A Cozy Way to Commemorate the St. Olaf Sesquicentennial

St. Olaf Magazine | Fall 2024

November 19, 2024

A Cozy Way to Commemorate the St. Olaf Sesquicentennial

The St. Olaf College Sesqui Mittens that Professor of Norwegian Kari Lie Dorer has designed feature the St. Olaf shield with the year 1874, as well as the interconnected 1-5-0 that the college is using to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Dorer has created patterns in sizes ranging from baby to adult — and she hasn't stopped with mittens. She also created a pattern to knit a Sesqui Cowl (shown beneath the mittens), as well as patterns for a knitted holiday ornament and gift card holder. — *The St. Olaf College Sesqui Mittens that Professor of Norwegian* *Kari Lie Dorer has designed feature the St. Olaf shield with the* year 1874, as well as the interconnected 1-5-0 that the college is using to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Dorer has created patterns in sizes ranging from baby to adult — and she hasn’t stopped with *mittens. She also created a pattern to knit a Sesqui Cowl (shown* *beneath the mittens), as well as* *patterns for a knitted holiday ornament and gift card holder.*

Professor of Norwegian Kari Lie Dorer is celebrating 150 years of the college’s tight-knit community with special St. Olaf Sesquicentennial knitting patterns for mittens and a cowl. She shares the traditions that inspired her to launch this project.

By Kari Lie Dorer

The strong connection that Norwegians have to knitting is something I first experienced while studying in Norway nearly 30 years ago. I have a vivid memory of the moment my roommate’s mother learned that her daughter had helped me buy a machine-produced sweater. “How un-Norwegian!” she declared with dismay.

After that, I was eager to learn how to knit. My Norwegian friends — who had all learned to knit in school at a young age and continued to do so in their free time — took on the challenge of teaching me. Their lessons have lasted a lifetime.

In Norway, it has become common to use knitting as a way to commemorate important life events. One of my favorite wedding presents, knitted by a good friend, is a special set of mittens called kjærlighetsvotter (“love mittens”). During the 1994 Winter Olympics hosted in Lillehammer, there was a series of patterns that everyone was knitting and wearing to mark the festive occasion. This tradition even continues at St. Olaf, where many Oles commemorate the college’s Norwegian roots by wearing a Norwegian sweater each year to the Christmas Festival.

So as St. Olaf began planning for its 150th anniversary this year, it seemed only natural that one way to commemorate it would be by designing a knitting pattern — which quickly evolved into multiple knitting patterns.

“In Norway, it has become common to use knitting as a way to commemorate important life events. … So as St. Olaf began planning for its 150th anniversary this year, it seemed only natural that one way to commemorate it would be by designing a knitting pattern — which quickly evolved into multiple knitting patterns.”

— Professor of Norwegian Kari Lie Dorer

The first three are called the St. Olaf College Sesqui Mittens. One features the St. Olaf shield, one features the sesquicentennial logo, and one features a design inspired by the beams in Boe Memorial Chapel. Each has elements that Oles can customize to indicate their graduation year, majors or areas of study, year of retirement, and more.

The St. Olaf College Sesqui Mittens designed by Kari Lie Dorer

Because Mittens aren’t the most novice-friendly project, I developed another pattern that I ended up liking just as much: the St. Olaf College Sesqui Cowl. Its 150 interconnected Os result in one complex design.

All the patterns feature St. Olaf colors and Norwegian knitting techniques using a popular Norwegian yarn called Rauma. The pattern itself is available at kariliedorer.com or (for knitting enthusiasts) ravelry.com. The materials are available at Northfield Yarn, which will also be organizing a knit-along after the new year.

My hope is that this unique commemorative project will connect the many individuals who share my enthusiasm in fiber arts — and give us a fun, cozy way to commemorate the St. Olaf Sesquicentennial.