Projects
Destination Pullover: So Fast
Dear Kay,
I have to admit that I’ve been Banging Out Something Other Than A Daytripper.
It is Daytripper-adjacent, though. It uses Léttlopi yarn. It’s a design by Mary Jane Mucklestone. It’s from Field Guide No. 17: Lopi.
Sometimes you just gotta go with the momentum, and for me, the momentum was my work-in-progress Destination Pullover. It was 75 percent finished when I started banging it out. Nothing like a hunt for my Léttlopi stash to lead me to a suspiciously lumpy tote bag. Score!
I was 1.5 sleeves from the promised land when something derailed my efforts last May. I don’t know what happened, but I know that I am sitting here now wearing a sweater that took me exactly three episodes of the BBC television series Shetland to finish.
(Have we even talked about Shetland? How it is such a perfect discovery for these late-pandemic times, when I’ve binged just about everything there is to binge? It is so beautiful, that place. Douglas Henshall is so devastatingly resolute as Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez. It’s all great. I’m going to get to Shetland! It has to happen!)
Anyway. This Destination Pullover is the project you want when the goal is a simple, satisfying, sweet sweater. It would be perfect as a first-time sweater project.
Similar to the Daytripper Cardigan, the Destination Pullover uses the same recipe of Léttlopi worked at a much larger gauge than the yarn specs call for. I used a US size 11 (8 mm) needle, so it turned into a sweater remarkably fast.
You knit the body first, in the round from the bottom up, then seam the drop shoulders.
Then you pick up around the armholes, and before Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez once again yells at Sandy to get the CCTV footage from downtown Lerwick, you’re done.
The stranding is barely visible, but it’s there.
It has two little pockets that are adorable. The colors are Jimmy Perez-appropriate Dark Grey Heather, Moor, and Rough Sea.
You knit the pocket linings separately, put the stitches on a holder, then knit them into the body of the sweater at the right moment. The pattern is crystal clear on this wee maneuver. (Wee? That’s such a Jimmy Perez thing to say.)
You secure the pockets on the wrong side, and the curl of stockinette on the front lets a decorative and winsome part of the lining show.
(Comprehensive pocket content from last May right here.)
It’s all such a lark, and now that I’m wearing it, I am discovering again the airy loft of Mary Jane’s magical fabric.
It doesn’t weigh a thing. It keeps me so warm.
It would be just the thing for, say, a quick trip to the North Sea.
Love,
Ann
How much fun it was to read your story, as I have been bingeing on Shetland as well! Such a good program, and so relaxing to knit whilst biting your nails about ‘who-dunnit’? Love the pockets on your sweater!
I agree, Shetland is a fabulous series to knit too. Magnificent scenery… Vera is also written by the same author Cleeves. Set in Newcastle on Tyne! Also fab! K
Vera is next on my list for sure!
And Vera is 14 or so seasons meaning you can visit for a long time.
Vera is fab, we recently finished season 11, hoping for more. Meanwhile we found Beck, a Swedish series, grittier but with the same devoted head detective and super characters on his team. Plus dreamy Gunnvald! So good. (Amazon)
And Ann I love your Destination colors too.
Vera is wonderful! Such a great character and the scenery is magnificent. While watching I was so entranced, my knitting put down so I could check airfare… a person can dream!
Ann! Your sweater is so magnificent and you look so gleeful, that I am inspired to dig through my stash and bang one out, too! After I complete my current Lopi love object! Thank you, beautiful lady!
You’re gonna love it! Quick as bunny to make.
Winter was unimaginable here in FL when the pattern came out but I knit it anyway. What s great gift to my future self. It’s my second-only-to-Carbeth favorite this winter.
“Gift to my future self”! That’s so fantastic. Totally going to use this idea.
You look so gleeful, HURRAY! I have the yarn for the Destination and wanted to bang it out this month. Instead, I’m packing to move…. Your sweater is beautiful!
Oh, good luck with your move! My two lads just moved to LA, such a project for them. Unpacking that final box is going to feel so good.
I looove the pics, such a clever and fun way to show the lightness of this sweater!
Haha! I was slowly scrolling on my phone to see the details of the sweater and was wondering why Ann didn’t pull it all the way down…then I could see that her feet were not on the ground! Great shots!
I LOVE Shetland and I think my favorite moment of the current season was the cake fridge. You have got to love a place that has a cake fridge by the side of the road. Because I am me, I did a little research and found a Shetland cake fridge that has an instagram account.
Cake fridge scene really got me.
Obviously yarn fridge is a thing that needs to happen.
I also love Shetland and your post made me laugh! Pretty sweater too. Thanks.
Great knit, Ann! and great photos ❤️ Yes you really do have to go to Shetland and share w us by writing about it here. Loved the series, was somewhat devastated by season 3…
Season 3 is rough. Actually, they’re all pretty upsetting. If I came across a dead body, I’m not sure what I’d do but it would probably involve fainting.
Did you notice the Peerie Flooers hat ( Kate Davies) on Shetland?
Which of your jumpers should have a starting role?
No! What a great reason to re-watch! 🙂
Ha! Didn’t quite sweaterspot it but I do recall some spectacular handknits. Does anybody know who does their knitwear?
Shetland is on my list – it sounds like I should move it up! And I must admit I have an up-to-the-paying-attention-part Destination Pullover with the most delightful pockets that I plan to bang out still this month!
You’ll be done in a snipsnap!
I adore your color choices! What colors did you use? May I copy please?
Of course! Laughing because these colors are the most Jimmy Perez/Shetland colors ever: Dark Grey Heather, Moor, and Rough Seas.
I love these colors, too! Ilk be making the red/fuchsia version like in the Field Guide 17. Thank you for your notes, very helpful!
I believe The Long Call, the first book in Cleeves’ newest series, has made it to the BBC so it should hop to our side of the pond soon. I read both the books in that series and they are excellent.
You can find The Long Call on BritBox.
Am now a proud BritBoxer, so much in there.
I’m also banging out a different MJ Mucklestone sweater—the Stopover cardigan—and I love Jimmy Perez, too! Your comment about the CCTV in Lerwick (pronounced Lairrick with a rolled R for those of you who have yet to watch) made me giggle.
Oooh—nice sweater! And love the colors. Much more interesting than a cardigan. I’m on it!
Love your sweater, and Shetland, need to watch the newest season but binged the rest early in pandemic times. I will confess to sometime struggling with the accents.
Same here – so glad for closed captions! 🙂
Exactly! Hard to catch some of it. The Shetland idioms are so good—I found a list of them, and they’re brilliant: https://www.shetlanddialect.org.uk/shetland-idioms
If you are interested in accents, I’ve recently discovered a neat YouTube channel sponsored (is that a thing?) by Wired magazine. It is hosted by Eric Singer and it is called “Figures of Speech.” Eric is a linguist who works as a dialect coach. In the episodes he will describe the action of the tongue while you are making the words. But the most fascinating bit is he slips from one accent to another seamlessly! It’s absolutely uncanny to watch and more so to hear!
Ha! Thanks Ann! I have no idea how to enable captions, so my sis and I are constantly clicking back, Such a gorgeous accent but so incomprehensible :(. I adore Vera, but there are a few incomprehensible accents there too.
Is it soft or crunchy?
Crunchy like an Icelandic sheep! I cannot overstate how light this sweater is, amazing. And I always wear a layer under my sweaters, so it doesn’t bother me.
Dear Ann,
I’m totally with you on Shetland! Wonderful, moody show! Susan
I too have been banging out a Destination Pullover— one sleeve to go! I love Shetland and have added a trip there to my bucket list. How about an MDK group knitting excursion? I would sign up in a heartbeat!
Not a bit surprised by your color choices, Ann. But curious as to what size you chose for so much cozy ease. That’s how my Stopover fits but I am knitting my Daytripper more fitted (well, we will see after blocking). Also: do you think a Destination vest is an option, or too much to think about armhole decreases?
This is just the thing I need to do now! Thank you for posting. Can you tell us the colors you used for your sweater? I love them! Thanks!
I just found your color choices above. Thank you!
Love the color combination!! Please, please tell me the colors
Thank you
I’m totally going to Shetland and hope to have a beer with Tosh. I am making my way through the series for the second time (I couldn’t remember why Cassie had two dads), and it’s just as good the second time. Can’t wait for season 7!
These levitating Ann model photos are my favorite ever!!
I hope I will finish banging out my Destination Sweater some day. Finished it last March, too small. Ripped, reknit it halfway, stowed it away, lost my pandemic weight, now it’s looking way too big. Third time will be the charmer…love the pattern and vibe !
I agree with all the comments above — great photos, great sweater and great TV!! Maybe add some Atlas skeins for pompoms and you’ll be a cheerleader!!
I love the colors you used!! Beautiful!!
Please a pattern I can print out and yea Shetland and I love Vera
I, too, love the Shetland tv series after reading the books. If you want more Shetland based murder mysteries in book form, Marsali Taylor’s Shetland sailing series is excellent. There are 10 books so far. It would make an excellent tv series also.
I to saw the Shetland series however, now O am listening to the books on audible. Still good.
The books are so fascinating, the cake to the TV icing. Because they’re longer and more detailed you get more insight into the islands’ history and singular culture.
I love the series Shetland and so love your sweater. I love the clever way you wrote about them together.
LOVE this post—your signature wit, the great knit, the love for Shetland, which we have binged and its latest season we now await, and your hair! I’m going to check my Lopi stash and maybe bang out a destination pullover. Inspirational.
Ann Shayne’s Jump Book 🙂 For many years I kept a stack of Halsman’s to gift as needed. Fun!
I love Shetland the series and the place. We stayed in Lerwick and stood outside Jimmy’s ‘house’ to see if he was home!
I would do the same thing lol!
How fun! I’m always in awe about the fact that it sits In. The Sea!!! :O
Hi Ann, I just checked out the pattern and it specifies 6mm. Did you use 8mm to make gauge, or did you use your new gauge and picked a size, please? Your sweater looks a bit more open than the ones on Ravelry, and I really like it 🙂
I was wondering the same thing. Hoping for a reply.
8 mm needles are what got me gauge on my swatch. I do think it grew when I wet-blocked it.
Thanks Ann!
I loved Shetland which ended far too soon! Maybe I’ll start it and watch it again…
Not banging out a sweater – still working on my toddler size 4 Asa Tricosa sweater but am marling it! Just a very slow knitter.
Don’t miss The Long Call (another Ann Cleeves ) when you’ve finished Shetland and Vera.
Boots?
They were my Christmas present! Fracap, an Italian bootmaker. I have a serious boot problem, needless to say. https://fracap.it/
Ann, Yes, yes, love the sweater! Love Shetland, Jimmy, Tosh – the whole thing. But those boots you spare jumping in?!?! Love them most right now and want to know more about them. Where did you get them?
I have yet to find anyone who said they hated Shetland or Vera! Must be a kniiter thing. Loved your sweater and the pockets! Going to try Daytripper, just not right now. Too many WIP.
Working on a Stopover and have the yarn for a Destination Pullover next, I’ve binged Shetland 2x and may well do so again. I read all of the books last January too. Fingers crossed, I have plans to see Shetland in person this fall and hoping Shetland Wool Week happens.
I wrote the Shetland Wool Week folks and they say a decision is coming soon about whether it will be in person or virtual this year. Wouldn’t it be amazing to get to be there in person?
The transition between colors looks different than depicted in the photos of the pattern on ravelry. Did you change it up?
I thought I posted this yesterday but I don’t see it Apologies if it’s a duplicate.
Hi! Sorry for poky reply! I used another stitch pattern from Field Guide No. 17: Lopi for my transitions–it’s the Sparkle stitch pattern. It’s so subtle that it is barely visible!
I love it! I will look it up in my copy.
I have been hooked on a bunch of Walter presents…..which means they are subtitled – which means I am either making a few knitting mistakes – or someone clueless as to the plot…… Also — what are those boots? I have been pining for some Red Wings……
They were my Christmas present! Fracap, an Italian bootmaker. I have a serious boot problem, needless to say. https://fracap.it/
So excited to start Shetland now! I see it all the time as “recommended” and never watched. So, I LOVE this sweater. I will probably make one with the Léttlopi but can anyone recommend a cotton or a less warm wool? It has been warm on the west coast and I love the look of this sweater. I want to wear it and it is only getting warmer here. NOT a brag. I would love to have a real season.
I’m also a huge Shetland fan. Shetland Wool Adventure Journal Volume 1 has a great article about the house where Jimmy lives. (Also lovely articles about Shetland history and culture, walks around the islands, recipes, knitting patterns, etc. They remind me a lot of the MDK Field Guides – pocket-sized but chock-full of wonders. It’s a really nice way to get your Shetland fix when you run out of show to binge.)
I have been working through the audiobook versions of many Ann Cleeves books, more conducive to paying attention to the knitting I need to be looking at. Wonderful storytelling, in any media.
Maybe I will get to fit in my Destination Pullover by March. I am currently doing two sweaters and one is entered into the current Linda Marveng KAL. Mary Jane Mucklestone is my maven of Icelandic knitting. I purchased enough yarn last year to do a few from field guide 17. I did my Daytripper by last year spring. I do have to experiment with the pocket thingy before starting the actual Destination Pullover jumper though. It’s the smart thing to do.
Bingeing is good. And the Shetland show was an earlier binge for me. I love the show and the scenery. That’s another reason I follow Fruity Knitting and you ladies have been my go-to for years since the Mason Dixon days
Is there a “group” knitting this together along the way?? I’m a novice knitter. Love the design and picked out some wild colors for it. Are we getting together to compare notes??
Join us in The Lounge, Eve! https://forums.moderndailyknitting.com/t/its-lettlopi-kal-2023/8905/61 A bunch of us are knitting Lettlopi sweaters including Destination Pullover. We’re there to help!