The third new design made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk is a sweater. Mella, Norse for knot, is a straight cabled pullover. A wide central cable panel adorns the center of the body and the sleeves. Boxes of garter stitches interfere with the cables and erase half the cable. The sleeves have garter stitch edging while the front and back fade into a check pattern. The sweater ends in a crew neck decorated with an I-cord. Mella is knitted in the bouncy Sølje pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

The sample was skilfully knitted by Grete Jenssen, aka ma9, in size Small in a Dusty Air-blue. In these photos, taken by Michael at the beach in Ørje, you see me wearing beautiful silver rings by Kaja Gjedebo Design and the sample with 4 cm/1.5″ positive ease. I have graded Mella in sizes XS to 5XL with a bust circumference of 85 to 165 cm/33.5 to 65″. The gauge is 24 stitches and 32 rows in stockinette stitch measures 10 cm/4″ square using 3 mm/US 2.5 needle.

The pullover is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The neckband is worked in the round. Stitches are picked up and knitted from the first round of the neckband for the I-cord bind off decoration. 

The English and Norwegian pattern will be released after test knitting beginning on February 7th, while the yarn kit with either an English or a Norwegian pattern will be launched at the beginning of September. Before then, I will show you how it looked on the gorgeous model Aksa Mortensen from our photoshoot in late May.