Wilderness Knits for the Great Outdoors

Introduction
About the yarn
Before starting

Patterns
White Bear
Arctic Summer - Sewn-in sleeves, Raglan sleeves
Hopi
Alasuq Cardigan
Snowdrift - Cardigan, Thin sweater
Qanik - Sweater, Hooded jacket
Takotna
Wolf Night
Suaq

Children’s Sweaters
White Bear
Black Wolf
Suaq
Qanik
Arctic Summer
Norwegian Forest Sweater

Accessories
Alasuq Hat
Felted Alasuq Mittens
Matoaka Hat
Nordkalott Hat
Nordkalott Mittens

About Linka Neumann

Linka Neumann grew up in Oslo in a family who loved to travel; outdoor activities were a big part of her childhood. Linka also loved to draw and paint, but she was the only member of her family who didn’t knit! This changed after she worked in a nursing home where the staff and the patients knitted Linka made her first sweater, and so began a new chapter in her life.

Linka eventually began to design her own garments, and her first sweater, the Wilderness Sweater with its distinctive dog-paw-print motif, is still one of her most popular. She has published three books her first, published in 2019, was on the bestseller list for over 30 weeks and has been translated into several languages.

In 2020, Linka opened her online store, linkaneumann.com she now has almost 150,000 followers on Instagram (@linka.neumann) and 14,000 on Facebook. In 2024 she won two prestigious Knit Awards: 'People's Favourite' and 'Collaboration of the Year', for her work with the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature, @naturvern.

She and her husband live in the village of Åsgreina, Norway, with their two dogs.

Monica Russel

The family will be ready for winter with these absolutely gorgeous designs. The book is a visionary delight and whether you are knitting for family or friends there is something for everyone. I have my eye on the hooded jacket as I think my son would love it. The infant knits are also very tempting and I can see my grandson in one of these.

 

The patterns range from using DK to Chunky wool and I would suggest readers use https://yarnsub.com/ to find alternative yarns as many used in the book are not available in the UK. The body of the patterns are all knitted in the round and the sleeves are added later. It would be easy to adapt the patterns to straight needles if this is your preference. There is no glossary but the patterns are easy to read and full explanations are given for techniques which might be new to the knitter. The charts are colour coded to match the photos which is great.

 

The patterns are suitable for a confident to advanced knitter and I am sure once you have knitted one you will certainly want to knit more. A great book to add to my library.

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Cast On magazine

Wilderness Knits for the Great Outdoors is Linka Neumanns newest tome and a follow-up to her popular 2019 Wilderness Knits. As the title might suggest, this book is a closely related sequel to the original text, with some of the designs being direct interpretations of motifs found in the original book or the exact same design done in a different weight yarn or as a cardigan.

Wilderness Knits for the Great Outdoors is strictly a pattern book. There are no knitting techniques explained, no history, and only a brief discussion about Norwegian and Icelandic wool, consisting primarily of a listing of the yarns used in the book, with the direction to search the hashtags for the garments on Instagram for help finding yarn alternatives. There are short personal vignettes allowing the reader a small peek into Neumanns arctic lifestyle.

What the book lacks in terms of actual technical substance, it makes up for with rich photography. In total, 73 of the 139 pages are full-page photos of the garments being worn by people who know how to icefish, clean fish, dog sled, frolic in the snow and grass, and handle themselves in gorgeous Arctic environments and rustic cabins. The photography serves as a catalog of sorts for the various patterns, and the natural-light photos are well done, inviting, and fun to examine.

The purpose of the book is its patterns, and it boasts 23, broken down into twelve sweaters for adults (mostly womens but some unisex), six patterns for children, and five accessory patterns. Many of the patterns feature bands of original stranded knitting motifs against an otherwise solid stockinette stitch body; sometimes the wide stranded bands are at the hem and sometimes at the upper body. There are yoke, raglan, and set-in sleeve constructions. The 23 patterns do contain multiples of essentially the same design. For example, the pattern Arctic Summer contains an adult version for sewn-in sleeves, an adult version for raglan sleeves, and a childrens sweater, counted as three separate patterns. Similarly, White Bear, Alasuq, Qanik, and Suaq also contain variations of the same pattern or utilization of the same motif in multiple accessories, with each one counting as an individual pattern toward the total pattern count. Føyka includes a cardigan and thin sweater version of a pullover sweater design from the Wilderness Knits book, and Suaq utilizes paw-print motifs based on Neumanns most popular pattern, Wilderness Sweater (also in the previous volume). Some of the patterns contain choices regarding the number of yarn colors to use for the stranded portion.

There are ample photographs of the same design, with each done in different colorways, often side by side. This is helpful for seeing how the motif presents in various color choices. There is limited size inclusivity, with unisex adult sweaters going from size S to 2X, and the finished measurements associated with those size labels can vary. For example, the finished bust measurement for size small in Alasuq is 38.25, the same size is 36.5 in Arctic Summer Sewn-in Sleeves and 35.75 in Arctic Summer Raglan Sleeves. Childrens garments are sized for ages 1 (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) years; and, like the adult sizing, the finished measurements for a given size depends upon the specific design. While there is no information regarding intended ease for the garments, a ball-park guess is that the models in the photos appear to wear the garments with anywhere from 12 of ease, up to 56 of ease. There are no schematics for garments. Accessories (hats and mittens) contain two sizes: womens and mens.

Overall, there can be no dispute that Wilderness Knits for the Great Outdoors is a photographic beauty. Hopi graces the cover and was far and away my favorite design. This book could be perfect for the stranding knitter who is either a fan of Neumanns work or for a stranding knitter who has a great love for the Arctic.

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Laine Magazine

As you turn the pages of Wilderness Knits for the Great Outdoors, it is no surprise that the author, Linka Neumann, created part of this book from her remote mountain cabin in Norway. With no electricity or running water, the simple cabin was the perfect place to work on a collection that cherishes nature and wide-open spaces.

The book is true to Linka's much-loved style. Its 23 colourwork knits, including sweaters, cardigans, hats and mittens, feature motifs of the North, such as the Artic sun, polar bears and sled dogs. Designed with untreated, robust Norwegian and Icelandic wool, the knits are ideal for year-round outdoor adventures. In addition to the adult patterns, there are a handful of matching children's sweaters for ages one to ten. I also enjoyed seeing the knits in various colours and on different people, giving an abundance of inspiration. The warm-hearted, beautiful photography not only makes you want to cast on but also book a trip to Norway.

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Simply Knitting

Cosy, colourful knits inspired by Nordic nature - perfect for outdoor adventures. 

Discover this vibrant charm of Scandinavian design in this new knitting collection by best-selling Norwegian author Linka Neumann. Featuring 23 colourful, cold-weather garments for the whole family, this book is a must-have for knitters who love the great outdoors.

The beauty of Norway

Drawing inspiration from the raw beauty of Norway's wild north, each pattern showcases motifs like polar bears, the Artic sun, Hopi dreamcatchers, snowflakes, sled dogs and falling snow - capturing the spirit of winter adventures and the traditions of indigenous cultures. All garments are knitted with Norwegian and Icelandic wool, chosen for its natural ability to repel water and keep out the cold.

Room for personalisation

You'll find 12 adult sweaters and cardigans - with options to customise sleeves, necklines and hoods - available in sizes from S to XXL. For little ones aged 1 to 10, there are six matching children's sweaters, along with three snug beanies and two sets of frost-proof mittens. Every design is tailored for confident knitters, with clear instructions, colourwork charts and helpful advice on sizing and yarn selection to make each project your own. 

For warmer adventures

Whether you're hiking in the mountains or strolling closer to home, these timeless pieces are designed to accompany you on every adventure. This English translation brings Linka's latest Norwegian bestseller to a wider audience, offering a fresh and inspiring take on wilderness knitting.  

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The Knitter - Issue 220

Norwegian designer Linka Neumann is also a dog sled driver, and so she really appreciates the importance of cosy knitwear for winter outdoor adventures. In this, the third book in her popular Wilderness Knits series, she brings us 23 garment and accessory designs with vibrant colourwork patterns, accompanied by stunning photography. 

The projects are aimed at confident knitters, as all of them use charts and many of them involve steeking; they are knitted in rustic wool yarns from Rauma, Lopi and Hillesvag Ullvarefabrikk. Finished chest/bust sizes typically range from 35in to 50in. For this book, Linka has adapted a number of the sweater patterns to fit children aged one to ten years, too. 

Motifs inspired by nature and wild landscapes fill this book, such as the polar bear motifs on the rollneck 'White Bear' raglan sweater. The colour work uses eight colours, so it's a great way to use up yarn leftovers, although Linka also gives a version using four shades.

'Artic Summer' has stylised motifs representing the midnight sun and artic foxes; it can be knitted with raglan sleeves or with sewn-in sleeves - this version incorporates steeking. Like many of the projects in the book, Linka suggests alternative colour ways for the design, and provides instructions for a low neck as well as a high folded neckline. 

Cardigans include 'Alasuq' with it's deep colour work yoke, and the chunky-weight 'Foyka' - there's also a sweater version of this design, knitted in a DK yarn. 'Qanik' is another versatile design, with raglan sweater and hooded jacket versions; both have small bands of colour work around the hems and cuffs.

Linka is known for her iconic paw print motifs, and they make an appearance here on her 'Suaq' sweater. The colourful patterning on the 'Takotna' sweater includes dog motifs, while the graphic colour work yoke on 'Wolf Night' features a wolf head on the centre front. 

There are five accessory projects designed to use up leftover yarns. These include three colour work hats, a pair of mittens with vertical stripes and deer head motifs, and a pair of cosy felted mittens.