Letters
Spotlight: Destination Pullover
Dear Kay,
So happy to hear the cheerful reception for the new Field Guide! For those who missed our Zoom launch party for Field Guide No. 17: Lopi, with Mary Jane Mucklestone, we’ll make the link available shortly.
Nothing like a new Field Guide to get me scheming. I’m making my plans for what I’ll be knitting.
Up first: the Destination Pullover.
From the moment this idea started floating around, I was for it.
In Field Guide No. 17: Lopi, the Destination Pullover lets me pick three colors and a stitch motif from five possibilities shown in the Field Guide.
And there’s the contrasting lining for the pockets. I really love these pockets.
Oatmeal, Air Blue, and Ash Heather
Brick Heather, Garnet Red Heather, Royal Fuchia
I’ve never made a colorbock sweater before, but I’ve always wanted to. Knowing that the Léttlopi palette is coming in at 38 colors in the MDK Shop, this design just seems like fun from the get go.
What Colors to Use?
I have no idea! But it’s pretty diverting to fool around with color combinations.
There are thousands of possible combinations. I’m leaning toward close colors.
Remember that Mary Jane gives us five options of stranded stitch motifs to use at the intersection of the colorblocks. You don’t have to use the two-color motif that you see in the photos here—some of the motifs have three or even four colors in them. This makes it possible to use these deliciously murky combinations divided by a stranded moment where you can put a bit of a lighter color, or a wildly brighter color, in a way that keeps the murkies from blurring into each other.
Or maybe blurry murkies are your thing. I know I’m tempted.
Here are some trios that interest me.
Bottle Green, Pine Green, Lagoon
Black Heather, Royal Fuchsia, Ash
Violet, Grape, Heaven Blue
Brick, Rust, Golden
Navy Blue, Ocean Blue, Stone Blue
Pine Green, Celery Green, Spring Green
Galaxy, Rough Sea, Moor
There’s so much to play around with here. I can imagine this sweater with a solid dark for the bottom two thirds of sweater. Work a motif using a contrasting color, then work top third in a light color.
Or a solid body with just sleeves with color.
Or more than two moments of stranded motifs. Three? Or four even? Ditch the colorblock idea altogether for a full-on stranded pullover and do motifs all day long?
Stay tuned. This thing knits on a US size 10 (6 mm) needle, so it’s a quick project no matter what.
You’ll find all the Léttlopi colors in the MDK Shop. Have fun!
Love,
Ann
I fell in love with this delightful sweater the minute I saw it! I’m team ‘bright & contrast-y’ for fun with Royal Fuchsia, Pink, and Milky Way. My vision is Fleur de Lis motif and swatch it to see for sure.
* swatching m
Could a beginner make this sweater?
So I love a good cardigan, but I’m not a fan of making things with serious stranding of colors. And it’s hot in Houston; pullovers make me sweat. Thinking I could just put in a steek with this pattern. Thoughts?
Yes, you could steek this. Good idea!
I’m in Houston too! I bet you could use the steek directions from the cardigan pattern and make it work! Great idea for the Summer AC here.
So I love that you put some colors side by side to see. Is there a way for me to do that. I want slightly more
but want to be sure that the colors do not look crazy. I like either the blue or green but with a slightly lighter middle color.
I must make this for my daughter! But when I went to order the yarn, it appears that you do not have in stock the colors that the sample was knitted with? No air blue or ash heather in the shop? Am I missing something, will these colors be back in stock if they are already sold out? Please advise as I love that colorway so much better than the dark options.
I love this pullover for its basic structure and, of course, the pockets! The simple structure provides a blank canvas for the knitted design. The possibility of doing full out color stranding in one motif, or a combination of motifs is so enticing. High contrast neutrals, full on colors, subtle shifts… And I can see doing a solid color version.
Thank you for sharing a behind the scenes look at the creative process and all of the pieces that need to come together for a field guide.
Someone on yesterday’s Zoom call had a question about doing a child-size version. Is that a possibility? Maybe someone will work it out in the KAL.
Is there a softer alternative to the Lopi? The Lopi is just too itchy for me. Thanks.
Someone pointed out in the zoom yesterday that the Felix Cardigan and Felix Pullover by Amy Christoffers is also knit at a loose gauge and that the yarns suggested for those patterns might be a good substitute for Lopi yarn.
A DK weight shetland type yarn would probably work ok as a sub, although the lopi is singles and shetland is plied, so the drape may be a little bit different. Malabrigo have singles spun merino that would get you the same gauge too, but I suspect that the softness (can’t quite think of the right word, but that will do) of the yarn would lead to it stretching out and losing structure over time. I’m sure if you shop around you could find a wool that was somewhere in between, single spun but with enough substance to the yarn to keep its shape, and as long as yardage is similar you should be able to get gauge within a needle size or two.
Lopi is too itchy. Other suggestions?
Is there an easy way to adjust where the upper color change occurs? I’m not sure I would want it across the fullest part of my bust.
I am confused as to how to do the sloped bind off. I am working on the sweater back, but am I binding off on the purl side as well? I’m not picturing how it will turn out even…