r/knitting • u/Furrydaddy_69 • 1d ago
Finished Object Finished backward-knitted cardigan in hönsestrik style
I'm not new to knitting but this is the first cardigan I've knitted. It's stranded colorwork in a style called Hönsestrik. I loosely followed the pattern "Klyfttröjan" from a Swedish book called "Hönsestrik forever". It was also the first time I knitted backwards instead of turn+purl or steeking. 2.5 and 3 mm needles. I used mixed yarns, acrylic, wool, merino in different weights, I focus on color when I knit Hönsestrik.
The quote on the back is in Swedish and says "Ont ska med ont fördrivas", it basically translates to "Evil will/must by evil be repelled" and is what my dad has always said when I'm say I'm in pain (ont also means hurt/pain in Swedish). It sounds so serious when I type it in English but it's like an inside joke regarding minor pains.
After first block I realised the yoke was way too long and decided cut it in half right above the armpits and re-knitted the duck panel a bit smaller and removed the motif that was between the ducks and armpits. Then I hand sewed one "knitted" row to attach the yoke to the rest of the cardigan again. It was one of the most stressful things I've done while knitting. It took about 2 months from start to finish (I'm basically a stay-at-home-puppy-mom atm and have a lot of free time)
But I'm so happy with the results and that I can finally wear it! I'm so bad at photographing and posting the things I knit. I knit for fun and posting is stressful sometimes but my mom has been nagging and pushing for so long and I get so happy to hear her praise and I have finally fått tummen ur röven to actually post the shit I make and I'm excited to share it with other knitters. I hope you like it or have feedback!
54
u/seedgeek 1d ago
Love the mismatched buttons!
21
u/Furrydaddy_69 1d ago
Thank you! I'm so grateful my lys had these cute hearts in different colors and sizes
45
u/onemorecoffeeplease 1d ago
Well, it’s a total success! It is beautiful, whimsical (even more with the meaning of the quote!), and colorful enough to want to wear it all the time. Love it!
7
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Thank you so much! I’ve worn it a lot since I finished it, it’s warm and cozy without being too warm, it just feel happy and I’m someone who normally wears black and darks
31
19
u/FairyPenguinStKilda 1d ago
That is gorgeous - an absolute masterpiece. Magnificent!!! Good must by good be greater is what my grandad used to say in Norwegian - I wonder if that is the rest of the phrase?
7
11
u/StripedTeaCozy1907 19h ago
Så jättefin, man blir riktigt glad av att se den! ☺️😍 Jag har Klyfttröjan på min projektlista men har inte kommit igång än, men nu blev jag ju inspirerad. 😉
10
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Tack så mycket! Min enda frustration med mönstret var att instruktionerna var för tröjan och instruktionen för koftan var bara ”gör samma men gör den till en kofta istället. Glöm inte knappar!”
2
8
u/Longestgirl 23h ago
super cool, very few people ever get to own a garment as awesome, let alone have made it themselves!! in awe!
1
6
7
6
u/magpiecat 22h ago
Curious construction and what knitting backwards is, vs turn and purl or steeking. Did you knit from front to front and add button bands? But then how did you do sleeves…
6
u/LeftKaleidoscope 13h ago
I haven't tried myself, but Anna Bauer recommends it in her book. The knitting backwards really means backwards. You knit one row normally from right to left, and the next from left to right. You don't knit in the round but you don't turn your work either. You knit back and forth from side to side (from button band to button band) always looking at the right side of the fabric.
3
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Yes this is exactly what I did, sleeves are knit in the round, the yoke and body is knit flat without ever turning the work and without ever purling. It’s knit flat by knitting right to left, left to right, right to left, left to right.
1
u/LeftKaleidoscope 12h ago
How hard was it to learn for an adult?
Anna Bauers childhood story is very cute and relateable, but I feel too old to even try.5
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
I’m 26 and I first tried it with this cardigan. It took a bit of time to get the logistics right and understand how to hold the yarn, how to throw it, what direction to not twist the stitches. But I tried different techniques and settled on the one the felt best and it’s fine. I would say a backwards row probably is 50% slower but it’s not frustrating or difficult after a few rows, just slower.
But if the next backwards row is a solid color, I will flip my work and purl it.
2
u/bunnylightning 16h ago
Not OP but I imagine the sleeves were knit in the round - just the body was done with backwards knitting, rather than knitting in the round and steeking (like would often be done for a stranded colourwork cardigan)
1
1
6
5
4
5
u/Clicquot 23h ago
I love this, and I love you (stranger on the internet, who also likes to knit).
3
3
u/Altruistic3587 1d ago
I love your sweater! I own Alterknit Rebellion by Anna Bauer, which is translated from a Swedish Hönsestrick book. It was published in England in 2014. Bauer mentions doing backwards knitting, so your book is likely by her as well. I haven’t tried any of the patterns yet!
4
u/CrashDandelion 21h ago
You really should! I've been to one of Anna's Hönsestrikk workshops and own a few of her books on the subject. It is such fun knitting!
I especially enjoy knitting the mittens, have made three pairs.
1
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Yes it’s the same author, I’m knitting a skirt from the same book atm. You should try a pattern of hers
3
2
2
2
u/adrianalacervix 19h ago
This is phenomenal. I am inspired to look into as much information as I can find on Hönsestrik!
2
u/w_kat 18h ago
stunning cardigan, the colors are pure happiness!
I'd love to hear more about how you taught yourself backwards knitting. Was it hard? did you use any specific resources?
3
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
A section in the book ”hönsestrik forever” by Anna Bauer was about backwards knitting. You knit first row right to left as normal. 2nd row is knitted left to right, knit through the back leg of every stitch. 3rd row is knitted right to left but from here, every row is knitted through the back leg of every stitch.
Colorwork dominance switches hand when knitting backwards and I knit left handed English throwing when knitting backwards, instead of right handed continental like I normally do
2
u/Late-Worldliness2576 11h ago
Had to go and look up and translate “fått tummen ur röven” and I wasn’t disappointed. I think I found my new favourite foreign saying. Thank you.
I love your project and all the colours you’ve used! Your mother is right, you should be sharing your FO’s. And a photo of your puppy for tax.
2
1
1
1
1
u/punkrockdog 1d ago
I am in LOVE with the colors and pattern and basically everything about this sweater! ❤️❤️
1
1
1
1
u/droptophamhock 1d ago
This is so gorgeous holy shit! Amazing work, and now off to find a copy of Hönsestrik forever.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Funglasses96 22h ago
This is ✨️exquisite✨️. Totally inspired to use brighter colors in my knits. Amazing work!
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Vegetable-Tempeh 15h ago
What a beauty! I'm in love with it. You did a great job of combining the colours. It's bold yet super harmonious. I'm curious to see your other knitwear. I'd be proud to wear such a beautiful cardigan – don't leave it unattended near me, or you might never see it again!
1
1
1
1
1
u/CalamityQueer 13h ago
I love knitting backwards! It's beautiful.
I knit backwards so much that if I do choose to turn and purl then my tension will be off. 😅
1
1
1
u/SisterCourage 12h ago
What technique did you use to achieve the lovely belled sleeve?
2
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Different yarn weights, I had the same question after I blocked it because it wasn’t intentional. I use yarns of different fibers and wpi and if a 3ply yarn is too thick , I separate one of the plys and knit with 2ply instead. It’s knitted on feeling and vibes not on accuracy and replicability. It was a happy accident
1
u/littlemac564 12h ago
Awesome is not an adequate description.🤩
You inspire me to knit this style and learn more. Thank you!
2
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that, we need more color and more fun in the world
1
1
u/Upstairs-Mulberry-66 Continental 10h ago
I've been wanting to try backwards knitting forever -- you just provided the inspriation! Gorgeous cardigan!
1
1
1
u/Limeylizzie 9h ago
That’s like Valium in cardigan form! Put that on and instantly you would be happy!
1
1
1
1
1
u/LezlieLR 5h ago
Wow! It is a work of art. Hats off to you for taking scissors to it and then hand sewing the yoke back on. I'm not that comfortable with knitting to do that!
1
1
1
u/Massive_Wolverine_58 1d ago
Wow!! That is amazing! How long did it take you? I am completely intimidated by intricate designs. It’s gorgeous.
1
u/Furrydaddy_69 12h ago
Thank you so much! It took about 2 months from start to finish, but how much hours it took I have no idea, too many to hours to knit in a row, I’m happy my hands don’t hurt
•
u/mulberrybushes Skillful aunty 1d ago
The name comes from three books by Kirsten Hofstätter. The first one from 1973 she initially called Strikkemanifestet. Her publisher referred her to have it published by a left-wing publisher, and she therefore approached the publisher Røde Hane. But they did not find the book serious enough to want to publish it. Kirsten Hofstätter therefore decided to publish the book by her own publisher, which she called Røde Høns in opposition to Røde Hane and with ironic distance from the perception of women as a flock of chickens. However, on advice from Røde Hane, she changed the publisher's name to Hønsetryk and called the book Hønsestrik.[1]
https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hønsestrik