The Laine Winter issue, Laine 23, Borealis, takes you to the snowy countryside on one of the coldest days of the year. The warm, cosy and beautiful knits include many winter wardrobe staples, such as an all-over colourwork sweater, a cabled hat and a chunky, textured cardigan. The serene stillness captured in this edition’s photography soothes your mind and senses.
Issue 23, Winter 2025, includes:
148 pages
11 knitting patterns: 5 sweaters, 2 cardigans, 1 vest, 1 shawl, 1 hat and 1 pair of socks.
An interview with the Finnish knitwear designer Veronika “Kutova Kika” Lindberg, known for her modern and stylish knits as well as relatable YouTube videos.
An article about Loose Ends, an international charity that helps to complete the unfinished crafts of loved ones who have died or can no longer work on them.
Jeanette Sloan’s column Fibre Talk, where she meets Dakshani “Daki” De Alwis, a US-based podcaster and indigo textile artist.
The Five Ways article, where we gather expert’s tips for altering knitting patterns to better fit your body.
Where I Knit: A regular piece that pictures people knitting in their favourite spot. In this issue, we meet Abdhi Sarkar, the founder of the knitting club Atlanta Drunken Knitwits.
Seasonal recipes to inspire your festive cooking.
Designers featured in this issue: Pablo Aneiros, Kaori Katsurada, Liza Lewis, Hiromi Nagasawa, Sara Ottosson, Camille Romano, Macarena Silva, Lis Smith, Florence Spurling, Vibe Ulrik Søndergaard and Tess Vandekolk.
Check out our YARN RECOMMENDATIONS on the other tab, and upcoming Instagram Live on 3rd Dec recording for our top Yarn Recommendations!
Printed in Estonia.
The Cora pattern features delicate cables and a unique construction: the rectangular-shaped vest is open at the sides and tied with narrow knitted ribbons. The vest is a great layering piece that offers opportunities to play with different silhouettes and styles — and it is also fun and relaxing to knit! Cora is knitted from the top down. The back is worked first, and stitches for the fronts are picked up at the shoulders.
Yarn Recommendations:
Cautiva by Wooldreamers (original yarn)
Merino Possum by Circus Tonic
Lalland by Di Gilpin
Storm on the Horizon by The Raw Wool Co
Jensen by Isager
The Cinnamon Twists raglan sweater showcases the same stitch patterns as Kaori Katsurada’s Speculaas socks, first published in Laine Magazine issue 21. It features twisted stitches and cables, which reminded Kaori of cinnamon twists in confectionery. The shape of the sweater was inspired by the slightly skimpy sweaters and sweatshirts of the 1980s. Cinnamon Twists is knitted from the bottom up: first the sleeves and then the body. The yoke is worked by decreasing along the raglan line.
Yarn Recommendations:
Amelie by IllimaniDazzler is an all-over colourwork jumper that grows quickly on the needles and is not too complicated to make. The floats on the back of the fabric make it extra warm. Dazzler is worked seamlessly in the round from the top down, and optional short rows can be added to the back of the neck. Body and sleeve lengths are easy to customise. This sumptuous, cosy sweater makes you smile when you knit it and every time you wear it!
Yarn Recommendations:
Snefnug & Snefunug Natur by CaMaRose (original yarn)
Amelie by Illimani
Soft by Isager
Cloud Tweed by Lang
Manchelopi by Wooldreamers
Royal II by Illimani
Feli by Illimani
When Hiromi Nagasawa was designing the Snowfield sweater, she searched for her own winter memories – drawing lines on freshly fallen snow as a child. Hiromi created a special rhythm for the garment by placing large cables and smaller motifs on the smooth stockinette surface. Snowfield has a simple and straight silhouette. The sweater is knitted from the top down in a combination of saddle shoulders and a raglan-style shape. The sweater is worked with two yarns held together.
Yarn Recommendations:
dLana Local Merino + Silk Mohair
Woolstok Worsted by Blue Sky Fibers + Silk Mohair
Woolia by Gepard + Silk Mohair
Isager Soft Fine held Double
Uist DK + Silk Mohair
Manchelopi by Wooldreamers
Woolstok Tweed by Blue Sky Fibers
This fully reversible scarf was inspired by Sara Ottosson’s journey as a knitter, and especially where they began — in school, making a garter-stitch scarf that they hated. With this design, Sara wanted to remake that memory. Brick Road is a relaxing knit that looks more advanced than it is. The slipped stitches are worked as cables to create diagonal lines on top of the garter-stitch base. The name is an homage to the film The Wizard of Oz; the slip-stitch pattern reminded Sara of its famous yellow brick road.
Yarn Recommendations:
Lore by The Fibre Co (original yarn)
Camel DK by Pascuali
Croft Shetland DK by West Yorkshire Spinners
Skinny Andean by KAOS
Sheepsoft DK by ByLaxtons
Eco Baby by Isager
Haunui Cotton by Noro
Cork is a highly textured, warm cardigan that can also work as outerwear. It’s versatile and unisex, practical and wearable but visually interesting. This raglan cardigan, including the sleeves, is worked top-down and flat. Cork is finished with ribbed button bands and a ribbed rolled collar. The main stitch pattern repeats every four rows, making it easy to memorise. Cork was inspired by the yarn itself — the stitch pattern brings out the softness of the roving and creates a good structure for the cardigan.
Yarn Recommendations:
Alpaca 3 by Isager
Beatrix by Juniper Moon
Woolia by Gepard
Chunky Andean by KAOS
Manchelopi by Wooldreamers
Snefnug & Snefunug Natur by CaMaRose
The pampas are open and vast grasslands in South America, full of texture and movement. They inspired this oversized, short-sleeved cardigan. Pampa is a cosy yet elegant layering piece featuring an all-over crossed stitch pattern — perfect for winter but to be worn all year round. Pampa is worked seamlessly from the bottom up. It features some pretty details, such as the lateral braids that run along the button bands. The simple construction allows you to immerse yourself in the rhythm of the stitch pattern.
Yarn Recommendations:
The Raw Wool Co Fingering
Woolstok Light by Blue Sky Fibers
Merino Possum by Circus Tonic
Rustic Heather Sport by Lichen & Lace
Opus by Walcot Yarns
The South Sister hat features a beautiful cable pattern and an optional pompom. The designer Lis Smith was inspired by the Three Sisters mountain range in the central Oregon desert, USA, where the peaks maintain hints of snow even in the high heat of July. The hat mimics the shape of the mountain, with the thick cables tracing the lines of snow on the down slopes. South Sister is worked in the round from the bottom up. The deep, rich red shade brings a joyful glow to the depths of winter.
Yarn Recommendations:
Le Gros Lambswool by Biches & Buches
Chunky Andean by KAOS
Mota by Wooldreamers
Sweater Worsted by Blue Sky Fibers
Snefnug by Camarose
Madara by Noro
Tsuido by Noro
Vespera is a lightweight and ethereal drop-shoulder sweater that mixes different types and weights of yarn. The six contrast colours are used to knit abstract intarsia blocks on the front, back and sleeves. Because of the intarsia aspect, Vespera is knitted flat in pieces. A design like this is all about the opportunity to play with yarn, colour and texture — the simple silhouette and easy-to-remember repeat allow you to focus on the creative side.
Yarn Recommendations:
Silk Mohair held double
Stash for CC's or:
Kokon Chunky Mohair
Isager Bouclé
Noro Silk garden
Unfold is a simple design with standout details. The top-down sweater is worked in stockinette stitch and 1 x 1 rib, and it combines a simple surface with an unusual shape. Unfold is worked in a luscious combination of Peruvian wool and organic brushed alpaca. The two yarns worked together create a beautiful texture that’s both firm and soft, with a subtle colour play. The deep, wide collar is perfect for cocooning in wintertime. To create the slit at each side of the body, the ribbed hem is worked flat.
Yarns Recommendations:
Chunky Andean Wool & Organic Brushed Alpaca by Kaos Yarn (original yarn)
Teddy Dear by Gepard
Alpaca 3 by Isager
Beatrix by Juniper Moon
Woolia by Gepard
Manchelopi by Woldreamers
Uist Mega Cakes
This pair of cabled, textured socks reflects Tess Vandekolk’s love of combining simple stitches into an apparently complicated, yet actually rhythmical, pattern. It features an easy-to-memorise pattern repeat, which makes it ideal for movie knitting. The socks are knitted cuff-down, with a turned Eye of Partridge Heel and a grafted toe. The sole is worked in stockinette stitch, with the pattern continuing on the instep.
Yarn recommendations:
Sock yarns. In particular, Isager Sock yarn.
Laine is a high-quality Nordic knit & lifestyle magazine for knit folks. We cherish natural fibres, slow living, local craftsmanship and beautiful, simple things in life. Our intention is to inspire you to gather and share, to be part of a community of like-minded knitters, makers and thinkers from near and far. Knitting is more than just knit, knit, purl. It is a feeling.
Laine includes patterns from the leading knitwear designers, insightful, long-format stories from the world of wool, interviews, exciting travel articles, seasonal recipes and strong, visual storytelling.