A Modern Lopi in 12 Days! #BangOutASweater

My #BangOutASweater is finished! In case you’re not on Instagram, Stopover is a modern lopi pattern which thanks to the ladies at Mason Dixon, a lot of us have been knitting. (Including me. Remember this blog post?)

Because the pattern is knit at a loser gauge than a traditional lopapeysa, it flies off the needles. It can almost be knit during a Stopover!

According to Ravelry, I started this project on February 8th. I cast off and blocked on the 20th. I knit a sweater in – get this – just 12 days. Less than a fortnight! The speed was why the knitalong was called #BangOutASweater, but I’m still delighted – I never thought I could knit a jumper so quickly!

The cat helped with blocking, of course.

Despite the gauge being quite loose (you can see my red top shining through in the close up pic!) this modern lopi is really, really warm. I had to whip it off after taking a few photos. It’s very lightweight, but the “hairiness” of the lopi yarn traps warmth amazingly. It will be wonderful for trips to Geneva, or on especially chilly days in London. Again, because of the gauge, it’s not in the slightest bit windproof, so I’ll want another layer for windy days.

I was a little worried that the fit would be unflattering – specifically, that the yoke detail would emphasise my already generous shoulders – but I really like the fit! It’s boxy, but in a fashionable way. I took the hint from the pattern, and blocked one edge of the neckline lower, so it’s a tiny bit closer to a scoop neck than a crew neck. If I were to knit the pattern again, I might add in another decrease for extra waist shaping, but apart from that I wouldn’t change a thing.

If you haven’t already, make sure you check out the #BangFinisher tag on instagram! There’s a lot of amazing work being shared there. The colours are almost inspiring me to knit a second sweater… And if you don’t already follow me on instagram, feel free to go ahead and do that too.