New Design: Gocce

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Linda Marveng

I have two more new designs to show you, and here is the first: Gocce, a lace cardigan with a cowl. The poetic introduction to Shibui Knits’ Rain, a stunning chainette cotton yarn, inspired the name choice of this fitted summery lace cardigan. ”Fleeting drops fall…” not unlike the lace pattern on this jacket. Gocce is Italian for drops and selected to give this v-neck cardigan the sophistication it deserves. A cowl crowns the cardigan and can be worn loose or twice around your neck. Gocce is knitted in pieces for the ultimate fit and seamed.

Shibui Knits contacted me at the end of last year, and asked if I wanted some their yarn. If you are a knitter, you know the answer to that. Did I have a favourite yarn or did I want a mix kit? I went for the second and after several months, my verdict was clear. I loved the lustre, the rustic look and the chainette construction of Rain. I have been wanting to try out their yarns for quite a bit, and did order one skein of Maai, an alpaca mix, for the White Mountain Ruana made for Interweave Knits Winter 2018.

The lace pattern is one I discovered on Pinterest and placed in my ideas folder. I do prefer my lace patterns not to be too complicated, nor the charts too large. In addition it has to look pretty. I did plan to make a size small but measured the lace panel wrong and ended up with a small size extra small, I can just about button up as you can see from these photos taken by Michael at the The Halden Canal Museum in Ørje. Size XS and sample measures only 77 cm/30.25″ but has quite a bit of ease in both yarn and lace. I am wearing it with 11 cm/4.25″ negative ease. I have graded it up to 2XL with a 125 cm/49.25″ bust circumference.

I wanted a stylish (or elegant, if you prefer) v-neck cardigan that would fit with a dress, skirt and trousers. I choose a v-neck since I feel that fits better on top of a dress and makes it look more dressy. And if you do want to cover the neckline, I made the cowl to go on top, either hanging loose or twice around your neck.

The cardigan is knitted flat in pieces while the cowl is worked in the round, all using 3.5 mm/US 4 and a 22 stitches gauge in stockinette stitch measuring 10 cm/4″ square. Thank you to Shibui Knits for sponsoring the lovely yarn for this! The English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group starting 29th July before it is released. I look forward to showing you how it looks on Em!

Euler Cardigan Again

Posted on June 26, 2019 by Linda Marveng

My Euler Cardigan was published in Wool Studio Vol. VI by Interweave and you have already seen the photos by Harper Point Photography in this blogpost. So here are some of the photos my husband took of me back in our front garden in December, just after Christmas. Why is it named after Leonhard Euler? Petra777 on Ravelry, asked me. The Interweave Wool Studio theme was geometry and I wanted a name that reflected well with the intricate cable pattern. I searched for a bit and then found Euler! Petra replied: “I don’t know how much you know about Euler but he was such an awesome mathematician. He is celebrated for so many accomplishments, amongst the many as the father of graph theory. One concept in graph theory is an Euler path. The cables with the dropped stitches of this cardigan remind me so much of an Euler path; which is a path composed of vertices and edges and visits every edge only once. This is another fantastic design Linda!” I am overwhelmed by this, that the name fitted so well as well as the complement! Thank you so much, Petra!

Here is the introduction to the pattern: “Named after the accomplished and creative mathematician Leonhard Euler, this cardigan combines dropped stitches with bold cables along the front panels. The pieces are worked separately and seamed together for structure. The dramatic front panels hang loosely without a closure for an elegant but cozy sweater.”

Euler Cardigan is knitted in the hand dyed Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted (100% superwash Merino wool, 206 m/225 yds, 113 g) in 14ns Denim using 4 mm/US 6 and 4.5 mm/US 7 with a stockinette stitch gauge of 20 sts and 27 rows using the larger needles. The cardigan shown in the smallest size which measures 85 cm/33.5″, modeled with 4 cm/1.5″ of positive ease. It is available in six sizes and the largest size measures 132 cm/52″.

The digital magazine contains 10 designs. Interweave has written in their introduction: “Discover sophisticated, simple, and luxurious knitwear that pairs exceptional designers with splendid yarns in Wool Studio Vol. VI”. I am flattered to be called an exceptional designer and I am in fabulous company. The magazine is available to download from the Interweave Store.

New Design: Gillah Swoncho

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Linda Marveng

The last new design for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk for autumn 2019 is a swoncho, named Gillah, knitted in their divine Tinde Peltwool. I have made several ponchos earlier, most of them with sleeves so they are easier to use, but this time I wanted to make a narrower version and use the fairly new garment type name of Swoncho. It is after all a combination of a sweater and a poncho hence a swoncho. Gillah means joy in Hebrew and well suited to this swoncho tribute to Dorota Kowalczyk, aka Devorgilla on Ravelry, whose stunning cable adorns the centre body. Above you see me wearing it photographed by Michael at the The Halden Canal Museum in Ørje. I was just saying that I should take a step up on the ladder to the boat…

The colour I choose for it is a grey purple in the Tinde Peltwool yarn. I had Kristin Nygård, aka Quiltefeen, knit the sample for me, while I did the finishing. Kristin did a brilliant job as usual! It is knitted in pieces, back and forth, with vents in each side and shoulder shaping. The collar ends in a I-cord bind off to crown the playful center cable. The cable was too wide for the sleeve so I choose to make a wide garter stitch band in the centre instead. The stunning ring is designed by Kaja Gjedebo Design and fits so perfectly to my cable designs.

The Gillah is knitted with a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4″ square. The Back and the Front is identical, with the cable ending on row 17 (or 37: 7 cm/2.75″ difference in length). I have graded the pattern in three sizes: XS/S (M/L, XL/2XL). I am wearing size XS/S with a bust circumference of 144 cm/56.75″, while the next sizes measure: 152 cm/59.75″ and 160 cm/63″.

I also wanted to show you how it looks with a belt and moved into the shadow from the boat so that the rich colour would be correct. Above you see me straightening the garter stitch edge on the sleeve.

The yarn kit with the Norwegian pattern will be launched at Oslo Design Fair in August by Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while the English pattern of Gillah will be test knitted in my Ravelry group beginning 4th of November.

A longer version of this post with more photos can be found on my Patreon page, available for patrons only together with monthly rewards such as a free pattern, newsletter and video. See www.patreon.com/lindamarveng. Thank you!

Canola Pattern Released

Posted on June 19, 2019 by Linda Marveng

The test knit of the English pattern to Canola is coming to an end and I have released the pattern on Ravelry. My test knitters have done a brilliant job and you can see their versions on Ravelry. The poncho was made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk and is knitted in their divine Tinde Peltwool. Yes, there actually is a pelt sheep; a Norwegian sheep breed that is a cross between a Gotland sheep and a Norwegian Short Tail Landrace (spælsau). The wool is naturally light grey and when dyed, it gains a heather colour. It has a lustre and a bit of a halo. In my opinion, it is perfect for cables. Yarn kits are available to order from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while both the Norwegian and the English patterns are now for sale in my Ravelry Store. Photographer Eivind Røhne captured this brilliant photo of Emma Ross, with hair & make-up by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, at the Vigeland Museum back in November. A longer more detailed post, with a photo of my Damara skirt/poncho made for the upcoming Norwegian book, is public on my Patreon page.

Named after Canola the Irish deity who ruled over music magic is this poncho with sideways cables at the bottom and on the high collar. The upper section is picked up and knitted from the lower cable panel and worked in stockinette stitch with shaping for the shoulders. The short sleeves in rib hold the poncho together. You can wear it with a belt or a shawl pin to gather it at the front or loose, just as you prefer.

Size: One Size

Finished measurements:
Bust: 194 cm/76.5”
Length: 74.5 cm/29.25”
Sleeve length: 32 cm/12.5”

Yarn: Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Tinde Pelsull (100% pelt wool, 260 m/284 yds, 100 g). The sample is knitted in Burgundy 2104; 9 skeins;
2158 m/2360 yds.
https://www.ull.no/produktkategori/garn/ullgarn/norsk-pel…

Alternative Yarns: Berroco, Ultra Alpaca Light (50% alpaca, 50% wool, 50 g, 133 m/144 yds). http://www.berroco.com/yarns/berroco-ultra-alpaca-light
Jamieson’s, Double Knitting (100% wool, 25 g, 75 m/82 yds).
http://www.jamiesonsofshetland.co.uk/spindrift-and-double…
Malabrigo, Arroyo, (100% superwash merino, 100 g, 306 m/335 yds).
http://www.malabrigoyarn.com/subyarn.php?id=29
Or another DK/8 ply yarn.

Needles: 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needle (80 cm/32” and 40 cm/16”).
3.5 mm/US 4 DPNs for sleeves.
Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge

Crochet hook: 3.5 mm/US E/4 (for provisional cast-on).

Notions: Stitch markers (removable), stitch holders, cable needle and yarn needle.

Gauge: 21 sts and 30 rows in st st, after blocking measures 10 cm/4” square.
49-sts Canola cable measures 16.5 cm/6.5” across.

Notes: The body is knitted in four sections with cables on bottom part and stockinette stitch on the upper part. A long circular needle is used to accommodate the large number of stitches. The sleeves are knitted in the round in rib. The collar is knitted separately using a provisional cast-on so that the ends can be grafted together. If you prefer to have the collar loose, pick up and knit stitches around the neck and work an I-cord bind-off.

New Design: Epona

Posted on June 15, 2019 by Linda Marveng

It is time to reveal another new design. I knew that I wanted to use the cable from the Macha Jacket on a pullover and gave it a high rib. Epona is made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk and knitted in divine Sølje Pelsullgarn in a dark green shade. The yarn kit with Norwegian pattern will be launched at Oslo Design Fair in August, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group, beginning 14th October before the pattern is released. The sample is beautifully knitted by Kristin Nygård, aka Quiltefeen on Ravelry and Instagram, using a 3 mm/US 2.5 needle. Michael has photographed me wearing size small at the The Halden Canal Museum in Ørje.

Graceful cables run along the center of this pullover with a high rib, creating a narrower waist. A sweater perfect for riding or worn together with a skirt, it is crowned by a high collar with interfacing to make it stand up. Epona is Celtic for the Goddess of horses and knitted in Sølje Pelsullgarn from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk in a deep bottlegreen shade.

I have graded the pattern in sizes XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 84 to 124 cm/33 to 49″. The pullover is knitted in pieces and seamed. The cable pattern continues on the collar which is worked in the round.

New Design: Macha Jacket and Macha Cowl

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Linda Marveng

I am working on completing the last two of my new designs and want to present two related patterns to you: Macha Jacket and Macha Cowl are designed for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk and yarn kits with a Norwegian pattern will be launched at Oslo Design Fair at the end of August. Ever since I made the Tweed Jacket for my Norwegian knitting book, I wanted to make a newer version of this and here it is: The Macha Jacket. Just like the first one has stranded colourwork on the sleeves but this time with a few purl stitches and also stripes in garter stitch to add extra texture. But unlike the Tweed Jacket it only has Tweed on the upper part while the bottom part has cables and stockinette stitch. As a divider of the patterns I decided to make a tuck and this is also the beginning of the deep v-neck. The Macha Cowl connects the sleeves but can easily be worn on its own hence it is a separat pattern and kit, while the small Cable Cowl in charcoal is included in the Jacket pattern. Michael has taken these photos of me at the The Halden Canal Museum in Ørje.

Here is another photo where the cables on the lower body is easier to see. I decided on three contrasting colours so the sample is knitted in two different yarns since the pelt wool does not come in white since it is naturally light grey nor in charcoal. The lime colour is Sølje Pelsullgarn (100% peltwool, 100 g, 350 m/385 yds, while both the natural and the charcoal is a lambswool yarn called Vilje Lamull (100% lambswool, 100 g, 375 m/410 yds). The yarns are made to complement each other and work very well together. My turbo sample knitter Grete Jenssen, aka ma9 on Ravelry, brilliantly made this jacket and both the cowls.

The Macha Jacket is made in size Small with a bust circumference of 92 cm/36″. The pattern will be available in sizes Extra Small to 2 Extra Large measuring from 86 to 126 cm/34 to 50″. The body is knitted flat in pieces while the sleeve is knitted in the round to the armhole, then flat. The different patterns have different gauges hence requires different needle sizes: 2.5 mm/US 1.5 for hems (adjusted from sample) and buttonband, 3 mm/US 2.5 for body and sleeves, 3.25 mm/US 3 for sleeve cap and 3.5 mm/US 4 for sleeves.

The stranded colourwork is worked mainly in stockinette stitch with a few purl stitches and the repeat ends in 6 rows of garter stitch worked on a smaller needle to stay in gauge. The cable cowl is worked in the round with ribbing on each side of cable panels. The tucks are made with 2 circular needles held parallel, hence the bottom part of the body is worked with circular needles for ease.

Now, for the name, I decided upon Macha and here is why: Macha is the Celtic protectress in peace as well as the name of this heavily textured jacket with cable and tweed body and stranded colorwork sleeves. A tuck marks the end of the cable pattern, the beginning of both the tweed pattern and the deep v-neck shaping. The Macha body is worked in pieces but the sleeves is knitted in the round to the armhole in stranded colorwork with purl stitches and garter stitch stripes in three contrasting colors in both Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk Vilje Lamull and Sølje Pelsull. A cable cowl completes the jacket which can also be worn together with the Macha cowl.

The test knit of the English pattern to Macha Jacket and Macha Cowl will begin on the 9th of September.

Merino Vest Wrap and Tau Scarf in Familien På Pinnene

Posted on June 8, 2019 by Linda Marveng

The Norwegian magazine Familien has published yet another special issue called “På Pinnene”/On the Needles and I am delighted to say that it includes two of my patterns: Merino Vest Wrap and Tau (a scarf). The vest was first published in my Norwegian knitting book (only translated into Finnish), but Eivind Røhne photographed it again last May, modelled by the gorgeous Emma Ross with make-up & hair styling by Sissel Fylling and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design. Above you see the cover of the magazine.

The Merino Vest Wrap is knitted in the hand dyed Madeline Tosh Sock using 3 mm/US 2.5 needles. Great in Blue is the headline followed by: The vest is knitted sideways in an hand dyed yarn with Indian crosses. The last two words belong to the scarf and were deleted during the proof reading.

Tau scarf was made for the Vienna Wool & Design Festival magazine “Wool 2 Go” in May 2017. I knitted the sample in Lang Yarns, Yak using 4.5 mm/US 9 needles.

The Norwegian magazine “Familien På Pinnene” is available in newsagents and selected supermarkets in Norway or by SMS if you have a Norwegian registered mobile phone: Send “Pinne19” with your name and address to 2205. If you live abroad you can order the Norwegian special magazine by e-mailing kari.bachke@egmont.com and then transfer payment into their bank account.

Euler Cardigan in knit.wear Wool Studio Vol. VI

Posted on June 5, 2019 by Linda Marveng

The latest issue of knit.wear Wool Studio Vol. VI by Interweave has been released and I am thrilled that my Euler Cardigan is included. On the cover is the stunning Undulating Lines Pullover by Stella Egidi knitted in Mountain Meadow Wool Alpine. The design submission call asked for designs that “converge around the theme of geometry: lines, curves, and polygons, in addition to the three-dimensional forms that make up every stitch of knitwear.” Named after the accomplished and creative mathematician Leonhard Euler, this cardigan combines dropped stitches with bold cables along the front panels. The pieces are worked separately and seamed together for structure. The dramatic front panels hang loosely without a closure for an elegant but cozy sweater.

@ Harper Point Photography / Interweave

Euler Cardigan is knitted in the divine Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted (100% superwash Merino wool, 206 m/225 yds, 113 g). The sample is knitted in 14ns Denim using 4 mm/US 6 and 4.5 mm/US 7 with a stockinette stitch gauge of 20 sts and 27 rows using the larger needles. The cardigan shown in the smallest size which measures 85 cm/33.5″, modeled with 4 cm/1.5″ of positive ease. It is available in six sizes and the largest size measures 132 cm/52″.

@ Interweave / Harper Point Photography

The cardigan is worked back and forth from the bottom up in separate pieces and seamed. The visible stripes at the back is working with two different skeins to integrate the hand dyed colour. These beautiful photographs are all taken by Harper Point Photography.

@ Interweave / Harper Point Photography

Petra, aka Petra777 on Ravelry, asked me why I had named the cardigan after Euler. I replied that the Interweave Wool Studio theme was geometry and I wanted a name that reflected well with the intricate cable pattern. I searched for a bit and then found Euler! Petra replied: “I don’t know how much you know about Euler but he was such an awesome mathematician. He is celebrated for so many accomplishments, amongst the many as the father of graph theory. One concept in graph theory is an Euler path. The cables with the dropped stitches of this cardigan remind me so much of an Euler path; which is a path composed of vertices and edges and visits every edge only once. This is another fantastic design Linda!” I am overwhelmed by this, that the name fitted so well as well as the complement! Thank you so much, Petra!

@ Interweave / Harper Point Photography

The digital magazine is available to download from the Interweave Store. A blogpost with photos of me wearing the Euler Cardigan, taken by Michael, is coming soon.

Barcelona Knits 16-17 November 2019

Posted on June 1, 2019 by Linda Marveng

I am thrilled to be teaching at Barcelona Knits 16-17 November 2019. The workshop program has just been released, but the tickets do not go on sale until June 11. I will be holding 3 workshops, all in English: Smart Knitting Techniques, Perfect Fit and Cable Knitting. You can read more details on the Barcelona Knits’ website. It was after watching podcasts from the first Barcelona Knits festival, held last year, that I became interested in taking part. I was reminded of the festival early this year when the Argentine designer Joji Locatelli posted the dates for this year’s festival.

I e-mailed a request to the organisers together with a presentation of myself. One of the four organisers, Marta, responded that they found my designs stunning and thought my workshops would bring something different to Barcelona Knits. I revealed that my Spanish is extremely basic and that I would have to teach in English, however I did know that several workshops were given in English last year. Designer Isabell Kraemer, who I met at the Vienna Wool & Design Festival, is going too and told me that last year’s festival was a success! I look forward to going to Barcelona Knits to meet more knitters and designers in real life!

Behind the Scenes: Photoshoot at Oslofjord Museum

Posted on May 29, 2019 by Linda Marveng

Monday morning was cold with grey skies when model Emma Ross, Michael and I set off from our house in Ørje, driving to Vollen, Asker for the photoshoot at the Oslofjord Museum. We were early but photographer Eivind Røhne had already arrived and so had the second model I had booked for the day, multi talented Kaja Kvernbakken. Kaja is also a designer herself in addition to a novelist, translator and former book editor at Cappelen Damm. This time I had thirteen garments plus accessories to photograph hence I thought a second model would be essential. Some of these designs are secret so you will not see these photos until late this autumn. Fortunately, Kaja was available to model that day. Below you see me talking to Kaja, as I am planning the jewellery borrowed from Kaja Gjedebo Design. I am wearing my Brewster Cardigan first published in knit.wear Wool Studio Vol. I.

Our base was the lecture hall at the Oslofjord Museum, where we had plenty of space. I began by hanging all the garments to photograph including the clothes to wear beneath, then unpacking the shoes, assisted by both Em and Kaja before makeup & hair artist Sissel Fylling arrived. When that was done, Eivind and I walk around in the area and found five different backdrops. Above is the last one we picked. In the meantime, Sissel arrived and we updated her on our plan as well as on the colours of my designs. We decided that both models should have their hair up due to the many collars and cowls, plus extra makeup around the eyes. Below you see her styling Em’s hair.

We began photographing the series of new designs for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikkull, next to a small black wooden building, one of the museum buildings. The colour of the building matched the designs perfectly. I wanted one photo of the models together since I have a jacket and a pullover with same cable, so that was the first shoots that Eivind did. Below you see us finishing off that first series, just before we moved to the second location, the corten wall outside along the museum.

After photographing half of the second series, we decided to break for lunch. It was noon and we all had an early start. Just as at the Vigeland Museum, I had ordered catering from Eckers at Frogner in Oslo. The food and smoothies had arrived even before we did so our contact person Anita had taken those in for us. I have taken even less photos than I usually do, since my hands were full (read: with knitted accessories, belts and shoes). Michael was assisting Eivind with the reflector at times, hence he did not photograph all the designs.

I wanted to show this photo of Eivind in action, photographing Kaja. He was alternating between his two cameras and had both hanging from his camera belt when they were not in use. At this point we were just in front of Anita’s office window. Luckily, she was in a meeting and not sitting at her desk while we were outside. Kaja has a large shoe size but managed to squeeze into my red shoes, below worn together with the O-Chem Tunic published in Interweave Knits Winter 2019. The design was returned to me from the US a few months back, hence needs new photos before I can release it after one year. Sissel is fantastic on hair & makeup styling and does her magic all the time. As a former model she is also very quick to spot and correct any flaws. I imagined her giving Kaja a spell – not that she needed it – but take a look at Sissel’s hand movements!

Designer and author Tove Fevang, who lives near by, popped down to say hello so we had a quick chat before we continued to our last backdrop and photographed the last designs, all in much shorter time than I had anticipated!

Michael made a behind the scenes video which will be available for all my patrons on Patreon only, after he has edited it. While Eivind used his drone to make a video, and below you can see him instructing Em. The drone video will also only be available for all my patrons. So if you are interested in learning more about my life as a designer and want to support me, choose your level based on the rewards here: www.patreon.com/lindamarveng.

We had a fun day and it was a magnificent photoshoot! Thanks to my brilliant team! I look forward to showing you the new designs – I still need to finish off those patterns – as well as selecting from Eivind’s photos!