Maja is the perfect cozy weekend sweater. Absolutely easy enough to be your first knit, yet so classic that you’ll still be wearing it twenty years from now. The extra deep Icelandicyoke draws on
iconic X and O Setesdal motifs to create a whimsical blend of Norwegian and Icelandic knitting traditions.
This sweater is in Chapter 2 of the Nordic Knitting Primer. 99.9% of the sweater is just following the chart and knitting what you see. You will have to catch stitches on 2 rounds but that is an easy skill you can learn in Chapter 3. There are photo-tutorials to help you with that and it’s very easy to do and by the time you need to do that, you will be prepared. This could absolutely be the first thing you knit after knitting my Liv Mitt (and I have first-time knitters to prove it ).

For more about the Nordic Knitting Primer , my work, my knitting philosophy and knitting tutorials, please visit my new website at scandiwork.com.

SIZES
XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL, 4XL)
3–5 inches (7.5–13 cm) positive ease
MATERIALS
YARN: Worsted | Brooklyn Tweed Shelter | 100%
American Targhee-Columbia Wool | 140 yards
(128 m) per 1.75-ounce (50-g) skein
MAIN COLOR (MC): Sweatshirt | 6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
12) skeins 812 (910, 970, 1050, 1218, 1320, 1450, 1610)
yards / 742 (832, 886, 960, 1113, 1207, 1325, 1472) m
CONTRASTING COLOR (CC): Fossil | 2 (2, 2, 3, 3, 3,
3, 3) skeins 234 (252, 270, 288, 306, 324, 342, 360)
yards / 213 (230, 246, 263, 280, 296, 312, 329) m
NEEDLES: One 32-inch (80-cm) or 40-inch (100-cm)
circular needle for the body and one set of doublepointed
needles (DPNs), FlexiFlips, or a 16-inch
(40-cm) circular needle for the sleeves in size needed
to obtain gauge in colorwork and single color
SUGGESTED NEEDLE SIZE: US 9 (5.5 mm)
One 32-inch (80-cm) or 40-inch (100-cm) circular
needle one size smaller than gauge-size needle and
one set of DPNs or FlexiFlips to use for the ribbing
SUGGESTED NEEDLE SIZE: US 8 (5 mm)
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Stitch marker, measuring tape, scissors, and
tapestry needle

SKILLS YOU’LL PRACTICE
Long-tail cast on
Duplicate stitch join
Joining in the round seamlessly
Working 1x1 ribbing (k1, p1) with a split hem.
DPN work for the sleeves
Backward loop increase
Splicing yarn
Joining body and sleeves onto one needle
Weaving a new yarn color in (and out)
Knitting with two colors in the round
Reading a chart
K2tog decrease
Ssk decrease
Mattress stitch