I recently sat down with Salem’s own Marie Greene, the creative force behind Olive Knits. Known for launching the wildly popular 4-Day Knitalong, Marie has built a global knitting movement from right here in the Willamette Valley. Over coffee, we talked “olive” the things—how she got started, what inspires her designs, and why a few stitches a day can lead to something extraordinary. Whether you’re a seasoned maker or a curious newbie, Marie’s blend of charm and wisdom is sure to cast on something special.
Marie Greene of Olive Knits
What made you start the 4 Day Knitalong?
It started by accident, it was a fluke. I had a long weekend and thought ‘I have no commitments, I wonder how far I can get if I spend the whole weekend knitting. I wonder if I can knit a whole sweater.’ I didn’t think I could but I thought let’s see how much progress I can make. And I shared the process in real-time throughout the weekend.
People who watched my progress were so inspired that they wanted me to host a knitalong so they could try it for themselves and we could knit together. That’s how this became a knit along. That was nine years ago.
And did you finish?
By the end of day four, I had finished. I was as surprised as anyone else. I didn’t even know it was possible.
That first sweater is called Stillwater. And it’s available here.
Since then knitters, yarn shops and yarn makers around the world have participated in this annual knitting tradition, which is less about four days and more about challenging yourself to finish a project faster than you thought you could. It doesn’t really matter how long it takes.
It’s only called a four-day knitalong because that was the first challenge I gave myself.
And what about you? What’s happened with you since that first knitalong?
That first KAL went viral and opened the door for me to write my first book, Seamless Knit Sweaters in 2 Weeks (Page Street Publishing). And since then I have gone on to write five more books. It also inspired me to create the Knit Camp app, a cheerful, warm-hearted online community for knitters.
Detail of Astro Pop sweater by Olive Knits
What inspired this year’s sweater, Astro Pop?
I had this image of an atomic ranch, Palm Springs, Jetsons summer vibe. When you are an adult, things are heavy and I just loved this idea of a throwback to things that evoke summer vacay and joy and childhood and that sort of retro vibe.
How long does it normally take to knit a sweater?
Between 40 and 80 hours. But I design my 4-day knitalong sweaters with some time-saving strategies so I can make sure the smaller sizes really can be knit in four days if someone has the time to commit to knitting all day.
How does this relate to everyone who doesn’t knit?
The mindset is about setting creative goals and making time for creativity. So often we think of creative work as a luxury, but for so many of us, it’s important to our sanity—carving out that time to binge a project. It’s that much time where we are not doom scrolling and it gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps us reconnect with the things that bring us joy.
Feeling up to the challenge?
Learn more at oliveknits.com/4-day-kal-2025/
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