The Pope County Museum, in partnership with the Glenwood Public Library, presents a free lecture on knitting traditions on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. at the museum.

Winter in the Nordic countries is several months long, dark and cold – so there has always been a need for warm, close-fitting clothing. For that reason, knitting became an important handcraft early on. In the past, the knitted garments themselves were the most important thing, but today it is perhaps the pleasure of knitting that is most meaningful for our well-being.

Stephenie Anderson from Bearpaw Studios, Fosston, Minn., will present a free public lecture on Viking Age textiles and knitting. Stephenie Anderson describes herself as a “creative and detail-oriented fiber/textile artist with a strong background in knitting, quilting and hand sewing of Viking Age textiles.” She has created, written and published many patterns over the past 30 years. She has exhibited her work at the Northwest Minnesota Art Gallery, Sorenson Art Gallery and the Minnesota State Fair where she was a blue-ribbon winner. Stephenie is associated with the Pine to Prairie Folk School, East Polk County Heritage Center and The Order of the Mitten, a group of textile artists who research textile grave finds and recreate those finds as accurately as possible. Stephenie Anderson was awarded the Viking Connection grant to study in Norway under Astri Byrd and Linnea Madsen. With their guidance Stephenie studied and recreated historically accurate Viking Age garments based on archaeological finds.

The lecture will be the public release of the newly drafted pattern for Albertina Dickson’s Selbu Mitten. In the 1940s Albertina knit a mitten which is now part of the Pope County Museum collection. Ms. Anderson studied our mitten and wrote a pattern inspired by and in tribute to Albertina Tyvog Dickson. Albertina made a living as a tailor, seamstress and handiworker in and around Terrace. Her parents were immigrants from Norway and likely influenced her interest in Nordic knitting and handcrafts.

Albertina Dickson’s mitten has all the hallmarks of Selbu knitting patterns which can be traced to the 1850s. Selbu patterns have a small pattern on the palm and a star pattern and vines on the back of the hand. This mitten also includes “line dance” figures. Dancing has always been a form of enjoyment all around the world, so it’s easy to understand why it is a motif in knitted patterns. The Nordfjord and Selbu knitting methods clearly transfer into her work which is on exhibit in the museum.

This event is a partnership project of the Glenwood Public Library and the Pope County Historical Society. This project has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Viking Library System.