Winter is a natural time for doing indoor crafts, especially in colder climates. You can enjoy cozy knitting sessions with a cup of tea or coffee and appreciate the warmth of your knitwear once a garment is finished.
Norwegian knitting has been especially on-trend lately, with fiber fans casting on viral patterns and showing them off on the world stage:
- A great place to see what’s new in knitwear is at the Winter Olympics. This year, Team Norway wore the stunning Cortina 2026 Olympic sweaters by Dale of Norway which also inspired stitchers to make the beautiful throwback sweaters, mittens, cowls, socks and hats in the design of the 1956 Winter Games, also held in Milano/Cortina. There is also an unofficial 2026 Olympics hat, so knitters have plenty of patterns to choose from. In Norway, you can buy full kits of OL (Olympic Games) and VM (World Championship) sweater designs.
- 1940s Norwegian stocking cap also known as a nisselue / Christmas elf hat.
The popularity of the hat pattern remake of a symbolic red hat from WW II has knitting stores struggling to keep red yarn in stock. It has also created a world-wide shortage of circular needles. Find photos from 8,400 Ravelry members who have knitted the hat.
- Ralph Lauren clothed Olympic Team USA, coming up with a sweater inspired by some classic Norwegian motifs. Elements of the Mariu
s pattern top a row of Selburoser displayed prominently on the sweaters of the American athletes. Free patterns are available on Ravelry for the Team USA sweater, ear flap hat, and beanie.
- Knitwear is not only on Olympic athletes themselves but on the needles of the athletes competing in different events. Instagram account Biathlon World recently posted an adorable reel highlighting the “exclusive club” that no one talks about: the knitting club at the Olympics, with athletes from different countries showing off the projects they are stitching.
- Some of the knitting athletes include American Breezy Johnson, Alpine Skiing, who knits a new piece before each event; Canadian Pascale Paradis, Biathlon, who makes cozy hoods in all kinds of colors; American Jessie Diggins, Cross Country, who completed her first sweater just before the 2026 Games; American Ben Ogden, Cross Country, who credits his silver medal win to the calm that knitting brings; and Canadian Adam Runnalls, Biathlon, who started and finished a sweater during the 2026 Olympics.