Oleana is moving!

Arne Fabrikker  ca. 1880

Oleana's production has outgrown the space it has occupied since starting in 1992.  News of the move has been posted on Oleana's website.  Oleana is moving a few kilometers away from their present location to Ytre Arna, a town that was built around the oldest textile factory in the Bergen area -- Arne Fabrikker, dating from 1845. The building lies right on the Sørfjord.  Ships used to bring cotton from Egypt and the Americas directly to Arne Fabrikker -- the first mechanised cotton spinning and weaving factory in Norway. You can see an old film from the cotton mill where bedding was made.  It is not subtitled, but is still interesting. 1000 people used to work in this factory!  Oleana with its 60 factory workers will have space to grow in comfort!  Oleana will celebrate their 20th Anniversary next year in their new home!

May 17th

We acknowledged Norway's National Day today with an extra-special newsletter, and a window boasting our newly arrived Oleana Peony cardigan and checkered blanket.  A teeny Norwegian flag is pinned onto the belt on the mannequin, and was seen by a Norwegian passer-by who did not know about Urbanity and the Scandinavian selection we carry.  For those of you who don't get my email newsletter, here is one of the goodies it contained today.  You might remember this beautiful voice from the Winter Olympics at Lillehammer.

A taste of Oleana spring has arrived!

Yesterday was a wonderful day!  The sun was shining and a delivery of long-awaited Oleana sweaters and blankets arrived.  We quickly unpacked, priced, and made phone calls and sent emails.  Many people have been waiting for their chosen sweater, but we did get a few extra.  The pictured cardigan is covered in Peonies - no two flowers the same, and two butterflies too!

Knitting Values into Fashion

More than two months have past since Signe and Torbjorg came to visit, and tantalized everybody with the beautiful new Oleana spring collection!  (You can see Torbjorg here wearing the very popular long cardigan in a new spring colour.)  Partial shipment will hopefully be sent this week, so please make sure your name is on the list of first recipients.  You can see the collection on http://www.oleana.no/
If you missed the lecturegiven by Signe at Kwantlen on February 21st, you can now see it on YouTube.  It has been posted in several parts under the title "Knitting Values into Fashion"