This unique sweater is inspired by the Egyptian god Khepri, symbolizing transformation, the cycle of life, and sunrise. The sweater celebrates colour, playfulness, and creativity, encouraging you to express your individuality with pride, like Khepri, who rolls up the sun each day.
- Size (XS) S (M) L (XL)
The “Khepri” sweater is a vibrant and technically ambitious knitting project inspired by the Egyptian god of transformation and the rising sun. This pullover sweater is a celebration of color and texture, featuring a striking beetle motif at the center back, rendered using the intarsia colorwork technique. The body of the sweater is constructed in a highly unusual sideways manner, worked in two separate pieces (front and back) from one side seam to the other.
Skill Level: Intermediate. While the basic construction of the dolls uses primarily single crochet, the shaping, small pieces, assembly, and the variety of stitches used in the clothing items place this collection in the intermediate range. A beginner could likely make the basic doll, but the clothing and accessories would be more challenging.
The background fabric is a complex, repeating stripe pattern that incorporates not only intarsia but also a textured “tuck” stitch, adding subtle dimension and visual interest. The beetle motif is further enhanced with carefully embroidered outline stitches and three-dimensional I-cord legs and antennae, bringing the design to life. The sleeves are worked from the bottom up, with increases and decreases shaping them to create a slanted, diagonal effect. The shoulders are joined using the seamless Kitchener stitch grafting technique, and ribbed edges, finished with an Italian bind-off, provide a polished finish to the cuffs, hem, and neckline. The pattern calls for multiple yarn colors and utilizes several advanced techniques, including intarsia, the specialized tuck stitch, embroidery, I-cord knitting and application, Kitchener stitch, and the Italian bind-off, making this a project for experienced knitters seeking a challenging and rewarding endeavor.
The pattern includes detailed instructions, a chart for the beetle motif, and guidance on managing the multiple yarn strands required for the intarsia sections. The sweater is sized from XS to XL. It uses a combination of fingering-weight yarns, including multiple strands of Filcolana Alva for the embroidery and I-cords, and, likely, two strands of Tilia held together for the body.
