The Selbu Rose and Uncle Arne’s Very Warm Mittens

Visual language is powerful and few images proclaim “Norwegian heritage!” more clearly than a Selbu Rose design on a mitten or sweater. That’s a Selbu Rose, not a star. “It’s an 8-petaled flower,” says Laurann Gilbertson, Chief Curator at the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa. “The Selbu version is now the best known, but the… More The Selbu Rose and Uncle Arne’s Very Warm Mittens

Lovikka from Ullcentrum – a yarn that does more than make great mittens

Ingebretsen’s nålbindning teacher, Renata Fossett, has her students use Lovikka yarn from Ullcentrum for good reason: “It has a nice density, a nice feel, and the right amount of spin. It’s a sturdy, old-fashioned wool.” Ann Linderhjelm, the founder of Ullcentrum (Wool Central) a yarn manufacturer based in Öland, Sweden, would be pleased at having… More Lovikka from Ullcentrum – a yarn that does more than make great mittens

Laura Ricketts Brings Sámi Knitting to Light

It’s 2010, and Laura Ricketts is at a knitting conference at Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum. She’s looking at a display of national costumes, absorbed by the “beautiful, clear blues” of the Sámi pieces, when a question pops into her head: “Where is their knitting?” Why hasn’t she heard of it or seen it, like Swedish… More Laura Ricketts Brings Sámi Knitting to Light