Loforð Cardigan in LOPI Álafosslopi & Léttlopi

Loforð Cardigan Knitting Pattern – Chunky Colorwork in LOPI Álafosslopi & Léttlopi

The Loforð Cardigan is a striking colorwork cardigan pattern from LOPIDESIGN.is, designed to be knitted using authentic Icelandic LOPI yarns. The name Loforð means "promise" in Icelandic, and the design carries the poetic sentiment: "Different paths, sometimes narrow, sometimes wide, but our friendship is tightly knit." This intermediate-level knitting pattern is available as a downloadable PDF and produces a substantial, warm cardigan worked in chunky-weight yarn with rich colorwork detailing.

Sizes and Finished Measurements

The Loforð Cardigan is offered in three sizes to suit a range of adult wearers:

• S – Chest circumference: 106 cm, Length: 72 cm, Sleeve length: 53 cm
• M/L – Chest circumference: 115 cm, Length: 74 cm, Sleeve length: 53 cm
• XL – Chest circumference: 124 cm, Length: 76 cm, Sleeve length: 53 cm

The generous proportions and chunky yarn weight make this cardigan a cozy, substantial outerwear piece with a classic Scandinavian-inspired silhouette.

Materials Required

Yarn

This pattern calls for two different LOPI yarn weights used together to create both the body structure and the colorwork detailing:

• Álafosslopi (100 g balls) – a bulky, single-ply Icelandic wool yarn, used as the primary structural yarn. Color A: 9975 Black Tweed – 8 (9, 10) balls required depending on size.
• Léttlopi (50 g balls) – a lighter-weight Icelandic wool yarn used for the colorwork pattern. The following colors are each required in 1 ball across all sizes:
  • Color B: 1704 Apricot
  • Color C: 1412 Pink
  • Color D: 0051 White
  • Color E: 1703 Mimosa

Álafosslopi is one of Iceland's most iconic yarns, spun from 100% pure Icelandic wool and known for its warmth, lightness, and characteristic rustic texture. Léttlopi is a slightly finer single-ply Icelandic wool that works beautifully for colorwork motifs due to its smooth stitch definition.

Needles

• 4.5 mm circular needle – used for the ribbed or seed stitch border sections
• 6 mm circular needle – used for the main body and sleeves worked in the round

Construction Method

The Loforð Cardigan is constructed using a combination of flat knitting and knitting in the round, a method commonly used in traditional Icelandic and Scandinavian garment construction. The body is begun flat, then joined to work seamlessly in the round for the majority of the garment, before returning to flat knitting for specific sections such as the armhole shaping.

Body Construction

The body begins by casting on 143 (155, 167) stitches with Álafosslopi Color A on a 4.5 mm circular needle. The first four rows are worked back and forth in Seed Stitch to create a textured, non-curling border. The first and last 5 stitches of the row are then placed on stitch holders.

The work then transitions to the 6 mm circular needle, where 2 additional stitches are cast on at each end to serve as a steek – a traditional Icelandic and Fair Isle technique in which extra stitches are added to allow