Arne - Norwegian Knits with a Twist: Socks, Sweaters, Mittens, Hats, Pillows, Blankets, and a Whole Lot More

Arnes grandmother was from Setesdal. Her name was Torbjrg Heistad and she was born in the parish of Austad in Bygland on July 7, 1895. It was a long way to Srlandet when Arne was a child and even further up to Setesdal. It wasnt until he was an adult that he made it to Byglandsfjord and found a ramshackle house behind the birches and underbrush. A house where children had played and painted on the walls and where wood antsand plenty of themwere now the only inhabitants.

In the attic, the floor was covered with old magazines, letters, and Christmas cards. On top of all the rubbish lay a picture of Arnes mother when she was young, a picture she had certainly sent to her grandmother. He took the picture with him when he left.

Many years later, we met Annemor Sundb outside the Opera House in Oslo. We had arranged to meet there to talk about knitting, and she told us that she had also been in the same attic where she found a Christmas card that she reproduced in her book, Knitting in Art.

This book is based on the textiles, patterns, and books from our collection. Much of the inspiration came from the attic of the old house, in pictures we found in old books and on postcards, and in old knitting patterns and books.

An attic is not only the highest room in a house but also the houses second floor. In the old days, it was common to use the first floor as the living space and the attic as dressing rooms and bedrooms. The house was like a two-story storehouse:

He brought in carpenters from Holland to build the attic. It was well made overall. The lumber was finely hewn, planed, and finished. It was covered with green fabric; vadmal (fulled woven fabric) was most common. One wall up in the attic was covered with pictures from foreign countries.

Finally, we should also say a few words about how we work: We wholeheartedly believe that one should anchor new designs in the old traditions. That is what happens when we go back in time and examine our cultural heritage and historywe can bring something back to incorporate into our work and create something new. At the same time as we create something new, we are also contributing back to the old traditions.

The 33 patterns in this book have been inspired by Setesdals cultural heritage and patternsbut they were designed with our own twist. We hope everyone will be as inspired by Norwegian Knits with a Twist as we have been. We wish you all good knitting!

CHAPTER 1

Lice sweaters (lusekofta) from Setesdal have a long tradition in Norway and have been knitted in Setesdal since the middle of the nineteenth century. The patterns on the Setesdal sweaters are the most recognizable in the Norwegian knitting tradition and have come to symbolize the authentic Norwegian elsewhere in the world.

They had begun to wear the easterners clothing in Setesdal, and they put on so much silver that the garments became terribly heavy. But the teachers kept to the old ways: Olav Halvorsson and Bjug kre sold all their silver and vowed never to adorn children with silver. Tor Bjrguvsson and Olav were the last men to wear loose sweaters and short pants in Valle.

The Norwegian version was loosely translated from Johannes Skar,
Gamalt or Setesdal [Old Ways in Setesdal]