Bjarni

The lovely Bjarni is the masculine version of the charming Theodóra doll. The construction is similar to Theodóra’s: you start with a provisional cast on at the hips and knit the body up a bit like a lopi sweater, the head with instarsia, then your remove the provisional cast on and work the legs down a bit like socks. He is a bit taller however and the shaping is different with more masculine proportions. I suspect Bjarni exercises regularly!

The pattern is for the doll and its underwear: a tank top and pants. There is also an optional accessory: I’m afraid you’ll have to knit it to see what it is!

A Lopi Set exists already for Bjarni but new pieces of clothing and accessories are added regularly to make a complete wardrobe.

Meet Bjarni in the 4th episode of “The adventures of Theodóra”, short stories about Theodóra, the charming little doll created by Hélène Magnússon. A rhyme by famous Icelandic poet, Theodóra Thóroddsen, “Tíu litlar ljúflingsmeyjar “ (“Ten charming little maidens”) inspired both the doll and the stories.

The designer

Hélène Magnússon is a leading knit designer in Iceland, the author of many books about traditional Icelandic knitting and the editor of The Icelandic Knitter. She likes to put a new spin on Icelandic traditions. She began her professional life as a lawyer in Paris before she made a complete life change and moved to Iceland, where she studied textile and fashion at Iceland Academy of the Arts and worked as a hired girl in a sheep farm and a mountain guide. The varied skills she learned in those early years richly inform the amazing hiking and knitting tours she passionately guides in collaboration with tour operator Icelandic Mountain Guides.

Size: here are Bjarni’s measurements:

Gauge: gauge is important for the clothes to fit the doll: 10 x10 cm / 4×4”

= 19 sts x 26 rows in st st on 3,5 mm/US 4 needle with Léttlopi
= 26 sts x 42 rows in st st on 3 mm/US 3 needle with Einband

Yarn: Léttlopi from Ístex, 100% pure wool, light spun, medium weight, 50g/skein, 50g = ca.100m/109 yds: MC #1418 : 40 g (body skin) CC #1411: 10 g (hair)
Einband from Ístex, 100% wool (70% Icelandic wool), lace-weight, 1-ply worsted, 50gr/skein, 50g = ca. 225m/246 yds

#9281: 30 cm/ 12” (eyes)
#9990: 30 cm/12” (mouth)
#0851: 10 g (white tank top)
#1027: 10 g (grey underwear pants)

Needles: circular needles in sizes 3 mm/US 3 and 3,5 mm/US 4, long and flexible; the magic loop technique is used for the smaller diameters; crochet hook 3 mm/US D3 for the provisional cast on.

Other: 55 g of carded Icelandic wool (stuffing), wooden pin 4 cm/1,5” long, 1 cm / 0,3” diameter.

Techniques: knitting in the round, Magic loop (but you can use DPN’s) provisional cast on, disappearing loop cast on, short rows, socks techniques, intarsia.

Pattern: once you’ve made your payment, you will receive an email with a link to download the pattern PDF. We don’t send patterns by snailmail.

Errata: no mistake was found in this pattern