Skrúður, cardigan – pattern

Please note: The English version of this pattern is not ready yet. For now the pattern is only available in Icelandic.

Skrúður is knit from the top down, back and forth. A lot happens in the first rows, but then everything settles into a steady rhythm.
You start with a cabled band for the neckline, and stitches are then picked up from it for the body. Increases are worked at the shoulders for the body and then for the sleeves. Once the body and sleeves are done, the cardigan is finished with cabled bands that are knit separately and crocheted onto the body and sleeves. The cardigan has a zipper. In Iceland you can buy one at Handprjónasambandið in Borgartún, where they can measure the cardigan and shorten the zipper so it fits perfectly.

I knit the cardigan in my own hand-dyed DK yarn, and you are also welcome to come to the studio and dye the yarn for your cardigan yourself. See more at natturuprjon.is. A cardigan doesn’t get more personal than that.

This pattern is not suitable for beginners. I do offer help with knitting it on Saturday mornings at the Náttúruprjón studio. I would also like to point you to the Skrúður playlist on the Náttúruprjón YouTube channel, with an introduction video for the pattern and shorter step-by-step videos showing what is done in the cardigan.

I really enjoyed creating this pattern. A lot of work went into making it as clear as possible for the knitter, and I hope I have succeeded. I saw an older man at an airport abroad wearing a cardigan similar to this one, and I started shaping the pattern in my head on the way home. I should say that I didn’t take a picture of that lovely cardigan, and it was much finer than this one – but then, who wants to knit a men’s cardigan on 2.5–3.5 mm needles?

Sizes: 1 (2) 3 (4) 5 (6) 7 (8) 9 (10) 11 (12) 13 (14)

Chest circumference: 86 (91) 96 (101) 106 (112) 117 (122) 127 (132) 137 (142) 147 (152) cm.

Finished chest circumference, based on the stitch count for each size: 95 (96) 101 (106) 110 (119) 125 (126) 133 (136) 144 (147) 154 (158) cm.

Yarn: Merino DK, 100 g / 225 m.

Quantity: 600 (650) 700 (700) 750 (750) 800 (800) 850 (850) 900 (900) 950 (950) g.

Needles: Double-pointed needles 4 mm [US 6], circular needle 80 cm [32 in] 4 mm [US 6], and a 4 mm [US G-6] crochet hook.

Notions: 10–12 stitch markers, 2 cable needles, a zipper, or 8–10 buttons if you prefer a buttoned cardigan.

Gauge: 21 sts x 28 rows = 10 cm [4 in] on 4 mm [US 6] needles.

You can also come to the Náttúruprjón studio, buy yarn and hand-dye it for your cardigan.