Hanne Rimmen: Knitting stories of Nordic beauty and equality

By Signe Hansen | Photos: Jens Peter Engedal

Though Hanne Rimmen’s name is widely associated with classic Nordic knits, the Danish knitwear designer has always been about far more than colour combinations and beautiful patterns. For her, knitting is also about culture, equality and the right to express ideas through craft. Her recent book on the Danish knitting movement, Hønsestrik, explores how yarn and needles once became tools of activism – and how knitting continues to carry stories about history and identity.

Over the last two decades, Rimmen has built a creative universe in which knitting is both a craft and a form of storytelling. Patterns become narratives, and garments become carriers of meaning shaped by culture and personal expression. “Knitting tells stories about time and place,” she says. “You can often see where people come from simply by looking at the patterns of their knitwear.”

Through two decades of work, Hanne Rimmen has become a bit of an icon within the world of knitting.

Knitting entered Rimmen’s life early and gradually developed into a professional practice. Trained as a schoolteacher and later working as an illustrator, she always kept yarn and needles close at hand, designing garments inspired by everyday life and the stories surrounding her.

Over time, these designs grew into a broader body of work, and today Rimmen shares the creative and historical dimensions of knitting with an international community of knitters through designs and writing, teaches knitting and design, and gives talks on knitting as a cultural narrative.

In some designs, Rimmen combines classic Nordic traditions with Hønsestrik influences.

Rediscovering hønsestrik

The story behind Rimmen’s recent book Hønsestrik began with an unexpected invitation to coffee at the leading Danish publisher Gyldendal. Initially, the discussion centred on a possible book about Nordic knitting traditions, a field Rimmen had long explored through both research and design.

But during the meeting, another idea emerged. “I told them that if something was truly interesting right now, it was actually hønsestrik,” she recalls. “It’s not just a knitting style – it’s a story about women, equality and activism.”

Hanne Rimmen is widely associated with beautiful classic Nordic knitwear designs.

Hønsestrik, which emerged in Denmark during the 1970s, grew out of the feminist movement of the time. Rejecting rigid knitting patterns and conventional fashion ideals, women began creating colourful garments filled with symbols, slogans and playful motifs. The sweaters became statements – expressions of independence, creativity and resistance to the expectations placed on women.

The style was pioneered by Danish knitter and author Kirsten Hofstätter, whose original books on hønsestrik were initially rejected by traditional male-dominated publishers before she eventually published them herself. For Rimmen, revisiting the movement was therefore also about recognising the woman who started it. “There are generations today who don’t know this story,” she explains. “They don’t realise that knitting was used as a form of activism.”

Her book, therefore, moves beyond patterns alone. It begins by recounting the history of the women who created the movement, before guiding contemporary knitters through techniques, colour exploration and adaptable patterns designed for modern makers. Rather than rigid instructions, the patterns encourage experimentation. “The idea was to invite people into that creative freedom,” she says. “To show that knitting doesn’t have to follow fixed rules.”

Hanne Rimmen: Knitting stories of Nordic beauty and equality

Knitting as expression

While Hønsestrik reflects one historical moment, Rimmen’s broader design work draws on a wide range of inspirations. Nordic knitting traditions remain central, but architecture, travel and colour experimentation also play a role. “I love colour,” she says. “I might not wear every colour myself, but I’m fascinated by how they interact.”

Her designs often combine traditional Nordic motifs with new influences gathered from travels and visual observations. Graphic lines in buildings, landscapes and textiles can all find their way into knitted form. For Rimmen, knitting patterns are a kind of visual language that evolves over time.

Yet the expressive dimension of knitting also extends beyond aesthetics. Inspired by the legacy of hønsestrik, some of her work explores how knitting can communicate ideas and values. In one design, a knitted message reads The Future Is Female, while another project features the Greenlandic flag.

At first, she hesitated about expressing opinions through her work. “I thought: I’m a designer, not a politician,” she says. “But the more I explored the story of hønsestrik, the clearer it became that knitting has always been a way to communicate.”

Knitting beyond borders

In today’s global knitting community, that communication can travel far beyond national borders. Through online platforms, Rimmen’s patterns are downloaded by knitters across the world. Sometimes, she notes, the connections created through knitting can feel surprisingly powerful. “I can see knitters in both Russia and Ukraine downloading the same pattern,” she says. “I find that very moving.”

For Rimmen, that quiet connection captures the enduring strength of knitting. Through yarn and needles, ideas and creative communities extend surprisingly far. She also hints that another book may already be in the works – and although the details remain under wraps for now, one thing is certain: it will involve knitting.

Hanne Rimmen: Knitting stories of Nordic beauty and equality