Laekur cardigan, a free knitting pattern from Knitty.com. Free knitting pattern for an Icelandic cardigan featuring Fair Isle colorwork, steeked and worked in the round.

INTRODUCTION

Laekur

beauty shot by Ágústa Jónsdóttir

Piquant

I love yellow and grey together. Somehow they make a natural combination. They remind me of the autumn and winter, which is a good time to wear this Icelandic sweater.

The sweater is knitted round on circular needles. The sleeves and upper body are knitted separately, then joined together and knitted as one piece. Six extra sts are worked in the middle of the front for steeking and cutting. This is the most traditional method of working Icelandic knitwear. After steeking, the front edges are finished off by knitting on ribbed button bands.

spacer model: Erna Sigrún Jónsdóttir, Valdís Anna Orradóttir

spacer photos: Ágústa Jónsdóttir, Margrét Sól Aðalsteinsdóttir

SIZE

XS[S, M, L, XL, 2X, 3X]
shown in size M with approx. 4 inches/10 cm of ease

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Chest: 31.75[35.5, 36.75, 40.5, 44, 47.75, 52.5] inches/ 80[90, 93.5, 103, 112, 121.5, 133.5] cm
Length: 27.75[29, 30, 30.5, 31, 31.75, 31.75] inches/ 70.5[73.5, 76, 77.5, 78.5, 80.5, 80.5] cm

MATERIALS

Yarn
Gusta.is MOSA Mjukull [66% alpaca, 34% Icelandic wool; 85 yd/78 m per 50g skein]; color:
[MC] Mó bomb (#3400); 7[7, 8, 8, 8, 9, 9] skeins
[CC1] Camel Mix (#3200); 2 skeins
[CC2] Yellow (#5000); 2[2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3] skeins

Recommended needle size
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below - every knitter's gauge is unique]
1 US #4/3.5mm circular needle 32-inch or longer
1 set US #4/3.5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round
1 US #7/4.5mm circular needle 32-inch or longer
1 set US #7/4.5mm needles for working small circumferences in the round

Notions
US G/4.0mm crochet hook
yarn needle

GAUGE

17 sts/22 rows = 4 inches/10 cm in stockinette stitch on larger needles

PATTERN NOTES

[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

K1, p1 rib (knit flat, odd number of stitches):
Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1; repeat from * to last st, k1.
Row 2 (WS): *p1, k1; repeat from * to last st, p1.
Repeat Rows 1-2 for pattern.

K1, p1 rib (worked flat, even number of stitches):
Row 1 (RS): *k1, p1; repeat from * to end.
Row 2 (WS): *p1, k1; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Rows 1-2 for pattern.

K1, p1 rib (worked in the round):
Rnd 1: *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.
Repeat Rnd 1 for pattern.

The ribbing is worked first flat, and then the body is joined to work in the round and 6 steek sts are cast on. The steek sts are placed in middle of the front, and indicate the start of the round. These sts are not counted in the pattern stitch counts and are always purled.

Instructions for a crocheted steek can be found here.

Instructions for grafting can be found here:

Instructions for basic crochet stitches can be found here.

CHARTS

XS | S | M, L | XL | 2X, 3X

DIRECTIONS

Lower body
With circular needle size 3.5 mm and Col. A cast on 117[133, 139, 155, 169, 185, 205] sts.
Working flat, knit one row, then work in k1, p1 rib until work measures 4[4.25, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5] inches/ 10[11, 13, 13, 13, 13, 13] cm.

On the last row of the ribbing, cast on 6 steek sts at the end of the row and join to work in the round. Change to larger circular needle.

Inc rnd: K 4[0, 4, 0, 2, 5, 4] , *M1, k 10[12, 12, 14, 15, 16, 18] ; repeat from * to last 3[1, 3, 1, 2, 4, 3] sts, knit to end. 128[144, 150, 166, 180, 196, 216] sts.
Work in St st until body measures 11 inches/28 cm from cast on edge.

Change to CC1 and knit until both skeins are finished.

Change back to MC, and work in St st until body measures 20[21, 21.25, 21.75, 21.75, 21.75, 21.75] inches/ 51[53, 54, 55, 55, 55, 55] cm, or desired length to underarm from cast on edge. Put body aside and work sleeves.

Sleeves (work 2)
With smaller double pointed needles and MC, cast on 32[34, 36, 38, 42, 42, 42] sts. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.
Work in k1, p1 rib for 2.75 inches/7 cm.
Change to larger needles.

Next rnd: *K 8[8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 10] , M1; repeat from * to last 0[2, 0, 2, 2, 2, 2] sts, knit to end. 36[38, 40, 42, 46, 46, 46] sts.
Work in St st until sleeve measures 4 inches/10 cm from cast on edge.

Inc rnd: K1, M1, work to last st, M1, k1. 2 sts increased, 38[40, 42, 44, 48. 48, 48, ] sts.
Work Inc rnd every 1.5 inches/4 cm 7[7, 8. 8. 10, 11, 11, , ] times total. 50[52, 56, 58, 66, 68, 68] sts.

Work in St st until sleeve measures 16.5[17.75, 18.5, 19, 19.75, 19.75, 19.75] inches/ 42[45, 47, 48, 50, 50, 50] cm, or desired length to underarm. On the last round, set aside the first 3[3, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] sts and the last 4[4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4] sts on a holder for the underarm; 43[45, 48, 50, 58, 60, 60] sts remain. Set aside and make second sleeve.

Yoke
Join together the lower body and sleeves in the following way: K 28[32, 33, 37, 41, 45, 50] sts of body, place next 7[7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8] sts on a holder for the underarm, k 43[45, 48. 50, 58, 60, 60, ] right sleeve sts, k 58[66, 68, 76, 82, 90, 100] back sts, place next 7[7, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8] sts for underarm, k 43[45, 48, 50, 58, 60, 60] left sleeve sts, k 28[32, 33, 37, 41, 45, 50] front sts. 200[220, 250, 280, 300, 320, ] sts.

Begin working colourwork pattern from Chart specific for your size, decreasing where indicating using k2tog.

Collar
With CC2, begin working back and forth, binding off the steek sts on the first row.
Dec row: K 10[6, 4, 6, 6, 3, 8] , *k2tog, k 8[7, 4, 7, 4, 4, 2] ; repeat from * to last 10[6, 5, 6, 6, 3, 8] sts, knit to end. 56[60, 64, 68, 72, 76, ] sts.
Next row (WS): *K1, p1; repeat from * to end.
Next row (RS): *Yo, k2tog; repeat from * to end.
Work 2 rows in garter stitch (knit every row) and bind off loosely.

Button bands
Prepare the front steek as preferred and cut open.

Left button band:
With smaller circular needle and MC and RS facing, pick up and knit 100[104, 108, 110, 112, 114, 114] sts along the left front edge beginning at the neck edge, including the collar and the bottom ribbing (approximately 2 sts for every 3 rows).
Work 8 rows in k1, p1 ribbing. Bind off in pattern.

Right front:
With smaller circular needles and MC, and with RS facing, pick up and knit 100[104, 108, 110, 112, 114, 114] sts along the right front edge beginning at the bottom edge, including the collar and the bottom ribbing (approximately 2 sts for every 3 rows).
Work 3 rows in k1, p1 ribbing.
Next row (RS): Work 6[4, 6, 3, 4, 5, 5] sts in pattern, *yo, k2tog, work 9[10, 10, 11, 11, 11, 11] sts in pattern; repeat from * 7 more time, work to end.
Work 4 more rows in k1, p1 ribbing. Bind off in pattern.

FINISHING

Graft together live stitches at underarms. If the hem edges and collar are untidy, you can single crochet along the edge.

Weave in loose ends. Wash the garment in lukewarm water with a wool soap or shampoo. Lay flat for drying and block to schematic measurements.

schematic A: 27.75[29, 30, 30.5, 31, 31.75, 31.75] inches/ 70.5[73.5, 76, 77.5, 78.5, 80.5, 80.5] cm
B: 20[21, 21.25, 21.75, 21.75, 21.75, 21.75] inches/ 51[53.5, 54, 55, 55, 55, 55] cm
C: 31.75[35.5, 36.75, 40.5, 44, 47.75, 52.5] inches/ 80.5[90, 93.5, 103, 112, 121.5, 133.5] cm
D: 11.75[12.25, 13.25, 13.75, 15.5, 16, 16] inches/ 30[31, 33.5, 35, 39.5, 40.5, 40.5] cm
E: 13.25[14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 18] inches/ 33.5[35.5, 38, 40.5, 43, 45.5, 45.5] cm
F: 7.75[8, 8.75, 8.75, 9.25, 10, 10] inches/ 19.5[20.5, 22, 22, 23.5, 25.5, 25.5] cm
G: 16.5[17.75, 18.5, 19, 19.75, 19.75, 19.75] inches/ 42[45, 47, 48.5, 50, 50, 50] cm
H: 7.5[8, 8.5, 9, 10, 10, 10] inches/ 19[20.5, 21.5, 23, 25.5, 25.5, 25.5] cm

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

designername Agusta Jonsdottir is an Icelandic knitting designer, who lives and works in Iceland and Switzerland. With degrees in Biology and Business, she worked in the pharmaceutical and biotech sector for 15 years doing international business development, but her secret passion was in knitting and design. She published two knitting books on mittens and socks in Iceland, one of which became the best-selling knitting book ever in Icelandic and has recently been translated into Norwegian.

In 2015, Agusta realized her dreams and founded the entrepreneurial knitting company Gusta ehf in Iceland, named after her grandmother. Gusta produces yarns made from Alpaca and Icelandic wool, combining ultra-soft alpaca with warm and light Icelandic wool. The designs are inspired from Icelandic knitting tradition and nature. You'll find her on Facebook, too.