Norwegian Woods

Norwegian Woods Classic Norwegian Wool Sweater

What is Being Made

Norwegian Woods is a classic Norwegian wool sweater designed by Katrine H, featuring a traditional stranded colorwork pattern knitted in the round. This pullover sweater is available in women's sizes Small, Medium, and Large, with a finished bust circumference of 42 inches (107 cm) for size Small and a body length of 16 inches (40 cm). The sweater showcases authentic Nordic design with a two-color stranded knit pattern combining dark grey as the main color with natural white contrast details.

Knitting Techniques Used

This sweater employs several fundamental knitting techniques suitable for beginners with some experience. The primary construction method is knitting in the round using circular needles, which creates a seamless fabric and is characteristic of traditional Norwegian sweater construction. The design incorporates stranded colorwork (also known as Fair Isle knitting), a technique where two colors are carried across the back of the work to create the patterned design. The sweater is constructed from the bottom up, beginning with a ribbed edge and progressing through the body and sleeves. Gauge swatching is emphasized as critical to achieving proper fit, with instructions to adjust needle sizes if the test swatch produces gauge that is tighter or looser than specified.

Stitches and Stitch Patterns

The pattern utilizes ribbing for the edges and cuffs, created using smaller needles (US 6/4 mm) to provide elasticity and a finished appearance. The main body and sleeves are worked in stockinette stitch in the round, which creates the smooth, classic sweater fabric. The stranded colorwork pattern is integrated into the stockinette base, with the two colors creating the traditional Norwegian geometric design. The pattern specifies a gauge of 17 stitches by 22 rows over 4 inches (10 cm) in the main stitch, which is essential for achieving the correct finished measurements.

Materials: Yarn and Needles

The pattern calls for Aran weight yarn, which is a medium-heavy yarn suitable for creating a warm, durable sweater. Recommended yarn options include Drops Nepal by Garnstudio or Dale Cotinga by Dale Garn, though any wool yarn that knits to the specified gauge is acceptable. For size Small, the yarn requirements are 13 balls of the main color (dark grey) and 2 balls of the contrast color (natural white).

The needle requirements include circular needles measuring 32 inches (80 cm) in US size 8 (5 mm) for working the body and sleeves at gauge, and US size 6 (4 mm) circular needles for the ribbing and edges. The use of circular needles throughout, rather than double-pointed needles, facilitates smooth knitting in the round and accommodates the larger stitch counts required for a full-sized sweater.

Pattern Details and Sizing

The cast-on stitch counts vary by size: 188 stitches for Small, 204 stitches for Medium, and 220 stitches for Large. The pattern notes that alternative cast-on methods, such as the old Norwegian cast-on, may be used for a more stretchy edge if preferred. The downloadable PDF format provides complete instructions for constructing this beginner-friendly sweater design.