Ole is named after my grandfather Arthur L.P. Olsen. His father was Lauritz Olsen, and Lauritz was Ole's son. Ole's mother's last name was Olsdatter, her father was Ole, too. It goes back like this every generation as far as I can see. I named this cardigan after my family and used patterns with symbolism in the motifs that tell our story and celebrating Norwegian folk-art tradition.
I designed his cardigan with traditional Norwegian techniques and modern techniques of my own making. You can make the traditional Norwegian Kofte version with three steeks, or the hybrid version with one steek while knitting colorwork flat and in the round, or you can knit a completely Steek-free version. All have a traditional look. You get to choose how you knit it. I will be adding two more versions of this pattern this week but I wanted to release the pattern with the most traditional construction first.
This first version of Ole is knit the traditional Norwegian way.
Ole has vertical button bands so the button bands are cast on at the same time as the ribbing for the body. The ribbing is knit back and forth. After the ribbing is completed, the stitches for button bands are placed on holders, a steek is added and the cardigan is knit in the round until the neckband shaping, which is worked flat. The sleeves are knit bottom up. The center steek is cut, and armhole steeks are cut from existing fabric for the body. The button bands are knit and attached, and the last step is to knit the neckband.
I will be releasing additonal versions of Ole throughout this first week so that you can knit Ole with or without a Steek. All variations will be added to this original pattern so that you can choose how to knit it. I personally knit this pattern three different ways while writing this pattern. My hope that all this pattern writing and math will make this pattern accessible to more knitters no matter your knitting tradition.
Ole Cardigan
Details
9 Sizes with 3-9" 7.5- 15 cm Positive Ease.
Light Blue /Orange Red and Red/White samples are size 2 with a 6" 15 cm positive ease.
The Dark Gold/ Off-white cardigan is size 3 with 9" 22.5 cm positive
The Black/ Off-White is size one with 2" 5 cm) positive ease
To pick the perfect size for you, measure your favorite sweater across the chest and knit the size with the closest finished chest measurement.
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Finished Measurements
9 Sizes with suggested 2-6" 7.5- 15 cm positive ease
Finished Chest Measurement
Chest: 36 (40, 43, 47, 50.5, 54, 57, 61.5, 65) inches or approx. 91 (100, 108, 117, 126, 135, 144, 153, 162) cm
Total Body Length: 20.5 (20.5, 21.5, 22.75, 22.75, 22.75, 22.75, 24, 24) inches or 52 (52, 54.5, 57.75, 57.75, 57.75, 57. 75, 61, 61) cm
Sleeve Length: 18 (18.5, 18.5, 19, 19, 20, 23, 23, 23) inches 46 (47, 47, 48.5, 48.5, 51, 58.5, 58,5, 58.5) cm
Armscye Depth 7.25 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11) inches or approx. 18.5 (19, 20.5, 21.5, 22.75, 24, 25.5, 26.75, 28) cm
Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool | Worsted | 170 m or 185 yds per 50-gram skein
Main Color: Dark Gold 5 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10) skeins or approximately 814 (867, 1021, 1056, 1139, 1189, 1399, 1509, 1600) meters or 890 (950, 1116, 1155, 1246, 1300, 1452, 1650, 1749) yards
Biches & Bûches Le Coton Alpaka | Aran weight | 90 meters 96 yds per 50- gram skein
Contrasting Color: Off White 2(2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4) skeins or approximately 126 (140, 158, 175, 190, 200, 215, 225, 245) meters or 138 (153, 172, 191, 207, 218, 235, 246, 267) yards
Version 2: Traditional Norwegian Kofte and Black and White all in Le Lambswool
Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool | Worsted |170 m or 185 yds per 50-gram skein
Ole Cardigan
Details
9 Sizes with 3-9" 7.5- 15 cm Positive Ease.
Light Blue /Orange Red and Red/White samples are size 2 with a 6" 15 cm positive ease.
The Dark Gold/ Off-white cardigan is size 3 with 9" 22.5 cm positive
The Black/ Off-White is size one with 2" 5 cm) positive ease
To pick the perfect size for you, measure your favorite sweater across the chest and knit the size with the closest finished chest measurement.
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Finished Measurements
9 Sizes with suggested 2-6" 7.5- 15 cm positive ease
Finished Chest Measurement
Chest: 36 (40, 43, 47, 50.5, 54, 57, 61.5, 65) inches or approx. 91 (100, 108, 117, 126, 135, 144, 153, 162) cm
Total Body Length: 20.5 (20.5, 21.5, 22.75, 22.75, 22.75, 22.75, 24, 24) inches or 52 (52, 54.5, 57.75, 57.75, 57.75, 57. 75, 61, 61) cm
Sleeve Length: 18 (18.5, 18.5, 19, 19, 20, 23, 23, 23) inches 46 (47, 47, 48.5, 48.5, 51, 58.5, 58,5, 58.5) cm
Armscye Depth 7.25 (7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11) inches or approx. 18.5 (19, 20.5, 21.5, 22.75, 24, 25.5, 26.75, 28) cm
Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool | Worsted | 170 m or 185 yds per 50-gram skein
Main Color: Dark Gold 5 (6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9, 10) skeins or approximately 814 (867, 1021, 1056, 1139, 1189, 1399, 1509, 1600) meters or 890 (950, 1116, 1155, 1246, 1300, 1452, 1650, 1749) yards
Biches & Bûches Le Coton Alpaka | Aran weight | 90 meters 96 yds per 50- gram skein
Contrasting Color: Off White 2(2, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4) skeins or approximately 126 (140, 158, 175, 190, 200, 215, 225, 245) meters or 138 (153, 172, 191, 207, 218, 235, 246, 267) yards
Version 2: Traditional Norwegian Kofte and Black and White all in Le Lambswool
Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool | Worsted |170 m or 185 yds per 50-gram skein
Skills used to Knit Ole the Traditional Way
Longtail cast on
Knitting in the round
Knitting
Purling
Knitting in stranded colorwork
Catching floats
Weaving in and out colors
Setting up a Steek
Steek prep. cutting and concealing
Knitting in colorwork while increasing stitches
Knitting in colorwrok while decreasing stitches
Chart reading skills
Color dominance
Purling in colorwork
Binding off stitches
Adding stitches in colorwork
Backward loop
Slipping Stitches
Duplicate Stitch
Picking up and knitting stitches
Buttonholes
Optional: Double Knittting
Sewing skills- mattress stitch, running back stitch
