Plystre and Cohana
We at Sister Knits love items from the United States but recently Julie found two companies from abroad that meet our high standards!
Plystre (‘whistle’ in English!)
This is a Norwegian company based in Oslo. In 2017 they were on a mission to create bags for knitters that were practical, fun, and well designed. Since Norwegians have been knitting for centuries, they know what they want! These bags are made in Bulgaria by six women, the fabrics are dyed in a family owned business in Turkey, and the leather is from Italy!
We have three types of bags: the smallest is the Pouch, the next size up is the Project Bag, and the largest is their Backpack Set which comes with a pouch bag. The Project Bag and the Backpack have unusually roomy zippered pockets on the front that are easily accessible and quite handy!
Besides straps, the Backpack has webbed handles which make it easy to hand carry. All of the bags have interior pockets of varying sizes to hold your pattern and essential knitting accessories.
When you come to the shop, we invite you to inspect them thoroughly! You’re going to be impressed!
Cohana
This Japanese company is named after a mythological princess. She is the cherry blossom princess and a symbol of delicate earthly life. It is also said that she brings many happy blessings to women. If you’d like to read more about her, click on this link.
We have several delicate items from Cohana which is a high quality handmade tool brand that focuses on local industries and crafts. Their products are made entirely in Japan.
The colors of their goods are traditional Japanese colors that represent the seasons. I’d love to learn more about them because there are five colors but the information is in Japanese! The page couldn’t be translated. If there is anyone reading this who can read Japanese, I’d certainly love to know what it says about the colors!
We have Thread Snips, made one pair at a time by artisans who are direct descendants of the original maker. The handles are wrapped in silk Iga braids, a material made for use in armor making since before the Nara period of 710 - 784!
We also have darling Mini Scissors complete with tiny handmade silk tassels! The tassels are made by a venerable old company that also makes them for chochin (paper lanterns) which are a traditional handicraft originating in the city of Yame. Read more about them here.
The Knickknack Bag is a dear little canvas carrier for small accessories. They are coated with paraffin for a unique texture that becomes more pliable as it’s used. It has a plump shape that you are guaranteed to fall in love with!
Last but not least is the Leather Pouch. The leather is tanned using only natural materials, no chemicals. The tannery began in 1955 by making leather for volleyballs! Perfect for Cohana’s namesake, these little pouches are reminiscent of flower blossoms!
Cohana products are exceptional and distinct and available only at My Sister Knits!
We hope to see you in the shop examining Julie’s great finds soon!
