New Design: Syndra

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I loved how my design Atika came out, and discovered a new gorgeous textural stitch pattern for another cowl and loose sleeves to wear with a stunning dress or with a vest. Named after Syndra with her immense magical potential, is this cowl to warm your shoulders and the matching loose sleeves. Both the cowl and the loose sleeves are knitted in the round using a beautiful reversible stitch pattern called Reverse Fern Stitch with a lush texture and I-cord bands. Make your own perfect yarn by combining a lace weight yarn like the luscious Dreamline Soul from Du Store Alpakka with a fingering yarn like Pickles Merino Tweed. Syndra will be published together with Nuala (turquoise shawl & cowl) and Hertha (cerise shawl & loose sleeves) in the Norwegian special magazine Familien Småstrikk due out on 2. November. The English pattern will be published after a test knit in my Ravelry group.

The cowl is knitted sideways and in the round. You can adjust the length of the one size cowl by removing or adding pattern repeats of 10 sts. If you want to wear it twice around your neck, add 2 pattern repeats. The loose sleeves are knitted in the round to the end and come in sizes: S/M (L/XL, 2XL). An elastic band is threaded through the stitches on the wrong side of the top of each sleeve. Use knit-in elastic if you prefer. For edgings I choose I-cords and since the I-cord cast-on gives a loose edge I decided using a provisional cast-on (e.g. the backward loop cast-on) later to be replaced by an I-cord bind-off for the cowl, while for the loose sleeves I made an I-cord, then picked up and knitted stitches from it, see video on YouTube. The set is knitted with sponsored yarn from Du Store Alpakka on a 4 mm/US 6 needle.

You can wear the cowl loose around your neck, or across your shoulder or twisted around your neck as above. If this is how you prefer to wear it, pin together two of your scarf, try on and measure to get the right length. For these photographs, taken by my husband, I choose black but for the photo shoot I choose cream to let the stunning lilac color come alive. I think you will agree with me when you see the photos taken by Eivind Røhne at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter. Stay tuned, and keep knitting!

New Design: Mistale

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I love my Cable Round Sweater, not only the cables but also the fit and – above all – the immaculate styling by Makeløs/Remarkable Kristin Elise Halkjelsvik, but I still wanted to take the design further. I decided to incorporate some modifications suggested by my talented test knitters. The result is a cabled sweater with more ease in the body itself, and less ease on the sleeves. The yarn choice was easy, since the vivid lime green in the stunning pelt yarn, Norsk Pelsull, from Hifa intoxicated me. I discovered that cross cables with round cables in the middle made a gorgeous texture. By framing the cables with a rib, the sweater becomes figure hugging and is the perfect accompaniment to your favourite jeans or trousers. It ends with a squarish narrow neckband and you can choose if you want to add the matching cowl. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Strikk out on Monday 24. August, while the English version will be test knitted in my group before its release.

The Sweater, both the sleeves and the body are worked in the round to the armhole and then worked back and forth in rows. The cowl is worked in the round as a long tube, and then the ends are joined together. There is more ease in the body and less in the sleeves compared to the Cable Round Sweater.

And of course, I had to make a matching cowl. Just as the Cable Round Cowl it has cables on one side and ribs on the other. Due to the thickness since it is knitted in the round, it is firm and easy to drape twice around your neck.

To illustrate the length of the cowl, here it is worn around the neck. The set was photographed in strong sunlight by my husband a few days before the professional photoshoot. The yarn color is closest to the top photo. The yarn has been kindly sponsored by Hifa. Photographer Eivind Røhne has captured it brilliantly when worn on model Anne Dorthe at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter. I have one more new design I can reveal before I show you the professional photos!

Honeysuckle Pattern Released

Posted on July 15, 2015 by Linda Marveng

After a successful test knit of the English version of Honeysuckle in my group on Ravelry, I am happy to release the pattern in the Nordic Vintage series. Stunningly worn over a silk dress by Judith Bech, by model Alexandria Eissinger/Pholk with hair & make up by Sissel Fylling, and brilliantly captured by Eivind Røhne. Here is the introduction to the pattern: Inspired by the climbing of the Honeysuckle is this lace pattern which adorns a soft Summer shawl that can be buttoned into a shrug. Like Honeysuckle it is equally beautiful on both sides. Wear it with a cowl as a collar and a stylish belt in Stockinette stitch. The belt is worked as a hem and can either be tied or pinned together with a stunning brooch. Knit all parts in the cozy Rowan Softknit Cotton. The Norwegian pattern was published in Familien Trend and is still available through Familien.

Sizes: One Size

Finished measurements: Shawl: Width: 43 cm/17″ Length: 143 cm/56.25″ Cowl: Circumference: 70 cm/27.5″. Height: 28.5 cm/11.25″ Belt: Width: 2 cm/0.75″. Length: 179 cm/70.5″

Yarn: Rowan Yarns, Softknit Cotton (92% cotton, 8% polyamide, 50 g, 105 m/115 yds). Sample is knitted in Silver 586. http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/softknit-cotton Shawl: 7 skeins; 652 m/713 yds Cowl: 2 skeins; 202 m/221 yds Belt: 1 skein; 95 m/104 yds

Notions: 8 buttons (21 mm/0.82″), stitch markers and yarn needle.

Needles: 4.5 mm/US 7 circular needle (60 cm/24″) for shawl and cowl. 2 sets of 4 mm/US 6 circular needles (100 cm/40″) for belt. Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Gauge: 17 sts and 28 rows in Honeysuckle Pattern and Double Seed st using 4.5 mm/US 7 measures 10 cm/4″ square. 20 sts and 28 rows in st st using 4 mm/US 6 measures 10 cm/4″ square.

Notes: The shawl is knit flat and the cowl is knit in the round. You can easily adjust the width of the shawl and the circumference of the cowl by removing or adding pattern repeats of 16-sts. Eyelets in the lace pattern is used as buttonholes. The belt is designed to wrap twice around the waist and then be tied. It is worked like a hem in Stockinette stitch and cast on using two circular needles held parallel. Adjust the length of the belt by measuring your waist and add preferred tying length.

New Design: Oili

Posted on July 11, 2015 by Linda Marveng

Why not try the newly discovered cables in a thinner cotton yarn, I thought. The tape yarn Bonnie from Permin, with a generous 220 m/240 yds on a 50 g skein as well as a recommended 4 mm/US 6 needle, was irresistible. First I chose the color Wine but it was out of stock, so I had to find another and went for Pale Blue, which looked more Sea Green online. The result was a greyish pale blue shade, that grew on me. I am pleased to present Oili: Playful cables are the focus of this classic straight top, knitted in the round with each side marked by garter stitches. Narrow bands of garter stitch band frame the armholes, neckline and bottom edge. The top has a matching cowl, with cables all around. The set is knitted in a soft cotton tape yarn by Permin, called Bonnie, to make you feel like a divine woman – the meaning of the name Oili. The sample is knitted in sponsored yarn by the talented, super speedy, Grete Jenssen, aka ma9 on Ravelry. The Norwegian pattern will be published in the special issue Familien Strikk out at the end of August, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my group on Ravelry and then released.

The top is worked in the round to the armholes, then separated. I wanted to create a visible fake side seam and a divider between the parts. A few stitches in garter stitch and one in a reverse stocking stitch made the look I wanted. The cowl is worked in the round as a long tube, and then the ends are joined together. The armhole band and the neck band are worked in the round on a smaller needle; 3.5 mm/US 4.

I decided to make a similar divider and folding point on the cowl. But the cotton is lovely and soft so it does not fold as neatly as expected. As you can see in the photo above. They are all taken by my husband a few days ahead of the professional photoshoot at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter.

The cowl can be folded twice around the neck, see above. Just like the top the cowl has 3 cables on each side. You can look forward to seeing how marvelous it looks on Anne Dorthe!

Alby Gård Galleri F15

Posted on July 8, 2015 by Linda Marveng

On Sunday, my husband and I went on an excursion to Jeløya on the outer Oslo fjord, in Moss, 1 hour’s drive from Oslo, to visit Alby Gård/Farm with its well-know Galleri F15. Due to the summer heat, a lot of people had the same idea while the families headed straight for the nearby beach. The south end of the island is a protected landscape with its farmland, gardens and tree alleys. Alby is first mentioned in 1389 as a diocese, and was later sold by the king to Gunder Torgersen Tollefsrød in 1727. He became the first farmer to own Alby and it remained in his family until 1815 before it was sold on. All the farm houses burnt down to the ground in 1866, so the existing manor in the Empire Style, built in plastered brick, was raised in the 1870s by Michael Sundt.

The property was bought by Moss Kommune/Council in 1963. Four years later they offered the one year old gallery, Galleri F15, to move to Alby. The Gallery thrived and an extension was built in 1985. Today, it is an acknowledged Gallery and a cultural events organizer. Above is a row of Robinia also known as Black Locust trees, lining the garden. They are to the left in the top photo. I was captivated by their vivid green color and their trunks.

The view from the Manor house towards the fjord in the hazy sunshine. The park was raised so there is a stone wall between the road above and the end of the garden.

The bay, a popular beach for the locals.

We enjoyed a walk along the beach, before we went home.

Driving through the majestic tree alley. All in all, it was a lovely day out!

New Design: Imra

Posted on July 4, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I found this cable pattern online and instantly adored it. The pattern repetition is long hence length and cable placement had to be carefully planned. This is my introduction to it: Poetic cables framed by reverse stockinette stripes and double seed stitch, was my idea for this straight long vest. Named after the Arabic Poet, Imra. A small round neck has the same I-cord treatment as the armhole, front and bottom edge. Match with a pair of loose sleeve that can also be around the waist or one as a neck tie. To achieve popping cables two yarns were combined to make a rich colored tweed yarn; the bouncy Hifa Ask and Rowan Fine Tweed. The mix as well as the color is one I have used before (read: hooked on) in my Shawl Sleeves. I also choose to knit them with a dense gauge using a 4 mm/US 6. I was delighted that Grete Jenssen – aka turbo test knitter, aka ma9 on Ravelry – knitted the sample vest and the loose sleeves for me! The Norwegian pattern will be published in “Familien Strikk” at the end of August, while the English pattern will be test knitted then released on Ravelry this autumn.

I-cord bind off on the neck and the armhole was essential to me. Why not give the fronts and the bottom I-cord edgings too? I thought. For the bottom one, I tested out a new method to me, make an I-cord and pick up and knit stitches from it. There is an I-cord cast on, but as you may know it does create a very loose first row, hence a different solution had to be found. I found it on YouTube. It has elasticity but holds in the bottom at the same time. Another solution would have been to use a provisional method and then afterwards use the I-cord bind off. The I-cord at the front is worked at the same time as the front using this method: newstitchaday.com/how-to-knit-the-i-cord-edge-stitch. Grete suggested adding a few extra rows in even intervals on the I-cord edge to avoid it holding in the edge, and tested it out, to my utter satisfaction.

The vest is worked in rows in one piece to the armhole where it is separated. Each front has a 3-sts I-cord edge that is worked at the same time as the vest. Both the narrow neckline and the armhole band has an I-cord bind off but the armhole band is worked in the round with a Double Seed stitch band. If you prefer a smaller armhole band continue working decreases. To achieve a looser bottom band, use a provisional cast-on method, and then make an I-cord bind off instead.

I choose double seed stitch as the main contrast stitch and reverse stripes – a welt pattern – in each side bound off for the armhole. To make the armhole smaller, a band was made by picking up and knitting rounds in double seed stitch while decreasing. I could easily have continued to do so to make the armhole even smaller. The vest is graded to fit sizes XS to 2XL, with a finished bust measurement of 84 (91, 98, 106, 116, 126) cm/33 (33.75, 38.5, 41.75, 45.75, 49.5)”. Both yarns have been kindly sponsored by Hifa and Permin, Rowan’s Scandinavian agent.

Above, I have joined the loose sleeves with 2 shawl pins and wear it as a belt. All the photos above where taken by my husband a few days before the professional photo shoot at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter. I look forward to showing you those stunning photos.

Gyda Pattern Released

Posted on July 1, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I am so pleased to announce that I have released both Gyda – the jacket – and Gyda Cowl – the cowl and belt – patterns in English after an exciting test knit in my Ravelry group. Take a look at all the different versions and the modifications including into a sweater on the links above. Gyda, knitted in the beautiful Hifa Ask, for my collaboration with shoe designer Monica Stålvang and dress designer Judith Bech, created for Made by Me – now Familien Trend – modeled by gorgeous Alexandria Eissinger/Pholk, hair and make up by Sissel Fylling, and brilliantly captured by Eivind Røhne at Hvalstrand Bad. Familien Trend with the Norwegian pattern was published in March. Here is my introduction to the pattern: Cables that create diamond shapes adorn this fitted jacket on all its parts. A deep v-neck and a button band with three bespoke buttons by Siri Berrefjord make it suitable to wear on top of any treasured outfit. The fronts and back are knitted flat, while the sleeves are knitted in the round, all in the bouncy pure wool melange Hifa Ask.

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

Finished Measurements: Bust: 84 (91, 98, 106, 116, 126) cm/33 (35.75, 38.5, 41.75, 45.75, 49.5)” Waist: 69 (76, 83, 91, 93, 113) cm/ 27.25 (30, 32.75, 35.75, 36.5, 44.5)” Hip: 84 (91, 98, 106, 116, 126) cm/33 (35.75, 38.5, 41.75, 45.75, 49.5)” Length: 54 (55, 56, 57, 58, 59) cm/21.25 (21.75, 22, 22,5, 22.75, 23,25)” Sleeve length: 50 (50, 50, 51, 51, 52) cm/19.75 (19.75, 19.75, 20, 20, 20.50)”

Yarn: Hifa, Ask – Hifa 2 (100% wool, 100 g, 315 m/345 yds). Sample is knitted in Melange turquise 6584: 3 (3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5) skeins: 900 (1023, 1147, 1273, 1462, 1650) m/984 (1119, 1254, 1392, 1599, 1804) yds. http://www.ull.no/garn/ullgarn/ask-melert

Alternative Yarn: Cascade 220 Sport (100% wool, 50 g, 150 m/164 yds). http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-220Sport.asp Madeline Tosh, Pashmina (75% superwash merino, 15% silk, 10% cashmere, 100 g, 329 m/360 yds). http://madelinetosh.com/store/index.php/yarns/pashmina.html Rowan, Wool Cotton (50% merino, 50% cotton, 50 g, 112 m/123 yds) http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/wool-cotton Shalimar Yarns, Breathless DK (75% merino, 15% cashmere, 10% silk, 100 g, 247 m/270 yds) https://www.theloopyewe.com/shop/g/knit-crochet/yarn/shalimar-yarns/breathless-dk/ Or another sport weight/5 ply yarn.

Needles: 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needle (80 cm/32″). 3 mm/US 2.5 circular needle (80 cm/32″) for hem and button band. Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Notions: 3 buttons (13 mm/0.5″). Special ordered buttons on sample are made by Siri Berrefjord, siri@fredenshavn.no see http://epla.no/shops/sirisskattkammer/, 10 stitch markers, 4 stitch holders and yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 sts and 28 rows in st st using 3.5 mm/US 4 measures 10 cm/4″ square. Cable Panel across 84 sts measures 31 cm/12.25″. Cable Panel across 36 sts; 1 pattern measures 11 cm/4.25″.

Notes: Each front is 1 cm wider than 1/2 the back circumference, to achieve symmetry, usual in typical vintage garments. This jacket is fitted, please compare your waist measurements to the size you need and adjust if necessary, to make sure it will fit.

Butterflies adorn this generous Gyda Cowl, in the shape of a lace pattern divided by a rib. A rich melange brown color has been created by combining the pure wool of Huldra Kamgarn by Hifa with the tonal alpaca mixture of Dreamline Soul by Du Store Alpakka. A tweed belt made for the Gyda jacket introduces the brown shade together with farmblue Hifa Ask. The belt, just like the jacket, has bespoke buttons by Siri Berrefjord.

Sizes: Belt: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL) Cowl: One size

Finished Measurements: Belt: Bottom: 80 (90, 100, 110, 120, 130) cm/31.5 (35.5, 39.25, 43.25, 47.25, 51.25)” Top: 68 (78, 88, 98, 108, 118) cm/ 26.75 (30.75, 34.75, 38.5, 42.5, 46.5)” Height 30 cm/11.75″ Cowl: Height 46 cm/18″, circumference 92 cm/36.25″

For more info, see Gyda Cowl on Ravelry. The yarn for this set was kindly sponsored by Hifa and Du Store Alpakka.

New Design: Alva

Posted on June 27, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I wanted to design another poncho, since the first one I made – Mohair Poncho for my book – is so popular but whether it is due to the design or the styling or both, I am not sure. Just as last time, my aim was to make a more stylish poncho than the traditional triangular shaped ones: My Alva is a feminine poncho with a deep shawl collar in a reversible diamond pattern worked only in knit and purl stitches. Close it at the front or pin both fronts together at the back with a beautiful shawl pin, see above. Or you can throw one front loosely across your shoulder or wear it hanging loose (see below). If you prefer, make buttonholes along the double seed stitch edge. The wide shoulder makes it drop down so, add a pair of long wrist warmers to make the outfit complete. The set is knitted in a luscious merino called Tropical Lane, Wollissimo available in Norway from the online shop “Det Mjuke“. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Strikk on sale from late August, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group before its release.

Not only the yarn but also the knitting is kindly sponsored by Tropical Lane and “Det Mjuke“. It was the Manager herself, Anne Magrethe Manzetti – yes, she is Norwegian but have spent 8 years in Italy and is fluent in Italian (read: yes, including all knitting terminology) – who organized the yarn sponsoring and knitted the sample poncho with the matching wrist warmers. Yes, it is big and the poncho takes 17 skeins to knit, each consisting of 50 grams with 125 meters/137 yards in pure merino, using 4 mm/US 6. Hence it comes in only one size with a bust circumference of 170 cm/67″ and a length of 80 cm/31.5″.

The poncho is knitted in 3 parts and the shawl collar is worked at the same time as the front. The selvedge stitch is knitted in Double Seed stitch. At the end the collar is attached at the neck and the shoulders are sewn together. Make buttonholes if you prefer. The pattern is reversible, so choose which side you prefer as the right side. You can easily thread a thin elastic through the top of the wrist warmers if preferred. The only sewing required is the join at the shoulders and at the center back neck.

I did at first intend to make short-rows across the shoulders, but since there are 6 parts to it, the interference into the pattern was too massive and an old-fashioned bind off was the easier option. I did not want the poncho to hang like it was made for a super hero, hence the numerous bind off on the shoulders and the shawl collar. You could also wear the poncho with a belt either with only the front tucked in, or all around the poncho if you prefer.

I choose the side with most stocking stitch as the right side but the reversible Diamond pattern looks equally beautiful with the reverse stocking stitch side out. So you can decide before you need to join in your second ball which side to have as your right side. All the photos in this post is taken by my husband a few days before the professional photoshoot at the end of May. The poncho looked stunning on model Anne Dorthe/Team Models and it has been captured by brilliant photographer Eivind Røhne. To be continued.

Drammen Strikkefestival and Up-coming Workshops

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Linda Marveng

Yes, I have taken part in another knitting festival! This time in Drammen, approximately 40 minutes drive west of Oslo, organized by Norsk Strikkeforening/Norwegian Knitting Association. It was their first festival since the Association was set up last year, and a success. Hotel Union Brygge in Drammen and the theatre Union Scene, next door, was the setting. They were so close that I could easily spend the whole extended lunch break during my knitting design workshop there. As you can imagine most of the attendees to my workshop did, and brought their own packed lunch so they would not loose a minute browsing all the stalls present. The program started on Friday evening with a talk by Kari-Helene Rane from Purl Alpaca Designs, which I unfortunately missed.

Here are some of the yarns on offer, note that some these are by Permin, the Danish yarn producer and agent. Bonnie, a ribbon yarn in pure cotton is one that I have chosen for one of my new designs, soon to be revealed, for Familien. There were 11 stall holders present, and lots of tempting yarns on offer. The knitters present did buy quite a lot, especially since several of the yarns on offer are not the ones you usually find in the local yarn shops. Here is the complete list: Norsk Strikkeforening. Most of the workshops lasted 3 hours, while mine was 6 hours on both Saturday and Sunday with an extended lunch break. The festival program continued on Saturday with more workshops, a fashion show by Du Store Alpakka and a dinner.

There were about 100 knitters who took part in the festival, and some I talked to had decided to stay on after the talk on Friday and promptly booked 2 nights at the hotel. That was such an excellent idea in my opinion, and I need to plan to just come as a visitor to a festival and not always be a workshop holder so that I can enjoy it fully!

I am eagerly waiting to hear if there will be another knitting festival next year organized by Norsk Strikkeforening. If you missed it and want to know what other festivals and workshops I am holding this autumn, below is a list. There are only two workshops I will be holding in English at the Wollness Wochenende on the outskirts of Vienna in October (16. to 18.), see the Austrian Yarn Club. Here is the list of the Norwegian workshops in Norwegian:

Kurs som holdes i høst:

September: 5.: Montering. Ullensaker Husflidslag, informasjon kommer her: http://www.ullflid.org./kurs.html

September: 26. og 27. : Strikkedesign (ØA-9). Østre Aker Husflidslag, Oslo. Last ned kurskatalogen og se s. 29 http://www.husflid.no/lokallag/oslo

Oktober: 24. og 25.: Strikkedesign. Vestby Husflidslag. Last ned kurskatalogen og se s. 30 http://www.husflid.no/lokallag/akershus

Oktober/November: 31. og 1.: Strikkedesign. Ullensaker Husflidsforening, informasjon kommer her: http://www.ullflid.org./kurs.html

November: 7./8.: Japanske Mønstre/Hullstrikk. Strikkehelgen i Stavanger, se her og mange av kursene er allerede fulle: http://strikkehelgstavanger.weebly.com/kursholdere.html

New Design: Sculpted Frost

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Linda Marveng

This last design in the series was only finished in the evening before the photo shoot. My vision was clear, but the knitting less so. Both the sleeves and the back was easy to plan and quick to knit, unlike the fronts which needed more calculations for the neck shaping. The beautiful frost flower lace pattern is easier to knit than it looks since it has sets of rows that are repeated throughout the pattern. It adorns the body of this a-line jacket, while the sleeves only have a part of the pattern; a central lattice panel so that the frost flowers can reign supreme. The long jacket is framed by a shawl collar in garter stitch divided by a tuck and finished by an I-cord bind off. I tried different yarn options but loved this vivid lilac, the result of combining the divine melange lace weight Du Store Alpakka, Dreamline Soul with the beautiful light fingering comb wool Hifa Huldra Kamgarn. Together they create a stunning stitch definition as well as a slight halo. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Strikk at the end of August, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group and then published there.

The two yarns held together create a DK/8 ply weight yarn and are worked using a 4 mm/US 6 needle throughout. It will be available in sizes XS to 2XL, and in these photos by my husband, you see me wearing a size S. The body is worked flat in pieces, unlike the long sleeves which are worked in the round to the armhole. The hem and the tuck are worked with 2 sets of circular needles held together. The 3 larger sizes have been given a garter st panel on either side of the Frost Flowers, which you change to stocking stitch if you prefer.

To a hem that was too tight, I cast a larger number of stitches and decreased those extra stitches after the hem was closed using two circular needles. The stitch pattern makes it curve slightly. I decided to use garter stitch for the collar and shaped it with short rows before the I-cord bind off. With hindsight I could have made the collar even wider, since the garter stitch pattern does tend to contract.

Here is a detail of the collar. And you can see the divine color the two yarns make combined. Both the Dreamline Soul yarn by Du Store Alpakka and Huldra Kamgarn by Hifa were sponsored. The design was initially made as a design submission for Amirisu, but not accepted, see my blogpost: Design in Progress Sculpted Frost Coat. The jacket has been stunningly photographed by Eivind Røhne at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter and you can look forward to seeing those photos.

Linda Marveng

Knit wear designer and author

Author Archives: Linda Marveng