Oydis Sweater Pattern Released

Posted on April 30, 2016 by Linda Marveng

The test knit of Oydis has just been completed and the English pattern is released. 18 testers took part and you can see the different variations on the pattern page and there are more too come as well. I am grateful that some testers knit it as I intended, but I am also curious to see what changes testers would prefer to do. Quite often a test knitter suggest an idea I had thought about but chosen not to follow through. It is amazing how much a different color and different fiber will change the outlook of the garment too, hence a treat to see a large number of completed projects to compare against. Above you see Oydis worn by Alexandria Eissinger with hair and make up by Sissel Fylling, jewelry by Kaja Gjedebo Design all captured brilliantly by Eivind Røhne. Here is my introduction to Oydis: A shadow diamond cable dominates this a-line sweater with a curved flattering hem. I-cord bands frame the bottom of the sweater, while garter stitches mark the sides and the round neckband. The sweater, with or without the cowl to dress it up, make the outfit ideal for the Goddess of good luck; Oydis. The body of the sweater is knitted flat, while the sleeves and the cowl, are knitted in the round. A fine tweed yarn is held together with an alpaca lace yarn, with a chain construction, to create a fabric with a beautiful stitch definition and a slight halo.

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL)

Finished Measurements: Bust: 84 (90, 96, 106, 116, 126) cm/33 (35.5, 37.75, 41.75, 45.75, 49.5)” Hip: 98 (104, 110, 120, 130, 140) cm/38.5 (41, 43.25, 47.25, 51.25, 55)” Length: 74 (75, 76, 77, 78, 79) cm/29.25 (29.5, 30, 30.25, 30.75, 31)” Sleeve length: 49 (50, 50, 51, 51, 52) cm/19.25 (19.75, 19.75, 20, 20, 20.50)”

Yarn: Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline, Soul (68% baby alpaca, 32% nylon, 25 g, 177 m/195 yds). Sample is knitted in DL204 Greybrown. http://www.dustorealpakka.com/garn-sortiment/?category=29 7 (8, 9, 10, 12, 13) skeins; 1111 (1274, 1437, 1713, 1996, 2269) m/1215 (1393, 1571, 1873, 2183, 2481) yds. Pickles, Merino Tweed (100% wool, 100 g, 380 m/415 yds). Sample is knitted in PMT5508 Nature. http://shop.pickles.no/en/products/yarn/pickles-merino-tweed/ 3 (4, 4, 5, 6, 6) skeins; 1111 (1274, 1437, 1713, 1996, 2269) m/1215 (1393, 1571, 1873, 2183, 2481) yds. Note: One strand of each yarn is held together throughout.

Alternative yarns: For Soul: Fyberspates, Gleem Lace (55% British Bluefaced Leicester Wool, 45% silk, 100 g, 800 m/874 yds). http://fyberspates.com/gleem-lace/ Madeline Tosh, Praire (100% superwash merino wool, 100 g, 768 m/840 yds). http://madelinetosh.com/store/index.php/yarns/prairie.html Shuibui, Cima (70% alpaca, 30% merino, 50 g, 300 m/328 yds). http://www.shibuiknits.com/Yarn/Colorways.php?Yarn=Cima For Merino Tweed: Rowan Fine Tweed (100% wool, 25 g, 90 m/98 yds). http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/rowan-fine-tweed Or another DK/8 ply yarn held singularly.

Needles: 4 mm/US 6 circular needle (80 cm/32″). 4 mm/US 6 DPNs. 4 mm/US 6 circular needle (40 cm/16″) for neck band. Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Notions: Stitch markers, stitch holders, waste yarn and yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 sts x 30 rows in st st measures 10 cm/4″ square. 1 Shadow Diamond Cable across 30 sts measures 11 cm/4.25″. 20 sts x 30 rows in garter st measures 10 cm/4″ square.

Notes: The body is worked flat, while the sleeves are worked in the round. The sleeves begin with making an I-cord and picking up stitches from the cord, but use a provisional cast on and then later work an I-cord bind off, as on the body, if you prefer. Each side has garter stitches as edging and the sleeves have a fake seam created with garter stitches.

Gyda Knitted by Inna Guli

Posted on April 27, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I was so attracted to Russian Inna Guli, aka inchi’s project page on Ravelry not only by her photography but also by her knitting skills and attention to details. Inna also designs and on her blog you will find a large selection of her photos. I was delighted when she wanted to join the test knit of Gyda. She choose a lilac blue color in Vita Alpaca-Wool, since her gauge was slightly off, she recalculated the pattern to fit and knitted it using 3 mm/US 2.5 and 3.5 mm/US 4. Inna chose to make button loops instead of button holes and use some buttons she had in stock. The color and fit is perfect on her. Thank you so much, Inna!

Above you see the back, with her blog address: inchi-guli.blogspot – where you can see more gorgeous photos. The sample was knitted in the lovely Hifa Ask in Melange Turquoise. The Norwegian pattern was first published in Familien Trend in March 2015, but is after the completed test knit now available in both English and Norwegian on Ravelry and Loveknitting.

Tyrol Jacket Knitted by Maria Niedermayer

Posted on April 23, 2016 by Linda Marveng

Maria found my Tyrol Jacket on Ravelry, just as I announced the English test knit of it back in October 2013. I am delighted that she joined. Maria is a keen knitter, sewer and now also a designer as well as a Rowan Ambassador. She decided to knit the Tyrol Jacket in hand-dyed pink Tabbycat Yarns, Merino DK Tabby and had her yarn especially dyed for her. Here is what Maria, aka westie99 on Ravelry, has written on her project page about the yarn: “It is a pleasure to knit with this yarn, it has such a good stitch-definition and the colours are tasteful and beautiful: powder shades with rosé-powder and shades of rosepinks, now and then flecks or spots of peony pink.” Maria knitted size Medium – using a 4 mm/US 6 – with less waist shaping and worked the sleeve increases one stitch further in, and has written a number of advices for how to finish it neatly with accompanying photos. I recommend you take a look on her project page to admire her projects, her gorgeous flower photos and to spot her cute dog Nigel! Thank you so much, Maria!

Above is one of her lovely detailed photos of the cables. The Tyrol Jacket sample was knitted in another hand-dyed yarn: Tosh DK and first published in Norwegian in Familien Håndarbeid in March 2014. The pattern is now available in both English and Norwegian on Ravelry and on Loveknitting.

Strikketid by Marte Helgetun

Posted on April 20, 2016 by Linda Marveng

This lovely book dropped into my postbox awhile back. Strikketid. Tidløse Hverdagsplagg” is the full title in Norwegian and it translates to “Knitting time. Timeless Everyday garments”. As you can see even from the cover it does contain just that. This is Marte Helgetun’s 3. book, and I would have loved to attend the launch weekend the perfect – in my opinion – “Strikkeweekend/Knitting weekend” at Thon Hotel Vårsøg in Surnadal. The program for the weekend included presentation of the book, a fashion show, an exhibition of the garments and a visit to her farm-yarn-shop, as well as a celebration dinner. It sounded like an excellent way to spend a weekend as well as way to launch a book. There are more than 30 patterns for women in the book, all written without any abbreviations and easy to understand. There are sweaters, cardigans, dresses, skirts, hats and scarfs in the book, all in Marte’s casual elegant and edgy style.

In fact you will find one of the book patterns, in Norwegian; Rillejakke free on her website. All the beautiful photos in the book are taken by Nathan W. Lediard, see lediardfoto.com. At the back of the book is a page of yarn alternatives based on gauge as well as an illustrated Strikke-ABC. You can have a look inside the Norwegian book here: issuu.com. Enjoy!

Regal Purple Jacket Knitted by Britt Grandin

Posted on April 16, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I am delighted to show you Britt Grandin’s Mediterranean knitted from my pattern: Regal Purple Jacket. Here is Britt’s story behind the choice of pattern, she begins by describing the grey dull weather in February in Sweden and a planned holiday to Italy on her project page on Ravelry where she is brittg; “So to console myself, and dream of Italy, I took out my summer dresses. Hmm. I need a little short sleeved cardi to match. So I have been looking at patterns; and there are indeed plenty of pretty little cardigans, but I couldn’t make up my mind. Then yesterday evening I saw it. Perfect! Linda Marveng’s Royal Purple Jacket. Bought the pattern this morning, and bye bye to all other projects. They shall have to wait!” Britt knitted her jacket in Schachenmayr nomotta Catania Solids – a pure cotton – in size Medium. I love the turquoise color she choose for it and how well it suits her!

Britt is a very experienced knitter used to adjusting the patterns to fit her perfectly and also modify a design to become truly hers. Yes, she has started designing too! The modifications she did on this is on her project page: “It turned out my row gauge was a bit off, which means that my cardi is a little bit shorter than indicated in the pattern. I also needed a few more rows from the beginning of the armhole up to the shoulder, which forced me to do the v-neck shaping differently. Along the front edges I continued to do the three garter stitches and the lace pattern almost all the way up to the shoulder”. I am also very pleased that she added the following: “The pattern is very clear and well written, and the lace pattern is simple and very easy to remember”. Thank you so much, Britt!

Britt has knitted 11 of my designs, and have number 12 & 13 on her needles at the moment, incredibly enough! Regal Purple Jacket was first published in Norwegian in Familien Håndarbeid March 2014, and is now available in both Norwegian and English on Ravelry.

Hennika Knitted by Heidi Torres

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I am so thrilled to show you these amazing photos of Heidi Torres wearing her Hennika. Heidi has taken part in many of my test knits and Hennika was no exception. She has not always been happy with the photos taken by her husband or one of her three children hence she decided to book a professional photographer, an idea she got from Sabine Brenner. Heidi chose the photographer P-O Gustavsson. The results are stunning and I love the fun that has been captured in some of these photos. Just take a look below!

Heidi knitted her jacket in Schachenmayr SMC Extra Merino in size XL without any modifications. Most of it she knitted on her holiday at the Maldives. We were fortunate to see some of her photos and you will find them on her project page on Ravelry where she is: Heidi197. Heidi lives in the US but spend a lot of time in Sweden. I love how Heidi has styled her jacket with orange and beige! All the colors suit her so well. Below you see a detail of the stitch pattern on the back. Thank you so much, Heidi!

Heidi has finished more test knits since knitting this and I, for one, cannot wait to see more professional photographs of her! The Norwegian pattern was first published in Familien Trend in February last year, now you can find it together with the English version on both Ravelry and on Loveknitting.

Book Launch: Poncho by Denise Samson

Posted on April 9, 2016 by Linda Marveng

Last Wednesday my husband and I went to the launch of Denise Samson’s second book: Poncho at Cappelen Damm. This launch was held in the book shop which is long and narrow hence well suited for a catwalk. We found our seats next to designers; Ellen Andresen (photographer); Kristin Wiola Ødegård (with glasses on her head) and May Britt Bjella Zamori (in a beige poncho – not hand knitted) as well as knitters; Grete Nymoen (in burgundy) and Cathrine Lovord (in grey). Denise made this book with 50 patterns, not all ponchos but accessories to go with them, as well as shawls in an unprecedented 2 months period. No, Denise did not design all 50 in two months but she did design more than 30 of those. In case you did not know, Denise is a turbo knitter but this time she needed help knitting for once. She did find it, together with a selection of ponchos from other designers to make this tempting book. Above is the tempting invitation to the launch. Yes, “vinn” does means “win”.

Here is our table, as we are listening and knitting to Denise telling the story behind the book before the catwalk started. This photo is taken by Ellen. Denise told us she wanted to make not only those traditional triangular ponchos and not only those used for outerwear. Below is Denise presenting her favorite poncho with a Keltic Knot Cable here worn by Linda Aagnes, the sales manager at Cappelen Damm, photographed by Michael Marveng-Puckett. The cable can be worn at the centre front as below or with the cable across one shoulder.

My favorite is the delicate lace poncho with wrist warmers brilliantly photographed in the book by Guri Pfeifer and modeled by her daughter Anna Pfeifer. You might recognize Anna from my book too. This poncho and mittens set has been published in the Norwegian magazine Made by Me previously.

We were all given a raffle ticket when we arrived to we could take part in the draw for a number of incredibly prizes: 3 different yarn kits, 1 shrug designed & knitted by Denise, 1 pair of wrist warmers also designed & knitted by Denise. There were some very happy knitters who walked away with those prizes. Below you see one of them with Denise handing over a kit from A Knit Story, again captured by my husband Michael Marveng-Puckett.

lt was a great opportunity for us designers to meet up and have a chat. Yes, Kristin Wiola is working on her fourth book, May Britt is busy tech editing and translating as well as making crochet designs, Ellen has just sent off another design submission and so have I. Nina Granlund Sæther is back from her trip to Peru with so many stories to tell.

Finally I wanted to show you this photo off the organizers including, photographer Guri Pfeifer and Anna, photographed by Michael Marveng-Puckett. I first met Denise at Cappelen Damm, since she made the charts for my book. I convinced her to contact the handcraft editor Åse Myhrvold Egeland at Familien who bought everything she had designed up to then. Denise has since delivered designs to Familien at an impressive speed! You can find Denise’s book at www.cappelendamm.no, and you can join her group on Facebook to see all the knit cafes she will be visiting next!

Hennika Knitted by Julia Shevchenko

Posted on April 6, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I am thrilled to share more brilliant photos from test knitters in my group. This time it is Julia’s turn. She has taken part in several of my test knits I am pleased to say. Above you see her wearing my design Hennika knitted in Valley Yarns Northfield in a stunning deep red tone. The bolero is knitted in size Small with a modified collar and length. Unlike the original bolero with a scarf extra long collar and a short body, Julia has lengthened the body and made the collar the same length as the body. Both her styling and professional posing is impressive. The photographer is no other than her own daughter. Julia also has a garden well suited for photo shoots. You can see more of Julia’s stunning projects on her Ravelry page, she is FannyKaplan, named after the Russian Revolutionary – but with a photo of no other than Hyacinth Bucket from the British sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. Hence I assumed she was British, but Julia is fact an Ukrainian living in the US. Thank you so much, Julia!

Here is the back view, illustrating the perfect length for Julia! The Hennika pattern was first published in Norwegian in Familien Trend, then in English after the test knit was completed. The Norwegian rights have reverted to me so the pattern is now available in both English and Norwegian here: Hennika on Ravelry and Hennika on Loveknitting.

My Irina Pullover

Posted on April 2, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I knew I had to submit a design for the Film Noir Ballet theme and re-launch of knit.wear because I adore the grace of ballerinas and because knit.wear is such an outstanding magazine. A body conscious silhouette with set-in sleeve and tailored waist, was just what I had in mind. I obviously wanted to include cables and instantly knew which one I wanted to use for this pullover I had in my mind. The very same ones I used for a set of accessories, I called Talila was not forgotten and would be ideal as a panel on a sweater. In between the panels I decided to use garter stitch and also on the sides I opted for garter stitch. These were made to simplify shaping the garment but also to let the cables be the focus point. What if I move the cable panels towards each other, was one I idea liked and will continue to explore in the time to come. In the end I choose a minimal move. Above you see it worn on my, and yes, I do have an extra long back making the pullover seem cropped, not intentional. The Irina Pullover is available in English as a single pattern, in a digital version and in a printed version of knit.wear Spring/Summer 2016.

The sleeves have the same cable panel as the body. The remainder of the sleeve is knitted in garter stitch. Here is my introduction to the pullover: Named after the beautiful Russian ballerina Irina Baronova, this fitted pullover has elegant cables swooning across it in panels with garter stitch dividers for shaping. Timeless, knitted in the round from the bottom up to the armholes then flat to soft square neckline and shoulders. The sleeves are also knitted in the round, long to adorn the hands and set-in. A divine sky blue color, and luscious texture was made by combining Rowan Felted Tweed with Rowan Kidsilk Haze. I initially suggested Rowan Fine Lace an alpaca mixture which makes the cables flatter. Editor Meghan Babin suggested the well known combination instead making the cables pop and giving the pullover a fuzzy appearance. She also choose a lighter blue tone giving it a more delicate look. By holding the two yarns together and using a 4 mm/US 6 needle the cables stand out.

I knitted this myself, while sample knitter Grete Jenssen was busy knitting Helka, last October. Both the body and the sleeves are worked in the round up to the underarm and then worked back and forth to the end. It is an enjoyable knit. I love how it has been photographed on a ballerina and the styling of the theme in knit.wear. I look forward to sharing more of my design ideas, as my new ones come off the needles.

Linda Marveng

Knit wear designer and author

Monthly Archives: April 2016