Blue Monk

Good morning, Friday is here, and it’s time for another Making Light design: Blue Monk

In many ways, this is a stranded colourwork pullover, of a straightforward design that’s familiar to traditional gansey knitters in Scotland, the Netherlands, and all Nordic and Baltic countries. The pullover has drop sleeves, and a crew neck, and it is knitted in a small-motif allover pattern in two-tone blue and white. A simple, traditional, classic gansey, then . . . but with some really nice knitterly details. . . .

. . . such as irregular corrugated rib, which flows into the colourwork from the hem . . .

. . . and which also features on the garment’s cuffs . . . .

. . . .and neckline . . .

The shoulders are joined with a seamless two-tone graft . .

. . . which allows the motif. to mirror itself where it meets at the shoulders, rather than being interrupted.

Blue Monk is a pattern I really loved knitting, as well as designing. It is just so absolutely my kind of sweater. Classic wearable gansey shape – yes! Two tone colourwork – yes! Strong northern coastline outdoor vibes – yes please!

Some knitty-gritty if you have never knitted a sweater like this before . . .

Yes, the sweater involves allover colourwork, yes, it does include three steeks (two for the armscyes, one for the neckline), and yes, you will have to graft the shoulders in two shades . . .

But those are just the straightforward techniques that are needed if you want to make this sweater: none too taxing or difficult for a competent, adventurous knitter.

Blue Monk is knitted in Schiehallion, which is a nice, plump, woolly wool with a moderate amount of grip. This yarn needle felts very well indeed, and so for the steeks, I used the brilliant method described here by Gretchen Funk in her tutorial for MDK. No more fiddly reinforcing with crochet hook or sewing machine! Just punch those steeks, snip, and go, go GO!

I prepared a tutorial for two-shade grafting some years ago, which you can follow here, but really, all you need to do when finishing Blue Monk’s shoulders is to sit in good light, remember that each stitch must be grafted in its respective shade, and pass the shade not in use under the working yarn on the wrong side. Oh, and most importantly: Take. Your. Time.

The sweater takes its name from Theolonius Monk’s classic twelve bar blues:

Like its melodic namesake, the progression of this twelve-stitch motif feels familiar, yet the overall design includes unexpected twists and details. . . .

You may have noticed I have named several designs after Monk’s original compositions: Epistrophy, Epistropheid, Brilliant Corners. . . . What can I say? Monk’s pattern and possibility-oriented creative spirit very often speaks to mine. I love Monk!

I also love Blue Monk: my new favourite sweater. I hope you like it too.

Enjoy your Friday!