Pattern Previews for The Island and the Forest

The Island and the Forest: A Knitted Correspondence is an exchange of letters and knitwear patterns between two Swedish designers: Erika Åberg and Lotta H. Löthgren. The collection includes 12 patterns designed to be timeless and practical.

Stig

My paths run along the cliff, in all directions. It is beautiful here in summer, but late autumn, winter and spring before the greenery comes offer something else. Restful calm, space for thought perhaps. These paths moved on to the hat, colours from the pines, pale light and limestone. Stig is Swedish for path.

The Stig hat is knitted in the round, from the bottom up, knitted in Romney lambswool.

Yarn: Lore by The Fibre Company in the colourways Comfort, Stable and Serene.

Mulm

Mulm is the same in Swedish and English, and here it refers to the soft, organic matter inside tree hollows. If you find a mulm tree and feel brave, you can peek down into the dark, and imagine the lives of rusty click beetles and false scorpions. All of this fits in the Mulm sweater, knitted in British wool in the sheeps’ own colours.

The Mulm sweater is worked seamlessly from the top down and comes in two looks: a short-sleeve, lightly cropped version with 1 x 1 rib edges, and a long-sleeve, standard length version with 2 x 2 rib edges

Yarn: Gwlad by Garthenor Organic in the colourways Blackhouse and Gwdihw (long-sleeve sample) and Gwidhw and Ffestiniog (short-sleeve sample).

Martall

Martall is the Swedish word for stunted pine. These trees somehow symbolize the core of island life as I know it, adjusting to the wind and forces of nature, but standing proud. I wanted to interpret the surface of the bark and carry the martall with me. Distinct, elegant and sculptural. Proud and steady.

This slipover is worked from the bottom up in the round. It begins with a deep ribbed hem, which is followed by an all-over colourwork pattern with knit and purl stitches.

Yarn: Lore by The Fibre Company in the colourways Comfort and Courage.

Haugvag

I wanted to knit the waves. I wanted to knit movement, light and stillness like the night sea, like the winter sea. The reflection of the moon in the waves — the echo of now and then. When the ice lies, the sea is in motion underneath. Haugvag means swell or high swell after a storm in Gutnish.

The Haugvag Sweater is a seamless top-down knit with a classic, straight fit. It features ribbed edges and textured colourwork on the yoke and sleeves, creating a timeless and comfortable garment.

Yarn: Dark version: Leilu by Gotlands Spinneri in the colourways Nättres, Sandstrand, Kaffi med mjölk and Guldgrön. Light version: Tukuwool Fingering by Tukuwool in the colourways Auri, Rae, Tyyni and Runo.

Göl

There are lakes, ponds and pools in this shawl: amber coloured water that stays on your body. Göl means pond, and this shawl holds many waters: that blue colour when the water reflects the sky on a warm summer’s day, and the dark brown humus that seeps in from the forest. The lace pattern is the marks in the sand.

Göl shawl is knitted from the pointed end to the straight upper side.

Yarn: Sägen Light Fe in the colourways Blenda, Underjord and Forest Gold.

Våg

You can always listen to the waves, no matter the season. Våg is the Swedish word for wave, and these mitts have two wave patterns: one on the outside, and the other, calmer one, on the palm side. You can close your hand around that one, carry it with you.

These colourwork mitts are worked from the cuff up. They feature a striped ribbed cuff, a thumb gusset for a comfortable fit, and a ribbed finish at the top and thumb.

Yarn: Snowdonia by Garthenor Organic in the colourways Harlech, Glaslyn and Menai.

Glöd

The embers, glöden, are full of opportunities. They can smoulder for months after a forest fire. A threatening thought in a forest, but a hopeful one within ourselves. All over this cardigan, a simple pattern is repeated to create a whole: white ashes, hot embers, over and over. The yarn is rustic Portuguese wool, durable and with colours like the embers.

This bottom-up cardigan features a ribbed hem, a textured stitch pattern and a relaxed drop-shoulder construction.

Yarn: Pegulhal from Retrosaria Rosa Pomar in the colourways 03 and 01.

Tjelvar

I covered the mittens with an old Fire symbol; the Kaunaz rune from the Elder Futhark alphabet. The rune means torch and stands for creativity, clarity and knowledge — but also the deeper aspects of pain. Here the rune is repeated across the mitten, as an invocation. A spell. Fire as protection, power and warmth.

The Tjelvar Mittens are knitted in the round, from the cuff up in soft, warm and durable wool to make sure you stay warm all through the colder seasons

Yarn: Ullgarn Extra 2 by Yllet Inredning in the colourways Creme and Rost.

Aska

Ashes looks different depending on what has burned. I wanted to bring out those little shifts in the cowl. Aska is a soft and warm cowl knitted in one ply wool, in gentle shades. The sections of garter stitch and reversed garter stitch are easy to knit, create a subtle texture and allow the wool to come into its own in the best way. Aska means ash or ashes.

This lightweight cowl features striped garter stitch, a stretchy fabric and a construction worked from short side to short side.

Yarn: Two-colour version: Töis by Gotlands Spinneri in the colourways Mörkgrå and Kaffi med mjölk. Four-colour version: Lace wt Shetland wool by The Silly Sheep Fibre Company in the colourways Natural Black, Natural Fawn, Natural Grey and Natural Moorit.

Tistel

A few years ago, I visited Bressay in Shetland, a landscape that is both wild and tame. Marsh and bull thistles blooming everywhere. I love their shape; proud and beautiful, not sheer or fragile. Thistles and seeds that blow in the wind when the time is right. Maybe it’s a parable for our wishes, thoughts and intentions? Tistel, Swedish for thistle, was my first design for our book.

The Tistel Sweater is knitted seamlessly from the top down. It is a short and straight sweater, with long sleeves and a slight raise of the back neckline.

Yarn: Lore by The Fibre Company in the colourways Stable, Reliable and Serene.

Bris

A soft protection against a mild wind, or a layer among many to keep warm in a storm: that’s the Bris vest. Bris is the Swedish word for breeze. The texture is simple but pretty and the sides have a calliper pattern. The rolled edges add a nice bohemian touch. Knitted in a wool and cotton yarn to work in any season.

This top-down vest features a deep V-neck, a button front and a clean, seamless construction, with a subtle cable detail under the arm.

Yarn: Saona by Wooldreamers in the colourway Guthrie.

Virvel

One of the joys of windy days: a virvel, whirl, that lifts the leaves and dry soil and lets them dance around in the air. There’s something special about how air can become visible like this, not on its own but through the thing it affects. On these socks, this dance takes shape in cables and ribbing, going around and across each other.

These socks are knitted from the top down. After the leg is finished, a fleegle heel is worked across the first half of the stitches

Yarn: Mondim by Retrosaria Rosa Pomar in the colourway 300

Learn more:
The Island and the Forest: A Knitted Correspondence