I love winter but am not a fan of being cold, so I am going to share with you, how to own an Iconic Norwegian Sweater. I remember talking to someone from Norway who said there was no such thing as bad weather, just bad dressing. So the Iconic Norwegian Sweater is going to keep you warm, be on trend in fashion and showcase a country who maintains its heritage. I came across these Norwegian Sweaters, when a fellow travel writer had been visiting the shop in a small town in Norway and yes, I had to have one.

I immediately loved the colors and the patterns, and I now own a sweater,  gloves and a hat. These are an ethnic design of Norway and I got them directly from Norway and from the Norway Shop. It cost nothing in postage as was delivered quickly to Australia. I took note of the sizing and my seater fits perfectly. If it hadn’t I could have easily returned it, as I will explain later.

Where is the Norway Shop?

Norway Shop is based in the small village of Dale, not far from the very popular Bergen, a city on Norway’s southwestern coast surrounded by mountains and fjords, including Sognefjord, the country’s longest and deepest.

History of The Sweaters of Norway

The Norwegian knitting tradition started to gain ground from the 19th century and is now more popular than ever. Initially, only natural colors where used for sweaters, cardigans and accessories until the first two colored models were knitted in the 1920s- two evergreen classics, Setesdal and Fana. Later on, in 1953, a pattern inspired from the Setesdal one charmed the entire world: the Marius pattern.

The Patterns Used on the Sweaters

The world of the Norwegian patterns is huge and surprising. The patterns were mostly inspired from the carved and painted door frames of rural houses and farms, known as Rosemaling or decorative painting. Once again, nature is the main initial inspiration. The paintings, as well as the knitting patterns tried to reproduce the design of flowers, grasses and even animals using bright and vibrant colors. Many of those details can also be found in the embroideries and details of the Bunad, the traditional Norwegian costume.

In 1879, one of the most renowned factories was born, Dale of Norway. Here, thanks to years of experience and research the classic sweaters saw a new light, reinterpreted in a more contemporary way, while talent and constant innovation allowed the creation of fantastic high-performance garments.

Norway Shop makes the famous sweaters of Norway using the iconic snowflake, reindeer and flower motifs. The Norwegian sweater is a national symbol, and are treasured world wide for their unique and beautiful design.

Native Norwegian wools for warmth and durability are used as well as Skinsoft Merino wool for softness and fine detail. These are fashion pieces in the contemporary fashion world. Norway Shop also has Norwegian hats, gloves, scarves and thermals to complete the chic look.

Brands and Styles

Norway Shop has many ranges like the Arctic Circle range and the famous Dale of Norway. These feature quite traditional elements, like pewter hooks made in Norway, sweaters decorated with snow crystals and the typical eight-petal rose, which gives it a traditional Norwegian look.

Another very famous Norwegian pattern is called MARIUS, MARIUSGENSER or MARIUSMØNSTER that are named after brothers a famous Norwegian Olympic skier Stein and model Marius.There is now an entire MARIUS range and pattern featured items, souvenirs, and gifts.

They also  carry a very well know Norwegian brand DEVOLD. They do wonderful classic Norwegian style sweaters and  are the only ones shipping them internationally from Norway.

As you would expect, these are made to withstand some serious cold. As we travel a lot in winter and are avid skiers around the world, we always want to be warm. Looking good helps too.

I love the heritage of these sweaters; I love the look of them as well.

Lucky Trolls – Lykketroll

Trolls are believed to be the very first inhabitants of Norway, already living in the mountains in ancient times when all the land was covered in ice. They are creatures of different dimensions, but there are some common features they share: they all have only four fingers and a cow-looking tail, and their noses are so long and red that they are said to be used for stirring soups. Trolls can only be seen at dusk or night time, since the sun light will turn them into stone or even make them crack! There are contrasting descriptions of their characters, since they can be mean and friendly at the same time. If you walk through the Norwegian forests and you see a sparkle in the dark, it might just be a troll blinking at you! Small troll figures are said to be lucky and there are so many different kinds that you will definitely find the perfect one to protect your beloved ones!

Sizing