Pattern previews Archipelago Knitting

The designers featured in the Archipelago Knitting magazine include both top names and rising stars from Finland and abroad: Anna Johanna, Anna Tanskanen, Jenny Williams, Jona Bednjanec, Ulrika Krantz, Sara R., Emma Suominen, Hannemari Lehtonen, Heli Hottinen-Puukko, Janita Koskinen, Anna-Karoliina Tetri, Veera Jussila, and Meg Gadsbey.

SKAR HAT

Janita Koskinen’s Skar hat is warm because the brim can be folded into several layers. The cable motifs resemble the grooves of shoreline rocks. The hat is knitted from the bottom up. After the foldable brim, a striking cable panel rises at the front of the hat, framed by rustic garter stitch. The back of the hat and the brim are worked in classic 1×1 ribbing, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit.  

Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä Nummi

SKAR SCARF

Janita Koskinen’s Skar Scarf is a perfect pair for the hat named the same. The rhythm of the crossing cables flows through it like a crosswind in the archipelago landscape. The rustic Garter Stitch background makes the cables stand out. All cables are worked on the right side of the work, while the wrong side is worked alternating knit and purl stitches. 

Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä Nummi

URRA 

Urra vest designed by Janita Koskinen echoes the rugged beauty of the archipelago – the rocky shores, the sweep of the wind, and the deep breath of the sea. It’s named with a word that sounds just like that: low, powerful, and timeless. This vest is designed to accompany you through every season, and it is perfect for layered outfits. The cable pattern at the back recalls the grooves of shoreline rocks, while the rhythm of the ribbing reminds of the rocking of a boat. 

The vest is worked flat in two stages. The work begins from the back which is worked from the top down in Garter Stitch with a cable panel at the center. You can easily adjust the back length by repeating the cable pattern for your preferred number of times. Once the back is complete, stitches are picked up along the side edges to work the fronts. The fronts are worked in a wide Rib Stitch pattern, which adds structure and ensures a good fit for the vest. 

Yarn: Novita 7 Veljestä Nummi

SAANA 

The Saana cowl designed by Hannemari Lehtonen features a cleverly folded collar, with the cable running on top both in the collar and in the cowl section. The shoulder shaping adds warmth and ensures a comfortable fit. Hannemari drew the inspiration for her collar from the icy nature of the North. 

Yarn: Novita Halaus

HEINI 

The motifs on the Heini sweater designed by Hannemari Lehtonen reflect the rugged nature of the archipelago. Heini is a girl’s name in Finland, and its meaning refers to “hay.”

The Heini sweater is begun from the back piece and features a European shoulder. Stitches are increased at the neck and then along the shoulders. Stitches for the left and right front shoulders are picked up from the increase edges of the back piece. The shoulder pieces are joined, and the front is worked flat to the underarms, where the front and back are joined to work the body in the round to the desired length. The sleeve stitches are picked up around the armhole and the sleeves are knitted in the round. The neckline is finished by picking up stitches along the neck edge and working ribbing. 

Yarn: Säie Wool Linen DK

MIELINKI 

The sea, the evening sun, and the waves crashing against shoreline rocks inspired Veera Jussila to the Mielinki sweater play of stripes. The colors are a traditional combination, yet the result is an intriguing interplay of stripes.  

The sweater is knitted from the top down, and its motif is created using mosaic knitting with slipped stitches. This raglan-sleeved sweater is worked seamlessly from the top down. The resulting fabric is warm and dense. The interesting and surprisingly easy pattern looks like stranded colorwork, but only one color is worked at a time. 

Yarn: Isager Merilin

BIRGEN 

The secret behind the warm socks designed by Hannemari Lehtonen is the use of two yarns. The leg is knitted with a double strand of thick yarn, while the foot fits comfortably into a shoe thanks to the thinner sock yarn. For the foot, you switch to finer double-pointed needles and a single strand of lighter yarn. The Birgen socks feature a French heel, and the foot is worked in stockinette stitch to the desired length. 

Yarns: Tukuwool DK and Tukuwool Sock

SOPHIE HAT 

The hat designed by Anna Tanskanen has a modern Scandinavian timeless look. The subtle grey shade highlights the minimalist yet lively surface texture. The texture of both the hat and the mittens is created with small cables. The luxuriously soft cashmere yarn is timeless and warm and it is held double. 

Yarn: Cardiff Cashmere Classic

SOPHIE-MITTENS

 Anna Tanskanen designed the mittens to pair with the hat of the same name. This small accessory set is both beautiful and practical. The tiny cables of the mittens create a textured surface that is richly rustic and warm. 

Yarn: Cardiff Cashmere Classic

SOLAN 

The capelet designed by Jenny Williams is filled with intricate stranded-colorwork motifs. The size of the collar can be adjusted with a drawstring. The beautiful small colorwork patterns are worked throughout with short floats. 

Yarn: Tukuwool DK

SEILI 

The lace pattern of the shawl designed by Sara R. resembles waves crashing against rocky shores in a storm. This small accessory, worked with yarn overs and decreases, is a delightful piece to wear. The shawl is knitted flat from end to end following the lace chart, and the edges are framed with an I-cord.

Yarn: Säie Wool Säie Wool Merino Sock 

MARIN

The sweater designed by Ulrika Krantz draws its inspiration from the gansey sweaters worn by British fishermen, which also give the stitch pattern its English name: fisherman’s rib (known in Finnish as puolipatentti). The upper part of the sweater is worked in half-brioche stitch, making it dense and exceptionally warm. The lower section features classic stripes inspired by the iconic Breton shirt. The denser texture in the upper body adds extra warmth and structure. The sweater has a European shoulder construction, where the stitches are first cast on at the neck and the shoulder line is shaped with increases. 

Yarn: Drops Garnstudio Daisy

ISLET 

The fashionable hooded scarf designed by Jenny Williams features a rugged texture created with slipped stitches. The hood is effortless to wear and can easily be pulled down around the neck when needed. 

Yarns: Tukuwool Fingering & Tukuwool Silk Mohair held together

LUOTO 

The Luoto sweater designed by Anna Johanna charms with its earthy color palette. The small bobble rows knitted between the stripes resemble the tiny stones found on the archipelago’s rocky shores. The sweater is knitted from the top down. It features a European shoulder that drapes beautifully. Two strands of yarn are held together throughout the project. Three different color combinations are created from the yarns.  

Lanka: Tukuwool Fingering & Tukuwool Cashmere Silk Lace held together

LUOTO SOCKS 

The Luoto socks by Anna Johanna feature the same motif as the sweater of the same name. The colors of the socks are drawn from the palette of shoreline stones in the archipelago. The socks are knitted from cuff to toe and are decorated with stripes and small bobbles. The calf decreases and heel increases are worked evenly around the sock to keep the striping uninterrupted. 

Yarn: Tukuwool Sock

AAVA 

The Aava hat by Anna-Karoliina Tetri is inspired by the iconic beanie worn by renowned marine biologist Jacques Cousteau. The hat is a tribute to this French naval officer, who dedicated his life to protecting and exploring the world’s oceans. The texture of the hat is created by alternating knit and purl stitches, and the folded brim keeps you warm in cold weather. 

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Double Sunday PetiteKnit

ALBA 

The Alba sweater by Heli Hottinen-Puukko is a classic from the moment it’s made. Its design language combines playfulness and softness, making it the perfect everyday favorite. The surface of the knit features round, bubble-like motifs. This easy sweater has a relaxed fit and a softly rounded, snowball-like shape. The texture is created with knit and purl stitches, and the rhythmic check pattern becomes intuitive as the work progresses. The sweater is worked from the top down, allowing you to try it on while it’s still in progress. Its fluffy surface is achieved by holding alpaca yarn together with silk mohair throughout. 

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Alpakka Ull & Sandnes Garn Tynn Silk Mohair

NORA 

The Nora shawl is inspired by the seasonal changes along the Baltic shoreline. The small flowers—summer’s bright spots in the archipelago’s rugged nature—are highlighted in Jona Bednjanec’s shawl and bring their beauty to the knitter even in autumn. The large circularly knitted shawl features cables at both ends. 

Yarn: Filcolana Saga

SAGE 

The delicate socks designed by Meg Gadsbey feature a soft rolled edge. The Sage sock pattern was inspired by the atmosphere of coastal and bay landscapes. The small cables and delicate color reflect the rugged nature. The socks are knitted from the cuff down to the toe. 

Yarn: Säie Wool Merino Sock

KAJSA

The stunning cabled cardigan designed by Emma Suominen is a true eye-catcher. The cardigan is knitted from the top down and the upper body and sleeves are shaped with raglan increases. The cardigan’s decorative cables are created with twisted stitches, and the button band is worked in double knitting.

Yarns: Filcolana Arwetta & Filcolana Tilia 

Learn more:
Archipelago Knitting