Welcome to my short course on how to knit the Wilderness Sweater!
You can also use this guide to knit my other sweaters with a round yoke.
NB: The instructions here are based on the original version of the Wilderness Sweater (polar), so always read the pattern carefully if you are knitting one of the other editions (mid-season, Vams, children).
Part 1: Before you start
Which yarn should you choose?
The Wilderness Sweater can be knitted in a polar version with thicker yarn, a lighter but thick version in Vams from Rauma, or in a mid-season version with slightly thinner wool yarn. The Wilderness Sweater polar is knitted in Alafosslopi, an Icelandic yarn containing guard hair and undercoat, which makes the sweater water-resistant and perfect for tough conditions. A sweater knitted in this yarn can easily be worn outdoors instead of a jacket.
I have also created a thick version in Vams from Rauma, a 2-ply carded yarn of 100% Norwegian wool. Vams is a full, lightly spun yarn that contains a lot of air, making the sweater feel light and airy.
The Wilderness Sweater also comes in a mid-season edition, which is a thinner version. The yarns used for this are Luna, Varde, and Vidde from Hillesvåg, or Icelandic Lettlopi (a thinner yarn than Alafosslopi).
You can find the different patterns for the Wilderness Sweater here:
Wilderness Sweater Polar 🐾 Wilderness Sweater in Vams 🐾 Wilderness Sweater mid-season 🐾 Wilderness Sweater for children 🐾 Wilderness Sweater for children w/hood
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Needles:
New knitters often knit either very loosely or very tightly. I cannot stress enough how important it is to check your gauge. You can easily do this by knitting a swatch, washing it, and measuring how many stitches you get per 10 cm AFTER the swatch is dry. The reason for this is that many yarns change after washing. In the pattern for the Wilderness Sweater Polar, there are 13 stitches per 10 cm, for the Wilderness Sweater in Vams there are 14 stitches per 10 cm, and for the mid-season version there are 18 stitches per 10 cm, which means you should use the needle size that gives you this stitch count. Therefore: if you knit super tightly without adjusting the needle size, you will end up with a tiny sweater.
It is also very common to knit much tighter with colorwork than with plain knitting, so you often need to increase needle size to achieve the correct gauge.
Your gauge also changes as you become a better knitter. New knitters often knit a bit tensely and pull the yarn very tight. Not only does your mind need to learn all the movements and techniques, but your muscles also take some time to recognize the movements before you eventually do it automatically.
If you knit tightly, a smoother metal needle or polished wood will make the yarn glide more easily, preventing the needles from "getting stuck". If you knit loosely, however, bamboo needles are a better choice, as they provide more friction, which prevents stitches from slipping off or becoming very loose. But most importantly: experiment and see what you like best.
If you knit loosely, a needle with more friction (wood, bamboo) can help you get better control and prevent stitches from slipping off or becoming very loose.
How to knit the right size for you:
Measure around your chest and add 5-10 cm to find the correct bust circumference. Choose based on how fitted you want the sweater to be, and whether you want room to wear clothes underneath. If you plan to wear the sweater a lot outdoors in rain and snow, the wool sweater will also shrink, so it's better for the sweater to be a little too big than a little too small.
If you knit the sweater too tight, it often rides up on the yoke, and you constantly have to pull it down.
For the sweater to be the correct size according to the given measurements, it is important that the stitch count per 10 cm is correct, even for the colorwork. Therefore, you may need to increase the needle size by 0.5 to 1 for the colorwork so that the sweater doesn't become too tight.
The given sizes are standardized, but all bodies are different, and you can adjust the length of the sleeves and body if you want them longer or shorter. It is impossible to create a size that fits absolutely every body shape perfectly, so once you become more experienced, you can mix and match a bit. Perhaps you want waist shaping? Then you can go down a needle size in the middle of the body to make it tighter there. In other words, you can use both stitch count and needle size (gauge) to make the sweater exactly as you want it. But as a complete beginner, it's wise to stick to the pattern.
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Part 2: Getting started with knitting!
How to knit the body:
I use the “long tail cast on” method when I cast on stitches. This is the most common cast-on method in Norway. I usually estimate that one arm's length (from fingertip to armpit) of yarn is about 50 stitches: if I need to cast on 200 stitches, I estimate 4 arm lengths of yarn plus a little extra to be absolutely sure I have enough yarn to cast on before making a slip knot, which is the first stitch. Cast on stitches using the specified needle size.
(Tip: When counting stitches, I first count 50, place a marker, count 50, place a marker, etc. If you count all at once, you can easily lose count, especially if someone tries to talk to you while you're counting. All knitters know how annoying that is!)
If you find casting on difficult, I'm happy to tell you that most new knitters find this to be the hardest part of the entire sweater. Note! Try to cast on so that you can move the yarn back and forth on the needle, not too loosely, but not too tightly either.
Ribbing:
Now you will start knitting ribbing. The purpose of ribbing is to create a kind of "elastic" at the bottom, and also to prevent the body from curling.
The sweater is knitted in the round, so the first stitch you will knit is the very first stitch you cast on. Make sure the stitches haven't twisted on the needle. If you start knitting with twisted stitches, you will get a kind of pretzel that is impossible to save.
In the Wilderness Sweater pattern, you knit 1 knit stitch and 1 purl stitch. Knit stitches are shaped like a V, while purl stitches are just an inverted knit stitch, and they have a kind of "pearl". Many new knitters find ribbing difficult and a bit confusing. If you feel like you're losing all motivation from ribbing, knit it a little shorter than what is stated in the pattern.
Tip: If you tend to knit very loose ribbing, you can knit "twisted knit" or "twisted purl" to make the ribbing tighter. I like my ribbing really tight, so I often knit twisted purl.
Pattern:
After the ribbing, you will switch to the thicker specified needle. You do this by knitting the stitches in stockinette stitch onto a circular needle. Stockinette stitch simply means you will knit only knit stitches. And now you are ready for Chart A. The chart is read from right to left. You can place a Post-it note over the rows you haven't yet knitted to get a better overview of where you are in the chart. Move the Post-it note upwards as you finish each round.
There are many different methods for knitting patterns. Some like to hold the yarn on their index finger, while others prefer to hold one in each hand. Find the method that suits you best. It's very common to knit much tighter with multiple strands, so try to relax your hands. It can also be wise to increase the needle size for the pattern to get the correct gauge.
Be consistent with where you place the colors. The dominant color should be closest to the knitting so that it is highlighted and "pops". If you switch the position of the strands, the result will be uneven. I usually keep one ball of yarn to my left and one to my right so they don't get tangled.
If you are a complete beginner and haven't quite gotten the hang of knitting yet, I recommend skipping the pattern at the bottom and knitting the body and sleeves in a solid color so you can get the knit stitches down before you start the pattern on the yoke.
See HERE for tips on how to knit colorwork with multiple colors.
Rest of the body:
Hooray! You are now finished with the tedious part. Now you will only knit solid knit stitches until the body reaches the specified measurement.
PS: For new knitters, it is common to drop stitches or create new stitches along the way. Count to ensure the stitch count is correct. If the number of stitches deviates: if you have dropped stitches without picking them up, you need to take a small needle and a piece of yarn and pick up the stitch. Then sew the stitch together with the stitch above and weave in the yarn on the inside of the sweater. If, however, you have accidentally increased the number of stitches, these must be decreased by knitting stitches together evenly distributed on the next round. You decrease stitches by knitting two stitches together.
How to knit sleeves
Ribbing on the sleeves:
You start with double-pointed needles in the specified needle size. Double-pointed needles are also called DPNs. The first thing you do is cast on stitches. A set of DPNs consists of 5 needles where you cast on stitches divided among 4 needles and use the fifth needle to knit with. There are so few stitches at the bottom of the sleeves for the Wilderness Sweater that I usually use only 4 needles for the ribbing (I cast on 3 needles and use the fourth to knit with).
There are two different ways to cast on stitches on DPNs: you can either cast on all stitches onto one needle and then distribute them onto 3 needles, or you can cast on the stitches evenly distributed onto the needles right away (I usually cast on the stitches evenly distributed right away).
The sleeve is knitted in the round, just like the body. Make sure nothing has twisted before you start! The first few rounds are a bit tough, and the needles often fly around a bit and it feels a bit chaotic, but it gets better eventually! When you have finished knitting the stitches on one needle, you simply continue knitting on the next needle. Make sure to pull a little tighter when you start knitting on a new needle. It tends to get a bit loose at the transitions, which you want to avoid. Continue in the round until the ribbing measures the correct length.
Increases after ribbing:
When you have finished knitting the ribbing on the sleeves, you will both change needle size and increase stitches.
You do this by knitting the stitches onto thicker double-pointed needles of the specified size, while at the same time increasing the number of stitches given in the pattern, evenly distributed. Here you need to knit the stitches onto 4 needles (and not 3 as on the ribbing) as there will be more stitches on the needle. You increase stitches by lifting the small "bar" between two stitches and knitting it twisted. It is important that you knit the stitch twisted so that it gets a small "twist" to avoid holes in your knitting. If you are unsure how to increase stitches, you can watch, for example, this video.
Pattern at the bottom of the sleeves:
Knit the pattern at the bottom. It can be a bit tricky to knit colorwork with double-pointed needles, and it tends to get a bit tight. Make sure the strands on the inside are not too tight. Try it on as you go.
Increases:
After the pattern, you will start increasing stitches. The stitches should be increased under the arm so they are less visible. Start by marking the middle stitch under the arm (the first stitch of the round). You will now increase one stitch on each side of this stitch (two stitches increased) every 8th round until you reach the specified stitch count. I usually use right- and left-leaning increases. If you are unsure how to do this, you can take a look HERE.
As you get a few more stitches on your double-pointed needles, you can switch to a small circular needle 6 (40 cm long). Knit the sleeve to the specified, or desired, length.
How to attach the sleeves to the body
Many people think it's super difficult to attach the sleeves to the body. It's incredibly easy! The sweater now looks like this: sleeve, front, sleeve, back. The beginning of the round is behind the left sleeve.
Here's how: when you have finished knitting the sleeve, place the specified number of stitches, from the underside of the sleeve, onto a piece of scrap yarn as shown in the picture.
The sleeve is finished knitting and stitches are reserved for the armhole.
Take out the body and place the specified number of stitches onto a piece of scrap yarn. Then knit the sleeve onto the same needle as the body.
Stitches from sleeves and body are reserved. The sleeve is now ready to be knitted onto the same needle as the body.
Now continue knitting to the other side of the body and place the specified number of stitches onto a piece of scrap yarn. Knit the next sleeve in the same way and continue knitting until you reach the beginning of the round.
How to knit the yoke
The pattern in the middle front of the sweater
The beginning of the round is behind the left sleeve. So, to figure out where you need to start to center the pattern, you must first mark the center front of the sweater.
The easiest way to center the pattern is to mark every single stitch that needs to be knitted in the pattern color from the center front of the sweater all the way until you reach the beginning of the round.
The repeat is 6 stitches, so you mark one stitch, count 5 and mark the 6th stitch, count 5, mark the 6th stitch, and so on until you reach the beginning of the round. Now you know exactly which stitch should be knitted in the pattern color first.
When knitting the paw prints, you do the same. The repeat is 16 stitches, so you mark 16 stitches in the center front, mark 16 stitches again, and so on until you reach the beginning of the round.
Here I have marked where the paw prints should be
Evenly spaced decreases
After you have finished knitting the first part of the chart, you should decrease evenly:
If I have 200 stitches on the needle and need to decrease 40 stitches, I divide 200 by 40. That gives me 5. This means I should decrease every 5th stitch. I start by knitting 4 stitches. Decrease. The stitch I now have on the right needle counts as 1 stitch since it was the previous stitch you decreased, and not the one you now have on the needle. So then I count 1 (the one you have on the needle), 2, 3, 4 and decrease the fifth stitch. Repeat.
If it turns out you need to decrease, for example, every 4.3 stitches, it might be wise to note how many stitches you have counted with a row counter.
You can also use stitch markers and mark every 5th stitch so you know exactly where to decrease, and you don't have to count while decreasing. This takes a little longer, but then you are sure to decrease the correct number.
Twisting strands and decreasing in chart
When knitting the paw prints, the strands can become very long on the inside. I usually don't twist the strands that often when knitting with Lopi yarn because it felts well on the inside of the sweater, but behind (and between) the paw prints, the distance becomes so long that it is necessary here. It is as simple as it sounds. You just need to make a small twist on the back so the strand stays close (as the picture shows). Be sure to tighten a little when you continue knitting with the yarn you picked up. If the strand becomes too loose, it can be visible on the outside of the sweater.
When knitting the paw prints, you should decrease according to the chart. A "V" represents 1 stitch, so you simply knit these two stitches together.
Part 3: Finishing
Sewing together under the arms
Now you transfer the stitches under the arm onto 2 double-pointed needles. I usually pick up 2 stitches on each side so that there are no holes. Then you turn the sweater inside out and graft together under the arms from the wrong side – as shown HERE.
When you weave in ends afterwards, you must use a little thread and "close up" any holes. Weave in loose ends.
Washing newly knitted garments
Newly knitted garments made of wool (not superwash) should be washed after they are finished.
There are several reasons for this. Newly knitted sweaters are very stiff and uncomfortable to wear. The pattern is also often a bit bulky. After washing, the fibers "relax" and the wool becomes softer and the pattern becomes completely even. When the wool is wet, you also have the opportunity to shape it. I usually stretch out the yoke so that it becomes completely even.
The yarn may also contain residual excess dye that is good to remove.
I usually put the sweater in a bucket or in the bathtub with lukewarm water. Then I squeeze all the air out of the sweater. After that, I let it drain a bit and squeeze the excess water out of the sweater. Finally, I lay the sweater on a towel and roll the towel into a sausage shape. I usually do this a couple of times (with a new towel) before finally drying the sweater flat. You dry wool garments flat because wet wool stretches, which is quite useful to know if you actually want it longer in certain places. Alafosslopi takes some time to dry, so if you have a warm bathroom floor, you can dry it there.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have now knitted your Wilderness Sweater, and are ready for new adventures!
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Do you want further advice and guidance? Join our knitting group on Facebook, you can find it HERE!
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