I have been waiting for the release of the Keila dress that I made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, so I am thrilled to tell you that the test knit is coming to an end. My brilliant test knitters corrected and improved the pattern. You can see a couple of the finished versions on the pattern page on Ravelry and below are photos of the different ways you can wear it. Here are some of the photos that Eivind Røhne took of the gorgeous model Aksa Mortensen wearing the Keila dress, made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, with make-up & hair styling by Nina Hjertaas Bull and jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design, at Hvalstrand Bad, back in May. The English pattern is available on Ravelry and the Norwegian one will be added shortly. You can also order a yarn kit directly from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk with either an English or a Norwegian pattern.

Keila is Norse for straight, just as the skirt part of this honeycomb dress is. Elongated honeycomb covers the skirt, while ray of honey makes the high waistband, both are worked in the round. The pattern flow continues with a body in honeycomb including armhole stitches in stockinette stitch. Keila is worked flat from the armhole and ends in a Henley neck. Only the center of the sleeve has a honeycomb panel. Wear the dress as a balloon dress or a tunic by inserting a cord into the double hem. Keila is knitted in the bouncy Sølje, a pelt wool yarn, from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL) (2XL, 3XL, 4XL, 5XL)
Shown in size Small. Model stands 167 cm/5’6” tall.

Finished measurements:
Bust: 86 (92, 98, 104, 110) (122, 134, 146, 158) cm/33.75 (36.25, 38.5, 41, 43.25) (48, 52.75, 57.5, 62.25)“
Skirt width: 144 (154, 166, 176, 187) (187, 187, 199, 199) cm/56.75 (60.75, 65.25, 69.25, 73.5) (73.5, 73.5, 78.25, 78.25)”
Band width: 80 (86, 92, 98, 104) (118, 128, 140, 152) cm/31.5 (33.75, 36.25, 38.5, 41) (46.5, 50.5, 55, 59.75)“
Length: 105 (106, 107, 108, 109) (110, 111, 112, 113) cm/41.25 (41.75, 42.25, 42.5, 43) (43.25, 43.75, 44, 44.5)”
Sleeve length: 48 (49, 49, 49, 50) (50, 50, 50, 50) cm/19 (19.25, 19.25, 19.25, 19.75) (19.75, 19.75, 19.75, 19.75)“.
Intended ease: 5-7 cm/2-2.75” positive ease. Sample shown is 92 cm/36.25” and worn with 9 cm/3.5” positive ease on model, who stands 167 cm/5’6” tall.

Yarn: Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, Sølje (100% pelt wool, 350 m/383 yds, 100 g).
The sample is knitted in Lys turkis 2130; 7 (8, 8, 9, 10) (10, 11, 12, 12) skeins;
2310 (2555, 2800, 3045, 3290) (3465, 3640, 3885, 4060) m/2526 (2794, 3062, 3330, 3598) (3789, 3981, 4249, 4440) yds.
https://www.ull.no/produktkategori/garn/nyhet-solje-pelsu…

Yarn alternatives: Cascade 220 Sport (100% wool, 50 g, 150 m/164 yds).
http://www.cascadeyarns.com/cascade-Cascade220Sport.htm
Tosh Sock (100% wool, 100 g, 361 m/394 yds).
https://madelinetosh.com/collections/tosh-sock
Juniper Moon Farm, Patagonia (100% merino wool, 350 m/383 yds, 100 g)
https://www.yarn.com/products/juniper-moon-farm-patagonia…
Or another Sport/5 ply yarn.

Needles: 3 mm/US 2.5 straight needles.
2 sets of 3 mm/US 2.5 circular needle (60 cm/24”).
2 sets of 3.5 mm/US 4 circular needle (120 or 150 cm/47 or 60”).
Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Notions: Stitch markers (removable), holders, waste yarn, cable needle and yarn needle.
Optional elastic or boot laces 200 (200, 200, 200, 250) (250, 250, 250, 250) cm/78.75 (78.75, 78.75, 78.75, 98.5) (98.5, 98.5, 98.5, 98.5)“ long for hem.

Gauge: 24 sts and 32 rnds in st st using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
29 sts and 32 rnds in Elongated Honeycomb using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
26 sts and 32 rnds in Ray of Honey using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
29 sts and 32 rnds in Honeycomb using 3.5 mm/US 4 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.
29 sts and 32 rows in Honeycomb using 3 mm/US 2.5 needle measures 10 cm/4” square.

Notes: The dress is worked in the round up to armhole, then back and forth to the end. The hem is worked with 2 sets of circular needles held parallel when casting on, so that the hem can be closed by knitting it together. The skirt is worked straight, then decreased into the ray of honey pattern for the band before you increase for the honeycomb pattern and the bust. The Henley neck divides the front into two parts after the armhole.

Length adjustments: Make the dress shorter or longer in the skirt by removing or adding repeats in the Elongated Honeycomb pattern, as you prefer. You can also work the band up to about 3 cm/1.25” shorter. Any further reduction of the band will make it curl and not stay flat due to the large number of decreases from the skirt part. If you have a large bust or work in a size XL to 5XL, add 4 cm/1.5” beneath the bust, to be worked even, after both the bust shaping and change of pattern.