This is my first project from Knitting with Icelandic Wool, a knitting book I bought as a souvenir from Iceland on our recent trip away. The jumper is my birthday present to Sam and it’s um, only two months late… yikes! but here’s the thing… while we were travelling in Iceland and I was admiring all the gorgeous Icelandic jumpers on everyone there, I hit upon the bright idea of knitting one for each of my boys for their birthdays. And so it seemed only fair to let them choose the style and the colours that they wanted. And I thought at first that I would use Australian merino. I’m very loyal to Australian wool, you see 🙂 so I took quite a bit of time searching for something of a suitable gauge here but sadly I actually couldn’t find anything. So decided I would go completely authentically Icelandic and use Alafoss Lopi. And so of course I had to order the wool from Iceland, and then wait for it to arrive and then knit the thing… so two months late is not too bad all these things considered! I’ve been knitting like an absolute maniac since the wool arrived! I started it last Wednesday, and finished it exactly a week later, which is not too bad if I say so myself! and fortunately Sam doesn’t mind that it’s a bit late. We still have a few months of cold weather ahead so he can wear it for a bit longer this year. And there’s next year too. I’m hoping it will be lifelong classic for him 🙂
Sam chose the Alafoss jumper on p38 of the book, incidentally also featured at top left on the cover of the book, above. According to the blurb the colour pattern on the yoke is the first ever pattern published by the Alafoss wool factory in the 1960’s.
The colours I used are, from left: ash heather (0054), ecru heather (9972), grey heather (0057), dark grey heather (0058) and black heather (0005). I changed the design just a little bit on the strip second from the top but otherwise stuck exactly to the pattern. The design is knitted in the fair isle style, and completely in the round with no joining seams, aside from two short grafting rows under the arms. Grafted seams really do look so much nicer than sewn seams imo, so I think that’s a nice feature.
I do have one, well I have to say it’s a fairly major gripe wrt the pattern; for Sam’s size S the pattern stipulated 5 balls of the main colour. Well, it’s extremely fortunate that I had bought another, 6th ball of this colour for Tim’s jumper, since you actually need well into that ball to make this size. And it’s not even a close call, I used about half of that sixth ball. Now I’m sweating a bit, planning the re-jig of the colours in Tim’s design so I can actually finish his jumper with the remaining wool that I have. I’ll have to incorporate some of the leftovers from Sam’s jumper otherwise I simply will not have enough! Not happy, Jan…
As a last resort, yes, I could order more wool, but the postage from Iceland was so astronomical I’m really hoping I can successfully work something out with what I’ve got.
Anyhow, that’s the fault of the pattern; I am glad I did use the Alafoss Lopi! Icelandic wool is renowned for being thick and lofty and at the same time very lightweight. This jumper looks as thick as and it is amazingly warm, but surprisingly it is as light as a cloud!
Gorgeous jumper! Lopi is such nice hardy wool. I recently made a jumper from Lett Lopi and it's so lovely and warm. Now I'm doing a cardigan out of Plotulopi, which is the un-spun kind. The shipping is astronomical to here too, but the price of the wool itself is very reasonable so I don't mind too much. Hope you manage to eke out the next one with what you have, good luck!
That is stunning! And I am flabbergasted that you knit that in only a week!
I am so impressed that you knitted this jumper in a week and it looks fabulous. I hope your sons appreciate your hard work.
This is so gorgeous. I too am impressed at your prodigious knitting!
Wow! One week! You're unreal!
Are you kidding me? You made that in a week! That is insane and perfect. Sam looks handsome in his new sweater (jumper) and it fits him perfectly. Nice work as aways.
It's a gorgeous jumper! And done only in one week – you are a champion!
Very nice! They are fun to knit – Reynolds used to import the Lopi yarn and I knit those for my boys for Christmas in the mid-80s. I ought to see if they still have them but I'm sure they won't fit them now! Mine were knit the same way, with the underarm seam grafted to finish it off – a week is about right with that yarn and nice sized needles!
This is beautiful Carolyn. Another lovely make!
gorgeous, I love this type of sweater. and your fingers must be tired 🙂
It is a lovely sweater.
Loving that pose Sam, lovely jumper. Jo x
Carolyn, I was already in awe of your skills but this tops it all! One week? You're great! It's a fantastic sweater.
The subtle colours of this jumper are heavenly. I think I would be tempted to borrow it myself, if one of the men in our household had it! Also, I like the combination of thick and warm but light. It sounds so lovely, I wish I could feel it.
Wow, that looks amazing. Is there anything you are not good at?
lol – I read your comment right after writing mine…gmta 😉
Good heavens girl, is there anything that you don't do well?!? 😉 Beautiful work!
Man jumpers are very tricky, (for sartorial reasons) this one looks perfectly subtle and also interesting to knit.
Beautiful, great fit too. And only a week of knitting? Very impressive.
it looks fantastic! my father used to have a similar jumper when i was a kid, my grandma knitted it, and now my boyfriend wears it on cold winter days.. i love the icelandic wool, i grew up wearing jumpers knitted out of it, it really is super light and super warm (and luckily, in my part of the world, it really isn't that expencive or hard to find)
This is so beautiful! I would love to learn how to make sweaters one day. I know how to knit a scarf, but that is all, and keeping it very basic. How do you learn to do something like this? Are you self taught or did you take classes? I would love to know how to venture into knitting apparel the right way! I saw a lady a couple of weeks ago in the doctor's waiting room and she was knitting socks and it looked like she had 5 needles all stuck in various places. Is knitting a scarf complicated like that?
I mean sweater….not scarf! 🙂
Thanks Shirley Ann; and don't worry, knitting a jumper/sweater is not nearly as complex as manipulating those tiny double pointed needles that you use for socks. Although I actually do knit my own socks and love that process too.
My Mum taught me how to knit as a kiddywink; but it's never been easier to teach yourself how to knit since there are now absolutely fantastic tutorials on youtube for just about every knitting-related thing you can think of. Really, just get yourself a pattern, preferably a simple one with no lacework, and have a go, check out new-to-you instructions on youtube; I promise it's a lot easier than you might think, and very addictive!
Good luck!
Thank you Carolyn! I will do that!
Did you sleep at all !?! That sweater is amazing – and anyone told it was made in just a week will probably need smelling salts. Well done Carolyn!
Great work and fit, it's really gorgeous!
GREAT JOB!
I don't knit but can tell that this is beautifully done. Fabulous!
Fantastic job! It will be lively and warm.
Ok, as usually, I'm quite in awe of your knitting skills…
It's a great jumper, I hope he'll love it and I can't believe you could knit this so quickly!
That's a beautiful sweater. Knitting is SO much slower than sewing; I can't believe you did this in a week.
Beautiful knitting. Excellent knitwear modelling by Sam 😉
Absolutely stunning jumper for Sam, and you knitted it that quickly, you are amazing!
What a beautiful sweater! I am amused that you MADE your own souvenirs (:
I love the jumper. I made a number of these back in the 80s although it was easier to source the wool locally at the time in Tasmania. I have just downloaded a lopi pattern and was trying to find somewhere to get the wool. Is it possible for you to post the link to where you got your wool from please.
Kate
thank you Kate; I bought my wool from Alafoss directly. The postage to here is quite steep but actually the wool itself is relatively inexpensive by our standards! so it does even out to a reasonable cost overall. One ball goes a loooong way 🙂
Thank you Carolyn. I will make sure that I order a little extra just in case. 🙂
I have been searching for this book for ages!! What a fantastic jumper, and such a lovely wool. Fingers crossed I can find a copy soon 🙂
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