Dale of Norway knitting yarns for your handknit sweater
I call them all Norwegian knitting patterns, but there are important differences.
Shetland and Norwegian two color patterns
Multi-colored or natural patterned knitting is generally seen as "Fair Isle" because the pattern revival in knitting
of 1920s arose from typical patterns of the island.
Until 1469 Shetland was owned by Norway and Denmark. Shetlanders paid part of their rent and tax in quantities
of thick woolen handspun cloth called wad Mel.
By the 18th century the Islanders were trading hosiery in exchange for money and goods from Dutch and German
merchants. Knitters manufactured large quantities of coarse woolen stockings and blankets, as well as the finer
work upon which their reputation rested.
The famous Shetlands lace shawl have no cast-on or cast-off edge, but start from a single stitch, with edges knitted
on the bias. Traditionally, the shawls were passed through a wedding ring to show off their fineness and flexibility.
In the 1920s, as a response to the popularity of Fair Isle patterns from the neighboring islands,
Shetlanders returned to knitting patterned goods. However, a few lace knitters continue to ply their painstaking
wedding shawl knitting craft today.
Dark Shetland yarn is warmer than light Shetland yarn - it's thicker!
So dark sweaters are warmer than light sweaters !
Fairisle sweaters and details
Today, knitted garments patterned with an overall effect, not horizontally striped, are described as "Shetland ".
Handmade original patterns
Fair Isle
The process by which these Fair Isles are made is a mix of traditional and modern techniques.
Wool from local sheep is sent to mills on the northern coast of Scotland for spinning.
Some is left in its natural tones, some is chemically dyed. Much of the wool is then returned to the islands, where
the front and back panels and sleeves are machine-knit, either in factories or on home looms.
These pieces are then distributed to cottage knitters, who hand knit the yokes and assemble the sweaters.
(Some of the sweater parts are machine knit in mainland Scotland, then sent to the Shetlands for yokes and
assembly, and a small portion are assembled with hand knit yokes on the mainland.)
Fair Isle is well known as a knitting method and a pattern type. Real Fair Isle patterns are built up in horizontal
bands, by knitting two colored yarns in each row. The motifs are clearly defined by careful selection of colors.
Small motifs with contrasting colors are great for Fair Isle or Norwegian motifs, with some variations
Handmade original patterns from Shetland museum
More interesting information; shetland-museum.org.uk
Norwegian designs
variation 1
 variation 2
 variation 3
 two color pattern
You will find often, different variations of my knitting charts, just to show you, what a difference in colors
you can achieve.
 You can use this chart for
a cardigan, left and right side, ( in opposite direction )
use all kind of small motifs to get a nice pattern.
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Examples of combining small Norwegian motifs. All of the examples on
1 knitting page.
In the 17 and 1800s it was important for Norwegian young women to be good at knitting.
If they could prove their ability to knit clothes for a family, then their chances of a good marriage increased.
Knitting could also be an important source of income for the family.
Today there are many very skilful knitters in Östfold.
This started years ago with women knitting at home, making mittens, socks and jerseys and selling these within
their own communities to get cash income.
Gradually demands of efficiency and increasing costs lead to knitting machines and what was once a spare time
activity and secondary income became for some their main work and source of income.
Color knitting Fair Isle pattern
All the Norwegian knitpatterns shown here
above, on 1 knitting page.
Norwegian designs
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All the Norwegian knitpatterns shown here
above, on 1 knitting page.
For repeating patterns; the knitting chart shows only one or two repeats, and indicates where you are to begin
and end the chart, for the piece you are knitting.
Each square represents one stitch, and the color given in each square represents the color in which you work
the stitch.
Make several knitting swatches in different colorways, knit a little of the pattern in your own color choice,
this way your knitting work will be more interesting. The colors I used for the charts are only to make the
chart readable. Use interesting yarns, like mohair and cotton together in one row and add purl stitches
now and then, at the right side of your knitting work.
Color knitting Fair Isle knit patterns
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 Combination examples of the 3 "red"
patterns. All the red knit patterns on 1 knitting
page.
Norwegian designs
Combine these "blue" patterns. All the blue patterns on
1 knitting page
Enlarge Norwegian two color pattern until desired width and length.
Fairisle sweaters + knitting graphs
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 All the
Norwegian knit patterns shown here above,
on 1 knitting page.
Norwegian graphs
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_small.png) All the
Norwegian knit patterns shown here above,
on 1 knitting page.
Norwegian graphs
All the Norwegian knitpatterns shown here
above, on 1 knitting page.
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All the Norwegian knitpatterns shown here
above, on 1 knitting page.
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All the Norwegian knit patterns shown here
above, on 1 knitting page.
Bohuslän is a border province, a meeting place for Norwegian, Swedish and Danish influences, which has
nevertheless maintained its own special folk culture. Bohuslän has also a strong knitting tradition.
In particular "Bohus Stickning" around 1900, know for its specially shaped pullovers, thin woolen weaves and
many color nuances. For Bohus like mittens go to my mittens page.
Google for more on Bohus knitting.
More information about knitting
The Aran Islands are located off the west of Ireland, in Galway Bay. In contrary to popular belief, the typical
cable-patterned Aran jumper is a new 20th-century invention. In 1891 the government set up the Congested
Districts Board to help poor families to survive unemployment and a shortage of potatoes.
Because of this, they encouraged local people to weave and knit garments to sell.
By the 20th century this cottage industry began to take off and the knitters created complex patterns from stitches
such as honeycomb, figure eight and double diamonds. Instead of the dark colored, oiled wools traditionally used
to make fishermen’s jerseys, the islanders now experimented with soft, thick, undyed yarn.
By the 1930s, Aran knitting was being sold to tourists from shops in cities like Dublin and it soon became known
worldwide. Vogue Knitting published an Aran pattern in 1956 and the design became popular in America.
Aran knitting can now be done by machine, but hand-knitted jumpers are still sought after.The difference between the two garments (Jerseys and Guernsey's)
which took their names from the two bailiwicks
of the Channel Islands. Almost invariably Guernsey's are in thick dark blue wool, whilst jerseys are thinner,
and of various colors.
Jerseys became better known owing to the very large number of Jersey men who entered the Newfoundland
enterprises about 1600, and gave rise to local shipbuilding, and the supply of woolen garments for the mariners.
The two garments are really identical in shape, but differ by reason of the jersey knit, which is unlike any English,
French or Guernsey type, but it would take an expert in wool-craft to tell the difference.
Gansey skills and patterns were handed on from mother to daughter, and herring fisher girls
(who followed the herring fleet around the coast of Britain and worked at salting, gutting and packing herring)
could be seen knitting for their families well into the 1950s. Nothing was written down until researchers like
Gladys Thompson and Rae Compton began collecting examples of the patterns.
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