Valkyria Duo
To wear wool is to wear a soft, warm armor
against the coldness of the world.
Valkyria Cardigan came from the yarn. It was the yarn that inspired me to make and design this cardigan. I saw before me a woolly, airy cardigan with a slight balloon sleeve and a cropped waist. I knitted it up very quickly and just loved the result. It’s the perfect winter cardigan and I just love the feel of the yarn and how fluffy it is. It feels like it’s getting fluffier for every use!
The sweater was a request from my audience and I loved that they wanted a sweater version as well! That means it’s a good pattern :) It’s knitted in a different yarn and has a different gauge, but it’s equally loved by me, and many others!
I chose the name Valkyria because I wanted something to manifest that it’s a winter cardigan. It’s so toasty warm and I have worn it so much to keep me safe from the winds and snow. Valkyria was suitable because they are warriors and I just love the thought of the wool fights the cold weather.
The yarn in the cardigan version is Sårk from Gotland Spinneri. I bought this as Fårfest i Kil a few years ago and I just fell in love with it right away. It took me some time to start working with it though. But when I caked the yarn and made a swatch I just instantely knew what kind of project I would knit with it and it just flew off the needles. It’s an amazing yarn to work with!
With the sweater version I didn’t know which yarn I would use and I swatched a few different combinations at first. But then my friend Sanna asked me “don’t you have a few skeins of Varde from Hillesvåg in that beautiful yellow color?” Haha, I loved that she knew my stash so well! And yes, it was the perfect yarn for this sweater. A bit looser gauge and just so nice and easy to wear.
This duo is a very beginner friendly pattern and it gives you two wardrobe staples! They are both knit top down with raglan increases. The body and sleeves are worked seperately and the sleeve is knit with a slight balloon sleeve, but the cuff is fitted to your wrist. It’s a very elegant sweater and cardigan!
I hope you will knit either, or both of them, and enjoy the process! Please tag me in photos and use the hashtags #valkyriasweater or #valkyriacardigan if you post on social media! Thank you for reading!
Feels so weird to see myself pregnant in these Valkyria Sweater photos! Wild!
Pattern for Valkyria Cardigan
Pattern for Valkyria Sweater
Have a woolly day, and happy knitting!
Love, Anna.