Fashionistas Hail Knitted Power Jumpers

Reading this week's Grazia magazine one very woolly story popped out at me. Apparently knitted power jumpers are set to be all the rage: "No longer assuming a solid supporting role to coats and boots, cardis and sweaters are making a play for the limelight this winter".  The article was accompanied by photos of jumpers with prices reaching up to a whopping £684, much, much more than the hand-knitted Vinterskov jumper by Karie Westermann that I happened to be wearing whilst reading the article.

It got me thinking that fashionistas are rather slow on the knitted jumper uptake. Knitters love a statement jumper that they've made themselves - we've been practicing slow, sustainable, eco-friendly fashion for years.

Vinterskov image courtesy of Karie Westermann

During my childhood I was told to put a jumper on rather than turn the heating up and I love this time of year when the clocks go back, the nights get darker, the days cooler and crisper and it's officially cosy sweater season. I finished my version of Westermann's Vinteskov back in April this year and it's only in the last couple of weeks that it has been cold enough to wear it. My version is mainly knitted in a one-off hand-dyed yarn by Eden Cottage Yarns along with some leftover plum aran for the trees that matched the dark speckles exactly.

My version of Vinterskov 

Knitters have known for centuries that woolly jumpers are can be both practical and fashionable. Grazia says that a power knit "should simply look compellingly cosy and as if it has - and will be - in your wardrobe for years."

One jumper that fits the bill, which I finished a couple of months ago, is the cover pattern from Shetland Wool Week's 2018 Annual: Alyssa Maggie's Tree Yoke.

Image courtesy of Alyssa Maggie

My version is knitted using Susan Crawford's Excelana 4ply, with a darker grey and lighter yellow.

My other 'power jumper' this year is Marna Gilligan's The Simpler Sinister Sweater.  Marna's original is knitted in yellow and grey:

Image courtesy of Marna Gilligan

I opted for yarn from the Kettle Yarn Co. in brighter colours:

Coming soon to my needles is a fabulous new power jumper pattern by Mrs Moon using super chunky wool:

Mossy jumper image courtesy of Mrs Moon

It's going to be a Christmas gift for a relative and I'm hoping that because it's knitted on 10mm needles I'll get it finished way before December 25th!

What's your favourite hand-knitted power jumper? Or which are you planning to knit over the months? Tell all in the comments below or on A Woolly Yarn's Facebook page.