Pattern Previews for Knitted Kalevala
Knitted Kalevala by Jenna Kostet includes 18 knitting patterns – sweaters, cardigans and accessories – inspired by Kalevala. Considered a national epic in Finland, Kalevala contains old poems full of Baltic-Finnic mythology, ancient symbols, mythical creatures and nature. These as well as other Finnish, Scandinavian and Baltic influences can be seen in the decorative colourwork patterns of the designs. Take a closer look on the patterns featured in the book
Maailman Synty | The Origin of the World
This sweater is knitted from the bottom up, with a colourwork pattern at the yoke. In the sample sweater, the pattern is knitted in just one contrast colour, but you can also choose to use different colours for each of the different sections – perfect for left-over yarn from other projects. Knitted from Icelandic wool, the sweater is weather-proof and perfect for the outdoors, but you can also choose to use a less warm yarn for indoor wear.
Yarn: Ístex Léttlopi, colourways Golden Heather 9426 (MC) and Navy Blue 9420 (CC). You can substitute Léttlopi with another worsted or aran weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Jalovilla Uuhi and Kaarama Lankastudio Tenho, German Danish BC Garn Northern Lights and U.S. Brooklyn Tweed Shelter.
Suolaulu | The Bog Song
This sweater is worked seamlessly from the bottom up. It has three-quarter-length sleeves, a cropped hem and dropped shoulders. The hem and cuffs are decorated with colourwork. You can easily change the shape by lengthening the sleeves and the body, but please remember you’ll also need more yarn. The sweater was originally published in the autumn of 2020 and it is the most beloved of all of my Kalevala-themed designs.
Yarn: Rauma Finull, colourways 434 Terrakotta (MC) and 4078 Light Marled Beige (CC). You can substitute Finull with another sport or fingering weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool Fingering or Pom Pom Suoma Single, Canadian Lichen and Lace Rustic Heather Sport, German BC Garn Bio Shetland, U.S. Brooklyn Tweed Loft or Portuguese Rosa Pomar Pegulhal.
Suolaulu the Yoked Sweater
This sweater has the colourwork pattern from the original Suolaulu sweater knitted into the yoke of this bottom-up sweater. The snow crystal- and flora-themed sweater was born out of requests from knitters to turn the popular original sweater into a yoked version. Knitted from DK-weight yarn, this one is warm enough to wear during outdoor activities and the turtleneck collar offers protection from the wind. Worked at the yoke, the beautiful pattern looks like a statement necklace.
Yarn: Isager Jensen, colourways Marled Grey 4S (MC) and White 0 (CC). You can substitute Jensen with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool DK or Pom Pom Suoma DK, Icelandic Ístex Plötulopi and U.K. John Arbon Textiles Knit by Numbers DK.
Suolaulu Mittens
These mittens begin from the long, ribbed cuff, which can be folded. The colourwork pattern features the leaves from the Suolaulu sweater. You can also easily turn the mittens into fingerless mitts. Just leave out the top-most floral pattern, the decreases and the tip of the thumb, and finish the top edges with a short rib.
Yarn: Rauma Garn Finull, colourways Dark Marled Orange 4121 (MC) and White 0400 (CC). You can substitute Finull with another fingering or sport weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool Sock, Portuguese Rosa Pomar Pegulhal, Canadian Lichen and Lace Rustic Heather Sport and U.S. Spincycle Yarns Wilder and The Farmer’s Daughter Recollect.
Kultainen Käki | The Golden Cuckoo
This sweater is worked from the bottom up, with a bird-themed colourwork motif. The sweater has raglan sleeves and the sample is knitted from soft Finnish wool. Choose colours with a high-enough contrast, so that the details of the colourwork stand out.
Yarn: Jalovilla Vuona, colourways Tuhka (MC) and Kulta (CC). You can substitute Vuona with another fingering weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Pom Pom Suoma Single or Tukuwool Fingering, Norwegian Sandnes Garn Mini Alpakka and Jamieson & Smith 2ply Jumper Weight from Shetland.
Joukahainen
These socks begin from the colourwork cuff. The heel is reinforced and the toe is worked with star decreases. The sample socks are knitted in two colours, but you can also use a variety of odds and ends and play with colours.
Yarn: Aara Aatos, colourways Harri (MC) and Helmi (CC) as well as Luoto (MC) and Karri (CC). You can substitute Aatos with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Vuonue Pentti and Novita Seitsemän Veljestä and Norwegian Sandnes Garn Perfect.
Pohjola
This is a loose colourwork sweater, worked from the bottom up. The top part and fitted sleeves are knitted in ribbing. Choose a size with plenty of positive ease if you want a relaxed and eye-catching sweater. You can also easily add more length to the body, just make sure you have extra yarn.
Yarn: Pom Pom Linnea DK, colourways Hiili (MC) and Lempi (CC). You can substitute Linnea DK with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool DK or Pom Pomin Suoma Single DK, Portuguese Rosa Pomar Brusca or Icelandic Ístex Plötulopi.
Pohjolan Emäntä | The Lady of Pohjola
This sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up. It has a V-neck, dropped shoulders and fitted sleeves. The hem is decorated with an impressive colourwork pattern. This sweater is a real eye-catcher.
Yarn: Tukuwool Fingering, colourways H23 Selja (MC) and 05 Anga (CC). You can substitute Tukuwool Fingering with another fingering weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Aurinkokehrä Fingering or Kehrätär Lieko, Norwegian Rauma Garn Finull, U.S. Brooklyn Tweed Loft and Portuguese Rosa Pomar Pegulhal.
Pohjolan Neito | The Maiden of Pohjola
Pohjolan Neito Sweater
2 versions
This sweater is worked from the top down. It has raglan sleeves and a colourwork yoke. You can work the hem wider or omit the increases to create a straight body. The sleeves also have two options: long and short ribbing.
Yarn: Tukuwool DK, colourways Nila (MC1), Ujo (MC2) and Tyyni (CC) (lilac sample). Vuonue Pentti, colourways White (MC1), Grey (MC2) and Dark Grey (CC) (grey-brown). You can substitute Tukuwool DK and Vuonue Pentti with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Pom Pom Linnea DK, Danish Isager Jensen or Portuguese Rosa Pomar Brusca.
Pohjolan Neito Cardigan
This cardigan moves the colourwork motif from the Pohjolan Neito Sweater from the yoke to the hem. The relaxed cardigan is worked in the round from the bottom up and then steeked. Knitted from DK-weight yarn, this cardigan is perfect as a jacket on warm spring and autumn days.
Yarn: Tukuwool DK, colourways Ujo (MC) and Havu (CC). You can substitute Tukuwool DK with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Vuonue Pentti, U.K. John Arbon Textiles Devonia DK and Portuguese Rosa Pomar Brusca or Beiroa.
Saari
This open cardigan is worked from the bottom up. This cropped cardigan features a colourwork motif at the hem. It doesn’t have buttons, so you can let it hang open or close it with a pin. It is a perfect layering piece for cooler summer evenings, when it is so beautiful you do not want to go to sleep just yet.
Yarn: Vuonue Pentti, colourways Vaaleanharmaa (MC) and Ruoste (CC). You can substitute Pentti with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool DK, Danish Isager Jensen and German Rauwerk Original.
Kyllikki Socks
These socks are worked from the cuff down. They have a reinforced heel, a wedge toe and colourwork at the cuff. You can play with the colours and knit the floral pattern in a single colour or add in an additional contrast colour.
Yarn: Vuonue Pentti, colourways Valkoinen (MC), Tummanvihreä (CC1) and Lohenpunainen (CC2). You can substitute Pentti with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Novita Seitsemän Veljestä or Aara Aatos and Norwegian Sandnes Garn Perfect.
Kyllikki Hat
This hat has a floral motif and begins from the rib. It has extra fabric at the top, creating a relaxed look. You can use odds and ends or mini-skeins for the colourwork pattern, or work it all in just one contrast colour.
Yarn: Vuonue Pentti, colourways White (MC), Dark Green (CC1) and Salmon Red (CC2). You can substitute Pentti with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool DK, British The Fibre Co. Lore and U.S. Brooklyn Tweed Arbor.
Anna Huolia Hevosen | Let the Horse Carry the Heavy Burden
This sweater is worked from the bottom up, with colourwork at the yoke. You can knit the colourwork pattern with the main colour and contrast colour as shown in the chart, or you can switch them so that the pattern uses the same colour as the contrast colour as is used in the sleeves and the bottom of the sweater. If knitted with Icelandic wool, the sweater protects from rain, wind and freezing temperatures.
Yarn: Ístex Léttlopi, colourways Chocolate Heather 0867 (MC) and Light Beige Heather 0086 (CC). You can substitute Léttlopi with another worsted or aran weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Vuonue Manta or Usko, GermanDanish BC Garn Northern Lights or French Biches et Bûches Le Gros Lambswool.
Kultaneito | The Golden Maiden
This sweater is worked from the top down, with colourwork at the yoke, hem and cuffs. You can play with yarn dominance in this design. In the sample sweater, yoke rounds 1–24 are worked with the chartreuse yarn in the dominant position. After that, the yarn dominance is switched so that in the inner rays the white yarn is in the dominant position, and in the outer shapes the chartreuse is.
Yarn: Kehrätär Lieko, colourways Yellow Green (MC) and White (CC). You can substitute Lieko with another fingering weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool Fingering or Aurinkokehrä Fingering, NorwegianDanish Rauma Garn Finull or Danish Holst Garn Supersoft or Portuguese Rosa Pomar Pegulhal.
Iku-Turso
This is a warm top-down sweater with colourwork in the yoke, hem and cuffs. You can knit the sweater in three colours as instructed or use just a single contrast colour in addition to the main colour. The long, folded collar is worked last. This warm sweater is knitted in chunky-weight yarn and can be worn as an outer layer during frosty days.
Yarn: Rauma Garn Vams, colourways Heathered Petrol 405 (MC), Light Blue 49 (CC1) and Heathered Dark Petrol 404 (CC2). You can substitute Vams with another chunky weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Vuonue Unelma or Icelandic Ístex Alafosslopi.
Ilmatar
This sweater is worked from the top down, with colourwork at the yoke. The sweater has a split hem and the back piece is longer than the front. This creates an airy and light effect. Knitted with a wool-linen mix, this sweater is perfect for spring and summer evenings.
Yarn: Pom Pom Linnea DK, colourways Dyyni (C1) and Metsä (C2). You can substitute Linnea DK with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Kaarama Lankastudio Hellä, Danish Isager Jensen, Icelandic Ístex Plötulopi and Portuguese Rosa Pomar Brusca.
Tuonen Karhu | Bear of Tuoni
This sweater is worked in the round from the top down as one piece, and the yoke has a charming colourwork pattern. This loose-fitting sweater is relaxed, and you can pull it on for example for a cosy walk in the woods. The fabric is lively, thanks to the tweed nupps in the yarn.
Yarn: Ruskan Lehti Donegal Tweed, colourways Havumetsä (MC) and Pöytähopeat (CC). You can substitute Donegal Tweed with another DK weight yarn or any yarn you get gauge with. Great alternatives are for example Finnish Tukuwool DK or Vuonue Pentti, Icelandic Ístex Plötulopi and U.S. The Farmer’s Daughter Pishkun.