A Brief History of Vintage Ski Sweaters (while I knit my own) || Craftmas Day 7

Ski Sweaters exploded in popularity in the 1940s, 50s and 60s - but where did that start? Lets chat about a brief history of these Vintage Ski Sweaters and their Norwegian origins!
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A History of Hand Knitting amzn.to/46XEscP
Norwegian Knitting Designs - 90 Years Later amzn.to/47S1jrw
Norway's Knitted Heritage amzn.to/3RmyHQ8
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Engineering knits is a place for people who enjoy all kinds of vintage and antique crafts - from sewing to knitting, crochet to embroidery I like to try it all. I definitely have a preference for historical fibre crafts, and it is my dream to one day make an entire outfit from sheep to sweater. I hope you enjoy watching me and my favorite companion, Nutella, struggle through some fascinating projects!

[@sheilawaterman9196]

I am not a knitter but I love your videos. They are so interesting and are on a level that a non-knitter can understand. Thank you for a wonderful channel.

[@resourcedragon]

As someone who learnt to knit back in the day when knitting jumpers in 4 sections, bottom up, was the norm, I normally work the back first. That's where I practise the pattern/sort out any major dramas with the pattern (and don't care if there are one or two minor mistakes because I'm not looking at my back). Then, hopefully, when I get to the front, I don't get lost with the added complication of the neckline. Finally, I can then keep the sleeves in pattern, even although I am increasing as I go along, because, by that time, I am familiar with the stitch.

[@liart6219]

Nice!❤. I’m Norwegian and I have my mother’s old knitting book from 1947 named “ Den nye strikkeboken” ( the new knitting book) by Esther Bondesen. There are some nice ski sweaters patterns , have to try some of them! Until now have only done socks and mittens.

[@romystumpy1197]

Must be a great book of patterns

[@susanmyrawills]

My husband, an avid skier, and I enjoy watching the old 50’s and 60’s olympic sking films on youtube! I keep my eyes on all the fantastic sweater fashions.

[@resourcedragon]

The number of things I've watched over the years more for the knitting or the saris than for the story itself is possibly best not asked about.

[@ZackRekeSkjell]

The traditional lusekofte is such a staple in a lot of Norwegian wardrobes! Either worn as a jacket (kofte) or as a pullover, and often knit by a family member. I actually am wearing my kofte today because we are having a “ugly Christmas sweater” event today at work and I didn’t want to buy something to wear once so instead I found my oddly colourful kofte in the Hestekoftepattern that I got second hand many years ago. I would love to learn how to knit colour work one day to be able to continue the tradition of these amazing jackets.

[@mamelvik]

Your pronunciation of Norwegian is excellent! I really appreciate the effort.

[@conniesbookshelf]

ohh i will definitely be checking those books out! something interesting that i've recently learnt that the star motif on these kinds of jumpers (which i always thought was a snowflake!) is actually supposed to represent the star over bethlehem from the nativity story, and comes from the traditional palestinian art of tatreez! (which is a type of palestinian embroidery!) it's incredibly beautiful and i'd recommend looking it up! 😊

[@katebowers8107]

I have my mom’s late 1940s sweater patterns! They are not in great shape, but I’m eventually going to scan them and I’ll send you a copy.

[@infopubs]

Your comments about learning from any mistakes/do-overs really resonate with me. I think you have to get to a critical mass of projects before you can get sort of philosophical like this. You have enough sweaters finished that each one is less emotionally fraught, if that makes sense? You know how long it will take to unravel and repair, and that the backs will always be a bit wonky, and those things are all ok and just part of the process. For me in my craft (quilting), there's a real peace that comes from reaching this point. I wish there was a way to convey it to beginners to let them know that it won't always be as frustrating as it is on your first few tries!

[@lilyloveslace]

I travelled from Oslo to Trondheim and back again by train recently, and was so overjoyed to see so many people around me knitting, both young and old! And of course, i had my knitting too! I also saw a lot of both (vintage) commercially and domestically produced lussekofte in second hand, although i could quite justify buying one. It was lovely being in a place where knitting traditions are so strong and so vibrant!

[@giantslug5427]

Thank you so much for this video!! I have been wanting to get into vintage Norwegian knitting and this video has a wealth of information! Beautiful knitting as always 💜

[@Minnigirl1]

The first book she mentions also has instructions for making your own kofte for all sizes

[@c0ldlight1]

This is coming along beautifully! I love hearing about textile history 😀

[@tuttamarie48]

I love how you pronounce the Norwegian words with a German accent 😊 It gets you a lot closer to the true Norwegian pronunciation than an English accent would. So good job! 👍 (on both the pronunciation and the knitting 😘)

[@baralinni79]

All those sweaters are so cute!! 🥰 That open blue sweater reminds me of a pretty famous sweater from around where I'm from: "Korsnäströjan". They have alternating patterned rows in the main body (usually three people will knit one sweater at the same time, one doing the pattern and two doing pure rows). The cuffs and shoulders are crocheted with different regional patterns, and different villages have different colour combinations 🤩

[@transarchivist]

This was so interesting and well-researched, thank you!! I learnt loads

[@pippaseaspirit4415]

When I was a child (back in the 1950s-1960s we had several Norwegian and Danish girls staying with us as au pairs in return for my parents teaching them English. I grew up loving the Scandinavian sweaters, and one of our girls knitted the most beautiful one for my father. It lasted decades.

[@Nessi-dances]

I really like how the colors are turning out. 💜

[@half-caffcrochet]

I love your Craftmas videos so much! I really like the time lapse thing you did as well as just seeing you knitting. The history was really cool too - just all around a great video and series. When you talked about the back being 'none of your business' that made me laugh and I thought I would pass on what I think @lochknits would say about that: 'if you see an error on the back, no you didn't.' :)

[@DeeDeeCatMom]

What a surprise when I realized my random Canadian library has 3 copies of Norway's Knitted Heritage, and a huge waitlist!! I thought I'd be requesting a loan from another city, or country for that matter...

[@jimmydoesknitting]

Sweater is coming along nicely.

[@poples5799]

norwegian here! awesome to see you take up and tell about some of our cultural history! also, your pronounciation is really good, absolutey understood what you were saying! appreciate your endeavors in getting the pronounciation right ❤ (also that comic is amazing! that's also me before/after any physical activity... especially skiing 😂😂😂

[@zark10hi]

So bizarre feeling watching you talk about my cultural heritage 😅 love the series and I your pronanciations wasn't half bad! 😊

[@petramanos]

The spots evenly throughout is an easier and more attractive way to generate double thickness than if you had to catch the floats

[@katebowers8107]

The color choices are just perfect! I might just knit myself a Christmas sweater next year.

[@bunhelsingslegacy3549]

Heh, sometimes you do just have to step away from a project till the brain engages... Trust me, I was laughing with you, not at you, cause I've done the same thing multiple times. That said, I'm not a knitter for several reasons but I do adore the colourwork and fun stitches and stuff I have no concept how to do, it's so fun to watch it all come together, and seeing how you did the same thing in different ways was really neat. I'm one of those pretty basic crocheters who doesn't use patterns very often (your vintage snowflakes from last year were the third pattern I've ever followed and even then I had to write it out longhand and after the first one, I modified things to make multiple sizes). I'm terrible at counting stitches while I'm doing them AND after the fact, so I usually crochet squares and rectangles or go by shape ("Enh, this is long enough, right?") and if I ever DO have to count, I need to put a stitch counter (usually just a different coloured yarn scrap) every 10 stitches minimum...

[@procrasticrafting]

The sweater is coming out so so so lovely

[@lesleyharris525]

The jumper is looking beautiful and I love the colours you chose, when I first saw them i wasn't sure if they would be as pretty as the original but they are so beautiful. ❤

[@gillis7094]

Love the colors in your sweater!

[@Wildevis]

I absolutely love your colour combination

[@Zethek]

I did enjoy the stop motion/timelapse! The history was also very interesting, I love to hear about the origins of a particular type of technique and style. The sweater is looking awesome!! looking forward to the next video.

[@ebee69361]

I have developed arthritis in my hands and can no longer knit or crochet for extended periods of time without extreme pain and swelling. It is an absolute joy getting to watch you knit with beautiful yarns and intricate patterns. Thank you for sharing and allowing me to live vicariously through you! Merry Christmas

[@benf262]

Ich finde die Farben einfach toll. I mag naturliche Farben am meisten

[@cloudyclaudi681]

Hi Meike! I love your videos - especially the ones about the Delineator magazine 😉😊

[@marynimocks6791]

Your color choices of forest-y green and deep cranberry are gorgeous! Norwegians Arne & Carlos have visited with one of your authors, I think. Might be fun for you to check out their conversations someday when you aren't buried in work, hobby and life! Cheers! Love your series!

[@jeanscully8511]

Yes I came here to say this! They have interviewed the woman who rescued the sweaters several times, and they did a whole series of travel vlogs from Settesdahl because Arne is from there!

[@monika_do_dziela]

Thank you for interesting history od ski sweaters and history od your knitting. Good luck with recreating! 😊

[@hattierensberry2526]

Adding a hypothesis to the history part: As someone from the mountain communities of Colorado, much of what people see as our quintessential ski resort culture was being formed in the 50’s-70’s. A significant portion of Colorado’s ski resorts were formed with the help of WWII veterans from the 10th Mountain Division, a military segment specializing in ice climbing, skiing, and mountainous terrain. All that being said, many of those guys fought in Europe and their training helped them to become very strong lifelong skiers. Perhaps the post WWII growth in US and Canadian ski culture and resorts, paired with no longer needing to ration wool, helped to form the association and love we now have today with these sorts of sweaters and the eras they are from? Idk, just a theory. Definitely needs more research. 😅

[@agimagi2158]

I loved the history part! Your sweater is gorgeous so far!

[@suetherrien5306]

This is coming out beautiful!!

[@WendyHAROLD-h6n]

Very interesting to watch. Thank you for your time.

[@maureenwilliford8985]

I really love that darker red and you’re doing a great job. I can’t wait to see th finished sweater.😊

[@KnitDesserts]

so much to learn!

[@Teerae11]

Looking so pretty !!

[@wolfgangshuman]

Absolutely amazing 🎉

[@IISheireenII]

Isn't having some of the flowers be connected and others not unintentionally also copying the original? I guess you solved the mystery why they did that

[@jamiethrogmorton2540]

You may already know, Annemor has been interviewed and featured on several Arne and Carlos podcasts. She shows many of those old traditional sweaters.

[@es3125]

I love this!

[@romystumpy1197]

I have enjoyed your video, along with all your videos, its such an education and inspiration following you

[@Kelli.Hicks.5]

What an interesting history. ⛷️

[@pauladavitt7554]

It’s looking so good., love the colours

[@The_Crafting_Gamer]

Knitting norwedigan pattern take a look at Selbu Votter it is both history and tousand of color work on mittens I have the book and know it is also in English love to see you rekreate the patterns waiting so I can buy it later

[@lisabelloli]

Didn’t your original sweater have some flowers done individually and some as a block. I remember you talking about the yoke of the original sweater being that way. Maybe you’re channeling the original knitter!

[@moonbasket]

So cute!

[@quietcorvidae]

i love the colors and pattern on this! i'm thinking about getting a tattoo with a motif similar to those "snowflakes"(?) also i just cast on for a lap rug that i'm kind of knitting intarsia (different yarn for border) and it's sooo hard just with 3 balls ;v;

[@johannebungum837]

The snowflakes are called «åttebladsrose» or eight leaf rose, and you find it all over traditional Norwegian design😊

[@quietcorvidae]

@@johannebungum837 thank you! i'm swedish/norwegian but sadly my knowledge only really extends to lefse and dala horses so it's always nice to learn more

[@romystumpy1197]

​@@johannebungum837very interesting ,I've always loved these sweaters,very chic

[@jill552]

I’m enjoying this. ❤

[@betseyfowler2625]

What audiobook are you listening to?

[@SusanS588]

I don’t speak Norwegian, but you didn’t mispronounce it Stein Eriksen’s name any worse than how it was pronounced in his adopted state of Utah.