The King's Sweater by Laura Ricketts

The King's Sweater

Knitting
December 2014
DK (11 wpi) ?
23 stitches and 27 rows = 4 inches
in King Harald Sweater Pattern, stranded in the round on larger needle
US 2½ - 3.0 mm
US 4 - 3.5 mm
3.0 mm
690 - 1150 yards (631 - 1052 m)
Child's size 2 [4, 6, 8]
English
This pattern is available for $10.00 USD
buy it now or visit pattern website

This pattern is a copy of the sweater Prince Harald wore April 9, 1940. On that day, the Nazis invaded Oslo, and Crown Prince Harald, his older sisters Ragnhild and Astrid, their parents, Crown Prince Olav V and Princess Märtha, and his grandfather King Haakon VII fled the capitol. Over the next five years, Crown Prince Harald evaded Nazi capture, living most of this time in a suburb of Washington, D.C.. Prince Harald is the current king of Norway, King Harald V. The original sweater is still property of the royal family.

This modern copy was designed for a class at the Vesterheim, Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa. It is also featured in the January/February 2015 “Historical Knitting” edition of Piecework magazine, named The Crown Prince’s Sweater. It is true to the original with the exception of a larger neck size. This original fit also has slightly longer ribbing and a slightly wider cuff than modern sweaters. If you wish for a more modern fit, decrease the waist and wrist ribbing length by 1 inch (2.5 cm) for each size.

The model is knit in size 4.The sweater is worked in the round from the lower edge to the underarm, then the front and back are worked separately back and forth. The sleeves are worked flat from the ribbing to the shoulder with a set-in sleeve cap. The left shoulder top is worked with a short ribbing, and closed with self-made buttons for the two smaller sizes. The two larger sizes are turtlenecks with no closures. All ribbing is twisted stitch, except the rib at the left shoulder for the two smaller sizes. Charts are worked both in rounds and rows.

Materials
Rauma Strikkegarn (100% Norwegian 3-ply wool yarn, DK weight, 115 yards (105m) /50g (1.8 oz.) ball), colors: 4 (4, 5, 6) balls in #124 red (MC), and 2 (2, 3, 4) balls in #101 off-white (CC); www.nordicfiberarts.com
Needles, circular, 16 inches (40 cm) and 24 inches (60 cm), and set of 4 or 5 double pointed, size US 2.5* / 3 mm for rib and buttons (wooden dpn are best for buttons)
and size US 4 / 3.5 mm circular for body or size needed to obtain gauge. Note: US 2.5 is not a standard US needle size. When
possible, shop for this needle using the millimeter size alone.
markers
stitch holders
4 dimes to stuff buttons, or a small bit of
batting
size D-3 crochet hook
tapestry needle

Finished size
23 25, 27, 30.5 inches (58.4 63.5, 69, 77.5 cm) chest circumference
Sized for 2 4, 6, 8 years

Gauge
23 sts x 27 r = 4 in / 10 cm in stranded patt on larger needle