Hjaltlandspeysa KIT

DESIGNER: HELENE MAGNUSSON

The circular yoke is a distinctive sweater style from the 20th century that can be found in many different countries, each with its specificity whereas it is in terms of construction and techniques, yarn used, motifs and colors. The frontiers between them can be a fine line and easily blurred.

Hjaltlandspeysa, “a lopi sweater from Shetland”, is playing with those fine lines. Simply by changing the color combination, it looks dramatically from Shetland or dramatically from Iceland. Truth is, it is a blend of both traditions to which I added my own personal flair. The typical “tree and star” yoke motif from Shetland is framed between geometric motifs that reached all the way to the collar as is popular in Icelandic lopi sweaters. Motifs taken from the yoke are added at the bottom of the Lopi sweater style, as well as on the cuffs, a feature seen on the most traditional lopapeysur. In the colorwork, the Shetland rule “no more than two colors per row” is joyfully broken. The cardigan is steeked using the traditional Icelandic method for lopi sweaters. The blue Shetland style sweater is knitted with Scottish Buachaille yarn from Kate Davies but the turquoise cardigan version with the Icelandic unspun lopi, Léttlopi from Ístex. For the brown and white Lopi style sweater, I mixed together Léttlopi and a truly authentic Shetland yarn, the beautiful Foula yarn. It is made with the wool from the Foula Island’s sheep, an indigenous population of native Shetland sheep that has maintain itself near unchanged due to isolation.

Hjaltlandspeysa has my signature short rows to create a natural neckline and a clever shaping for a flattering fit. I’m also sharing a handy tip of mine to steek the sweater without having to use the sewing machine.

Wool:
Lopi style
MC: 6(7,7,8)8,9,9(10,10,11) skeins for a sweater
7(7,8,8)9,9,10(10,11,12) skeins for a cardigan
CC1: 1(1,2,2)2,2,2(2,2,3) skeins
CC2: 2 skeins in all sizes

Shetland style
MC: 7(7,8,8)9,9,10(10,11,12) skeins
CCs: 1 skein each
Yardage used:
CC1: 26(26,30,30)30,34,34(34,37,37) m / 27(27,31,31)31,35,35(35,39,39) yds
CC2: 35(35,40,40)40,45,45(45,50,50) m/ 36(36,42,42)42,47,474(7,52,52) yds
CC3: 38(38,44,44)44,49,49(49,55,55) m / 40(40,46,46)4651,51(51,57,57) yds
CC4 and CC5: 14(14,16,16)16,18,18(18,20,20) m / 15(15,17,17)17,19,19(19,21,21) yds
CC6: 4 m/yds

Color combinations shown:

White Sweater Lopi style
Léttlopi from Ístex, 100% new wool, 50g/skein = 100 m/114 yds: MC#0051, CC1#0053, CC2#0052

Turquoise cardigan Shetland style
Léttlopi from Ístex: MC#1404, CC1#0057, CC2#0086, CC3 #0051, CC4#1406, CC5#9423, CC6#1704

Baby blue sweater/cardigan Shetland style (only shown as swatch)
Léttlopi from Ístex: MC#1402, CCs like for the turquoise sweater

Blue Sweater Shetland style (not available as a kit)
Buachaille from Kate Davies, 100% wool, raised in Scotland, 50g/skein = 110 m/120yds
MC#Between weathers, CC1#Squall, CC2#Haar, CC3#Ptarmigan, CC4#Yaffle, CC5#Islay,CC6#Highland coo

Foula yarn can be purchased on www.foulawool.co.uk and Buachaille yarn on www.shopkdd.com

Other material: for the cardigan, 8 or 9 buttons and as an option ribbon twice the length of front opening to cover the steek.

Notions: darning needle, markers, 4-5 stitch holders

Techniques: The body and sleeves are knitted in the round in Stocking st. At the armholes, they are combined on one needle and the motif knitted in stranded knitting. The underarms are grafted. The cardigan is steeked. Hélènes’s signature short rows to create a natural neckline and a clever shaping for a flattering fit. Hélène is also sharing a handy tip  to steek the sweater without having to use the sewing machine.

Kit: the kit contains enough Léttlopi wool to complete the project but not the needles or the other material. The kit doesn’t include the pattern that must be purchased separately. Shipping costs are not included

Shipping and returns: see Terms & conditions here