Year or Decade – from her hair do it’s a late 70s to mid 80s pattern. His hair is pretty 80s. They look like everyone’s parents did when I was little. I’m leaning towards dating it as early 80’s as the company’s telephone number has only 3 digits.
Size – 81 cm to 112 cm, which is 32 inch bust/ chest to 44 inch bust/ chest
Yarn Size – Hmm DK? Aran? “Pure Icelandic Lopi Wool” which you can buy here (and also they sell elf shoes!)
Source – Pattern was found in the RSPCA charity shop in Fleetwood and I had to insist on paying £1 when they only wanted 50p. Published by a local pattern company in Cumbria. Hawkshead is very much a place you might go for a nice drive to and see some lovely countryside. It’s close to a public forest. I imagine after having a walk about the country, they popped into the nearest town for lunch and a wander around the shops and that is when this pattern was bought, perhaps from the yarn shop that produced it. Hawkshead was a wool selling town going back to medieval times. After all this imagining, I realizsd a) there is a stamp from a wool shop much nearer to Fleetwood and b) the whole story is something that I have actually done when I was a child.
Don’t forget to look at Chart Minder to help make your own colourful charts.
I’m pretty sure this is the Icelandic sweater that I knitted for my then husband – If not, it was almost identical. That would have been in 1977-78. I haven’t knitted with Lopi wool since then, and I’m tempted to have another go 40 years later… I remember how lovely and rewarding it was to knit with.
The yarn is available from Knit With Attitude- https://knitwithattitude.com/yarn/lopi.html
Thanks Caroline. There seems to be different Lopi yarns out and I’m not know what ply this one was
After doing some research, I have found that the yarn which should be used for this sweater is Alafoss Lopi which is the Icelandic term for chunky or bulky yarn. It is single ply and the tension or gauge for a 10cm x 10cm square should be 13 sts and 18 rows on 6.5mm needles.
I got this as a kit the early 1980s and made the cardigan for myself. My husband has always wanted the jumper, and as I found the pattern again when I was detaching my craft supplies this week, I’m going to try it again. Hopefully I can get the original wool. Not sure what happened to my cardie, but I do remember the wool was scratchy
https://knitwithattitude.com/yarn/lopi.html
I am from Canada and like the lady before me l have made numerous sweaters like this 40 yrs ago
Since then my hands have aged as well, hence l would like to give it a try but can you suggest a yarn that l can buy here to try first.
Thank you Marny Douglas
I’m sorry I’m not familiar with yarns in Canada. If you go to an independent yarn store, rather than a big box craft warehouse, they will be knitting experts/fans and can advise you.