Askja — Top-Down Einband Sweater Knitting Pattern

Askja is Jette Magnussen’s loose sweater from Ístex’s 25-year pattern series, knitted from the neck down in a single strand of fine Einband in blush. Small diamonds of crossed stitches are scattered over the body and sleeves, a band of long, dropped stitches circles each upper arm, the sleeves end in wide openwork cuffs, and a deep openwork collar, knitted separately with two strands, is sewn on round the neck. Short rows make the back longer than the front. One colour, six sizes from XS to 2XL; blush (9128) is still made by Ístex.

What you get

• The knitting pattern in English (PDF), emailed right after purchase — nothing is posted
• Six sizes, XS to 2XL
• The chart for the crossed-stitch diamonds, and the cuffs and collar written out row by row
• Yarn and needles are not included. The kit has this pattern and all the yarn: the blush kit

Yarn used in the pattern (not included)

Einband — 50 g balls · sizes XS (S M L XL 2XL)
A 9128 blush — 7 (7 8 8 9 10)

Sizes

Gauge
Before washing: 22 sts × 30 rows = 10 cm (4″) in stocking stitch on 3.5 mm needles. After washing: 24 sts × 32 rows.

Needles
3 mm (US 2½) circular needle, 60 cm, for the garter-stitch neck edge — the pattern prints US 2, but 3 mm is US 2½
3.5 mm (US 4) circular needles, 40, 60 and 80 cm, for the body and the sleeves
5 mm (US 8) circular needle, 60 cm, for the parts knitted with two strands: the lower border, the sleeve bands and cuffs, and the collar
By our reading also double-pointed needles, or a long circular for the magic-loop method, in 3.5 mm and 5 mm: the sleeves narrow to 60 (72, 72, 72, 84, 84) stitches — about 27 to 38 cm round (our calculation), too few for a 40 cm circular — and the cuffs are 40 to 56 stitches. The pattern’s list leaves them out

You will also need
Four stitch markers, 2 red and 2 blue (in the pattern’s list), a cable needle for the crossed stitches, scrap yarn to hold the front stitches, and a tapestry needle for sewing on the collar.

How it is knitted
Knitted from the top down with a single strand of Einband. The neck edge is 6 rows of garter stitch on 3 mm; then, on 3.5 mm in the round, increases at both shoulders widen the back and front, and the chart of small diamonds begins — 1-over-1 cable crosses, 16 stitches and 24 rows to a repeat. Back and front are then knitted separately, back and forth, with decreases and cast-on stitches shaping the armholes, and joined for the body, which is knitted in the round with a purled stitch at each side and increases at the sides, so it widens towards the hem. Short rows make the back about 9.5 cm longer than the front. The lower border is a row of small diamonds, then a few rounds with two strands on 5 mm, bound off purlwise. The sleeves are picked up round the armholes and knitted down: a band of long stitches in two strands at the top, the chart with decreases, and a 9 cm border in two strands — long stitches crossed in groups and lace rounds that widen it into the cuff. The collar is knitted separately, sideways, back and forth in two strands: a 10-row pattern of eyelets and long stitches with a 4-stitch garter edge, sewn into a ring and sewn to the neckline. Rinse by hand and dry flat to the measurements.

Design: Jette Magnussen — pattern from Ístex 25 years (no. 5), Ístex.

How you get it — the pattern is a PDF in English. It is emailed to you right after purchase; nothing is posted.

Yarn — not included. We sell Ístex lopi by the ball in our yarn shop, or choose the kit, which has this pattern and all the yarn in one parcel.

No email? Check your spam folder, then write to support@icelandicstore.is with your order number. A person answers, Monday to Friday.