Norwegians have a deep-rooted cabin culture, and if you ever visit a traditional mountain or forest cabin, you’ll quickly notice a few things: simplicity, pine everywhere, and a slower pace of life. While modern cabins are fully equipped with electricity, running water, and even Wi-Fi, many of the older, more traditional ones remain charmingly rustic.
In Norwegian cabin culture, the overall idea seems to have been: the less comfortable, the better. Fetching water from a well or a nearby stream, washing dishes in a tub, freezing your butt off in the outhouse, and heating the cabin with a wood stove are all part of the experience. And yet, this return to simplicity is what makes cabin life so special. Everything slows down. You disconnect from the everyday rush and reconnect with the here and now – whether that’s going for hikes in the mountains, playing cards by candlelight, or simply listening to the wind in the trees.
That feeling of arriving at a cold cabin, warming up in front of the fireplace. <3
And then, of course, there’s the interior: pine everywhere! Pine floors, pine walls, pine ceilings, pine furniture – it's a signature look. Alongside all this wood, you’ll often find handcrafted textiles, including embroidered pillows and wall hangings. One of the most common embroidery styles is klostersøm, a geometric technique that lets you create striking ombré effects and repeating patterns. This traditional fiber art peaked in popularity in the 60s and 70s, and its aesthetic is the foundation for my latest quilt pattern: Pine Trip.
Younger me at my family's mountain cabin – always knitting! Note the klostersøm wall hanging.
A Quilt That Captures the Cabin Feeling
With Pine Trip, I wanted to design a quilt pattern that captures the essence of cabin life: cozy, simple, and deeply rooted in tradition. The pattern features two different blocks, both reflecting the geometric shapes and color transitions often seen in klostersøm embroidery:
- The Trip block, a mini version of the classic Trip Around the World quilt
- The Cross block, creating movement across the quilt.
Pine trip in the making, before the final assembly.
Thanks to strip piecing, this quilt is a rather quick make, making it perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a relaxing, meditative sewing project. And if you prefer a scrappier look, I’ve included cutting instructions for that, too, which ties beautifully into the cabin philosophy of using what you have and keeping things simple.
Let's just say that Pine Trip is a quilt that invites you to slow down (because you don't HAVE to make it fast even though it's possible!), enjoy the process, and embrace the beauty of simple living.
Ready to start your own Pine Trip? Grab the pattern here, and bring a little cabin coziness into your home!