Katrine Birkenwasser

eBooks available as Ravelry Downloads

Patterns available as Ravelry Downloads

Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Toukka Socks are worked from the toe up, using the magic loop method. Inspiration for this sock comes from the colors, textures and the chubby appearance of caterpillars (=toukka in Finnish). The design is for 4 colors, so it’s a great project for those leftover yarns! You use one color at a time, so no stranded colorwork in this design. When c...
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
SIZES
Knitting: Cardigan
Punkaharju Cardigan is a relaxed, open front cardigan that is worked seamlessly from the top down. Starting with an i-cord from shoulder to shoulder, then picking up stitches from the i-cord for the fronts and back which are then combined underarm. Neckline has a V-shape that is created with eyelet increases. The hem and cuff ribbing feature a ...
Knitting: Pullover
Longing for Snow is a fingering weight sweater worked from the top down featuring a snowflake colorwork yoke. This design combines the relaxed beauty of a yoke sweater and the flattering and comfortable drape of fingering weight yarn. The snowflake pattern is designed to give a random snow fall look, but instructions are also given for a symmet...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Summer wind on the deck of a sailing boat, colors of the sea around you. You wrap yourself in a shawl that repeats the steady rhythm (= tahti in Finnish) of the waves. Tahti wrap features an interesting angled stripe pattern. Once you have the setup done, you can relax with the rhythm of the garter stitch.
Knitting: Pullover
Fade it! Sideways sweater is knitted sideways from sleeve to sleeve, starting and ending with garter stitch cuffs. Dolman sleeves are shaped with short rows. At the shoulder, the neckline is created by splitting the work into front and back panels which are re-joined at the opposite shoulder. The sleeves are worked in the round, and the front a...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Fade it! Fringe is a triangle-shaped shawl made in a fade of four colors. Each color section begins with garter stitch followed by lace and finished with a fringe. Fading to the next color is done by striping the garter stitch part of the second, third and fourth sections.
Knitting: Cardigan
Sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL) for bust 74 (84, 94, 103, 113, 123, 134) cm / 29¼ (33, 37, 40¾, 44½, 48¼, 52¾)”, intended to be worn with little or no ease.
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Fade it! Socks are worked from the toe up, using the magic loop method. The design is for a fade of 5 colors, and the fading happens by striping in garter stitch. The pattern comes in four sizes. In this pattern, also the foot length is specified in order to get an even fade. If you need to modify the foot length, work the fade according to the...
Knitting: Cowl
Monisto plays with surfaces and also gets its name from mathematics: monisto is Finnish for manifold. Moebius cast on enables working the cowl from the center outwards. There is no right or wrong side, as the same round continues towards both edges from the middle. The cowl is worked in two-color brioche and the pattern is achieved with simple ...
Knitting: Pullover
Utmost Happiness sweater is worked seamlessly top-down. After a ribbing for neckband and set of short rows to raise the back of the sweater, a round yoke is decorated with an elaborate cable pattern achieved with mosaic knitting. After dividing for sleeves, circular knitting and a straight torso let you relax into the reversed stockinette stitc...
Knitting: Pullover
This design is one of the 12 modern, minimalist patterns featured in JEWELS, the third book in the European Nature series by Making Stories which combines ethically and environmentally-friendly made yarns with modern, minimalist knitwear designs. JEWELS is available through Making Stories webshop and selected stockists.
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Arctic Blizzard Socks are a collection of randomly falling snowflakes. This gorgeous piece of stranded knitting will take some time and concentration to knit, but the finished socks are well worth the effort. These socks are knitted toe-up using magic loop method. The pattern is highly addictive as there is always a new snowflake starting somew...
Knitting: Mid-calf Socks
Astrum Socks are light summer socks, worked in a lace pattern from toe-up. The sock begins with a star pattern that is worked around the toes. After the star toes, a lace pattern is worked from foot to cuff. Gussets mimic the same lace pattern and heel is worked in Eye of Partridge stitch with a heel flap.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This shawl has three sections: first, you work a kite-shaped section with increases in the middle and decreases on both edges. Second, you continue with half of the stitches to form an asymmetric triangle by decreasing on one side and increasing on the other. Third, you pick up stitches along the side of the second section and join them with th...
Knitting: Pullover
Alignment Sweater is knitted seamlessly top-down. The top of the sweater is decorated with aligned Vikkel braids, and the neckline, hem and cuffs also feature Vikkel braids. The sweater has a flattering, boxy shape with tight-fitting ¾ sleeves. A silk yarn makes the horizontal Vikkel braid texture shine and draw attention to your face.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Kaiku wrap is an easy introduction to lace, with simple eyelet rows and eyelet mesh creating a striking end result. This wrap is easy to knit, but it will keep you interested with its unusual construction. It’s that relaxing project you want to pick up after a long day at work, comforting you on the couch with its simple, repetitive knitting. K...
Knitting: Vest
Kivitasku is a cable slipover for a young gentleman. The vest is knitted seamlessly from the top down, starting at the shoulders knitting flat, then joining in the round at underarms. Stitches are picked up at neck and armhole openings for a neat ribbing. The is intended to be worn with about 5 cm/2” positive ease. The top-down construction mak...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Ilana Wrap is the perfect accessory for showing off beautiful speckled colorways. Contrast colors on the sides give a solid frame to the energetic burst of speckles for a sharp look. It’s easy to wear by wrapping it around your neck for warmth, adding detail and flair to your outfit, and there’s even enough length to wrap it around your shoulde...
Knitting: Cardigan
There Will Be Time is an extra wide, open cardigan with skinny sleeves. The gorgeous short-row-striped front panels are contrasted with a simple garter stitch back and contrast colour sleeves. The cardigan has a boxy shape with dropped shoulders. Back and front pieces are knitted separately. Next, shoulder and side seams are sewn and stitches a...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Liinu Shawl is made of three sections: first, a kite-shaped beginning with eyelet stripes. Second, you continue with half of the stitches and form an asymmetric triangle. Third, you pick up stitches along the side of the second part and join them with the remaining stitches of the first section and knit a lace panel. This shawl lets you play wi...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Flying Jib Shawl has an asymmetric shape that is similar to a jib sail that sets ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. This shawl lets you play with colors and the interesting shape makes knitting fun with the otherwise simple garter stitch and eyelet stripes. Choose two skeins in contrasting colors, use a gradient set of mini skeins, or u...
Knitting: Tee
Steller Tunic is knitted seamlessly top-down. There is garter stitch edging on neckline, hem and cuffs. The tunic has a flattering a-line shape with set-in sleeves, designed to fit tight around the shoulders and loosening along the way towards the hem. A color block in the hem gives room for a bit of color play. Choose a size closest to your bu...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Tauride shawl has an asymmetric shape that is achieved with increases on the left side and decreases on the right side. While increases are made on every row, decreases are combined to form an angular edge. Binding off stitches on the right side continues in a Vikkel braid to form wedges. Each wedge is two rows wider than the previous one, and ...
Knitting: Pullover
Sylphide Sweater is knitted sideways from sleeve to sleeve, starting and ending with garter stitch cuffs. At the shoulder the neckline is created by splitting the work into front and back panels which are re-joined at the opposite shoulder. Stitches are dropped along the way, creating horizontal lace stripes. The sweater is worked flat in one p...
Knitting: Cardigan
Ipana (”kiddo”) Cardigan is knitted seamlessly from the top down with circular yoke shaping. Sleeves are worked in the round. The yoke features a bubblewrap stitch decoration in multiple colors. It has the look of stranded color work, but it’s knitted with only one color at a time. Choose your favorite colors, or find use for all those scrap ya...
Knitting: Dress
Mesmeria dress is seamless and knitted top-down, starting with a garter stitch yoke. The dress features bubblestitch rows in two alternating contrast colors. There are buttons on the back neck matching the bubbles of the dress. The dress is short in the baby size and long in bigger sizes, but you can easily adjust length: the top-down construct...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque, Cowl
Circular reference (“Kehäpäätelmä”) hat and cowl are worked in spiraling two-color brioche. The pattern is enhanced by switching the main color and contrast color for each panel. Use high contrast in colors for a more visible pattern or less contrast for a subtle effect. Make the hat first, and you can adjust the size of the cowl according to h...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque, Mittens
Betua Mittens and Hat are knitted with one main color and three gradient contrasting colors used in the background. The design features a birch leaf pattern in two-color brioche stitch, where the second color changes using all three gradient colors. The background for the brioche birch leaves is knitted in two-color garter stitch: every other r...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Briochangle shawl is a triangle-shaped shawl. Two color brioche stripes give you plenty of time to get used to brioche before the more complicated decorative edging. Use high contrast in colors for a more visible pattern or less contrast for a subtle effect. Full-size shawl takes more than two 100 g hanks of yarn, but you can leave out one repe...
Knitting: Pullover
Wigeon pullover is a drop shoulder boxy pullover worked flat in pieces and then seamed. Body has three large color blocks, and the two bottom ones are repeated in the sleeves. Top block drops from the shoulders to create the top part of the close fitting and full-length sleeves. Shoulders are shaped with short rows and joined using three-needle...
Knitting: Pullover
Repeating Horizons pullover (“Toistuvat horisontit” in Finnish) is knitted seamlessly from top down. It is longer in the back and both neckline and hem are shaped with short rows. The design features a loose, boxy shape and ¾ sleeves.
Knitting: Cardigan
Skerry cardigan is knit seamlessly from the bottom up with raglan shaping for sleeves. It features seed stitch edging in solid color and variegated body knitted with a textured yarn. Neckline is shaped with short rows. Add fake pockets for decoration or make real pockets. Instructions for both are given. This is a quick knit in aran weight yarn...
Knitting: Cardigan
Pikkutylli (“Little Ringed Plover”) cardigan is designed for a newborn. Knitted from top down in one piece, it has no seams or buttons that would press against delicate skin. The cardigan is tied with thin crocheted cords, that will not make a big lump in a baby’s armpit. This is a fast knit, and the construction will keep your interest in it f...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque, Scarf
Helmipöllö (”Boreal owl”) beanie and scarf feature two different cables and a pompom. Knitting with bulky weight yarn makes this a quick set to knit. With forgiving bulky yarn, big needles and only two different large, fairly simple cables to knit, this hat looks harder than it is. Most rows are just simple knits with a few purls thrown in for ...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Tuulihaukka (”windhover”) shawl is an asymmetric shawl with alternating garter stitch and eyelet stitch stripes. The shape is achieved with short rows. The pattern is for a small one skein shawl, but you can easily increase the size by adding more stripes. Instructions for this are given.
Knitting: Tee
The perfect choice for a sunny summer day: bright and striped! The stripes are made by changing both color and texture, alternating in stockinette stitch and purl in four colors. Choose a neutral background color to replace the gray, and then the brightest colors you can find for the other stripes. You need one ball (50 g) of each color.
Knitting: Sleeveless Top
Lehtokerttu (Garden warbler) top is knitted sideways in one piece. Dropped stitches create horizontal lace lines. Loose fitting box shaped top is flattering for many body shapes.
Knitting: Cowl
Peltosirkku cowl is wider at the bottom and decreases to the top in order to show all four color blocks. Dropped stitches create vertical lace lines. Four balls of Isager plant fiber yarn are used and there are no left overs as you simply knit until you run out of yarn.