In my home, my husband has painted the center of our paneled doors with flowers. It’s a happy thing to see snow outside our windows and a hint of spring inside. He learned this trick from my dear friend Randi Bjorge. She was a National folk artist in Norway before she immigrated to the United States. She taught us that is Norway, they would paint their rooms with colorful murals to keep their spirits up during the long dark winters. The design for Else was inspired by these paintings made in the traditional Rosmaling style with flowers and scrolls and S and C-shaped stokes.

Else is a traditional bottom-up yoke sweater. I love this efficient and beautiful way to knit a sweater. First you knit the body, then quickly you will knit the sleeves. As soon as you finish each sleeve, you will connect it to the body. After a few rounds, then the fun part starts. I like saving the floral colorwork for last. It’s like dessert. I used the same size needle for the stockinette stitches on the body and the colorwork yoke. I hope that as you wear this sweater on the coldest days, it will remind you of the hope of spring.

Materials
Biches et Bûches Le Lambswool 170 meters per 50 g or 185 yards Scottish Lambswool.
Main Color: Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool Very Dark Grey 250 (250, 300, 300, 300, 350, 350, 350, 400, 400, 400, 400, 400, 450) grams. Or approx. 815 (870, 948, 1007, 1065, 1123, 1181, 1299. 1357, 1413, 1472, 1531, 1591, 1650) yards
Contrasting Color: Biches & Bûches Le Lambswool Off White and 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins or approx. 120 (135,150 ,165 180, 195, 205, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270) yards.

Needles: one gauge-size 32 or 40 – inch/ 80 or 100 cm needle for the body and yoke and one gauge-size 16-inch/40 cm circular needle for sleeves
Suggested needle size: US 8 (5 mm)

One 32-inch /80 or 40- cm circular needle one size smaller than gauge-size needle for the ribbing on the waistband and neckband and one set of double-pointed needles or Flexiflips to use for the ribbing on the cuffs.
Suggested needle size: US 7 (4.5 mm)

Additional Materials
Stitch marker, measuring tape, scissors, and tapestry needle

Gauge and Swatch
20 stitches and 23 rounds = 4 inches in colorwork
17.5 stitches and 23 rounds= 4 inches in single color
Swatch in colorwork, in the round, to determine needle size.

Sizes
1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10, 11, 12, 13, 14) with a 5-9 -inch positive ease.
Sample Size 5 is shown with a 9” positive ease.

Finished Measurements
Chest circumference: 33.75 (36.5, 39, 42, 44.75, 50.25, 53, 55.75, 58.5, 61.25, 64, 66.75,69.5) inches
Body length from cast on edge to underarm: 12 (13,14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 15, 15,15, 15, 16,16,16) inches
Sleeve length: 17.5 (18, 18, 19, 19, 19, 19, 20, 20,20, 21, 21, 21, 21) inches
Yoke depth (without neckband) 8.5 (8.75, 9, 9, 9, 9.25, 9.5, 9.75, 10, 10, 10.75, 10.75, 11.25, 11.5) inches
Total length: 21.75 (23, 24.25, 24.25, 24.25, 24.75, 25, 26.25, 26.5, 26.75, 27.5, 28, 29, 29.25) inches

Skills used in making Else
Longtail cast on
Knitting
Purling
Knit, Purl
Colorwork
Catching a few floats
Chart reading
Binding off
K2tog
SSk
Small circumference knitting with DPNs or Flexiflips
Grafting

Easy Peasy