Thirteen years ago, I first published the Nordic Trail Vest. But a lot changes in thirteen years! As my skills as an instructional designer have evolved, I like to revisit old designs like this and make updates and Nordic Trail has been on my list for a very long time. So I’m thrilled to announce that the updated pattern is now available!
(Note: if you purchased the pattern previously on Ravelry, you should have received a message notifying you of the update – if not feel free to reach out to me).
About the Design…
Nordic Trail calls for aran or bulky-weight yarn and is knit seamlessly from the bottom-up. It has a very classic, approachable silhouette but with lots of little details sprinkled throughout. Details such as:
- Eyelet panels going up each of the Fronts.
- Lace Panel along the center Back.
- Faux seams along each side.
There are 9 sizes to pick from, ranging in finished circumference of 32.5″– 68″. I suggest picking a size that is approx. 3-8″ larger than your actual bust circumference, depending on if you want a closer fit or a more roomy/oversized fit. In the yellow sample, I chose a size that provided 8″ of ease (so at the higher end) for a more roomy fit.
The “Tips Page”
As I do with all of my updated patterns, the new Nordic Trail includes a “Tips Page” on my website that is FULL of tips, modification ideas, and technique tutorials – all related to this specific pattern. I even provide information about how to knit this pattern at a different gauge (should you prefer to use, say, a worsted-weight yarn instead of aran/bulky) as well as tips on how to “read your knitting” to make working the lace panel easier.
The link to this page is included in the pattern.
The Yarn
In this updated version, I used the lovely Santa Cruz by Juniper Moon Farm. It’s an organic merino and classified as an aran-weight. I purchased the yarn just about a year ago at The Yarn Sellar in York, Maine! Because it’s an aran-weight and the gauge in this pattern is 14.5 stitches = 4″, the fabric created is slightly loose, which gives it some nice drape (but the 100% wool still provides structure).
Other yarn ideas that are also often available at local yarn shops would be:
- Berroco Vintage Chunky, Ultra Alpaca Chunky or Ultra Wool Chunky
- Sandnes Garn Fritidsgarn
- Queensland Falkland Chunky
- Cascade Eco or Eco+
Lighter or non-wool options:
If you’re looking for something a bit lighter feeling or that doesn’t have any (or as much) wool in it, here are some great options to consider:
- Berroco Emberstone (chainette – wool/cotton/alpaca)
- Woolfolk Luft (chainette – merino/cotton)
- Sandnes Garn Kos (chainette – alpaca/wool/nylon)
- Berroco Remix Chunky (non-wool)
- Sandnes Garn Tykk Line (non-wool)
Other creative ideas:
Consider double-stranding! I actually just wrote a blog post about this topic (click here) – how double-stranding a sport/DK or worsted with a lace-weight can be a great way to acheive an aran/bulky-weight gauge but create a fabric that feels a lot lighter.
A look back…
In the original photoshoot for this design 13 years ago, we took a photo of me holding my then almost 2 year old dog Alice. She is now almost 15 years old, so of course we needed to try to recreate the photo! Now it’s not apples to apples because she just got her Spring haircut (so kind of looks like a completely different dog!), but it’s still fun to see both her and I together 13 years later…
Interested in making your own Nordic Trail?
The pattern is available to purchase as a downloadable PDF here on my website or Ravelry. I hope you love knitting it up!
