I love going into yarn shops wherever I travel, don’t you? Ever since I walked into my first yarn shop in Chapel Hill, North Carolina when my oldest son was a baby in 1988, I was hooked. I love the women in yarn shops – so eager to help you and so excited about the yarn they sell. A good yarn shop has a big table where knitters come and work on their projects, either for the help or just for the friendship. Recently while visiting our son in college, I walked into a yarn shop in Evanston, Illinois – CloseKnit – and this shop was one of those great little yarn shops. The women were having a great time and laughing and there was a big table right in the middle of the shop. I saw this yarn on display with a little sample swatch knitted up and was so intrigued with it that I bought a couple of skeins. It’s a German yarn called Schachenmayr Extra Fine Merino 120 and, when knitted up, kind of looks like Fair Isle. I love it. But what’s really great about it is the texture – it’s extra fine merino, but has a really nice firmness to it that I like. It held up so well after blocking – sometimes wool can relax too much after blocking and I hate that. This yarn retained its structure.
This free (!) pattern is called “Lilla Koftan” which means “Little Cardigan” in Swedish. It is a pattern by Petra Orrbeck and I really liked it. It’s my favorite technique for a sweater: top down, seamless, sleeves put on holders and then knitted in the round. And it has a little garter yoke and garter trim. Perfect!
I knit the whole thing on #4 circular Addi Lace needles and then did the sleeves using Magic Loop, instead of DPNs. If you need a tutorial on Magic Loop, here is mine (along with a video to help you). Magic Loop is my favorite way to knit in the round.
Using #4 needles and DK yarn, this made a tiny sweater – probably a 6 month size. So cute.
I modified the pattern just a tad:
1. I only did 3 buttonholes (because I like that look)
2. I did M1 increases instead of the yarn overs she suggested.
3. I did 22 rows for the body instead of 17 as the pattern says.
4. I did 11 rows of garter stitch for the trim instead of 9.
5. I did 22 rows stockinette for sleeves before garter trim
This pattern, making it the size I did, took exactly 2 skeins of this yarn – I only had about 7 yards left! It was a close call. So that’s about 260 yards. This yarn is a DK weight although the company web site lists it as a Lace weight. That just is a mistake.
This is all the yarn I had left! If I want to make a little hat, I’ll have to get another skein.
Thanks for stopping by and
I hope you’re making something!
Elaine
Pattern: Lilla Koftan
Needles: U.S. #4 circular
Yarn: Schachenmayr Merino Extra Fine Color 120 in Helsinki (494)
Ravelry Page
Italian Dish Knits 