Opus — Polka Dot Cushion Knitting Kit

Opus — Védís Jónsdóttir’s cushion cover from Ístex’s Lopi 24: a midnight blue front with 28 big round dots in seven bright colours, knitted in intarsia, and a back of stripes in the same colours. It is knitted in Álafosslopi on 6 mm needles, in two flat pieces, and fits a 40 × 40 cm cushion pad (not included). Five of the pattern’s eight colours are no longer made: this kit has 1233 space blue in place of the ultra violet (9705), 9964 golden heather in place of the sunshine yellow (0017), 9971 amber heather in place of the orange rust (9988), 1239 winter morning in place of the orchid (0159), and 9958 light indigo in place of the lake blue (9982). Álafosslopi has no light violet today — its purples are too dark to stand out on navy — so the violet dots become a strong blue.

Included

• Icelandic Álafosslopi wool yarn — the 9 balls the pattern calls for, with five replacement colours (see below)
• Knitting pattern in English (PDF) — emailed right after purchase
• ADDI knitting needles — only if you choose the kit with needles

Álafosslopi — 100 g balls · one size
A 0709 Midnight Blue — 2
B 1233 Space Blue (in place of 9705 ultra violet) — 1
C 0047 Happy Red — 1
D 9964 Golden Heather (in place of 0017 sunshine yellow) — 1
E 9983 Apple Green — 1
F 9971 Amber Heather (in place of 9988 orange rust) — 1
G 1239 Winter Morning (in place of 0159 orchid) — 1
H 9958 Light Indigo (in place of 9982 lake blue) — 1

Size
One size, for a 40 × 40 cm (15¾″ square) cushion pad. The pattern prints the size as “80 × 40 cm” — by our reading the two pieces side by side. Each piece is 54 stitches and 74 rows, about 41 × 41 cm (16¼″ square) at the pattern’s gauge (our calculation), so the cover fits the pad snugly.

Gauge
13 sts × 18 rows = 10 cm (4″) in stocking stitch on 6 mm needles.

Needles used in the pattern (included when you choose the kit with needles)
6 mm (US 10) circular needle, 60 cm, used back and forth — the pattern asks for straight 6 mm knitting needles; a circular does the same job (our choice)

Not included
A 40 × 40 cm cushion pad, and a tapestry needle for the seams and the many yarn ends of the dots. Small bobbins for the intarsia are handy but not needed (our suggestion).

How it is knitted
Two pieces, knitted back and forth in stocking stitch on 6 mm needles, each 54 stitches and 74 rows. The front is cast on in midnight blue and knitted from a chart with 28 round dots in seven colours — 6 in golden heather, 4 each in space blue, happy red, apple green and winter morning, and 3 each in amber heather and light indigo — each dot knitted in intarsia, with its own length of yarn. The back is cast on in space blue and knitted in ten stripes: 8 rows space blue, 13 happy red, 2 golden heather, 10 apple green, 2 midnight blue, 9 winter morning, 9 golden heather, 2 midnight blue, 9 light indigo and 10 amber heather. The ends are secured, the two pieces are sewn together with wrong sides facing at the sides and the bottom, the pad goes in, and the top is sewn shut.

Design: Védís Jónsdóttir — pattern from Lopi No. 24 (no. 20), Ístex.

Genuine Ístex lopi — the same wool Icelanders knit with, spun in Iceland from the fleece of Icelandic sheep. No substitutes.

Care of the finished garment — air out between wears; hand wash cool and dry flat. Full care guide

Shipping — DHL Express worldwide, fully tracked. Rates & times

US & Canada duties — collected at checkout; nothing to pay on delivery. How it works

Returns — unused kits in original condition; see our return policy.