Orka — Colour-Gradient Raglan Sweater Knitting Pattern

Orka — energy: in the pattern’s words, a surge of power that comes from within, reaching out. Védís Jónsdóttir’s raglan sweater from Ístex’s Lopi 43 is knitted with four strands of Plötulopi held together on 10 mm needles, and the colour changes one strand at a time, so each shade fades into the next from the hem to the neck. The pattern has two colourways in sizes S to 2XL: earth tones — midnight blue, plum, wine red, dark amber, oatmeal and light blues blue — and greyscale, from black heather through greys to white. All twelve colours are still made.

What you get

• The knitting pattern in English (PDF), emailed right after purchase — nothing is posted
• Two colourways — earth tones and greyscale
• Sizes S, M, L, XL and 2XL
• Yarn and needles are not included. The kits have this pattern and all the yarn: the earth-tones kit or the greyscale kit

Yarn used in the pattern (not included)

Earth tones: Plötulopi — 100 g plates · sizes S (M L XL 2XL) — four strands held together
A 0709 midnight blue — 1 (2 2 2 2)
B 1428 plum — 1 (2 2 2 2)
C 2027 wine red — 1 (2 2 2 2)
D 1426 dark amber — 1 (2 2 2 2)
E 1030 oatmeal — 1 (1 1 1 1)
F 2023 light blues blue — 1 (1 1 1 1)

Greyscale: Plötulopi — 100 g plates · sizes S (M L XL 2XL) — four strands held together
A 0005 black heather — 1 (2 2 2 2)
B 9103 dark grey — 1 (2 2 2 2)
C 9102 grey — 1 (2 2 2 2)
D 1027 light grey — 1 (2 2 2 2)
E 1026 ash — 1 (1 1 1 1)
F 0001 white — 1 (1 1 1 1)

Sizes

Gauge
8.5 sts × 12 rows = 10 cm (4″) in stocking stitch on 10 mm needles, with four strands of Plötulopi held together.

Needles
10 mm (US 15) circular needles, 40 and 80 cm, for the body and the yoke
9 mm (US 13) circular needles, 40 and 80 cm, for the body rib and the neckband
9 mm and 10 mm double-pointed needles for the sleeves — 9 mm for the cuffs

You will also need
Stitch markers, stitch holders for the underarm stitches and a tapestry needle for grafting — the instructions use them, but the pattern’s list leaves them out.

How it is knitted
Knitted in the round from the bottom up with four strands of Plötulopi held together. To move from one colour to the next you knit 3 rounds with 3 strands of the old colour and 1 of the new, then 3 rounds with 2 and 2, then 3 rounds with 1 and 3 (in the yoke’s change from D to E, S and M work some of these steps over 2 rounds), and then all four of the new; the ends are spliced (thinned, overlapped and rolled together between your palms), so there are no ends to weave in. The body is cast on in colour A on the 9 mm circular, worked in 4 rounds of K1, P1 rib, then in stocking stitch on 10 mm through A, B, C and D to 38 (40, 42, 43, 45) cm, with no shaping. The sleeves start with the same rib on 9 mm double-pointed needles, go through the same four colours and are increased one stitch at a time, alternately at each end of the round, to 28 (28, 32, 32, 35) stitches. Body and sleeves are joined in D for a raglan yoke of 112 (120, 128, 136, 144) stitches; while the colour moves on through E to F, the body is decreased every 2nd round, the sleeves every 4th round and, later, the middle of each sleeve every 2nd round. The last rows are worked back and forth, with two pairs of short rows (wrap and turn) near the middle of the front to shape the neckline, leaving 40 (44, 44, 52, 52) stitches. The neckband is 8 rounds of K1, P1 rib in F on 9 mm, and the underarms are grafted.

Design: Védís Jónsdóttir — pattern from Lopi No. 43 (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.