Norway's Knitted Heritage

Norway's Knitted Heritage: The History, Surprises, and Legacy of Traditional Nordic Sweater Patterns

Having known Annemor Sundbø (and the translator Carol Rhoades) for many decades, I should not be surprised by the excellence of this tome, but I am stunned nonetheless! 400 pages with nearly 900 images; I am nearly speechless.

My sample copy just arrived today, so I have not yet had time for a delicious and thorough wallow in these pages; I wanted to let you know about the book as soon as possible. Here is the blurb provided by the U.S. publisher:

"Nordic knitting designs have long enchanted the world. What makes their allure and beauty so timeless? The answer is fascinating, and author Annemor Sundbø, known as "Norway's Sweater Detective," welcomes you on a wild ride to discover it. She's the foremost expert on the subject of these designs' history and evolution and reveals how the centuries of Norway's culture, prehistory, history, myths, and more have created the patterns we love to knit.

Now available in English for the first time, the book won Norway's prestigious Sørlandets literary prize in 2020. More than 800 images take you through the mountains and fjords of Norway with knitting in mind. As Annemor shows us, Norway's knits hold real-life tales of burial customs, royals wearing knits, nation building after the Napoleonic Wars, child labor, female role models and ski fashion, and the sustainability of knitting through history and today. How did folk costumes morph into hiking gear? What messages have the Norwegian myths left in the patterns we knit today? 

A pattern bank contains dozens of charts for authentic traditional designs, ready for you to continue their amazing journey with a new appreciation."

Size: 8.25in x 10.25in, 400 pages, 899 images, Hardback w/dustjacket