Laura Ricketts is a knit and crochet instructor from Indiana, specializing in the knitwear of the Sámi peoples. After participating in a Nordic knitting conference, she began researching the contributions that the Sámi have made to the knitting community. She has toured the Sámi lands, visited museums and groups, and studied and written about many beautiful examples of Sámi knitting. As a former history teacher, Laura enjoys opening this world to others and has spoken or taught classes at Finnfest, Ingebretsen’s, North House Folk School, the National Nordic Museum’s Nordic Knitting Conference, American Swedish Institute, and numerous knit shops.

Learn more: Watch this video, Collections Connection: Sámi Mittens, where Laura and Vesterheim Chief Curator Laurann Gilbertson highlight Sámi mittens from Vesterheim’s collection, inspiring creativity and enhancing understanding of Sámi contributions to the knitting world.