Hello,
I am currently on vacation in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. Hello all Canadians out there! Anyway, I saw some Dale of Norway sweaters in one of the shops and they are SPECTACULAR! I have never seen them in person before and I am humbled by the patterns. The problem is that they are selling for 250 to 300 Canadian dollars. That is really steep for me. So here is the dilemma/question that I need advice on: Is there a way to find them cheaper? (I am seeing them in a resort shop, so I am assuming the prices are higher than in regular stores).
Or is there a way to MAKE them for cheaper? (Keeping in mind that I have never done Fair Isle- OK so I have done some intarsia- and have never steeked anything and don’t own a sewing machine.)
Oh, and my flight leaves Calgary for Los Angeles tomorrow afternoon.
Thanks for all of your advice!
I’ve made one too, with another on my to-do list. I made Osterdalen. It’s a lot of work, but really, really worth the effort.
If you want to give it a try, I suggest you try Wendy Johnson’s Baby Norgi first. It’s a smaller version of the same kind of sweater and a great place to try fair isle and steeking. Oh, and be sure to check out Ingy’s thread on steeking!
Ingrid- did you use Dale of Norway yarns to do the patterns or other substitute yarns? I might try substitute yarns since I don’t need something as bulky (cause I live in LA, but I tend to visit cold and snowy places). I am also raised to believe that knitting is a way to make things in an economical way. So, the cheaper the better.
Silver- do all of the sweaters involve steeking? Several of the sweaters that I liked had a yoke style neckline or raglan-sleeve.
I guess I am flying home (in about 5 hours) without a purchased sweater.
I am of Norwegian herritage. I think that Dale sweaters are the most beautiful sweaters I have ever seen. I actually own 2 sweaters that are simmular to them. One of them my Grandmother actually made when she was younger living in Norway. One is another brand I am not sure of. My sister purchased a Dale 2 years ago while we were in Madison Wisc. She thought that owning such a heavy sweater was rediculous. But when ever she comes here in the winter it is the first thing she packs.
So my advice is, if you plan on making or purchasing one, make sure you live somewhere rather cold because it will go to waste. Mine sit in garment bags 9 months out of the year. I wear mine when it is sub-zero here in Chicago. Shoveling snow, sking, snowboarding, sleading, ect.
Thanks for all of your help! I am back in Los Angeles and I am sad (this town is very smoggy). But I think I am going to start searching for some patterns and that Baby Norgi pattern looks pretty cool to start with.
And I could definitely make a sweater to wear around the house and say “oooo look at my sweater!” the way Silver does.
