The Quiet Thread
Issue No. 09 – A December Letter from the Mountains
Stories from our home at 682.5 metres above sea level
The first weeks of winter have settled over the mountains with cold, bright days and a soft hush. The sun disappears behind the peaks around four o’clock now, but the daylight we do have is astonishingly clear. As of this morning, we’ve got quite a bit of snow already — it’s been falling steadily while we’ve been writing — and still, we’ve found ourselves checking the long-term weather app to see whether we’ll have a white Christmas this year. Life up here moves into its familiar winter rhythm at this time: steady snowfall, shorter days, and a quiet sense of drawing in as the holidays approach. And with winter settling around us, a few meaningful moments have unfolded in the studio too — moments we’re happy to share with you today.
It will also be the first Christmas we spend at home since 2017, and it will be a different one now that my mother is gone.
We feel thankful, though — thankful that my father is still here, and thankful that we will gather in these quiet Norwegian mountains, in a place that has held so many chapters of our lives. We all have such a short time on this earth, and it feels more important than ever to make every moment count.
December has a way of sweeping us along.
The lists, the errands, the baking, the sense that everything must be done at once — even the joyful parts can feel overwhelming. Here at home, Arne has already begun his Christmas baking. I’m starting to suspect that some of my Virgo qualities have rubbed off on him, because he is never completely satisfied with a batch. He always wants to bake one more, just to make the cookies even better. I tell him they are perfectly fine the way they are — but he still insists on improving them.
So this year, more than ever, we are trying to make space. To pause. To look around at this season just as it is, without trying to perfect it. Sometimes the smallest moments carry the most warmth.
This year has been a roller coaster, with sadness and joy arriving side by side. I think of my mother every single day. I long to hold her hand again, to give her a hug, to hear her voice. Yet alongside the grief sits a deep gratitude — for our home, for the chance to slow down, and for the community we have built together over so many years. You may not realise it, but your presence has helped us navigate the hardest moments of this year.
Time passes quickly, doesn’t it?
On December 6th we quietly marked a milestone: ten years on YouTube. Our very first episode was posted in December 2015. If only we had known then how everything would unfold — the people we would meet, the friendships we would form, the journeys we would take together.
And there is more to celebrate.
During our recent knit-along, our channel passed 200,000 subscribers. In just a few weeks, we will reach another marker: 30 million views on our videos. These numbers are not something we take for granted — they represent countless moments spent with all of you. Every view, every comment, every kind message has helped us through difficult days and lifted our spirits in ways we cannot fully express.
So today’s Quiet Thread is simply a thank-you.
For being here.
For following along.
For giving us a reason to create, even on days when life feels heavy.
For walking with us through the seasons — both the gentle and the difficult ones.
As Christmas approaches and the year comes to a close, we hope you find small pockets of light, warmth, and company. We certainly treasure yours.
With warmth from our studio,
ARNE & CARLOS
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Tusen takk for the small moments that allow me to pause and appreciate the beauty, humor, and wonders of nature every day as I look out my windows. Each visit and knitting experience with you is as if I am visiting with dear friends. May your Christmas be filled with laughter, music, smiles, and the warmth of family and friends. God Jul og godt nytt ar.
Thank You! Your message was exactly what I needed today. It has been a tough year as I have lost a brother in law and a bother. Knitting along with you and watching your channel has brought joy and comfort.
Merry Christmas!!
Reading your message this morning really cheered me up on a dark and glum morning in the Midlands, England. You are so right about the things that are important in life… Your videos and “virtual presence” have brightened up my life over the years, especially during lockdown when the online communities came into their own in so many ways. Many thanks for that, and the very best wishes to you both for 2026! Kind regards, Ilse xx
For me, your video’s on You Tube are a moment of peace and rest and very often a smile or a big laughter. So relaxing. For many years I enjoyed your company on the Sunday Evening and still do. I get inspired and have already a lot of your ideas worked out. I’m also a big fan of your friend Kate in England. You nice people make the world a better place.
Many Thanks!
Your words are like beautiful poetry. Thank you for all that you two do to make some sunshine in our lives. I think that we all appreciate it. Congratulations on reaching so many milestones. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Both of you have been an inspiration to me. Your humor, creativity, knowledge and zest for life and each other is a joy to tune into. Thank you for sharing your lives with me. Now that my husband’s family who were Norwegian / Danish have passed on, taking their traditions with them, I am blessed to still have a connection through you. Sending love from New Orleans. God Jul
Yes! Alsolutely true. I am sad I haven’t “UST” leaned into it and got on with it. Hugs WAHx
Beautifully said.
Thank you for acknowledging that sadness and joy can arrive side by side. My mother passed earlier this year and I find myself missing her so much during the holidays that at times the sadness is overwhelming. I needed the reminder to find the joy that is alongside the sadness.
Blessings to you both.
Beautifully said! I’m pretty sure, Carlos, that your mama is a beautiful Angel beaming her love down on you… I wish you two the merriest and happiest holiday season with your dad, and all you do!
Love,
Paige
Thank you for the beautiful letter. Carlos, you captured the season perfectly. So many feelings, memories and emotions during this time of year. Again, as I’ve said before in comments and when meeting you and Arne in Maryland, my gratitude for your daily visits during lockdown knows no bounds. I wish for you a joyous visit with your father and many lasting memories. On a lighter note, you’ve created a “I’m so good “ monster if Arne now wants ultimate perfection in his baking! Happy Holidays!
You write as beautifully as you design! I love winter and the shortened days. It makes me feel cozy and comfortable. I want to thank you both for all you have done for our community. During Covid, you helped me personally hold onto my sanity. I would watch you as I was putting on my makeup and doing my hair (which I hadn’t done until I discovered you). I had to make an attempt because you just might see me (hahaha). Then, at night, I would knit my little square. Those squares and podcasts were lifelines during a time when we were all frightened and didn’t know what was coming next.
Carlos, my heart goes out to you over the loss of your mother. Though you will never cease missing her, you will begin to discover your happy memories take over the sadder ones. You will see her smile in a cloud or hear her voice in a breeze. It’s so terribly hard, and I’m not going to tell you it will be easier. It will just be different.
I cannot believe Arne has picked up your Virgo tendencies. No, Arne, don’t! We love you as you are…a little scattered and a lot creative!
Again, thank you for being you and creating beauty in our world.
Thank you Arne & Carlos –
This was a lovely post. My mother past in November of 2024 and I think of her every day. It hurt in the beginning – feeling the loss – but I try to focus on all the good memories now and that helps immensely. I hope to join you both on one of your journeys in the future, as I was so inspired by you both at Vogue Knitting tour’s event in Charleston South Carolina last spring. Attending that event was a healing step for me.
I love hearing about your life in the mountains. Winter has not been my favorite season with the cold and the short days, but your focus on embracing home and comforts and creativity is helping me to shift my focus and embrace this season as an opportunity. Thank you for that too!
I hope you enjoy the time with your family through the holidays. Cherish every moment.
Winter greetings from Massachusetts.
Rosemary
will you do a tutorial for the snowball? I’ve never done cables…
Dear Arne and Carlos,
Thank you for the knit-along projects and other posts. I’ve been knitting Christmas stockings with you for three years now and have come to treasure you both as my friends. Perhaps someday we will meet face to face, but if not, at least I have this connection. Carlos, may the memories of your mother bring you comfort. Arne, you continue to amaze with all of your energy and creativity. Thank you for your beautiful letter. May the Christmas holiday bring you peace and joy to last throughout 2026.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Alaska, where we too treasure the season of winter.
Another beautiful post. A very Happy Christmas to you both. Found you during the pandemic. And have not left. Enjoy your YT videos as well as your patterns and now your blog. Thank you for all you give us!
Carlos, I am really enjoying your writing- you evoke feelings, memories, and place so well. I love the photos that accompany your writing also. Thanks for sharing and God Jul! 🌲
Thank you to your love letter to winter and quitude….tis the season. Thank you both for being you and nothing more than that because that is more than enough. I have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy your sharing of your “love of making”. My goal is to join you in 2028 on a tour of the Norwegian Coastline as we spend 2 months exploring Scandanavia ❤️
What a beautifully written letter. Love you two and all your You Tube videos. Wishing you a very happy holiday and all
good things in the new year. Thank you for all your knitting and crafting videos year round. I did the KAL Christmas stocking
this and last year. They are so cool.
Thank YOU Arne and Carlos! Have a lovely Christmas with your Dad. Thank you for spending time with all of us. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2026.
Dear Carlos and Arne, thank you for generously sharing your journey with us. I feel like you’re my Norwegian cousins (I live in Canada) I am grateful to receive your updates and emails. Thank you.
What a beautiful and profound piece of writing. You expressed so well what this time of year represents, and also the highs and lows that make life so precious. Wishing you the happiest of holidays. 🥰😘
😘❤️😘
Merry Winter to you both!
Thank you for sharing the calm, peace and beauty of the season in the Norwegian mountains with us.
Your writing is beautifully composed and has the power to transport me so that I feel we are in these moments together: side by side. Sharing the laughter, as well as the sadness.
Know that all your hard work touches many lives and makes a difference in those lives.
Congratulations on your multiple milestones!
Merry Christmas to you and yours – and to all in this community which you’ve built with love.
I have lined up my recipes for baking: all Norwegian and Finnish!
Sending much love to the snowy mountains of Norway.
Happy holidays and Thank You for the lovely letter.
…and most of all, Thank You Both for sharing yourselves and your world so generously. My life is better with Christmas Balls, memories of Norway, and countless hours spent knitting while watching your videos. May we share many more moments to come. xoxo
Thank you Arne and Carlos for years of kindness, creativity, and inspiration. Have a beautiful Christmas and a very happy New Year.
Merry Christmas Arne and Carlos, Thank you for all you do with your videos, knit alongs and everything else. I so much enjoy following you. Love your openness and honesty about all of life challenges. I also lost my mother in March 2025 and although she was almost 91 and I was blessed to have her for so long, I miss her every day. May your memories of your mother remain strong this season and always. I read at my mother’s celebration of life service a beautiful poem, called My Mother kept a garden. Or rather I attempted to read it, the minister had to finish it for me as I was crying. I will attach it below to, I think you would appreciate it.
Again, thank you, hugs and Merry Christmas.
Barb
My Mother Kept a Garden
My mother kept a garden
A garden of the heart
She planted all the good things
That gave my life its start
She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to dream
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem
And when the winds and rain came
She protected me enough
But not too much because she knew
I’d need to stand up strong and tough
Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong
Markers for my pathway
That will last a lifetime long
I am my mother’s garden
I am her legacy
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me.
(author unknown)
Thank you Arne & Carlos for all the beautiful, yarns, patterns, walks,
encouragement to those that need, you bring us so much joy when
we listen to your wonderful, funny, creative videos, and blog, hugs
Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, enjoy your time with your
family, and father, Love you Both
You write so beautifully. Thank you for Al the care you’ve shown us, your audience.
You captured the stillness and lovely silences we so often don’t take the opportunity to appreciate. Bless you both and all your readers.
You write so beautifully. Thank you for Al the care you’ve shown us, your audience.
Thank you Arne and Carlos for your inspiring and fun videos and letters.
What gentle warmth and love you provide! May your holidays and your lives be blessed, as you are blessing others.
Peace,
Glyn
Arne and Carlos,
It is always a delight to read your beautifully, thoughtfully written letters to us all. And especially at this time of year, your words radiate cozy warmth and a kind of gentle golden light.
I wanted to thank you two again for the experience of the cruise to Svalbard this past summer with my knitter friend Eve. So much conviviality, gorgeous scenery, wonderful moments with Eve, getting to know you two a bit, and the inspiring rediscovery of working/playing with yarn as a passionate pastime.
May this season, and the seasons ahead, be filled with joy for you two, as you spread joy to others.
I love this post! You always inspire me to have more gratitude! I finished the penguin beanie and my granddaughter loves it! I got a real chuckle about Arne always being displeased with his baking efforts. I am just like that! My dear friend’s mother was named Pearl and she was also always displeased with her cooking. I am now referred to as “Pearl” by family and friends when I comment on my cooking not being just right! Thank you for being so authentic and bringing love and beautiful knitting to this world.
Thank you both for being there. You kept me company throughout the pandemic, you bring humor into my life, and your relationship is so joyful to watch. I will enjoy a gentle holiday season with you.
Dear A and C,
Thank you for all of your joy, kindness and chuckles….I hope this holiday season you will both be cocooned with love from family and friends.
I feel so lucky I found you both.
Xoxoxox
I am a full time carer for my husband and your tutorials, the Christmas stocking and your videos keep me sane ! I love reading about your life in the mountains and seeing all that you are doing. Your tour next year of the English gardens will visit Iford manor which is situated in the village next to the one I live in so you will see ‘my countryside’ !
I hope you have a lovely Christmas with your Dad.
Judy
I am 84 looking after my 95 year old husband. I found your you tube a year or two back and really enjoyed it. I used to knit and sew a lot but now only knit for charity or for gifts for new babies in our church. I really enjoyed all your travel bits as we used to travel when we were younger.Have a Happy and Blessed Christmas.
Dear Arne and Carlos,
Your post choked me up.
Thank you for everything – and especially your sock tutorials which are always available when I need.
And thank you for the reminder of the importance of gratitude.
Have a wonderful Christmas much love
Dominique
Dear Arne and Carlos
What a beautiful heartfelt letter and even reading it I felt the sense of calm and relaxation I almost felt your cold and dark and coziness while sitting here in Australia in the boiling heat. Christmas for us is long light nights prawns and seafood on the BBQ swimming and cool iced drinks. Thank you for a wondaful year of seeing you across the miles, your hard work love and cute sense of humor is what gives you your You Tube following Congratulations, its well deserved. Have a wonderful Christmas with your dad. We still have my 91-year-old mum who is amazing she bakes, cooks, drives, sews, knits and bosses everyone around. I guess she has deserved that Right LOL. I look forward to your Stocking Knit Along every year.
Carlos & Arne, Your kindness through out the ten years, your love of your families and your traditions, the love in your creativity you share and the tours you host are truly beautiful in their entirety. I am so very grateful to you both, for finding you, and I am keeping your hearts in my prayers this very special Christmas season!! May all the love sent wrap each of you in the collective big hug!! I’ll be replaying the stocking videos, looking forward to each Advent Sunday in this your 10th Anniversary, and equally excited for you as you host your father!! Thank you for sharing so much joy, history, fun, and curiosity with us so many years. Buon Natale, Merry Christmas, and Seasons Blessings!
As I read your post, I am deeply moved. Thank you for all you have given. Thank you especially for sharing these thoughts.
I pray for you today as I read your words: May God give you deep peace…healing of your hearts…and comfort in being loved.
God be with you as you spend time with your dad. May your joy be made complete as you are given the gift of being home again this year! And may you find some time with that Christmas Baby Jesus, who loves you so much.
I thank God for making you guys. Merry Christmas!
Sending you love from Colorado,
Marilyn