When knitwear designer Aleks Byrd was sorting through her great-aunt’s apartment in Tallinn, she discovered a treasure: her Estonian grandmother Hilja’s old sketchbooks, filled with collages, notes, and magazine clippings about textiles and craft.

From these fragile family artefacts, Kindred Knits: Patterns from My Estonian Family Archives was born . It is a collection of 15 knitwear designs that beautifully blend Estonian knitting heritage with a modern, wearable sensibility. It’s a heartfelt celebration of family, culture, and the timeless thread of creativity that connects generations.

The book features 15 patterns, ranging from socks and hats to sweaters and cardigans, worked in a variety of techniques — including lace, cables and colourwork, as well as Roosimine, the traditional Estonian inlay method. The designs are innovative and modern, yet rooted in tradition: an homage to previous generations and their shared love of craft.

Aleks Byrd is an illustrator and knitwear designer with Estonian, Canadian, and American roots. She is particularly well-known as a moderniser of Estonian knitting traditions. Aleks has introduced techniques such as Roosimine and Vikkel to knitters around the world. Kindred Knits is her second knitting book.

This book isn’t just a pattern collection — it’s a story to share.

View pattern images and specifications here on Ravelry.