Lopi Affection KIT

Lopi Affection is an addictive knit for all the lopi lovers! This unisex Icelandic lopi sweater comes into 11 sizes, from XXS to 5-6X, from teenagers to grown up men and women with an optional darted waist more feminine.

I love to come with new ideas to refine the lopi sweater’s shape. For the past years, I’ve been for example making use of quite many short rows to scope the neckline but the lopapeysa has traditionally no front or back. In Lopi Affection, the short rows become a design element on their own. The colourful stripes echoe a sweater type that was extremely popular in Iceland in the 40’s, long before the lopapeysa had become the iconic Icelandic sweater. It is also a shout out to Finish designer Veera Välimäki.

The striking stripes in the yoke were made possible by working the short rows with what I call “wrapped” and “stranded yarn overs”, a method I figured out especially for this design. You can easily learn how to do them with my free tutorial pattern “Swatch”, the sweater’s swatch that doubles as a cute glasses or pencils case. It will not just be useful to check your gauge but also to make a choice among the 58 shades of Léttlopi available! And of course … you can use any suitable DK of equivalent weight, which makes the color combinations endless!

Now have Fun and share the Love!

The designer

Hélène Magnússon is a leading knit designer in Iceland, the author of many books about traditional Icelandic knitting and the editor of The Icelandic Knitter. She likes to put a new spin on Icelandic traditions. She began her professional life as a lawyer in Paris before she made a complete life change and moved to Iceland, where she studied textile and fashion at Iceland Academy of the Arts and worked as a hired girl in a sheep farm and a mountain guide. The varied skills she learned in those early years richly inform the hiking and knitting tours she passionately guides in collaboration with tour operator Icelandic Mountain Guides.

Sizes: 1,2(3,4,5)6,7,8(9,10,11). Size M woman = size S man. Optional darted waist for women. Finished measurements.

Bust: A = 75.5,78(80,86.5,89)91,98,100(106.5,109,115,5)cm /30,31(32,34.5,35.5)36.5,39,40(42.5,43.5,46)”

Waist woman B = 66.5,69(71,78,80)82,89,91(98,100,106)cm /26.5,27.5(28.5,31,32)33,35.5,36.5(39,40,42.5)”

Body length a-c = 36,37.5(39,40,41)42.5,44,45(46,47.5,49)cm /14.5,15(15.5,16,16.5)17,17.5,18(18.5,19,19.5)”
Body length to waist: a-b = 22,23(24,25.5,26.5)28,29,30.5(31.5,33,34) cm /8.5(9,9.5,10)10.5,11,11.5(12,12.5,13,13.5)”
Yoke depth at front c-e = 16,16(17,17,18)18,19,19(19.5,19.5,20.5)cm / 6.5,6.5(7,7,7)7,7.5,7.5(8,8,8)”
Garter st stripes depth at front: d-e = 8,5 cm /3,25”
Yoke depth at back: c-f = 23,23(24,24,24.5)24.5,25.5,25.5(26,26,27)cm /9,9(9.5,9.5,10)10,10,10(10.5,10.5,11)”
Garter st stripes depth at back: d-f =15 cm/6”
Sleeve length: C = 45,46(47,48,49)50,51,52(53,54,55) cm/ 17.75,18.5(19,19.25,19.5)20,20.5,21(21.25,21.5,22)”
Wrist: D = 19,20(21,22,23)24.5,25.5,26.5(28,29,30)cm /7.5,8(8.5,9,9.5)10,10,10.5(11,11.5,12)”
Upper sleeve: E = 29,30(31,32,33)34.5,35.5,36.5(38,39,40)cm/11.5,12(12.5,13,13.5)13.75,14.25,14.5(15,15.5,16)”

Sweater can be worn with no ease or negative ease or with 5-10 cm /2-4“ positive ease at bust for different effects

Black sweater shown in size XS worn by 13 years old boy with 10 cm/4” positive ease and by woman, bust 90 cm/35.5” with negative ease.

Grey sweater shown in size M worn by woman bust 90 cm/35.5” with 5 cm/2” positive ease.

Wool: Léttlopi by ístex, 100% new wool, 50g/skein, 50g = ca.100m/109 yds: MC 6,6(7,7,8)8,9,9(10,10,11) skeins; CC1, 1 skein; CC2 1 skein

MC/CC1/CC2:
black sweater # 0005/0051/9264 EDIT agust 2017 Color 9264 was unfortunately discontinued Yellow 1703 can be offered instead.
grey sweater #0054/1411/bright pink especially dyed for the Handknitting Association of Iceland (now discontinued).

Other material: buttons or zipper possible to unzip both ways.

Notions: markers, 4 safety pins (or st holders)

Needles: 4,5 mm / US 7 circ needle. Magic loop is used for smaller diameters but you can also use DPN’s.

Gauge: 10 cm/4” = 18 sts and 24 rows on needle 4,5 mm/US 7

Techniques: the sleeves are knit in the round in stocking stitch up the armhole. The can be knit either flat or “the Icelandic way”, in the round and steeked. At the armhole, the stitches of the body and sleeves are combined on one needle and the yoke is knit back and forth in garter st. Underarms sts are set on hold on safety pin (or stitch holder then grafted together, sleeve to body.

Short rows: they are made using “wrapped” and “stranded yo”: please see my free pattern tutorial “Swatch ” to learn it.

Kit: the kit contains the wool 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