I’ve finished my first knitted project of the year:
(It perhaps helps that I started it in September.) This a a design by the designer Torhild Trydal, for Isager. This pattern is not on Ravelry; I purchased it at the yarn store Sommerfuglen in Copenhagen. The pattern is called Torhild’s Snoning, and I bought both a print copy, and the yarn there.
The pullover is knit with two strands of yarn held together: Isager Strik Aran Tweed in Green and Isager Strik Silk Mohair in 37 Bottle Green. It knits up really fast on a US10.5/6.5mm needle, at a stitch gauge of 13.5 stitches/4 inches. It took me four months to knit this because I spent most of that time either not knitting at all, or knitting something else. If you were monogamous, you could easily finish this in under a month.
This was a gift for my daughter Emma, who is modelling here. Emma is very slim and willowy, and the pattern is “One size fits all” with a 54 inch circumference. This means that there is LOTS of positive ease. In fact, on Emma, it has 22 inches of positive ease:
While this massive amount of ease looks cute on someone like Emma, and is clearly in style, I think it could have been made with a wee bit less. You wouldn’t fit this under a coat. You can really see the extra volume from the back:
Emma, I might point out, likes the drape of this pullover. Blocking made a really big difference to the feel and the resulting fabric is very warm, very soft, and with lots of movement – it doesn’t have a heavy feel to it. That said, both Emma and I agree that if I were to make it again, I would probably aim for about 6-8 inches less ease. (By the way, if you are not as slim and willowy as Emma, and want to make this for yourself, you might want to keep it as written. It looks good on me as is – with 12 inches of ease – but it is way too warm for me to wear.)
I like the way Emma has styled it. It looks cute with these flowered trousers and red boots. It is a very rustic looking pullover, so I had imagined it with jeans or leggings, but as usual, Emma manages to mix up styles in an engaging way.
A special thank you to Ina, who helped me to translate from the Danish. I made a few changes, mostly to the neckline. I changed the way that I made the decreases along the neck edges, and also added 30 stitches to the neckline, which I then knit with a smaller needle. I really like the way this turned out.
I almost didn’t post today. This weekend, the first after the UK has left the EU, has left me terribly sad and angry. But then I realised that I could show you a beautiful project, designed by an EU designer, knit with wool from an EU company, bought in an EU yarn store, and modelled by my lovely multi-national daughter, who was raised in the EU.
Best wishes to all my readers, wherever you live, with hopes that knitting has no borders.
Looks very good on Emma. I would like to see it on you too. To see how the same sweater looks on different body shapes.
This is a good idea, but unfortunately I didn’t have time to photograph it on me before she left. I will get some photos the next time I visit Vancouver.
Lovely knitting! I too am sad this weekend and week start – thank goodness for knitting and yarn and all things borderless!
It has been an incredibly bad few weeks, from seemingly every direction. I think its important for us to take time out from the news occasionally. Wishing you well!
Me too to the above – still raging at the smug complacency and triumphalism and still knitting.
I couldn’t have said it better myself, Deborah. It is infuriating! And I’m still knitting too.
It is stunning, well done! The model is beautiful too. This green yarn blend really turned out well.
Thank you, Agnes. Emma is remarkably comfortable in the spotlight. I have to take 30 photos of me to find a good one.
Melissa at Knitting the Stash podcast and on Ravelry has been running a Knits in Translation KAL so you could probably enter this if it’s still open. I think it looks great on Emma. I was sad too it’s all gone through, as I’m in Scotland I fear Brexit will be quickly replaced with Scotland wanting to leave the UK so even more divisions. At least we have our knitting to keep us sane.
It’s all a mess, isn’t it? I keep thinking “time to move”. Scotland, perhaps?
That is a beautiful sweater – lovely work! And is looks wonderful on Emma! She definitely styled it beautifully and looks delighted with it 🙂 This definitely seems like difficult times in the UK – I am so sorry this has all gone on. And I agree – knitting has no borders!
Thanks. I am mostly pleased with this one. Emma tells me that she has been wearing it all week. That is a good sign!
Gorgeous greens. Well done for finishing and well done for posting on a sad day indeed
There is something very uplifting about green. I realise that most of the things I knit for Emma seem to be green.
I have loads of green in my stash, have knitted a lot in green and presumably will knit a lot again! I did a lime green and white striped hoodie for a friend’s new baby once – she said it was fab and so different than the usual pastels. (My house is quite green too – front door, lounge and hallway!)
Lovely Emma looks fab in that EU sweater. Crazy political times we live in. The pendulum swings…