Another Year, Another Icelandic Sweater

Who has two thumbs and just made herself a sweater? 

The girl who is perpetually cold (pictured above) had some major jealously over Jeff's wool sweater. When my friend Katelyn told me Tolt Yarn and Wool has an entire month devoted to Icelandic knitting, I immediately hopped over to their website and ordered some pure Icelandic sheep wool and my favorite pattern. If you're a knitter and not already following Tolt, I hiiiighly recommend at least signing up for their email newsletter for inspiration.

I began this project on our way to Yellowstone/Grand Tetons this summer. Here I am pictured in the car covered by a child's blanket. It was 90 degrees outside (I did mention that I am perpetually cold). There was probably also Raffi music playing.

You'll notice that I knit the two sleeves at the same time. I attached post-it notes labeled 1 and 2 to keep track of where I was. I did this because I was too lazy to count, my children are constantly distracting me, and I wanted to make sure my tension was even on both sleeves. A lot can happen to knitting tension over the course of a project!

I told Jeff that my goal for our summer vacation was to relax and enjoy nature. "I just want to sit outside in the hammock and knit." Mission Accomplished!

It always feels strange to be knitting on the hottest days of the year, but I love having something ready for when the weather turns. And turn it does, seemingly overnight in the Pacific Northwest.

After a laid-back two months of occasional Netflix knitting (about an inch per TV viewing), the sweater was pretty much complete. A more enthusiastic knitter could probably finish it sooner, but I have lots of hobbies in my life.

While the plumbers were working away at our mess of a plumbing situation, I cast off and wove in ends. It was a glorious ending with lots of stressful noises happening in the background, but I am happy with the end result.

My other discovery and recommendation from this project was the Very Pink Knits YouTube channel. I learned her stretchy cast off method, acquired knowledge on spit splicing and other joins, used her methods for increasing rows, learned to wrap and turn, then pick up the wraps, and searched her videos at least a few more times over the course of the project. I love how short and precise her videos are.

In conclusion, knit yourself a sweater! At the very least it will give you something to do while watching TV.

Icelandic Sweater

Did you know March is Icelandic Wool Month?! Ever since we visited Iceland, Jeff has coveted  handmade Icelandic sweaters. The problem is that they are ridiculously expensive.

When you are in Iceland spending an excessive amount on food and lodging, coughing up hundreds of dollars for a sweater is less than appealing. Since Jeff and I are cheap, he assumed for years that I was just going to make him one. Ha! Why does he think I know how to make a sweater? In both my distant and recent memories, I know I have uttered this statement at least three times: "Jeff, I am never going to knit you a sweater. Ever. So please remove that from your life expectations."

...I knit him a sweater...

The problem with making somebody something for Christmas is that you have to do it all in secret. Anyone with a child will tell you that secrets are not easy to keep with little mouths that talk. 

For 3 months, everyone in the house was talking about the blanket Mommy was knitting for Baby KJ (a rumor I personally started). By the way, it took me a god's age to make this because I really only had time to work on it a few hours a week. Stop judging me!

I had to restart the bugger 3 times. Please feel sorry for me. When you cast on hundreds of stitches using tiny little needles this is no small task. One time I was a good 8 inches deep into the project when I realized I had twisted the knitting at some point. *@#^$%@#!

Starting off is easy once you get over the initial cast-on drama. You really just knit in the round for the body and the sleeves. I put stitch markers at every 50 stitches, and a different colored one at the halfway mark, to easily keep track of counting.

Once you get to the sleeves it's business as usual. Keep knitting in the round until you get to the desired length. I made the sleeves and body a little longer for Jeff, since he is taller than the average global citizen.

When it came time to join the sleeves to the body...now this is where it started getting tricky. I have an image that I took on my phone. I will spare you from that image since it is poor quality.

At this point we were really getting down to the wire. Christmas was around the corner, and I only had a few days left to finish the project. I made excuses to hide from Jeff for hours at a time: my mom needs help wrapping presents, my brother needs a babysitter, I have to help out at church. Lord, forgive me for all the lies. On Christmas Eve it was finally done (after I spent 4 hours that morning knitting in a Starbucks).

I blocked the sweater in the upstairs shower underneath towels and the thickest Harry Potter books on our shelf. I crept upstairs early Christmas morning and quickly wrapped it after weaving in a few loose threads.

In conclusion, knitting a sweater (especially in secret) is not for the faint of heart. Be prepared for late nights and voluntary seclusion. If you decide to tackle such a project, hopefully it will be worth it. In my mind, this sweater will be passed on to our son and grandchildren. May they appreciate it as much as I am imagining. Who am I kidding, it will be at Goodwill in 15 years.

A few things to note if you are considering such a project:

• The pattern I used is from the Handknitting Association of Iceland. The kit I used included the pattern, the yarn, and all the knitting needles I would need. The website also offers free pattern downloads, but I thought the price of the kit was worth it, considering the yarn was authentically Icelandic and of high quality. I think it was around $90 at the time plus shipping.
• If you decide to use yarn from Icelandic sheep, be aware that is is very course and slightly scratchy. This does not mean the quality is inferior. On the contrary, the yarn is more lightweight, durable, and waterproof than other softer wool options you will find on the market. If it protects Icelandic sheep from harsh climates, it will do the same for you. Jeff wears a shirt under his sweater to protect his delicate, American skin. 
• Lettlopi (pure Icelandic wool yarn) can be purchased from the Handknitting Association of Iceland, but I also found some at this shop in Western Washington. You can order online from Tolt Yarn and Wool with extrasuperduper fast shipping. I know this because I just bought some Lettlopi to make a sweater for myself! This is a much more economical way to complete the project since you do not have to pay international shipping, and you can get the needles from Joann with coupons one week at a time...I told you I am cheap. I got this pattern for my sweater, but you can use a free one from the Handknitting Association of Iceland.
• When knitting the fair isle pattern, do not knit too tight or too loose. Keep one ball of yarn to your left and one ball to your right, making sure to stay consistent on which one gets looped under/over to avoid twisting. If my memory serves me right, I believe the "under" yarn will pop more in the pattern, so plan accordingly.
• Have fun and take your time. Expect mistakes, and embrace a missed stitch - hopefully it will be under the arm and no one will notice. Otherwise, I am here for you when you have to backstitch.  

The kids and I went on a pilgrimage to Tolt when we were in the Seattle area last weekend. It was everything dreamy that I was imagining, and no one gave me the stink eye when my toddler was pulling every reachable pink and purple skein off the shelves. Definitely visit them if you happen to be near Seattle, and snatch up one of their cute mugs.