Birki Sweater Pattern

Why yes, I did knit the Birki sweater pattern in 2017 and am now only writing up this blog post. In 2022. Better late than never? I managed to blog about the “companion sweater” I knit for this Iceland trip in a timely manner. You can read that one here if you’re so inclined.

Knitting the Birki Sweater Pattern

Birki is an old Lopi Design pattern designed by Jóhanna Hjaltadóttir. Designed for children. That some of us have taken to transplanting into adult patterns. I first remember seeing it in my friend Kiyomi’s Ravelry projects and falling in love with her version.

I am fairly certain (remember, this blog is happening five years after I knit the thing) that I used the Riddari pattern for the base. Once I figured out the numbers for the size I wanted, I was able to transplant the Birki chart into the Riddari instructions.

Choosing Colors for My Birki

I’ve seen so many gorgeous versions of this sweater. I think it’s very hard to have a “wrong answer” when choosing colors for this pattern. I of course went with Lettlopi and used Violet Heather for the body. The “birch feathers” (birki means “birch” in Icelandic) are Straw, Yellow, and Lagoon Heather.

I also used the Lagoon Heather to work corrugated ribbing at the neck and hems. I genuinely do not remember doing that. But there it is, in the photo! Well done, me.

Still a Top Favorite

I still wear this sweater a whole lot every winter. The majority of my Lopi sweaters have held up so super well over the years. One of them did succumb to moths (which is not its fault). And a couple of them I’ve re-homed as they no longer fit me. But not this one! It’s a bright bit of happiness every day that I wear it.