Anne's Norwegian Knitting

Why can a wool sweater feel so light and still keep us warm? What gives yarn its bounce? And what does “worsted” actually mean?

In episode 62, Anne and Steph welcome Northern Lights member Kristal for a conversation about the way wool works. A knitter, spinner, and enthusiastic explorer of all things fibre, Kristal brings samples, stories, and the kind of curiosity that leads you to pull yarn apart just to see what’s happening inside.

We talk about wool’s relationship with warmth and moisture, what happens during felting, and how the preparation and spinning of fibres influence the yarn on our needles. Along the way, there’s a drop spindle that lives up to its name and a sweater that grew to rather unexpected proportions.

In this episode:

Kristal’s journey from knitting to spinning and processing fleece

Wool fibres, scales, and moisture

Wet felting and needle felting

Crimp – the little bends that contribute to wool’s bounce

Woollen-spun, worsted-spun, and semi-worsted yarns

Rooing – collecting fleece that a sheep naturally sheds

Why worsted-spun and worsted weight mean different things

Mentioned in this episode

Thank you to Made By Barb for the fibre illustrations discussed in our conversation:
https://www.madebybarb.com/

For your next knitting adventure, explore more at Anne’s Norwegian Knitting.

A few years ago, during a group conversation, a beautiful woman and successful entrepreneur described me as a heritage knitter. She saw something back then that I’ve only recently found the words for, even though it has been part of my work and what I do all along.

In this Stranded Thoughts episode, I explore what being a heritage knitter means to me, and how, through Anne’s Norwegian Knitting, we bring Norwegian knitting heritage into your everyday life today.

For your next knitting adventure, explore more at Anne’s Norwegian Knitting: https://www.annesnorwegianknitting.com

Join Anne and Steph alongside past attendees as they share what makes the Virtual Norwegian Knitting Retreat such a memorable experience. From Norwegian culture, history, and inspiring designer sessions to natural dyeing, special surprises, and meaningful connections, hear firsthand why knitters return year after year.

Plus, get a sneak peek at the 2027 Virtual Norwegian Knitting Retreat, happening February 25–28, featuring the theme “Symbols,” a new yarn mill, and plenty of exciting experiences to come.

The Virtual Norwegian Knitting Retreat is about so much more than knitting.

In this episode, Anne and Steph take you behind the scenes of creating an immersive weekend filled with Norwegian knitting, history, culture, traditional crafts, wool and community. They share how the retreat began, how it has grown – and how much thought, care and, sometimes, self-doubt go into bringing it all together.

They also give you a glimpse of what is coming for the third Virtual Norwegian Knitting Retreat, taking place February 25–28, 2027. This year’s theme is symbols and symbolism in Norwegian knitting and craft.

You’ll hear about:

– How the idea for the retreat began
– The work and emotions behind creating the weekend
– Why every presentation is live
– Personal Q&A sessions with the speakers
– Norwegian history, culture, music and traditional crafts
– Sit & Knit sessions and time to meet fellow knitters
– Gentle yoga and stretching created especially for knitters
– Norwegian wool, exclusive patterns and a special red-listed technique
– Some of the wonderful speakers already confirmed for 2027
– How the retreat brings the experience of travelling through Norway into your own living room

Registration for the 2027 Virtual Norwegian Knitting Retreat opens Sunday, September 20, with a special early-bird offer available for one week.

Come and spend four days immersed in Norwegian knitting, traditions, wool, history and community.

If you enjoyed this episode, please follow the podcast and leave us a rating or review. It helps more knitters find us.

Anne’s Norwegian Knitting — Norwegian knitting, traditions, wool, history and community.

Today was supposed to be a very different podcast episode.

But on the morning of August 28, 2026, King Harald V of Norway passed away after 35 years on the throne.

Before you listen, two little corrections from me. This was a very spontaneous conversation recorded on an emotional day, and somewhere between my brain and my mouth, the royal numbers got muddled. Throughout the conversation I call King Harald V “King Harald VII”. He was, of course, King Harald V.

You will also hear us talk about a “coronation”. Norway no longer has coronations – the ceremony we are talking about is a consecration, as King Harald V and Queen Sonja had in Nidaros Cathedral in 1991. This one was partly me reaching for the right vocabulary in English while we were talking.

With that cleared up...

Steph and I had planned a completely different episode for today. But when we sat down to record, it didn't feel right to simply carry on as planned.

So instead, we talked about King Harald, the Norwegian monarchy, what the Royal Family means to many Norwegians, what happens when a king dies and another takes his place – and a little of the long history behind it all.

This isn't a history lesson. It is simply a conversation recorded on a day when history was happening around us.

Takk, Kong Harald.

Alt for Norge.