How many Lopi sweaters are too many Lopi sweaters? My own personal odyssey with Lopi sweaters starts only about 14 months ago. On a whim I ordered a copy of Iceland Lopi, a Japanese knitting book. I found the photography and styling really engaging. Little did I know it would completely change the course of my knitting for the next year and a half.
My first Lopi sweater was Afmaeli, knit in Léttlopi. For my version, I modified the 7 color yoke of the pattern to just 5. I also made mine a cardigan and added some waist shaping, and then I monkeyed with the final decrease round so I ended with approximately 90 stitches for a slightly shorter yoke with a wider neck. I love this sweater and keep it close at hand at all times. I wore it all year long (even on cool nights in the summer).
Next, I knit my husband a sweater from the Icelandic Lopi book, (pattern #22). His took a little longer—but mostly because at that time I had to hunt far and wide track down some of the colors. In the pattern book, this is a henley with a collar but Mister wanted a cardigan with a crew neck which was an easy change to make. After this I was hooked.
I immediately cast on again and knit Hela with Álafoss in no time. Here it is the day it came off the needles. A year later and its still waiting for buttons… This is the size small in the pattern but I added an inch of length to the sleeves and several inches to the body. I also worked a few short rows before beginning the colorwork yoke, and I changed the edging to 1×1 ribbing.
Even without buttons its a favorite sweater and I wear it wear it as often as the weather permits. There is nothing cozier then Alafoss on a below zero day in winter.
Yet another Lopi sweater followed, a pullover this time, for my husband. I knit his Riddari in a size large, the only changes this time was a few short rows to raise the neck back/drop the neck front to fit more comfortably.
And then a pullover for me… Weatherman. Knit in Léttlopi, using the designer’s original color palette. I did take some liberties with the pattern and played with the fit by making the sleeves leaner and offsetting the lost stitches by making the body a little boxier.
This one is hot of the needles, I finished it just last night! At this point I have learned that knitting my sweater sleeves takes exactly 1 skein less yarn then knitting one of my husband’s sleeves. What’s next? I’m itching to make a Gamaldags… I’ve also gotten a peak at the Lopi booklet #36 due out in English translation next June, though I’m also partial to several patterns from the book Knitting with Icelandic Wool, so there is no reason to wait to start the next Lopapeysa.
These are stunning 👏👏
I love lopi sweaters – these are on my bucket list of things to knit. 🙂
WOW!
Gorgeous sweaters! Can you talk a little bit about where you placed your short rows to adjust the fit of the neck? I often find that collars hit me in just the wrong place and I end up tugging the front neckline out of shape to just “GET IT OFF ME!”
Hi Judy,
When I join the body and the sleeves I place markers as if I were going to work raglan shaping where the body and sleeve join. On the next round I start working the short rows: I’ll work to 5 stitches into the front, wrap and turn then work back across the sleeve, back and sleeve, to 5 stitches into the other side of the front (WS), wrap and turn, then back again to 5 stitches passed the first wrap and turn… and so on usually 6 short rows (3 for each side) or what ever the number of rows to nearly = 1″ and usually about 1-2″ of spacing for the number of stitches between the wrap and turns. If you want a deeper scoop you would work more short rows but don’t forget these will effect the yoke depth and depending on the sweater you may want to eliminate a few pattern rows to offset the added length.
Thank you! I am going to paste this into my knit notes and then draw it out for myself alongside my next sweater pattern to get a clear picture of how it all comes together. That is so useful!
Hi – Glad to see you are carrying Lopi yarn. I had to track it down last year mail order from Canada. From the free pattern photo you showed in your e-mail with the family of four – I became fond of the green sweater shown in the youth size – so I transposed the women’s size sweater into the youth colors, green body. Successfully knitted, it’s a very warm sweater, and a unique color. I’m thinking about another Lopi project.