museums with the teachers and were able to study the historical examples in their sets and determine the correct colors. The challenge of weaving patterned belts and skirt fabrics was addressed with innovative teaching methods. Video demonstrations, visual aids, verbal explanations, technique demonstrations, and drawn stitching patterns were employed to facilitate learning. The fact that the United States has a different type of loom made weaving the fabric difficult. The course’s most intricate aspect was understanding the weaving’s backside and its loose threads. The linen fabric and other materials were bought from Estonia, examples were made and sent to the USA. More work than usual was done with the preparation of work instructions and creating the outlines.  The last stitches, fitting and dressing properly sessions were already done all together in Chicago this June. This culminated in a presentation of the completed ensembles just a week before Midsummer’s Eve, documented through photographs and videos. Both students and teachers celebrated the joy of completing the garments. The teachers gained great and necessary experience. The students plan to continue the project by introducing the finished garments to other Estonian communities in North America, thereby further promoting Estonian culture and traditions. This endeavour demonstrates the significance of adapting traditional practices to the challenges. The emotional and educational impact of this project is evident in the pride and emotions of the graduates, who crafted lasting memories and now plan to extend this legacy by sharing their knowledge and completed sets with other Estonian communities in the United States. The project embodies the enduring strength and unity of the Estonian culture and heritage within and beyond its borders

Transcriptomic and cellular phenotype changes indicate endothelial cell dysfunction in a hiPS-model of MELAS

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is one of the most common mitochondrial diseases. The manifestations are tissue-specific and correlate with the mutation load of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), known as heteroplasmy. While cerebrovascular events constitute one of the manifestations of the disease, the role of endothelial cells (ECs) in disease pathogenesis is not yet fully understood. In this study, we utilized human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derived ECs carrying the 3243A>G mutation as a model for investigating endothelial dysfunction in MELAS. Here, we report a distinct cell morphology among hiPS-ECs carrying a high mutational load in comparison to isogenic controls. In addition, gene expression analysis revealed a heteroplasmy-associated upregulation of genes related to angiogenesis and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) pathway in MELAS hiPS-ECs. Our data suggests that heteroplasmy-trigged transcriptomic and phenotypic changes in ECs might serve as a mechanism behind the endothelial dysfunction seen in MELAS patients.Mitokondriell encefalomyopati, laktacidos och strokeliknande episoder (MELAS) syndrom är en av de vanligast förekommande mitokondriella sjukdomarna. Den predominanta orsakaren är en 3243A>G mutation, vilket står för cirka 80% av fallen. Manifestationerna är vävnadsspecifika, och korrelerar med graden av mutationsbelastning i mitokondriellt DNA (mtDNA), vilket är känt som heteroplasmi. Trots att cerebrovaskulära händelser utgör en del av sjukdomens manifestationer, är den fullständiga betydelsen och rollen av endotelceller (EC) i sjukdomens patogenes fortfarande något oklar. I denna studie använde vi oss av EC deriverade ur humana inducerade pluripotenta stamceller (hiPSC) bärande olika belastningsgrader av 3243A>G mutationen som en modell för att undersöka mutationens inverkan på endotelcellers fenotyp och funktion i MELAS. Vi rapporterar här en distinkt cellmorfologi hos hiPS-EC som innehar en högre mutationsbelastning jämfört med isogena kontroller. Härutöver visade utförd genexpressionsanalys en heteroplasmiassocierad uppreglering av gener relaterade till angiogenes och Insulinliknande tillväxtfaktor (IGF) signalvägen hos MELAS hiPS-EC. Vår data antyder att heteroplasmi-triggade transkriptomiska och fenotypiska förändringar i EC möjligen kan fungera som en mekanism för endotelial dysfunktion påvisat hos MELAS patienter