We are well into winter, yet the weather remains unpredictable. I was lucky enough to be in Scotland for Christmas where the temperature was unusually mild, yet as soon as the weather changes it can drop to well below freezing very, very quickly. What can you do to make sure all weather conditions are covered? You can knit Knitopia, that’s what!!

Whether you measure in Fahrenheit or Celsius, Knitopia really is perfect for this time of year! It will protect you and your loved ones against the increasingly volatile weather we are seeing all around the world. The unusual shape is beautiful and stylish but also wonderfully practical - in the deep of winter you can wear this design like a scarf or a shawl to give extra protection to the shoulders or throat, and once the spring thaw begins it makes a great substitute for a light cardigan! Knitopia really is the ideal design to start the new year in style!

To knit a Knitopia you will need two contrasting yarns: solids, semi solids, tip dyed yarns, color gradients all work well ( very long color gradients especially well). I knitted one version with solids from Wollmeise and another with yarn from Wollelfe that has an extra long color gradient. I needed 1010 yards925m of the main color and 270 yards/250m of the contrasting color. My stitch definition is not rock solid but still on the tighter end of the scale. If you prefer your shawls to be kitted a bit looser, you might need more yarn. The size of your Knitopia will depend on your stitch definition. My versions are 8.5”/22cm) deep an inner inner circle length of 40”/102cm.

Knitopia is a fully reversible shawl with an almost 3 dimensional texture due to several i-cords and short rows. If you have never worked with i-cords or short rows before you will find ample photo tutorials on the necessary techniques. Also you will find all instructions in written and charted form plus graphics that explain the structure.

Knitopia is knitted lengthways, so you will need two pairs of 40” circular needles. One with your preferred needle size and one slightly thicker for the trimming.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your support and encouragement throughout 2017. I wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!