Design: Hélène Magnússon
With its turtleneck and half zipper, the sweater makes for a very functional sporty lopi sweater that can be worn zipped up or opened partway. Unisex, it nevertheless has an optional waist shaping for a more feminine look.
The Vest variation has a round collar and doesn´t require to steek (for the zipper opening).
Both are knitted from the bottom up and higher at the back for a comfortable neckline, but the sleeves, or cuffs for the sleeveless version, are knitted from the top down, a construction that I borrowed to old Icelandic costumes from the 18th century.
The horses’ motifs are using a clever and easy colorwork technique – the Ladder-back Jacquard – to deal with the long floats. The chart shows exactly where to anchor and tackle the floats, taking all the hard work for you so you can concentrate on learning the technique if it is new to you.
Knitted on big needles, with only 1 strand of plötulopi doubled with my fine Icelandic lambswool lace yarn Love Story for strength, it makes for a very light and softer heathered sweater, yet warm, hardwearing and water-repellant.
The Hestalopapeysa is a perfect riding sweater which I designed especially for my Knit & Ride Tours in Iceland (the first was in 2023), together with other knitted accessories!
Sizes: S(M,L,XL)2XL,3XL,4XL(5XL)
Fit: 10 cm/ 4” positive ease.
Choose your size: add the ease to your actual bust measurement and choose the size the closest to the result. If between sizes, choose the largest one.
Sweater and Vest shown are both a size M with waist shaping, worn with 11.5 cm /4¼” positive ease at bust.
Finished sweater measurements
- Bust/hips: 101.5(109.5,120,128)138.5,149.5,157.5(165.5) cm / 40(43,47¼,50½)54½,58¾,62(65)”
- Waist (optional): 93.5(101.5,112,120)130.5,141.5,149.5(157.5) cm / 36¾(40,44,47¼)51½,55½,58¾(62)”
- Upper arm: 30.5(35.5,40.5,44.5)48,53.5,57.5(61.5) cm/12(14,16,17½)19,21,22½(24)”
- Body length to underarm: 34(35,36,37)38,39,40(41) cm/ 13½(13¾,14,14½)15,15½,15¾(16)”
- Yoke depth at back: 26(27,27, 27)29,29,30(30) cm / 10¼(10¾,10¾,10¾)11½,11½,11¾(11¾)”
- Sleeve length from underarm: 44(45,46,47)48,49,49(50) cm / 17¼(17 ¾,18,18½)19,19¼,19¼(19¾)”
Wool
Plötulopi from Ístex: 100% new wool, unspun, plate 100-110 g = approx. 300 m/328 yds
Love Story Einband by Hélène Magnússon, 100% new wool, pure Icelandic lambswool, very fine lace weight, 1 ply, 25 g per skein = 225 m / 246 yds
Note: you can also use 3 strands of plötulopi or 1 strand Álafoss lopi for a thicker sweater that knits at the same gauge.
FOR THE SWEATER
MC: 1 strand of plötulopi #0005 held double with 1 strand of Love Story Viking rust
- 3(3,3,3)4,4,4(5) plötulopi plates
- 3(3,4,4,)4,5,5(5) Love Story skeins
CC: 1 strand of plötulopi white #0001 held double with 1 strand of Love Story Viking rust
- 1 plötulopi plate for all sizes
- 1 Love Story skein for all sizes
FOR THE VEST
You will need one less plate of plötulopi and one less skein of Love Story for the Vest. The Vest shown is knitted with some hand dyed lopi (MC) and has 2 plötulopi and Love Story colors in the yoke. I mostly used left-over yarns.
Gauge: 10 cm/4” = 15 sts and 20 rnds in Stocking stitch on 7 mm/ US 10-11 needle
Needles: 5.5 mm/ US 9 and 7 mm/US 10-11 circular needles approx. 80 cm / 32” long. Magic loop is used for smaller diameters but you can also use double pointed needles.
Crochet hook: 6 mm / US 10
Notions: darning needle, stitch markers, blocking material
Techniques: stranded knitting, knitting in the round, steeking (option), single crochet US
Pattern: Once you’ve made your paiement, you will receive an email with a link to download the pattern PDF. We don’t send patterns by snailmail.
Errata: No mistake has been found in this pattern