PetiteKnit Stockholm sweater

I’ve been a big fan of the PetiteKnit knitting patterns for a while now. The easy-to-wear, minimalist designs are simple to knit, yet often wardrobe workhorses. Mette’s style is basic, clean and unfussy and that translates into her knitting patterns. I’ve made the balloon cardigan, the Oslo hat and now the Stockholm sweater.

I will say, PetiteKnit’s sizing in the past, has not particularly inclusive. These days I notice her more modern sweaters go up to around 60” chest, whereas the older designs stop around 50”. She also makes that fatal error of only using herself (a small white person) as a model. Customers expect a diverse range of models in sewing and knitting patterns and Mette fails spectacularly to offer this in her pattern images. It’s disappointing, from a company that has a huge range of patterns and clearly is doing well for themselves. I’m surprised, in the climate of diversity and inclusion that is expected from the crafting community, for her not to diversify the way she presents her designs.

I knit my Stockholm Sweater using thrifted blue yarn, sourced from a car boot sale. It was definitely a natural fibre from the burn test, but it didn’t feel wooly. I suspect it might have been cotton from the feel of the thread. I held it double with Drops Kidsilk mohair, bought from Knitted Home. I try to knit exclusively with secondhand yarn, but allow myself a purchase of yarn if it allows me to make use of a thrifted haul. Drops Kidsilk is great, it’s affordable and comes in such a wide range of colours, I can always find a shade that matches my secondhand find. The affordability does make me question the welfare standards but I’ve never been able to find any information on this, negative or positive.

Sharp eyes may be able to see the difference in my tension round the yoke (knit flat) to the body (knit on the round). I thought this might disappear with washing over time, but blocking made very little difference. It’s not enough to stop me wearing it, but it is noticeable to me. I’m hopeful that with repeat washes the effect may fade.

This version is also shorter than I would choose, mostly because of the amount of thrifted yarn! I’m glad I used up very scrap but I’m sad I couldn’t have eked another inch or so from the length of the body. I also ran out of blue mohair and ended up using a scrap of black to finish the nape of the neck. I’ve worn this sweater frequently however, so the length and neckline hasn’t interfered with my enjoyment of the piece. I’ll be sure to add on an inch or two for the next version. Ideally I would like one in cream and one in green. And maybe one in burgundy…or navy…