Berte Slippers

Symbolism
Berte Marie Haggendatter Olsen was my great-great grandmother. Everything I know about her I learned from my grandma while looking at family photos. I choose these colors for these slippers because it reminded me of a photo of my Great Grandpa Olsen when he was a little boy. The photo was taken by a professional photographer is Kristiania.I have loved that photo ever since I was little, and my grandma told me stories of my grandfather and his life in Norway. Lately I’ve been thinking about his mother. How she must have been looking on while that photo was taken. That gave me such a kindred-spirit feeling toward her. I remembered those moments as a mother. So much love. So much hope. So much adoration. I loved that she packed that photo in a trunk and crossed the Atlantic with it tucked amongst her treasures. I’m so glad that she did. That photo links me to her. I know from my grandma that Berte yearned for Norway as she and her family learned a new language and made a new life in the Rocky Mountains. There is so much I could tell you about her! In short, I know that she was a woman of faith, love, hope, and courage. The symbols on this slipper represent just that. The star is for the star of Bethlehem, there is a heart and flower on the top of the toe and heel represents love, courage and hope. The stars on the sole are for loving “more than all the stars in the sky.” And I like to think the tvinnarand braid is a symbol of how our lives intertwine as we travel life’s journey together even generations apart.

Materials
Women’s size
Yarn: Isager Highland (use two strands together) | 50 g. 300 yards/ 274 meters
Main Color: E0 Natural Undyed 1 skein
Contrasting Color: Clay | 1 skein
OR
Raumagarn 3 tr. Strikkegarn \ 50 g (1.75 oz) 105 meters/114 yards
Main Color: Off white | 1 skein
Contrasting Color: Brown | 1 skein
OR
Yarn: Isager Jensen | 100 grams 273 yards/ 249 meters
Main Color: Birch
Contrasting Color: Walnut

Note: You will be able to knit 3 slippers from 1 skein of each color (so if you have 2 skeins of each color, Strikkegarn or Isager Highland you can knit 3 slippers. With Isager Jensen you can knit 3 pairs of slippers.

Needles: Double-point needles 3.5mm/US 4 or Addi Flexiflips (my favorite way to make these slippers)

Gauge and Swatch
Swatch in colorwork. Women’s Slipper 24 stitches/24 rows = 4 inches or 10 cm
If you need a larger size, determine gauge, then move up a needle size for a roomier slipper. If you need a smaller size, go down a needle size (from gauge) or shrink them a bit by extra felting in hot water.

Sizes
Women’s small US 4.- 5.5 Go down a needle size from gauge
Women’s medium size US 6-9 knit at gauge
Women’s large size US 9.5-11 Bump up one needle size from gauge size needle

Skills used to make Berte
Chart Reading Skills
Knit continental
Purl continental
Knit English
Purl English
or knitting and purling with two strands in one hand
Long-tail cast on
Combination purl
Stranden Knitting
Stranded Purling
Catching Floats knitting
Backward loop
DPN Skills (or Addi Flexiflips (Crazy Trios)
SSK in colorwork
K2tog in colorwork
Handsewing
Tvinnarand