Kross — Crossed-Stitch Yoke Sweater Knitting Pattern

Védís Jónsdóttir’s Kross from Ístex’s Lopi 28 is a round-yoke pullover in Léttlopi, knitted loosely on 6½ mm needles — 15 stitches to 10 cm. There is no stranded colourwork: every round is one colour. Above the rib at the hem and cuffs, rounds of long dropped stitches are crossed in groups of six in a new colour, and a smaller band of crosses comes higher up the yoke. Two colour versions: Berry, striped all the way up in six colours, and Natural, straw with bands of black sheep, chocolate, murky and barley. Sizes XS/S to XL. Three of the Berry colours — dark wine, orange and lilac — are no longer made; all five Natural colours are.

What you get

• The knitting pattern in English (PDF), emailed right after purchase — nothing is posted
• Two colour versions — Berry and Natural
• Sizes XS/S, M, L and XL
• A yoke chart and key for each version
• Yarn and needles are not included. For the Natural version, the Natural kit has this pattern and all the yarn

Yarn used in the pattern (not included)

Berry: Léttlopi — 50 g balls · sizes XS/S (M L XL)
A 9417 dark wine — 2 (2 2 2) · no longer made by Ístex — we have no kit for the Berry version
B 1412 pink — 2 (2 2 2)
C 1414 violet — 2 (2 2 2)
D 1410 orange — 2 (2 2 2) · no longer made by Ístex — we have no kit for the Berry version
E 1409 garnet red — 2 (2 2 2)
F 1413 lilac — 2 (2 2 2) · no longer made by Ístex — we have no kit for the Berry version

Natural: Léttlopi — 50 g balls · sizes XS/S (M L XL)
A 0052 black sheep — 1 (1 1 1)
B 0867 chocolate — 1 (1 1 1)
C 1420 murky — 1 (1 1 1)
D 1419 barley — 1 (1 1 1)
E 1418 straw — 6 (6 7 7)

Sizes

Gauge
15 sts × 20 rows = 10 cm (4″) in stocking stitch on 6½ mm needles — the pattern says the sweater is knitted loosely.

Needles
6½ mm (US 10½) circular needles, 40 and 80 cm, for the body and the yoke
5½ mm (US 9) circular needle, 80 cm, for the body rib
4½ mm (US 7) circular needle, 40 cm, for the neckband
5½ mm and 6½ mm double-pointed needles for the sleeves — 5½ mm for the cuff rib

You will also need
Stitch holders for the underarm stitches and a tapestry needle for grafting and weaving in — the instructions use them, but the pattern’s list leaves them out. No cable needle is named: the stitches are crossed by lifting them over with the right needle.

How it is knitted
Knitted in the round from the bottom up, loosely, one colour to a round. The body is cast on loosely in A with 120 (132, 144, 156) stitches on the 5½ mm circular and knitted in knit 1, purl 1 rib for 2 cm; on 6½ mm come 2 knit rounds and the cross band: in B, a round of “yarn over twice, knit 1”, and on the next round each knit stitch is slipped and the yarn overs dropped, which makes long loose stitches; then in C the stitches are crossed in groups of six — the first three lifted over the next three and all six knitted in the new order — and C is knitted for 4 rounds in all; D repeats the long stitches and E the crosses (the Berry version knits 4 rounds in E in all). The body has no shaping: the Berry version goes on in stripes of 6 to 8 rounds, the six colours in turn, and the Natural in E, to 38 (40, 41, 42) cm. The sleeves are cast on loosely in A with 36 (36, 42, 42) stitches on 5½ mm double-pointed needles, ribbed for 2 cm, and get 2 knit rounds and the same cross band on 6½ mm, with 1 stitch increased in its last round; then 1 stitch is increased after the first and before the last stitch of the round — right away, then every 13th (9th, 14th, 12th) round, 5 (7, 5, 6) times in all — to 47 (51, 53, 55), and the sleeve is knitted to 44 (45, 46, 47) cm, in stripes of 8 or 9 rounds for Berry or in E for Natural. Body and sleeves are joined for the round yoke — in E for Natural, in B for Berry — 186 (198, 210, 222) stitches, and the 36-round yoke chart, with four decrease rounds, takes it to 62 (66, 70, 74); the larger sizes work marked rounds twice. Higher up the yoke comes a smaller cross band: one yarn over to each stitch, then crosses of four stitches, two over two. The neckband is 2 cm of knit 1, purl 1 rib in A on 4½ mm, bound off in rib. The underarms are grafted.

Design: Védís Jónsdóttir — pattern from Lopi No. 28 (no. 4), 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.