New Design: Godi

Posted on August 18, 2021 by Linda Marveng

The last of the new designs made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk is the vest Godi. Hillesvåg requested a new vest and suggested the same stitch pattern as I used in my Devona vest. I figured out that I could use it all-over except for a few stitches in the sides and added ribbing plus a vent at the bottom. Godi is knitted in Sølje pelt wool, by my brilliant sample knitter Airin Hansen using a 3 mm/US 2.5 needle and a 24 stitch gauge.

Godi, Norse for chiefton, is a long A-line vest with vents and a high collar that can be folded down or left to stand tall. The all over pattern is the ray of honey with a few stitches in reverse stocking stitch. A long twisted rib makes up the vent, while a short rib is worked around each armhole. Wear it with a belt if you wish. Godi is knitted in the bouncy Sølje pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk.

The vest is worked back and forth in separate pieces and seamed. The collar and armhole band are worked in the round at the end.

Michael took these photos of me wearing size Small with a bust circumference of 90 cm/35.5″ with 2 cm/0.75″ positive ease and silver jewellery by Kaja Gjedebo Design at the beach in Ørje. The pattern has been graded into sizes XS to 5XL with a bust circumference of 82 to 158 cm/32.25 to 62.25″.

The English and Norwegian pattern will be released after test knitting beginning on March 14th, 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.

New Design: Nipa

Posted on July 17, 2021 by Linda Marveng

The second new design made for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk is Nipa, knitted in a dusty light lime colour. Nipa, Norse for peak, is a straight cabled pullover. A central intricate cable panel adorns the center of the body and the sleeves. Twisted stitches play in the cable and along the edge of the stockinette parts. Nipa is crowned with an I-cord decoration around its crew neck. The sweater is knit in pieces from the bottom up in the divine Tinde, a pelt wool from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk. Airin Hansen, made this beautiful sample for me in dusty light lime, while I was working on another new design. Michael photographed me at the outdoor theatre seating at the lock in Ørje.

The pullover is worked back and forth in 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.

Nipa is knitted using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle and with a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows in stockinette stitch measuring 10 cm/4″ square.

I have graded the pullover in sizes XS to 5XL, with a bust circumference of 84 cm to 162 cm/33 to 63.75″. In these photos you see me wearing size Medium with 12 cm/4.75″ positive ease. The stunning Silver rings I am wearing are from the Eo Ipso series by Kaja Gjedebo Design.

Yarn kits with English or Norwegian pattern will be available early in September from Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, while the single pattern will be released after test knitting set to begin 3rd of January in my Ravelry group. Long before that I will show you how stunning it looked on model Aksa Mortensen, photographed by Eivind Røhne at Hvalstrand Bad at the end of May.

New Design: Iglu

Posted on July 8, 2017 by Linda Marveng

For this second collection of designs for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk, I wanted to have another go at designing a poncho and this time I choose to add short sleeve parts to make it easier to wear. The Norwegian yarn kits will be launched at Oslo Design Fair at Lillestrøm 30. August to 2. September. I was instantly smitten by the Celtic cable and selected a neutral light Red-Beige shade of the Sølje pelt yarn. Iglu is a lightweight poncho to live in, hence the Inuit name Iglu, with a Celtic cable on center front and back. The poncho has sleeve parts in rib and a collar in garter stitch ending in a I-cord. It is beautifully knitted with shaped shoulders in the bouncy and lustrous Sølje Pelsull.

I am standing in the heavy rain in our garden, in late May. My husband has taken these photos quickly, so I would not get to drenched. Above you see me holding the front together at the back for a more fitted look. The Poncho is beautifully knitted by Airin Hansen, aka Teodor on Ravelry, using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle with a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows measuring 10 cm/4″ square. I was pleasantly surprised how well this fine pelt wool look knitted on a larger needle than the suggested 3 mm/US 2.5. The one size poncho with a bust circumference of 194 cm/76.5″ only requires 5 100 gram skeins with 350 meters/383 yards or approximately 1712 meters/1872 yards.

The poncho is knitted in two parts, back and forth for the body, while the sleeves are knitted in the round in rib. The sleeves are sewn on at the end and hold the poncho together in the sides. There is a garter stitch band on each side of the body as you can see in the photo above.

The Norwegian pattern will only be available in the yarn kits to be launched in early September. While the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group, it is scheduled to start 6th of November and will be released approximately 6 weeks later. Do join us. In the meantime you can look forward to seeing this worn by gorgeous model Alexandria Eissinger as well as one more design. Stay tuned, enjoy the summer and keep knitting!

New Design: Aylwen

Posted on December 28, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I am excited to show you my new design; Aylwen. Again I have been playing around with what appear like a short loop but actually is the overlapping fronts joined together. A divine alpaca and silk mixture yarn, Du Store Alpakka Baby Silk, was chosen for a soft stitch definition but a luxurious feel to the skin. The jacket is slightly shaped at the waist. While I was busy knitting another project, the skilled knitter Airin Hansen, aka Teodor on Ravelry, made this. The Norwegian pattern will be published in the special magazine Familien Kreativ and published in March, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group in July before its release.

Here is my introduction to the pattern: A reversible tuck pattern with the wrong side out, and garter stitch edging adorn this elegant jacket. It has overlapping fronts which are joined into a short loop that can be worn once or twice around the neck or tied around the waist or as you like pinned together with a shawl pin or brooch. For a more flattering look it is slightly shaped at the waist and wider at the hip than at the bust.

It is knitted in Du Store Alpakka Baby Silk made of 80% baby alpaca, 20% silk on 50 grams balls with 133 meters/145 yards in the shade Beige 347, using 3.5 mm/US 4 needles with a gauge of 24 stitches and 32 rows in stocking stitch measuring 10 cm/4″. The yarn was kindly sponsored by House of Yarn.

Here you see me demonstrating how difficult it is to style a garment on yourself, with cold fingers, as if you did not know that already. All parts are worked back and forth, then sewed together at the end. The loop parts are joined at the end. I am wearing size Small but it will be available in sizes XS to 2XL with a bust circumference of 86 to 126 cm/33.75 to 49.5″.

Above is a back view with the overlapping fronts hanging around the neck. All bands are worked in Garter stitch. In the top photo you can see a bit of the wrong side of the stitch pattern creating bobles. All these photos were taken by my husband in November, on a cold clear day with no snow at Ormøya by the Bunnefjord in Oslo, close to where we live.

Here is the arty shoot of my inside the covered benches. Again demonstrating that this is a lot easier in front of a mirror. I also discovered another way of wearing it during our photoshoot when I could drape it around the model and not on myself.

New Design: Gaylia

Posted on December 3, 2016 by Linda Marveng

Finally, I can begin to show you my latest designs and first out is Gaylia. A textural cross cable adorns this a-line sweater with vents. The cable ends in two smaller cables that continue along each side of the v-neck. A check pattern that resembles playful cables adds texture to the sleeves. Gaylia is Norse for jovial, and perfect for this everyday sweater knitted in Dale Pure Eco Wool. The Norwegian pattern will be printed in Familien Kreativ in March next year, together with 3 other new designs, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group before its release.

I wanted to test this new yarn called Dale Pure Eco Wool, and House of Yarn kindly sponsored it. It is made of 70% wool, 30% alpaca with a 112 meters/122 yards on each 50 gram ball and takes a 4 mm/US 6 needle with a gauge of 21 stitches and 30 rows to 10 cm/4″ square. I fell in love with the dark brown melange colour named Espresso 1207. Since I was busy knitting another sample, I asked Airin Hansen, aka Teodor on Ravelry to knit this for me. It is beautifully knitted, as always. Thank you, Airin!

You know how much I love accessories to go with my sweaters, and because I live in a climate where you have to dress in layers I made a short scarf with the same Check pattern as on the sleeve to crown the sweater so to speak.

The front and back are worked back and forth while sleeves are worked in the round. Each side has a few garter stitches as a side band and the sleeve has a false seam made of garter stitch. Scarf is worked in two parts ending in garter stitches and then bound off using a 3-needle bind-off.

Here is a detail of the v-neck and the join on the scarf which is made in two parts so that the Check pattern leans to one side each just as on the sleeves. Instead of having what appeared as a loose rib facing each other on the scarf, I choose to use garter stitch.

The opposite side of the scarf looks even more like checks than the front. Above you can also see the 3-needle bind off edge. The scarf is one size, but can easily be adjusted to a larger or a smaller size by adding or removing pattern repeats, while the pullover is graded in sizes XS to 2XL with bust circumferences from 84 to 126 cm/33 to 49.5″. I am wearing size S with no ease around my bust. The hip circumference is 14 cm/5.5″ wider than the bust. My husband photographed me on a lovely autumn day in October at Ormøya by the Bunnefjord, close to where we live in Oslo.

New Design: Andor

Posted on June 18, 2016 by Linda Marveng

I am proud to announce that I have made 4 designs for yarn kits for Hillesvåg Ullvarefabrikk which will be launched at Oslo Design Fair in the beginning of September. Then, you will find them on this webpage: Hillesvåg Eksklusiv Gjestedesign. I suggested a trendy oversized poncho, an a-line long jacket, a straight sweater and a sideways jacket with a waterfall front. First out is the poncho, Andor beautifully knitted by Airin Hansen, in Hifa Norsk Pelsull (100% pelt yarn with a mohair feel, 260 meters/284 yards on each 100 g skein) using a 3.5 mm/US 4 needle (and 4 mm/US 6 for collar). I was delighted that Airin, aka Teodor on Ravelry, could help me knit the sample as I was knitting two other samples at the time. Natural grey (undyed hence natural and what I would describe as light grey) or beige was my choice and Hillesvåg opted for beige.

A trendy oversized poncho defined by its pairs of ornamental cables on each wide shoulder part. The stockinette center part is crowned by a high neck collar. The poncho has sidebands that can be closed with buttons. It is knitted flat in two parts with shoulder and neck shaping. Andor is the Norse element for Eagle and its wingspan appropriate for this poncho. It comes in one size, with a bust measurement of 212 cm/83.5″; each front and back has a width of 106 cm/41.75 and it is 72 cm/28.25″ long.

The poncho is knitted in two parts, back and forth. The large collar is picked up and knitted at the end, just as the sidebands. The shoulder is shaped with short-rows and then joined using a 3-needle bind-off. Each sideband has two buttonholes. The photos above are taken by my husband in the bright sunlight and as you can see we had the sun in the wrong direction in the top two photos. The Norwegian pattern will only be available in the yarn kit while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group before its release. I loved seeing it on my model Alexandria Eissinger and I can reveal that it was her favorite of all the 11 garments we photographed at Villa Malla.

New Design: Kori

Posted on June 8, 2016 by Linda Marveng

As promised here is more details and a presentation of my design: Kori is old Norse and means perfect; Kori is the result of a complex mathematical equation that cannot be calculated by the human mind. Just as the intricate cable that crowns this fitted jacket. The intricate cable crossings are filled by seed stitch, hence seed stitch bands and playful tucks at the bottom. The jacket has a shawl collar and ends in I-cord bind offs. It is knitted in parts to give extra shape in the beautiful Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK. The yarn was generously sponsored by Permin, Rowan’s Scandinavian agent. Luckily for me Airin Hansen, aka Teodor on Ravelry, had time to help me knit this sample in time for the photoshoot as you saw in the previous post. The Norwegian pattern will be published in Familien Strikk in late August, while the English pattern will be test knitted in my Ravelry group before its release.

Kori is a design I planned for the previous collection but time ran out and I set it aside. When I picked it up again, I did not remember that there were two versions of the cable chart: one where the cable legs are across 3 stitches and another one where the cable legs are across 4 stitches. Of course I chose the wrong one and ended up with a jacket close to size Large and not Small. So I have sewn it up twice, and adjusted the pattern so that the cross back will be slightly narrower than on the sample.

I have graded the pattern for sizes XS to 2XL with finished bust measurements from 84 cm to 126 cm/33 to 49.5″, and waist measurements from 74 to 116 cm/29.25 to 47.75″. The jacket is knitted using 4 mm/US 6 with a gauge of 22 stitches and 32 rows in stocking stitch measuring 10 cm/4″ square. I decided to work the body flat in pieces, unlike the long sleeves which are worked in the round to the armhole. The hem and the tuck is worked with 2 sets of circular needles helt together. To avoid the slight flare on the body, I suggest using a smaller needle size like 3.5 mm/US 4 instead of 4 mm/US 6. The photos above are all taken by my husband in the cold drizzle a couple of weeks before the blistering heat on the day of the photoshoot. I can promise you some stunning photos of Alexandria Eissinger wearing it…

New Design: Nuala

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Linda Marveng

I love this intricate woven lacy stitch pattern by Lynne Barr. I found it so well suited to the cable structured Rowan Softknit Cotton and selected a color which captures summer in an instant; a turquoise called Marina. The stitch pattern is reversible so well suited for a rectangular shawl that can be buttoned into a shrug. If you wear it with a cowl as a collar you have the perfect accompaniment to your favorite summer dress. The Norwegian pattern will be printed in the special issue Familien Småstrikk this autumn, while the English pattern will be published on Ravelry. The photos show me wearing it, they are taken by my husband a few days before the professional photo shoot at Henie Onstad Kunstsenter.

Both the shawl and the cowl are knitted flat with double seed stitch bands. You can easily adjust the width of the shawl and the circumference of the cowl by removing or adding pattern repeats. The shawl has 8 buttonholes, 4 at each end, and I found some beautiful dyed mother of pearl buttons at Perlehuset in Oslo. I have had knitting and pattern design (making neater buttonholes) help from both Airin Hansen, aka Teodor on Ravelry, and Grete Jenssen, aka ma9 on Ravelry. Thank you both for all your assistance!

The dropped stitch pattern has its own rhythm and it is not as difficult to work as it might appear. Since the stitch pattern has a number of centering stitches, I had to make separate buttonholes and could not use the dropped stitches since they were too far into the shawl itself. Above you see me wearing it with black but the set does look great with white too! I look forward to showing you the fantastic photos Eivind took of model Dorthe wearing this set.

Linda Marveng

Knit wear designer and author

Tag Archives: Airin Hansen