Allen has been knitting since college. His interest began with the knitting traditions of the British Isles, and from there, he began exploring Norwegian traditions about twenty years ago. For the past five years, he has focused on the famous Selbu mitten tradition. These beautifully patterned, two-color (usually black and white) mittens and gloves, are the best-known Norwegian mittens of today. His interest includes teaching modern knitters to knit these beautiful mittens, which he hopes will help to carry these skills into the future.