New Knitting Pattern Lingonberry Loop

Ta da!  Here she is at last, the Lingonberry Loop convertible cowl scarf knitting pattern, and just in time to knit before Christmas! 

It was a beautifully snowy, wintry day when we went out for the shoot, perfect for capturing the atmosphere of cozy warmth provided by this piece.

Knit with chunky yarn, the Lingonberry Loop's easy-to-memorize, interesting stitch pattern makes this a fast and fun knit.
 

A berry-like texture stitch is suspended between yarn overs for a cozy, but still airy, lace fabric.  Simple garter stitch borders and button band frame the lace for a clean outline.
 

The single row of retro-style buttons accent the modern silhouette, with the added advantage of allowing the wearer to loop the scarf double around the neck without messing up hair, smudging makeup, etc. - appealing to my practical self.  

Length is adjustable depending on height and style choice of the wearer. 

This project took me and most of my test knitters between 6 and 14 hours of knitting time.  I made this version in about 7- 8 hours.  Easily doable with just a few days of knitting. 

I love the variety of ways this piece can be worn, offering great versatility.
 

This pattern was extensively reviewed by my lovely test knitters and editors - thank you Josefina, Annie, Gill, Gillian, Denise, Michelle, Nanc, Sheri and Lynn.  You came through with flying colors!

And I need to give a great big thank you to my exceptionally talented and very patient husband who takes hundreds of photos, edits copy, uploads PDF files, gives great techie advice as well as tons of hugs and encouragement when I'm discouraged.  You are the best!

The stitch for this pattern was inspired by a favorite preserve made from lingonberries, a cousin of the American cranberry.  I considered the Trinity/ Blackberry/ Bramble stitches, but was not in the mood for all those P3tog's!  So I tinkered around with another stitch pattern to get the Lingonberry stitch as I liked it.

The lingonberry has a deep red color and a delicious, sweet-tart flavor.  Lingonberry preserves make an excellent topping for many dishes including hot or cold meats, rye bread, meatballs, or my favorite, Swedish pancakes!

My Swedish grandmother made the most awesome breads, cinnamon rolls, cookies and pancakes. There are many good variations of the traditional pancake recipe, here is one of my favorites.

Swedish Pancakes Recipe

 Makes 60 3-inch pancakes (although I like to make them very large and fold or roll them).

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup flour
6 TBSP melted butter
1 TBSP sugar or substitute, I use stevia
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
toppings: lingonberry or other preserves, powdered sugar, whipped cream, or ice cream

Directions:
In large bowl, whisk eggs until blended, whisk in 1/2 cup of the milk.  Whisk in flour until completely smooth.  Add remaining milk, butter, sweetener, vanilla and salt, stir until smooth.

Heat a large flat griddle or Swedish pancake pan (available at specialty food shops) over medium heat, spoon approximately 1 tablespoon of batter into circles on griddle.  Cook about 2-3 minutes, until slightly brown around the edges, flip over and cook another 1-2 minutes. 

Serve warm topped with lingonberry preserves or other garnish.

I hope you enjoy the pancakes and lingonberries - all the varieties, both for eating and for knitting!