Blaka (Lopi 31) — Striped Einband Sweater Knitting Pattern

Blaka — to flutter. Ásta Guðrún Jóhannsdóttir’s wide sweater from Ístex’s Lopi 31 is knitted in fine Einband in broad stripes of grey heather, lime, ash heather and yellow. The body is knitted in the round and widens steadily into short sleeves, which end in long ribbed cuffs; the front and back are finished back and forth and the shoulders grafted. One colour version, in sizes S, M and L. (Ístex has another pattern called Blaka — a lace scarf in its Einband series; this is the sweater.)

What you get

• The knitting pattern in English (PDF), emailed right after purchase — nothing is posted
• Sizes S, M and L
• One colour version — grey heather, lime, ash heather and yellow
• Yarn and needles are not included. The kit has this pattern and all the yarn: the Blaka sweater kit

Yarn used in the pattern (not included)

Einband — 50 g balls · sizes S (M L)
A 9102 grey heather — 2 (2 3)
B 9268 lime — 1 (1 2)
C 1026 ash heather — 1 (1 2)
D 1765 yellow — 2 (2 3)

Sizes

Gauge
22 sts × 31 rows = 10 cm (4″) in stocking stitch on 4 mm needles.

Needles
4 mm (US 6) circular needle, 80 cm, for the striped body
3.5 mm circular needles, 40 and 80 cm, for the hem rib and the neckband (by our reading the cuffs, only about 26 (28, 30) cm round, go on the double-pointed needles) — the pattern prints “(US 3)”, but 3.5 mm is usually US 4
3.5 mm double-pointed needles

You will also need
Stitch markers, stitch holders for the neck and shoulder stitches, and a tapestry needle for grafting the shoulders — the pattern uses them but does not list them.

How it is knitted
The body is cast on with 184 (200, 220) stitches in grey heather on the 3.5 mm circular needle and knitted in the round in K1, P1 rib for 8 cm. On 4 mm, after 4 more rounds in grey heather, it continues in stocking stitch in broad stripes, 24 (26, 26) rounds of each colour in turn — lime, ash heather, yellow, grey heather and so on — with 2 stitches increased at each side every 8th round, to 248 (264, 284) stitches; then faster, 4 and then 6 stitches at each side, to 288 (304, 324), so the body widens into the sleeves. The front and the back, 144 (152, 162) stitches each, are knitted separately back and forth, in yellow once the ash heather stripe is finished: the front neck starts right away, with the middle 20 stitches on a holder, and the front is knitted to 13 (14, 15) cm; the back has a shallower neck, with 28 stitches on a holder. The shoulders are grafted. For each cuff, stitches are picked up round the armhole edge, one in every row, and knitted in the round in K1, P1 rib for 12 cm; the neckband, 86 (90, 94) stitches picked up, is 4 cm of K1, P1 rib.

Design: Ásta Guðrún Jóhannsdóttir — pattern from Lopi No. 31 (no. 19), 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.