The Soldag sweater is an aran-weight sweater featuring intricate charted cables, a longline oversized fit, mock neck, and dropped sleeves. The sweater’s design elements are inspired by Soldagen - the day when people who live above the Arctic Circle celebrate the first yearly sighting of the sun after months of mørketid (24-hour polar night).

There are two construction methods available for the Soldag Sweater: bottom up and seamed, or top-down and seamless.

Top down: The body of the sweater is knit in a drop-shoulder construction with German short rows to shape the front and back. The body and sleeves are knit from the top down in the round. Stitches are picked up and knit for the neckline.

Bottom up: The body of the sweater is knit flat in pieces with the back knit 6 cm longer than the front. Invisible seams are used to join the front and back pieces at the shoulders and sides. Stitches are picked up and knit for the neckline, and sleeves are picked up and knit from the top down.

Note that the cable patterns are charted only

Sizes 1 (2) 3 (4) 5 (6) 7
Bust circumference: 90 (100) 110 (120) 130 (140) 150 cm / 35.4 (39.4) 43.3 (47.2) 51.2 (55.1) 59 inches including the intended 15 cm / 6 inches of positive ease at the bust.

Body length - front (including ribbing): 50 (52) 53 (54) 56 (57) 58 cm / 19.5 (20.5) 21 (21.5) 22 (22.5) 23 inches, easily adjustable

Note: add 6 cm / 2.4 inches for back length.

Sleeve circumference: 30 (32) 35 (38) 40 (42) 44 cm / 12 (12.6) 13.8 (15) 15.8 (16.5) 17.5 inches

Sleeve length (including ribbing): 47 (48) 50 (51) 52 (53) 54 cm / 18.5 (19) 19.5 (20) 20.5 (21) 21.5 inches, easily adjustable

Gauge:
20 st x 30 rows = 10 cm on smaller needles in twisted rib, blocked.
24 st x 30 rows = 10 cm on larger needles in center cable panel, blocked.
18 st x 30 rows = 10 cm on larger needles in stockinette stitch, blocked.

Yarn:
Knit with one strand of each:

1. DK-weight yarn (e.g. Drops Soft Tweed, Drops Lima, Berroco Vintage DK): 910 (1020) 1200 (1300) 1380 (1500) 1600 m / 995 (1116) 1312 (1422) 1510 (1641) 1750 yards.
2. Lace-weight mohair silk (e.g. Drops Kid Silk, Rauma Plum, Sugar Brush Drizzle, Merinor Kid Silk, Sandnes Tynn Silk Mohair, Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair): 910 (1020) 1200 (1300) 1380 (1500) 1600 m / 995 (1116) 1312 (1422) 1510 (1641) 1750 yards.

Alternatively, you can use a single strand of Aran-weight yarn (e.g. Berroco Vintage, Knitpicks Muse Aran, Katia Concept Cotton Merino Tweed, Drops Air): 910 (1020) 1200 (1300) 1380 (1500) 1600 m / 995 (1116) 1312 (1422) 1510 (1641) 1750 yards.

Needles:

• 4.5mm circular needles with an 80cm / 100cm cord for ribbing
• 5mm circular needles with an 80cm / 100cm cord for the body
• 4.5mm circular needles with a 40cm cord, or DPNs for sleeve cuffs and collar (unless using magic loop method)
• 5mm circular needles with a 40cm cord, or DPNs for sleeves (unless using magic loop method)

Materials:

• Stitch markers
• Tapestry needle
• Cable needle
• (suggested) Stitch counter