Strikkefestivalen in Fredrikstad

dscn0590For the first time there was a Strikkefestival in Fredrikstad. Of course the organizers – or knitting motors as they called themselves – Marit Larsen, Bente Vold Klausen and Torill Stokkan, choose the old town by the river Glomma as the location. Fredrikstad Old Town is actually the oldest fortified town in Norway (founded in 1567) and in the Nordic countries, and one of the best-preserved fortress towns in Northern Europe.  Above is the Provianthus/Provision house, and downstairs in the vaults the market hall for the knitting festival. You can spot the knitter in the photo above.

_dsc2417-1920x1200_72The entrance to the market hall was down these steps and they were rarely as empty as this. The festival opened on Thursday and lasted until the Saturday. On the first day there was a majority of retired knitters, while the age of the knitters seemed to decrease by decades for each day.

dscn0587This is downstairs in the busy market hall on the Saturday. At times several of us visitors preferred to walk around the old town or visit one of the many nearby coffee shops with our knitting in hand. I was lucky to meet several knitters who knew me by name only and happy to share my table at lunch. As all knitters we do have plenty to talk about.

_dsc2389-1920x1200_72Here is the Norwegian designers stall from left: Mette Hovden – one half of the design duo Pinnedans – Helles SiggerudNina Granlund Sæther and Ellen Andresen. Not present in the photo is Denise Samson, but you can see her two books: Hekta på Fletter and Poncho displayed on the table.

_dsc2379-1920x1200_72There were 21 stands in the market hall separated into two vaults next to each other. On offer in addition to hand knit designers, where yarn shops, the magazines Familien and Hjemmet both published by Egmont, the button shop Perlehuset – run by Aneta Kvist, Thomas’ mother – jewelry designers, machine knit designers, one travel agent and textiles.

dscn0579-copyHere is a blurry photo of designer Marte Helgetun, who I met for the first time and Mondial agent Thomas Kvist (former yarn producer, now super agent) both at the Flamingo Garn og Hobby stall. Make no mistake this is one of my photos – together with the first, third and eight from the top – the remaining sharp and brilliant photos are all taken by Geir Arnesen. He is married to designer and author Tove Fevang – who usually take part in all the Norwegian knitting festivals – hence he is omnipresent too.

_dsc2499-1920x1200_72I was promoting the yarn kits made by Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk with my designs and spoke to shop owners, other designers I met and knitters. This time I held no workshop and was free to make up my program. I was delighted to stay with Makeløs/Remarkable designer Kristin Elise Halkjelsvik again – in charge of the Makeløs Festaften/Party evening – and to be on the guest list for the party. Her husband was the designated driver, taking runs to the market hall first me, then jewelry designer Siri Berrefjord and then to the party venue all of Saturday afternoon. Thank you, Espen! On offer were also a few exhibitions including a competition organized together with the Fredrikstad Town 450 Years Jubilee to make a Fredrikstad Pullover 2017. The winner was announced at the Makeløs Festaften, which I will write a separate post about. You can find photos and the pattern in Norwegian here: Fredrikstadgenseren 2017

dscn0607Here is one of the lovely views to be found walking around the ramparts. I was stopped a couple of times by local residents wondering what was going on, and why there were so many women around? I was happy to tell the uninitiated that there was a knitting festival on, and that the old town was invaded by knitters. One of the coffee shop owners were amazed and had never had this kind of turnover before. We were all wished welcome back with out knitting next year.

_dsc2505-1920x1200_72Above you see Tove Fevang teaching a workshop called: Perfekt avslutning på strikketøyet/Perfect finishing of your knitting. The first of two on the same day, due to popular demand. There were a total of 29 workshops to choose from and 11 lectures were held in  a selection of historic buildings.

_dsc2365-1920x1200_72I was thrilled to be able to attend talks for once without having any workshops that made it impossible nor being too tired. On top of my list of preferences was Annemor Sundbø – the Norwegian knitting legend – with her talk: Strikkekofter med tråder fra malerpensel/Knitting cardigans with threads from the paint brush. She did not disappoint and also talked about how she came about buying a shoddy factory. Above you see her presenting her books. You will find the English ones here: annemor.com. I also choose Nina Granlund Sæther’s talk on Norske Strikketradisjoner/Norwegian Knitting Traditions. It was ever so enjoyable and inspiring to hear! A separate post on the Makeløs Festaften/Party evening is coming.

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Book Launch: Poncho by Denise Samson

12924560_10153870714624504_6049135262072545522_nLast Wednesday my husband and I went to the launch of Denise Samson’s second book: Poncho at Cappelen Damm. This launch was held in the book shop which is long and narrow hence well suited for a catwalk. We found our seats next to designers; Ellen Andresen (photographer); Kristin Wiola Ødegård (with glasses on her head) and May Britt Bjella Zamori (in a beige poncho – not hand knitted) as well as knitters; Grete Nymoen (in burgundy) and Cathrine Lovord (in grey). Denise made this book with 50 patterns, not all ponchos but accessories to go with them, as well as shawls in an unprecedented 2 months period. No, Denise did not design all 50 in two months but she did design more than 30 of those. In case you did not know, Denise is a turbo knitter but this time she needed help knitting for once. She did find it, together with a selection of ponchos from other designers  to make this tempting book. Above is the tempting invitation to the launch. Yes, “vinn” does means “win”.

12140733_10156695428805361_3941559106259158816_nHere is our table, as we are listening and knitting to Denise telling the story behind the book before the catwalk started. This photo is taken by Ellen. Denise told us she wanted to make not only those traditional triangular ponchos and not only those used for outerwear. Below is Denise presenting her favorite poncho with a Keltic Knot Cable here worn by Linda Aagnes, the sales manager at Cappelen Damm, photographed by Michael Marveng-Puckett. The cable can be worn at the centre front as below or with the cable across one shoulder.

XT1A9024My favorite is the delicate lace poncho with wrist warmers brilliantly photographed in the book by Guri Pfeifer and modeled by her daughter Anna Pfeifer. You might recognize Anna from my book too. This poncho and mittens set has been published in the Norwegian magazine Made by Me previously.

DS PonchoWe were all given a raffle ticket when we arrived to we could take part in the draw for a number of incredibly prizes: 3 different yarn kits, 1 shrug designed & knitted by Denise, 1 pair of wrist warmers also designed & knitted by Denise. There were some very happy knitters who walked away with those prizes. Below you see one of them with Denise handing over a kit from A Knit Story, again captured by my husband Michael Marveng-Puckett.

XT1A9098lt was a great opportunity for us designers to meet up and have a chat. Yes, Kristin Wiola is working on her fourth book, May Britt is busy tech editing and translating as well as making crochet designs, Ellen has just sent off another design submission and so have I. Nina Granlund Sæther is back from her trip to Peru with so many stories to tell.

XT1A9127Finally I wanted to show you this photo off the organizers including, photographer Guri Pfeifer and Anna, photographed by Michael Marveng-Puckett. I first met Denise at Cappelen Damm, since she made the charts for my book. I convinced her to contact the handcraft editor Åse Myhrvold Egeland at Familien who bought everything she had designed up to then. Denise has since delivered designs to Familien at an impressive speed! You can find Denise’s book at www.cappelendamm.no, and you can join her group on Facebook to see all the knit cafes she will be visiting next!

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Kofteboken

HusflidenWhat is a Kofte? The word comes from Kaftan and can be open only in the neck or as a cardigan, it is worked in stranded knitting usually in two colors in traditional Kofte-patterns often with classic pewter buttons attached. A Norwegian Kofte is usually worked in the round without any shaping and steeked open at the front. Sturdy Norwegian wool is preferred by the majority. Freelance journalist Liv Sandvik Jacobsen started the large Kofte hunt/Den store koftejakten more than a year ago with the idea of gathering old traditional kofter (plural of kofte), and spreading the knowledge of these patterns as well as their history. A Facebook group was set up, initiated by Tone Loeng later assisted by Gitte Bettina Lauridsen, now with more than 26 000 members, magazine articles have been written, television programs have been made, exhibitions have been curated and now what everyone has been waiting for – the book is launched. The selected patterns have been checked, adjusted in size, color and yarn, in addition to new ones designed, with the expertise of Danish designer Lene Holme Samsøe, see hvem-er-lene-og-liv/who is Lene and Liv. All the samples have been knitted on a dugnad/orchestrated community work announced on the Facebook group, with knitters name & garment listed in the book. Many have been waiting for months for this book with their yarn ready to begin one or more of these projects. It was an incredible popular launch at Husfliden in Oslo on Saturday.

10610648_10154799932335361_2627341818934331623_nI was delighted to meet Lene again, so shortly after we met at the Strikkehelgen/Knitting weekend in Stavanger, where we both held talks and workshops. It was a great pleasure to also meet Liv who started this amazing Kofte-trend that is sweeping the country. They had brought with them a large selection of the kofter in the book which were displayed on a rail next to them and I enjoyed seeing them up and close. I convinced Makeløs/Remarkable stylist Kristin Elise Halkjelsvik, who styled my latest designs with redesign in the Autumn issue of Made by Me to join me. The photo above, taken by designer Ellen Andresen (read: so much clearer than any of mine), shows Liv on the left, and Lene on the right, with stylist Kristin Elise behind Lene, and me next to her. I am wearing my Shawl Sleeves, pinned together with the cowl from Autumn Symphony. Husfliden Shop Manager wanted all four of us in the photo. If you are in Norway, you can order the book from this page: kofteboken.no or in a number of book or yarn stores around the country or if you are abroad from the yarn shop Sommerfuglen in Copenhagen: sommerfuglen.dk.

DSCF1350 copyHere is a close up of my outfit for the day, and since it was a cold day (just above 0 degrees celsius), I used the black shawl pin to hold the two ends of the Shawl Sleeves together, folding the upper layer in addition to closing the gap under my arm. One additional safety pin was needed to close the gap lower down and a second one holding them together on the right side. As you can see I choose to pin the Autumn Symphony cowl together too, all in the name of keeping warm. The last photo is taken by my husband with his new camera on our terrace on the beautiful day just before the book launch.

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