Family Norse tradition
by Meg Wold
(Milwaukee, WI USA)
Lillian with her dolls
Our family has a strong Norse tradition and heritage on both sides. The little girl pictured with her American Girl Dolls is Lillian, named for her maternal grandmother and my mother.
My grandmother, Kären, immigrated to the States from Norway at the age of 18. Ironically, my niece is name Karn (many can’t pronounce Kären).
So, Kären begat Lillian; a generation later, Karn begat Lillian. I was taught to knit by my father’s Tanta Åsta who was visiting from Bø in Telemark. Great niece Lillian was to receive the Kirsten doll for Christmas 2009. I was asked to knit Norwegian clothing for the doll.
The results are shown with a very happy little girl hugging her dolls. Kirsten in a fana cardigan and the other in Maulfrid Gausel’s Kirsten’s ski outfit.
The Gausel pattern was a joy to knit and a challenge. Although an experienced knitter, I had never steeked a sweater, much less cut my stitches.
Now that I have done it – five times – the technique is much less frightening, and a wonderful method to create beautiful, stranded sweaters.
Thank you Maulfrid Gausel for making these beautiful knitted patterns available to all of us, including English speaking knitters.
See doll knitting pattern #0023 Kirsten here
