Wool Week pattern 2024

Material 

Hulduband 350 (450) g  (50g =100m) 6 (8) skeins 

Feldfé lopi or Þingborg lopi 350 (450) gr  total. Knitted double. 

Dóruband 350 (450) gr. 

Circular needles 5,5mm and 6,0 mm (US  9 and 10) 

4 large buttons (38 mm or bigger); (we  recommend roðtölur, made from  Icelandic fish leather). 

Sizes 

S-M (L-XL) 

Method 

The vest is knitted top down starting  with the neckband. At first simple knit  and purl stitches are used, then the  front and back panel is knitted  separately, using Brioche (fisherman´s  rib pattern). The edges are worked in  ribbing (k1, p1).  There is a choice of two different  necklines, one lower for those that  don´t want wool all the way up on the  neck. 

Lower neckline version:

Cast on 72 (78) sts using needles  5.5mm and connect in the round. Knit  ribbing *k1, p1* for 4 rounds. Place  markers at the beginning of round and  another marker after 36 (39)sts: one on  each shoulder. Change to needles 6 mm and increase 6  (7) sts: * k12 , m1* (*k11, m1*) to a total  of 78 (85) sts. Knit 2 rounds. Increase again but this time by making  holes as follows: *k6 ( k5), yarn over* to  end of round. Knit one round. You now have 91 (102) sts total. The markers are on each side  of your vest: S-M: there are 45 sts on the front and  46 sts on the back.  L -XL:there are 51 sts on both the front  and the back piece. K 2 rounds. If you wish knit 2 sets of short rows on the back to further shape  your neckline. 

Short rows: 

1st row (RS): knit to marker on left  shoulder, turn, with yarn in front slip st  from left to right needle, bring yarn  over and back, then pull, until it looks  like a double stitch (DS), pull yarn  tight.  2nd row (WS): purl 1 and pull yarn  tight, purl to the other marker, turn, with yarn in front slip st from left to right needle, bring yarn over and back  then pull, until it looks like a double  stitch (DS), pull yarn tight. 3rd row (RS): knit 1 and pull yarn  tight, knit to 2 sts past the next marker, 4th row (WS): purl 1 and pull yarn  tight, purl to 2 sts past the marker, turn  and slip st as above.  

Knit and increase as follows:

In the back: *k9, m1* (*k10, m1*) x 5  times. Shoulder: 1 st on each shoulder (next to  back). Front: *k22, m1* x 9 times (*k17, m1* x  10 times) . A total of 9 (10) sts increased to a total  of 100 (112) sts. The front now has 49 (54) sts and the  back 51 (58) sts. 

K 6 rounds and then change to Brioche  pattern for the body. 

Turtleneck version: 

Cast on 64 (72) sts using needles  5.5mm and connect in the round: knit  ribbing *k2, p2* in for 18 (20) cm. Place markers at the beginning of round  and after 32 (36) sts. One on each  shoulder. Change to needles 6 mm and increase 6  (7) sts: * k12, m1* (*k11, m1*) to a total  of 78 (85) sts. Knit 2 rounds. Increase again but this time by making holes as follows: *k6 (k5), yarn over* to  end of round. Knit one round. You now have 91 (102) sts total. The  markers are on each side of your vest: S-M: there are 45sts on the front and  45sts on the back. L – XL:there are 51 sts on both the  front and the back piece. K 2 rounds. If you wish knit 2 sets of short rows on the back to further shape  your neckline. See instructions for short rows above!

K and increase as follows:

In the back: *k9, m1* (*k10, m1*) x 5  times. Shoulder: 1 st on each shoulder  (next to back). Front: *k22, m1* x 9  times (*k17, m1* x 10 times). A total of 9 (10) sts increased to a total  of 100 (112) sts. The front now has 49 (54) sts and the  back 51 (58) sts. K 6 rounds and then change to Brioche  pattern for the body. 

Body (both versions):

The body will be knitted back and forth, the front and the back piece worked separately, in Brioche (fisherman’s rib). Put 1 (0) sts from the front and 1 (2) sts from the back of the vest on waste yarn or spare needle to work with later. This separates the front and back part. You now have 48 (54) sts on the front part and 50 (56) sts on the back. (You need an even number of sts).

Knit front piece first. (If you wish, keep the back stitches on a spare needle or a waste yarn in the meantime). On needles 6 mm knit Brioche pattern back and forth: start with the st that is passed from one needle to the other and end with a knit stitch. Work Brioche until the front measures 38 (40) cm or 7-10 cm shorter than your desired total length. That are at least 70 rows, whereas in Brioche pattern a front and a back row are counted as one row. Also note that Brioche pattern will stretch a lot. Do try on your vest to determine your desired length. Remember that the ribbing at the end will add 7 – 10 cm. End on a wrong side row and start to knit ribbing: increase by 1 st at the beginning of the row to have a symmetrical ribbing. RS:*k1, p1*k1 . WS: *p1, k1*p1. Work ribbing for 7 -10 cm or until desired length is reached.

Bind off very loosely!! I recommend using a bigger needle for bind off. Work the back piece the same way – or make the back piece longer than the front, as you wish.

Each side loop becomes a new stitch for the edging in rib pattern.

Note that there are not button holes on the vest. The buttons are sewn in through both sides of the vest for decoration. You don’t need button holes, because the vest has a loose fit and is easy to put on. The buttons are sewn on after the vest is dry. However, should you want button holes, you can make them on the front side of the vest. Put it on before you pick up the sts on the sides and put a marker where you want to have the holes and then do button holes as follows:

K1, P1 on the side edge back and forth for 2,5 cm. When you come to the marker that you put to decide for the button hole put the yarn over the needle twice and purl the next 2 sts together. On the way back you take the yarn off the needle to the other needle without knitting it and in the third row you knit it as it should be knitted. Then knit o 3 more rows and bind off. It is better to make the button hole from the front side (not the inside) of the vest after a knit st, double yarn over and then purl 2 sts together. Make exactly the same amount of sts on the other side. Sew in ends. Gently wash and lay out your vest into the right shape and leave to dry. If you made a turtleneck, it is better to lay it in a folded position in the size you want to have it. Try the vest on, to decide the placement of the buttons and fasten them through both sides.

It would make us happy to see a photo of your finished garment on Instagram or/and Facebook with the hashtag:

#uppspuni
#búðarhálsvest
#woolweekwest2024

Abbreviations and techniques:

K knit
P purl
RS right side
WS wrong side
st/sts stitch/stitches
m make a new stitch

Brioche or Fisherman’s rib

Brioche (or Fisherman’s rib) is fun and works for many different kinds of projects. It stretches nicely and the garment becomes „airy“ so it is warmer. It is knitted back and forth. The two sides look the same and are knitted in the same method. When you are knitting, you are only knitting every other stitch: you always work a yarn over (yo) and slip one stitch (st) together (this yo and st together is considered as 1 st) – (see photo 1; then knit the next stitch. On the row back you knit the yo and st you slipped (see photo 2), and then you work the yarn over and slip the one you knitted before. That way you always have one knitted stitch and one slipped stitch with the yarn over on the needle. (see photo 3). For a neat edge it is best to start each row by slipping the stitch and finishing the row with a knitted stitch.