Creativebug If you have to go to Norway on a last-minute trip (it’s a long story) and you happen to work for a company like Creativebug, in the company of people who are constantly whipping out knitting needles and crochet hooks and talking about yarn, chances are you will immediately pick up on the fact that Norwegians have some impressive knitting skills.
That may be an understatement.
This is a country that regularly sees -20C (yes you guys, that’s celsius) temperatures in the winter, with few hours of sunlight. Norwegians living in the “milder” coastal regions are subject to crazy winter storms coming off the ocean. What I’m getting at is that warmth is a priority.
Really, really pretty warmth.
You’ll see intricate sweaters and mittens for sale in tourist shops, even at the height of summer. The folk museum (oh, you’ll see what I mean) has an entire exhibit on the art of the sweater. You know what? I’m going to stop writing about all the amazing sweater and just show you instead.
Norwegian Folk Museum: Sweater Exhibit
From the Museum’s website:
There will be samples from every decade up until today, including “Hønsestrikk” (Hen-Knitting – a feminist knitting fashion in the 70s), the Per Spook weater and the Skappel sweater. The exhibit will also show various knitting implements, such as chatelaines, yarn hooks and knitting needles
Swooning over this polar bear.
Iconic Norwegian mittens.
The onesie. Did you spot the onesie?
Norwegian Folk Museum: Weaving Studio
Visit the Old Town section of the open air museum, and you can walk straight into a silversmith’s studio, a ceramist shop, and a weaving studio.
A weaving studio you’ll never want to leave.
Examples of current employee’s work and oodles of yarn for sale.
Buy mitten kits. Because a Norwegian mitten is a thing of beauty.
Buy teensy mittens fo your
You can get started on your own Norwegian creation by learning the Norwegian purl knit. We also highly encourage you to look into any of the knitting books by Arne and Carlos, who are institution in Norway and pretty dang entertaining.
