Knitting is going through a revival across social media, but in Norway, it was never dead.
When I started my exchange in Trondheim, Norway’s fourth biggest city, one of the first events that my faculty organized was a knitting event. Each of the about 20 students who signed up received a ball of yarn and a pair of knitting needles on loan. I joined out of curiosity, and having unsuccessfully tried crocheting before, I was not sure I would enjoy it. A couple of failed attempts later, I was hooked, and determined to try to knit a sofie scarf. This scarf has become infamous in Scandinavian fashion and on my short daily commute to university, I would see at least three people wearing one.
For Scandinavians, knitting is a practical hobby. Wool can keep you warm even when it gets wet and some find it a more comfortable alternative than polyester. Norway’s cold winters necessitate warm clothing, so why not make them yourself?
But knitwear is not just a way to stay warm, knitting is deeply ingrained into Norwegian culture and history. Many girls learn how to knit from their Grandmas, and old patterns and traditions are newly interpreted by younger generations. One of my first exposures was seeing people knitting on the train to Bodø, a ride that lasts more than six hours. You might also be able to spot people knitting together with their friends in a cafe.
Norwegian knitting patterns are plentiful and made by a variety of people. Alongside traditional patterns and those made by pattern creators or influencers, it is not uncommon for big events to get their own pattern. The Trondheim 2025 world ski championship has its own wool sweater, the pattern to which is freely available online.
Historically, and up until today, knitting has been shown to be political. One example is the Selbuvotter, a mitten design that originated in the city of Selbu in the Trøndelag. In the mid-eighteen hundreds, knitting was a way for women to earn money by selling mittens with the traditional flower pattern. Later in the 20th century, when Norway was occupied by the Nazis, resistance fighters would wear mittens with the Norwegian royal coat of arms. In October of this year, NRK, Norway's public news broadcaster, reported a story about Selbuvotter vor Fred, an initiative that sells mittens in support of Gaza. Volunteers knit the Selbuvotter and sell them to anyone who pays for the yarn and donates at least 600 NOK (about 51€) to a charity in support of Palestinians.
In addition to the political aspects, knitting has been credited with bringing many psychological benefits. It can provide relief to people struggling with mental illness, as researchers from Sweden found when they studied online discussions on knittherapy. Some people also report that knitting helps them focus. A Finnish woman told me she knits during meetings at work, because it helps her concentrate on what is being said. In Norway you can knit anywhere. Hence, It is not uncommon to see, for example, students knitting during lectures.
Knitting is an activity for all ages, but even in the relatively egalitarian Norway, knitting remains a gendered activity, with mainly women partaking in the craft. A majority of the knitting influences that I found in research for this article were run by and mainly catered towards women. But that is not a given, as more and more men discover the hobby, a famous example being Tom Daley. The British Olympic medalist made international headlines when he knitted on the sidelines of the 2024 Paris Olympics. And there is no shortage of patterns, even for men.
Knitting has also become a global trend again, with influencers developing new patterns and a growing community of knitters. So, whether you want to make a political statement, or enjoy an afternoon coffee with friends, if you want to start your first knitting project, just look online where you can find plenty of resources and patterns to choose from.
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