Maija

Prepare for a bunch of blog posts! During the next weeks, I'll be writing about each and every design in my debut book, Strands of Joy. You can still pre-order the book from my webshop, from Laine or dozens of their stockists around the world, and the physical books will hit the yarn stores on February 19th. All the pattern pages went live on Ravelry today so you can start planning your projects. 

What: Maija / Own pattern

How: Circular needles 4.5 and 5.0 mm

From: Tukuwool Hakamaa DK, 660 g

The first design from the book is a cardigan called Maija. Not only did I draw inspiration for the design from the yarn I designed it for but it also gave the name for the cardigan. Hakamaa sheep farm is owned by a lovely woman called Maija. Did you know that in the Finnish translation of Mary had a little lamb, it's Maija?

The rustic Finnish wool was just begging to be designed into a long cardigan with a traditional feel. The kind of cardigan you can truly wrap yourself in. Maija is worked top-down, flat. That means there's stranded knitting on WS rows too but I kept the colourwork simple just for that reason. There's also colourwork in only some parts of the cardigan.

The cardigan has a dropped shoulderline, meaning it will start with shaping the shoulders with short rows. The back and fronts are worked separately until the underarm where they are joined and the hem is worked in one piece.

The cardigan has waist shaping and the colourwork is placed on the shoulders, waist and hem. Finally, you will pick up stitches for the sleeves and work one final colourwork stripe on the top of the sleeves. 

The buttonbands are worked at the same time with the rest of the cardigan.

This was one the only three samples I didn't have time to make myself so I'm in dept to my lovely test knitter Piia for lending her cardigan for the photoshoot.

You can find all the info on Maija below to start planning your project. Some of the photos are by Laine team for the book and some are our own.

Size

XXS-XS-S-M1 [M2-L1-L2-XL] 2XL-3XL-4XL-5XL

This cardigan is meant to be worn with positive ease. Choose a size with approx. 6’’ / 15 cm positive ease at bust circumference.

Finished measurements

Bust circumference: 36-38-40-42 [44-46-48-52] 58-60-64-70’’ / 90-95-100-105 [110-115-120-130] 145-150-160-175 cm

Yarn

Tukuwool Hakamaa DK (100% Finnish wool, 2-ply, 230 m / 100 g), or other DK weight yarn. Shown in colors Harmaa (MC), Musta (CC1) and Valkoinen (CC2).

5-5-5-6 [6-6-7-7] 8-8-9-10 skeins of MC, 1-1-1-1 [1-2-2-2] 2-2-2-2 skeins of CC1 and 1 skein of CC2.

Yardage

MC: 1060-1110-1155-1290 [1330-1370-1515-1600] 1805-1875-2085-2300 yrds / 975-1020-1060-1180 [1220-1260-1390-1470] 1655-1720-1915-2110 m,

CC1: 200-210-215-240 [250-260-285-300] 340-355-390-435 yrds / 185-190-200-225 [230-240-260-275] 315-325-360-400 m,

CC2: 60-65-65-75 [75-75-85-90] 100-105-120-130 yrds / 55-55-60-65 [70-70-80-80] 95-95-105-120 m.

Needles

US 7 (4.5 mm) and US 8 (5.0 mm) - 40’’ / 100 cm long circular needles and dpns if you prefer to work the sleeves with them. Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the right gauge.

Gauge

16 sts x 22 rows = 4x4’’ / 10x10 cm in stockinette stitch and color work, worked flat on the smaller needles (after blocking).

Other

2 stitch markers, scrap yarn, G-6 (4.0 mm) crochet hook, tapestry needle, 6 buttons (1’’ / 2.5 cm diameter).