Viking Magazine - Mar/Apr 2024 - 15

Display
of vintage
Selbu mittens in
the Selbu Folk
Museum
The Selbu mitten (Selbuvotten) consists of a
mitten hand with a front and palm with different
patterns, a side band which separates the front and
palm, a gender-specifi c cuff and a thumb gusset
and thumb placed on the palm. The mitten hand
fi nishes with a pointed tip. Women's mittens typically
have a chevron cuff or a ribbed cuff, whereas
men's mittens feature two-color stranded knitting
and pattern panels. The patterns on the palm and
the inside of the thumb, which receive more wear,
typically consist of small motifs or repeating " endless "
patterns. The thumb has a main pattern on
the outside with a pointed tip.
The most popular primary mitten motifs (the
main motifs on the front of the mitten) are stars
and roses, known as sjennros (star-rose) in the
Selbu dialect. The motif is also variously referred
to as star, eight-petal rose, Selbu rose and Selbu
star in English. A large number of variations
developed from this motif, as knitters created their
own designs. Motifs based on nature, animals and
textile patterns are also popular. Common motifs
include the ram's horn (verhånnrosa), fl owerpot
(blomsterkrukka), heart roses (hjartrosa), spider
(kongro), dancers/goblins (tuftå) and coffee beans.
Messages, initials and dates are often incorporated
into the patterns.
Three types of knitting traditions might be
referred to in Selbu, depending on the intended
usage of the mittens. " Dress mittens " (stasvotta)
represent the oldest tradition in Selbu. These elaborate
mittens are knit with fi ne yarn on extremely
thin needles and are suitable for light wear. They
are typically made as gifts for special events such
as weddings and christenings and demonstrate the
expert skills of the knitter. From 1935 onward, the
term " mittens for sale " (votter for salg) has come to
represent knitting that meets the quality control
standards set by Selbu Husfl idsentral. Mittens that
pass inspection are a goal of every knitter and a
source of professional pride. " School " mittens
(skulvotta) are mittens knitted for one's own use.
These mittens might use leftover yarn, untraditional
colors or shaping customized for different needs
(such as exceptionally long or narrow mittens).
Persisting Cultural Relevance
Despite what some people might think, knitting
is not a dead art or something that only
little old grannies do. Knitting is more popular
than ever before, attracting interest from
men and women, young and old, for a variety
of reasons. For some, the slow pace of knitting
is an antidote to the noisy, fast-moving
lifestyle that is typical of modern societies.
Others fi nd the Scandinavian focus on function
and sustainability in design, material
and manufacturing appealing. In throw-away
societies, many people with Norwegian heritage
fi nd great satisfaction in connecting to
their roots and creating timeless heirlooms
that can be passed down for generations.
Learning about Norway's knitting heritage
and how our ancestors adapted and innovated
their own patterns and techniques offers an
inspiring perspective on how to keep traditional
folk art relevant while exploring new
creative directions.
A Sense of Community
Knitting is a great solitary activity that can be
done pretty much anywhere, but the social
aspect of knitting is what attracts many people.
While there are many knitting groups in
the U.S., it can be diffi cult to fi nd a community
that focuses specifi cally on Norwegian
knitting. Social media resources such as Facebook
groups or Ravelry forums offer many
opportunities to connect over Norwegian
knitting topics. The Sons of Norway Cultural
Skills Program has a knitting unit that focuses
on Norwegian knitting techniques. Many Sons
of Norway lodges also have knitting groups
that meet regularly. Bernt Balchen Lodge 2-046
in Anchorage, Alaska, started a Strikkekafé
( " knitting café " ) modeled after similar groups
in Norway, where knitters get together to knit,
chat, learn from and inspire one another.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christie Ericson is a
member of Bernt Balchen Lodge 2-046 in
Anchorage, Alaska. She has been a Sons of
Norway member for 15 years.
@sonsofnorway
Mar/Apr 2024
15
Viking Magazine - Mar/Apr 2024

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