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Two thirds of our country Sweden are covered in forests. The forest and mankind have been accompanying each other through the centuries. For hundreds of years, the forest has been one of our most important natural resources. Initially, it provided our ancestors with resources for domestic use, such as firewood, timber, carpentry and fencing materials. A material such as birch bark was incredibly important for roofing, and the birch was used as a raw material for a variety of household utensils and tools. Other processed wood products that came from the forest were wood tar and charcoal. Charcoal was an important foundation for Sweden's iron production and export. In the mid 1800's, with the sawmill industry expansion, the forest also gained industrial value.
According to ancient folklore, many beings dwell in the forest. The skogsrå
(Mistress of the Forest) lures the wanderers deep into the forest and seduces the ones she takes a liking to. Another being is the Troll, usually described as giant. Besides the trolls, there are also wights and vittror. In folk religion, fairies are collective spirits of nature who at dusk and at dawn can be seen dancing across meadows, fields and mossy earth. The raven is one of the most mythical birds, with a reputation for its wisdom he acquires from seeing and hearing everything.
Designer Åse Öjbro, founder of Öjbro Vantfabrik, has created wearable art with mittens in the main focus. Åse also worked as an artist and painted pictures for many years before she decided to express herself in wool instead. She has created this pattern design in view of the great importance of our forests. This illustrative pattern with the king of the forest in a clearing is framed by a bed of pine forest.
I love our "everyman's right”, our freedom to roam, which means that we all can be out in the woods and take in all its scents. The feeling of entering the forest is magical. It creates balance and perspective in my life. Like balm for the soul. I read many fairy tales of forest beings when I was little, and when I saw the wonderful John Bauer illustrations for the first time, I kind of fell in love. I wanted to honor the Swedish everyman’s right we have through my pattern of our forest. And in my interpretation, I placed the king of the forest in dialogue with our mythical raven in the center of the mitten.
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We don’t know since when
mittens have been knitted in the
North, but there are preserved
fragments of mittens that date
back to the 13th century.
* This mitten is inspired by the
everyman’s right, a Swedish
symbol here depicted by the
king of the forest in dialogue
with the raven.
Patterns inspired by and
colored in nature's own colors.
Öjbro Vantfabrik is passionate
about keeping our various
knitting traditions alive |
