Book Review: Norwegian Mittens & Gloves, Over 25 Classic Designs. By Annemor Sundbo. Trafalgar Books, 2021. 

By Karin Weiberg 

I first bought this book in Norwegian at the Hillesvåg Woolen Mill [Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk] in 2013, during a Textile Tour to Norway with Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. After a tour of the mill and  lunch, we were delighted to be brought to the store. Every pair of mittens from this book was on display, hanging from the ceiling. I bought the book and some heavier yarn. Later on the bus, I regretted not buying yarn for a specific pair. I often have taken my book from the shelf, looking at all the choices, but never deciding which ones to knit.

Now I have a copy of the new English translation, one I can read! The majority of mittens have an explanation of the symbolism of the design. Will this make my decision of which pair to knit easier or harder?

Annemor Sundbø is the premier authority on symbols in knitting and the history of knitting in Norway. She wrote in the forward that her journey for re-using materials began as a child to find yarn to knit with. She described how she realized the treasure she had after she purchased  a shoddy mill in 1983, Torridal Tweed.*  It came with a mound of knitted goods intended for recycling, knitting done by women over decades. Could they contain the “transmigration of souls,” with codes from the past, in motifs that had power and magic? Annemor takes the reader along in her research into myths, folklore and history. Knitters will become enthralled with the symbolism in Norwegian knitting, as there is much to appreciate in the rose design, animal and bird motifs. I don’t believe she discusses a “snowflake” motif at all. The knitter is encouraged to try designs of her own.

Sundbø includes interesting description of mitten and glove details.

After covering so much background, the next section is about knitting a mitten, referred to as the “anatomy of a mitten.” Different styles of cuffs, palm stitches, and how to knit the thumb and top of a mitten are explained with good detail. The why and how of gloves are explained as well. It is important to read this part of the book because the mitten patterns rely heavily on charts. Adaptations are encouraged. This is also where you find the abbreviations and “how to” instructions.

Next the mitten styles begin. Each mitten has a photograph of the old mitten, and the new in a close-up. There is a sentence or two explaining the symbolism of the motif, the yarn, needles and gauge information. There are yarn resources in the back of the book. (I checked out www.yarnsub.com and found it helpful.) There is a note about floats for color knitting and then you are ready to begin. A crisp font makes for easy reading. As with most charts, I would enlarge my chart for my own use. Please respect copyright and do not share.

A design plucked from her rag pile: a dog joins a Scandinavian star.

I think the best add-on to this book is a chapter called “One Mitten is a Pattern Treasure Trove.” Annemor takes a motif and explains how to knit a coordinating hat, socks and a sweater. You will need to knit a gauge, but the bonus is a table of standard measurement for sweaters–and more exciting, one for mittens and gloves!

This book is a good value for anyone wanting to knit mittens and then go beyond with other knitwear. You can knit mittens with a story, choosing a motif that fits your recipient or YOU. We know Annemor’s journey of Norwegian knitting and textile discovery will continue. I look forward to her next book!

Order the book from the publisher, Trafalgar Books, here. 

*Read more about Annemor Sundbø’s life and work with the history of knitting in “A Rag Pile, My Lot in Life,” Norwegian Textile Letter, Vol. 22, No. 1, March 2016.