Learning from the Past: Using Traditional Knitting Techniques Today

As part of Norwegian Wool Month, we celebrate the rich history and enduring beauty of Norwegian wool and traditional knitting techniques. This event is the result of my journeys across Norway, where I’ve explored the country’s most revered yarn mills and connected with passionate knitters and wool producers. The goal is to bring these timeless practices into the modern world and pass them on to future generations.

Norwegian Wool Month started last year with a mission to share knowledge, preserve heritage, and celebrate the unique qualities of Norwegian wool. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and I'm thrilled to bring it back this year. Our first speaker for this year's event is Ingvild Espelien, one of the founders of Selbu Spinneri. This relatively young but vital spinneri has made significant contributions to the preservation and promotion of Norwegian wool.

Spotlight on Selbu Spinneri

Selbu Spinneri was established after a seminar on wool processing at Mære Videregående School (upper secondary / high school) in 2009. After a year of planning, the company was founded in 2010, and the first spinning machines were operational by February 2011.

Today, you’ll find them on a farm in Klæbu. The company is continuously growing, and in 2019 they expanded their machinery to increase production.

Focus on Norwegian Resources

Selbu Spinneri spins wool from several Norwegian sheep breeds, with a strong commitment to quality, local resources, and fine craftsmanship. Their knowledge is hands-on, and they create products with great care and love. They strive to retain as much of the wool’s natural qualities as possible, treating it very gently during processing, and are particularly dedicated to spinning wool from endangered sheep breeds, contributing to the efforts to increase value for farmers raising these sheep.

Selbu Spinneri produced the yarn we used for the exclusive Wool Month Pattern last year. This year, we’re excited to release a new pattern featuring their yarn—a cowl that perfectly matches last year’s fingerless mittens. Everyone who joins our knitting club Annes's Norwegian Knitting Nook for a month or two will gain access to this beautiful pattern on August 7th.

Are you ready to join us for Norwegian Wool Month and dive into the world of wool and yarn from August 7th?

If you haven’t signed up yet, make sure you do so HERE.

Together, let’s preserve and celebrate the rich traditions of Norwegian wool and knitting.

Wooly knitting vibes from,

Anne, xx