Blog #46 The New Zealand Sweater
Note: The video begins with about 11 seconds of silence and images before Meg begins speaking. No need to adjust your volume.
Dear Knitter,
Between following my grandson ELI’s disc golf tournaments in New Zealand for 5 weeks, and watching the Australian Open, I am transported to Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
Right now, Eli is very close to the Rangitoto volcano, which was my mum’s inspiration for her New Zealand sweater. She (and my father) toured both North and South islands, giving knitting workshops. The trip to NZ was a dream fulfilled for Elizabeth and, as anticipated, she fell in love with the country.
The sweater it inspired is knitted up from the lower edge with a seamless body, as discussed in the video above. Add EZ's Phoney Seams as you work your way to underarm gussets. Now start the yoke back and forth in stocking stitch on ever-shortened rows. When you reach the top of the volcano, switch to garter stitch with a Phoney Seam on the center stitch. As you work a similarly-shaped back, you will incorporate a sneaky back-of-neck shaping embedded into the yoke. Unite the shoulders, knit up around the armholes and work the sleeves down.
The 3 versions below are (top to bottom as shown in photo) 2-ply Unspun Icelandic/Plötulopi @ 4 sts per inch; 3-ply wool @ 3.33 sts per inch; Shetland Spindrift wool @ about 7 sts per inch (choose from over 200 colors). Specific instructions are in Elizabeth’s book, Knit One Knit All, where you can read a bit about her NZ trip.
One of the versions (shown below) was knitted by Betsy Wyeth, in which she included Mrs Laidlaw's Gansey motif on the body (chart in Elizabeth's book Knit One Knit All), and added Quaker Stitch cuffs and neck; a great example of the variations that may be added, according to your whim. The model is also wearing Elizabeth Zimmermann's Brimmed Hat, Vertical, also from Elizabeth's book Knit One Knit All.
And speaking of "reaching the top of the volcano" as you knit, here is my grandson Eli in NZ (having just hiked up the Taranaki volcano), wearing my Swedish Gradient Ull Hat, instructions for which can be found in Schoolhouse Press Pattern (SPP) #56, print or digital download. Interested in Disc Golf or Adventures, follow Eli on Instagram: swansendiscgolf or watch his YouTube channel: @EliSwansen.
The NZ design has just the right amounts or hypnotic mindless knitting, and interesting bits of shaping and other details. Enjoy yourself!
Eli went bungee-jumping yesterday, and volcano-hiking the day before. How does he have time to video and edit the practice rounds, then actually play in the tournaments…?
