Books
It’s Here! Field Guide No. 17: Lopi
Dear everyone,
With all the joy in the world, we proudly announce the arrival of Field Guide No. 17: Lopi.
Get ready for a season of cozy knitting with Mary Jane Mucklestone and her colorful ideas. Field Guide No. 17 is a collection of five designs to knit again and again.
Order your copy here.
The Designer
Mary Jane Mucklestone is one of our great travelers, exploring the world with knitting in hand. And she has taught legions of knitters all about working with color.
We have long dreamed of going on one of her guided trips, so this Field Guide is our chance to set off with Mary Jane to explore Léttlopi, the worsted-weight Icelandic yarn that is so lofty yet warm.
The Launch Party on Monday!
You’re cordially invited to come Zoom with us on Monday, March 8, 5:00-6:00 p.m. Eastern. We’ll be talking with Mary Jane about her designs, her inspiration, the yarns, and who knows what else. The event is free—register right here and you’ll receive an email with the Zoom link on Monday. Bring your knitting!
The Designs
These are quick, tremendously fun designs. Mary Jane is working with Léttlopi, the worsted weight of the classic Icelandic yarn.
Here’s an overview of the five patterns. (Click on the name to see the Ravelry page with specifications for each pattern.)
Daytripper Cardigan: Quick to make, full of color, this is a lightweight sweater because it’s knitted on US size 10 (6 mm) needles. It includes a steek for the front opening, which is a great new technique to try.
Destination Pullover: Pockets! A sweet touch on this simple, cozy sweater. Blocks of color are connected by brief moments of stranded colorwork. Knit on a size US 10 (6 mm) needle, the Léttlopi yarn becomes a fabric that is lofty and light—just the thing for a cool day.
Destination Scarf: A design that lets colors shift as quietly or dramatically as you like. Mix your colors and choose among the five stitch motifs to cook up your own unique fluffer.
Trinket Mittens: These mittens are a traditional style that Mary Jane discovered years ago during her time in Sweden. Choose your cuff motif from the five motifs included in the Field Guide.
Jaunty Beanie: This is serious multiples territory. A hat that lets you fool around with your color pairings and stranded color pattern? You’ll finish one and already be scheming up the next one.
A Brand-New Lookbook!
We have loved Léttlopi for years and have always wanted to carry it in the MDK Shop. Well, we went big and brought in 38 colors, as well as bundles that give you a quick start with beautiful palettes.
To show you all the possibilities, here’s a brand-new lookbook. Just click on the cover to be transported to a shoppable world of Lopi color.
A Knitalong? Of Course!
We’ll give you a little time to ponder the options here and get your yarn game set. Cast on will be Monday, March 22, to run through the end of April. Watch for details. And yes, there will be prizes.
This Field Guide is such a dream come true. To work with Mary Jane and to see what her colorful imagination has brought us? Such fun. We’re looking forward to knitting with you in the weeks to come!
Love,
Ann and Kay
I can’t say how much I love this guide. I have had it on its stand, in a place of honor, on my desk all week…it has me dreaming of Iceland and Lopi …
Gorgeous. I love Mary Jane’s sense of color. I don’t live in a Lopi climate but will probably buy this Guide just to be inspired. Going now to look at your Lopi offerings. Maybe just a beanie…
Maybe you know thus but just in case: Lettlopi is much lighter than Lopi. Worsted vs bulky. I know that might still be too much!
Love the weight of a lettlopi sweater on relatively loose gauge. It’s perfect for now! And the flexibility of color work on this guide is so much fun!
Thank you for putting these photos here. In the print field guide, it is difficult to see patterns or even colors/color contrasts when they have similar values.
Great designs! I’m hoping that a non-Lopi worsted can be subbed in even though I know the result won’t be the same. I just seriously need to do some stash-busting!
I am wondering how itchy this Lopo yarn is. The colors are wonderful.
I made another sweater designed by MJM with Lettlopi, “Solbein”, and I love it but do find it itchy. But its so light and the yarn colors are fantastic, its very comfy with a light cotton layer underneath. Also there’s lots of suggestion for making yarn less itchy on a google search; vinegar, hair conditioner and lanolin soaps are a few…
My Stopover has been worn to death and mended a few time. That sweater with the pockets is calling to meeeeee!
Yay! MJM is one of my favorite designers, and I can’t wait to get started on a new project. I don’t have any Lopi in my stash, so I had to put my 2021 yarn diet on pause to order enough for a Daytripper, while the Destination Scarf bundle fell into my cart too. This yarn is so affordable, that the damage is minimal. Unpause in 3..2..1
Fasten your seatbelts — Ann and Kay are about to go Lopi Loopy! (I think Kermit and Olive will both be getting Destination Scarves…)
Olive’s getting a beanie at the very least, and wearing her Voff sweater in Léttlopi to mark Launch Day!
Yippee! For once I have personal stash, thanks to our trip to Iceland years ago. Lucky me. Must order your new book. Thanks again, MDK!
I barely made it back from Iceland with all my Lettlopi. My son spent a year there on a research grant (have I thanked you for that Derek?) and, while he was working, I entertained the locals by buying as much yarn as I could stuff in my spare duffle. I highly recommend Iceland in winter. Wonderful people, beautiful scenery both day and night and knitters. How could you go wrong?
I’ve made so many Riddari pullovers, but I still have enough leftovers from my 2012 suitcase full of Léttlopi to make quiet a few things from this Field Guide before I even send my requisition to Nashville!
Oooh! I LOVE Riddari! I made one a few years ago and wear it all the time. I made it with all kinds of weird leftovers from other projects as a stash buster, including an eye-searing highlighter yellow. Somehow they all play nicely together. Of all the things I’ve knitted it’s still my all-time fave!
OMGoodness Lopi! A million years ago when I was in college, working in a yarn shop in Madison Wisconsin, Lopi was The Yarn. This was the 70’s of course. We had so much Lopi and I have loved it ever since. It’s the best stuff! I have a huge sweater/jacket made in EZ style. People will have a blast making these sweaters! Then they will be so cozy wearing them.
I was not yet a knitter but I remember those fabulous Icelandic sweaters in the 70s—I didn’t have a name for them, though.
Do you have a suggestion for a substitute yarn? I find Lopo itchy tho I must say the colours are gorgeous
The patterns are great! I once made Mary Jane’s Stopover pattern in worsted Blue Faced Leicester and it worked well.
I love all of the designs in this Field Guide. I made a pair of Lopi mittens once, but found them too itchy to wear. I tried several methods of softening them, including the commercial product.
Can you make any recommendations for yarn substitution? Thanks.
Sooooo pretty. I bought an insane amount of the rust and olive/forest greens once at a sale in NY and spent the next 15 years on and off making a queen sized blanket with it. It was very love/hate/what-was-I-thinking. But this. I’m in love with it all. I will have to do some planning to get best bang out of my leftovers. Because WowSoPretty all these designs and colorwork.
This FG is wonderful on all fronts. I have a lot of lettlopi that I bought to make a Stopover way after the Bang out a Stopover several years ago now. Didn’t make it, cuz that’s how I roll but now I’ve bought a few extra colors and will use an augmented color palette to make the Daytripper. Rarely am I this prepared in advance of a KAL. Can’t wait.
Oooooh, Lopi and MJM are a perfect combination! Has the new Field Guide shipped to LYSes yet? I need to support my LYS during the Rose City Yarn Crawl (happening now). And I have lots of Lopi leftovers from my 2 Stopovers to play with the small projects. Long term? I’d love to steek that cardigan!
I love this new guide! Of course, I love each and every one of the other ones, too. But right now this is my favorite and I am in a wonderful dither trying to decide what to do first! Lopi is such fun to play with and the new array of patterns is grand for both myself and an early start for gift giving. Thank you.
Another beautiful field guide. Thank you ladies 😀
I made three Stopovers and love them all – the Daytripper sounds like the perfect cardigan!
I love everything in this new Guide! I bought it immediately at my not so local yarn shop! They even just received a new shipment of Lettlopi! I did resist, only because I want to peruse the guide before I make up my mind about what to knit. I’m leaning towards the Daytripper. Anyone know how much ease there is?
I’ve never steered, or knit colorwork. I’ve decided I’m not getting any younger, better hurry and learn!
Just in time to sooth with simplicity, and wake up our eyeballs with a kaleidoscope of colorful yarns! Hit the jackpot!
What time is the KAL?
Extremely annoying. Already subscribed, and popup email requesting that I subscribe won’t stop popping up. I want to read the email you sent! I can’t because that’s in the way!