I came across these birds in the Sjonabok patterns it seems like they are “talking” to each other over a small tree.
A wonderful picture in a cold winter day. The Icelandic Lopi sweater patterns often have this zigzag form that I somehow associate with the Icelandic mountains, starting off in dark colours growing lighter as they come up to the often snow covered top.
Today I share a design with these wonderful birds combined with some more traditional patterns. Its made in Lopi Lite (Worsted weight yarn, 100 % wool).
on the Bond USM knitting machine.
This sweater is a twist of the traditional Icelandic Lopi sweaters, made with a zipper and pockets in the front it becomes a bit more modern. I usually make my sweaters with button lists and hence, buttons. The few times that I put zipper in I usually sew and cut. Knowing that one is never to old to learn something new, this time I enlisted my sister to help me crochet the edge that needed to be cut as I have not tried that method before and was unsure of what to do. It seemed like a very easy task. Then cut open and sewed in the zipper. I am quite happy with the result.
This is a Lopi lite sweater knitted on a Bond USM knitting machine. I have used plate 3 1/2 on the USM and 6 mm and 4 mm needles for hand knitting the ribs and the yoke (bust & shoulder) part.
As I don't have a ribber to the USM I prefer to hand knit the rib and then hang the finished rib on the USM. I knit the required rows of rib and finish with one row of stocking stitch as I find this easier to hang on the machine.
I am not particularly fond of the weights supplied with the Bond USM so I prefer to use some claw weights when hanging my projects.
After knitting the required rows for back and front alike (remember to knit in the pockets in the front), 5 stitches are sat aside for later shaping the armhole and gathering the stitches on a needle for keeping until shaping the yoke (bust and shoulder) part.
The sleeves have some light shaping by increasing one stitch at each side every 5th row until 56 stitches when all rows have been knitted 5 stitches are set aside on each side for shaping the armhole, the rest of the stitches are gathered on a needle for keeping as for back and front.
Now it is time to start the yoke (bust and shoulder) part. Gather the 236 stitches on a 6 mm needle in the following way:
Right front
Right sleeve
Back
Left sleeve
Left front
Add two stitches between the two front pieces, these will be knitted purl in the remaining rows.
Knit the pattern decreasing as shown in the pattern
Finish by knitting 8 rows rib (use 4,0 mm needles) and cast off.
Sow up the sides (using mattress stitch) and rehang the stitches from under the arms ( 5 from each side of the selves (10 in total) right side facing you on the machine and then the 5 stitches from front and back (10 in total)) pick up 1 stitch in each side in order to prevent a hole from being formed wrong side facing you (right sides together) knit these 10 stitches together and cast off.
As the yoke is knitted in circle it needs to be cut open.
In this case this is done by crocheting the first stocking stitch on each side along the edge that needs to be cut and cutting between them.
Fasten off any loose ends, sow the sides of the pockets and fasten the pocket rib to the front. Add the zipper and finish by loosely sowing the zipper edges down on the inside.
