Warm Resistance

In the early 1940s, in Norway, knitters began to knit red "nisselue" caps as a non-violent symbol of resistance against Nazi occupation. The Norwegian caps were worn to boost morale and represented national identity, unity, and hope. When the Nazis became aware of the protest, they officially banned them on February 26, 1942. Wearing them could result in fines, imprisonment, or being sent to camps.

from the NYT:

This month, a group of Minnesota hobbyists — upset and agitated by the ongoing immigration crackdown by the Trump administration — gathered in a Minneapolis suburb and did the one thing they knew they could.

They knit.

Now, the red tasseled hats they made are at the center of a growing “craftivist” movement using the handmade beanies to galvanize opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and to mourn the two Minnesotans, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were fatally shot by federal agents.

Known as “Melt the ICE” caps, the pattern for the knitted hat — selling at $5 — has been ordered more than 85,000 times since being offered online in mid-January, according to the Minneapolis-area shop behind its creation.

Kate Bispala, a former high school civics teacher who now owns "Harriet & Alice" a local yarn store, said the hats were a way of showing support for the protests against the federal agents in Minneapolis, as well as for “the small businesses that are speaking out."

The craft-arts community in Minnesota has deep roots, something that practitioners say can be attributed, in part, to the region’s harsh winters and it’s many Nordic immigrants.

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/style/minnesota-ice-red-hats-knit.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20260131&instance_id=170399&nl=the-morning&regi_id=157420470&segment_id=214570&user_id=aa645e46f744594b9972a38186a1924a

This warm resistance has found a place at Merry Mount.

Stay warm!

CPW