Pattern Previews for Laine 12

Laine 12 features thirteen knitwear patterns by an international group of designers: Alma Bali, Olga Buraya-Kefelian, Luuanne Chau, Kristin Drysdale, Claudia Eisenkolb, Fabienne Gassmann, Tamy Gore, Dee Hardwicke, Claudia Quintanilla, Jeanette Sloan and Jutta Turunen. Below, we have gathered information and photos of each design. You can also find them with pattern specs, such as yardage and sizing, on Ravelry.

Alma Bali – Rues De Paris

This is a sweater version of Alma Bali’s popular Rues De Paris cardigan, and it comes in two versions, cropped and regular length. The garment has an interesting construction – it is a seamless pattern, but with major sections of it worked flat.

The striking tuck-stitch pattern is both easy and addictive to knit, and the garment is finished neatly with a little shawl collar in garter stitch. The main fabric is made with three strands of lace-weight yarn: two strands of silk mohair and one of Merino wool.

Featured yarns: Mohair Silk and Helix by La Bien Aimée.

Olga Buraya-Kefelian – Skylight

Skylight is a top-down sweater that comes in two versions, cropped and regular. The sweater features an unusual stitch pattern with subtle cables and dropped stitches. Olga Buraya-Kefelian likes to juxtapose positive and negative spaces to achieve textured fabric, and in Skylight the dropped stitches create rows of diamond-shaped negative spaces.

The most complex part of the pullover is the yoke, as the stitch pattern and shaping occur simultaneously – keep an eye on the chart while following the written directions. Pick a yarn in a solid or semi-solid colour.

Features yarns: Jensen by Isager and Strå by Woolfolk.

Luuanne Chau – Niveous

Niveous is a top-down sweater featuring a geometric yoke. The simple yet alluring colourwork creates an imagery of snow-capped mountains. The inspiration came from a doodle that Luuanne Chau made after looking at pictures of mountainous scenery. She simplified the silhouette of the mountain peaks into diamonds.

The addition of the brushed Suri alpaca, juxtaposed with the more standard plied yarn, creates a contrast in texture. It evokes memories of freshly fallen snow on a crisp cold evening. Niveous is worked in the round in stockinette stitch. The oversized fit makes it a perfect sweater to pop on.

Features yarns: Woolstok Worsted and Brushed Suri by Blue Sky Fibers.

Kristin Drysdale – Sørensdatter

Sørensdatter is a steeked cardigan that is worked seamlessly in the round from the bottom up. Kristin Drysdale loves the old world tradition that daughters and sons carried their father’s first name with them – hence the name Sørensdatter.

The cropped cardigan is filled with colourwork. The crowns in the pattern represent the bridal crowns worn in Sweden and Norway, and the flowers represent the flower garlands worn during Midsummer celebrations. There are three colours in the pattern design, but only two are worked at once. Sørensdatter has a square neck, and the buttonband is finished with a ribbon.

Featured yarn: Tukuwool Fingering by Tukuwool.

Claudia Eisenkolb – Woven Bands

Woven Bands is a boxy V-neck sweater with a cabled pattern on a reverse stockinette background. The pattern starts directly at the hem and resembles woven bands – hence the name.

The sweater is worked bottom up in the round. Once the armhole has been reached, the body is divided into front and back. For the sleeves, stitches are picked up around the armhole, and the sleeves feature the same “k1, p3” ribbing as the upper body. The pattern is a lot less complicated than it looks: you only work the cable every fourteenth round, and on the other rounds you just work the stitches as they appear!

Featured yarn: Tibetan Cloud by mYak.

Fabienne Gassmann – Viburna

Viburna – “hedgerow” in Latin – is a boxy jumper with alternating stitch patterns that create an interesting grid-like effect. The textured stitch patterns make for a cosy yet structured fabric that helps the jumper retain its geometric shape. Viburna has an oversized fit with slim, flattering sleeves.

The jumper is knitted from side to side, starting at the cuff of the right sleeve. Viburna is knitted in fingering weight yarn and with a bit of positive ease. With this design you should take swatching seriously: the two stitch patterns used can have different gauges when knitted on the same size needle.

Featured yarn: Knit by Numbers 4ply by John Arbon Textiles.

Tamy Gore – Honey Glow

Honey Glow is an asymmetrical triangular shawl full of texture, perfect for the colder season. This large and cosy shawl evokes our sense of touch in its tactile qualities – from the variety of textural stitches to the combination of fibres.

Single-colour brioche and garter ridges alternate throughout the pattern, while a simple centre eyelet lace panel provides a striking detail. Honey Glow is knitted with two yarns held together.

Featured yarns: Swanky DK and Feather by Magpie Fibers.

Dee Hardwicke – Tulip Garden

The Tulip Garden cowl and wrist warmers are the perfect accessory for chilly days. They both feature a beautiful, modern tulip motif that was inspired by the rows of tulips that suddenly seem to appear from nowhere in city parks throughout spring: their tall, upright stems and the splashes of colour.

Both the cowl and the wrist warmers are worked in the round. Each has a short hem in stockinette stitch at the beginning and end of the piece.

Featured yarn: Haven by Shibui Knits.

Claudia Quintanilla – Water Lilies

Water Lilies comes in two versions – a cardigan and a pullover. This comfortable and casual design has a slightly oversized fit. It is made from the bottom up: the body and sleeves are worked separately to the start of the yoke, then joined to work the yoke.

The feminine lacy yoke features water lilies and it is inspired by traditional Estonian lace knit designs. A single repeat of the lace pattern and a garter edge finishes off each sleeve. Water Lilies is traditional in style but with a modern twist.

Featured yarns: Nightshades and Daylights by Harrisville Designs.

Jeanette Sloan – Teira

Teira is a generously proportioned, asymmetric shawl that features a combination of wrapped rib, giant eyelets, slipped stitches and bobbles. The shawl begins with a wide cast-on and narrows to a point created by regular decreases worked at one side of the shawl. A panel of three slipped stitches is placed at each edge of the shawl in order to give a neat tubular finish.

The size and shape of Teira is based on Jeanette Sloan’s existing ‘go to’ shawl, which she uses throughout the year. Because the shawl is so large, it was important to use a fingering-weight yarn that drapes beautifully.

Featured yarn: Bicycle by West Wool.

Jutta Turunen – Autio

Autio are cuff-to-top mittens with cable lattice, twisting cables and wrapped bobbles. The diamond pattern is repeated as a part of the thumb gusset.

Jutta Turunen used to live by a quiet lakeside that was inhabited mostly by flocks of loons and nightingales. She wanted her mittens to communicate this rough beauty – the name Autio means “desolate” in Finnish. Jutta chose a lovely green shade for this pattern. Any rustic or a slightly rough yarn works well.

Featured yarn: Pentti by Aara.