Tradition and innovation. Quirkiness and quality. Heritage with a modern aesthetic. That’s the theme of Arne and Carlos’s latest book, Norwegian Knits with a Twist. These phrases could also be used to describe the collaboration of Steven Be and Ingebretsen’s. Steven Berg is the owner and impresario of Steven Be, a fiber studio and yarn shop at 3448 Chicago Avenue South, a little over a mile, as the crow flies, from Ingebretsen’s.
Steven has been working with the Norwegian Embassy to bring Arne and Carlos to the United States, beginning with the Vogue KnittingLive! Event in New York, then back to the Midwest for a book signing and coffee at Ingebretsen’s on Tuesday, January 20 from 9 to 10:30. For the rest of the day, Arne and Carlos will be teaching two classes at Steven Be’s.
“There’s a synergy between the two businesses that matches the energy that Arne and Carlos bring to their designs and knitting. Ingebretsen’s has the knitters who understand and appreciate tradition. We have the knitters who innovate and are always trying new ideas. It will be a cross-pollination that will benefit all the knitters. It also fits the vitality of south Minneapolis, where there is a synthesis of the historic and the inventive,” says Steven. Steven appreciates the quirkiness and tongue-in-cheek humor of Arne and Carlos’s designs. “As a man in knitting, I appreciate what they do. They want to keep knitting fun, ” he says. Steven is known for saying, “There are no mistakes in knitting, only variations.” Making the process enjoyable is clearly important to him.
Norwegian Knits with a Twist was inspired by Arne’s visit to the Setesdal homestead where his grandmother grew up.
As the authors explain in the introduction of their book, the farmstead was abandoned, but the attic was filled with postcards, old magazines, books, and letters. These bits of the past and the rich knitting tradition of the Setesdal Valley inspired the men to create 31 patterns that honored the past while being intended for modern use. “We believe in anchoring new designs in old traditions…each (pattern) was designed with our own ‘twist’,” they wrote.
You will have an opportunity at the book signing to learn more about Arne and Carlos’s design process and the stories behind the patterns. They will be at the store from 9:00 to 10:30 am on Tuesday, January 20. We already have a full house for coffee with Arne and Carlos and have closed the reservations. However, if you would like to have a book signed, you are still welcome to join us. Just be prepared for a bit of a wait. Thanks! (You can call the store, 612.729.9333 for more information.)
We are very pleased to host Arne and Carlos and we appreciate Steven Berg’s work that made this possible. Please join Steven Be and us, browse the stores, chat with our guests and your fellow knitters and be inspired by two designers who exude enthusiasm and an appreciation for the fun that can be found in knitting.
– Carstens Smith