Luxury in silk and alpaca for €19 – the Frederic sweater from kolibri by Johanna

The question of whether a hand-knitted item can compete in terms of price with a store-bought item of similar quality is usually answered with a “no” for me after a quick calculation of the knitting pattern and yarn costs. That’s why this feather-light project, created from fewer than four balls of Drops Brushed Alpaca Silk in Dark Navy (col. 42), was so exciting. Together with the pattern from Ravelry, I spent less than €20 on this project, a real bargain considering that the sweater is knitted from natural materials, alpaca and silk.

This sweater was meant to fill a gap in my wardrobe and be something I could quickly throw on. It’s knitted in size M (3), single-stranded on 5mm needles. The pattern recommends
Knitting for Olive Soft Silk Mohair, but I wanted it to be less sheer so I could easily combine it with T-shirts. The brushed alpaca is rather fuzzy, so the finished sweater doesn’t feel quite as thin. The knitting was relatively easy once I got used to the feeling of knitting with a single thin strand.

The pattern is really very simple and minimalist, which suits the design well. I knitted every 4th and 5th stitch together before the ribbing at the hem to make the sweater a little narrower at the bottom and followed the pattern instructions for the rest.

One highlight is the wide balloon sleeves, which I love! I was very surprised by how many stitches had to be cast on for the sleeves, but that’s what creates the effect.

I have to say, I’m really very happy with this wallet-friendly piece! The only thing I would change next time is the size – after wearing it a few times, the Frederic Sweater has stretched quite a bit, as is often the case with plant-based yarn, especially silk. I still love wearing it, though, and I appreciate that it weighs almost nothing in my backpack and is very compressible – perfect for traveling.