käsityö

Knitting in Finnish

When I moved to Oulu to study, I could already kind of knit. By “kind of knit” I mean that I had successfully figured out how to make many a scarf, headband, and a few hats. I probably started knitting in very late elementary school or middle school. It is something I saw my grandma doing, but I didn’t know many others that did. We certainly didn’t learn how to knit in school, something that is taught in Finnish schools as part of käsityö or “hand work”. Some of the stated objectives of käsityö in the Finnish curriculum are to develop motor skills, creativity and industriousness among students. The curriculum also states that the significance of käsityö is in long-term innovative work projects and as a self-esteem booster that offers satisfaction. It also helps the students value themselves as makers.