OBSESSED WITH QUALITY YARN SINCE 1952
Empower
                                    Design: Mie Firring Christiansen // Spektakelstrik
In Empower’s design, Mie Firring has drawn inspiration from modern women. The movement
and women’s liberation that she is experiencing, where women demand their place in society,
demand to be recognized on equal terms with men, and the cohesion that this movement has
brought, is what Mie feels very close to her heart.
Mie experiences this as an exciting time to be a woman and an entrepreneur. The movement
has created a very special unity between women across age, occupation, and cultural
background. A unity where she feels that women defend each other, lift each other up and in
every way, support each other in the right to be equal with the other sex. Right now, there is a
sence that together we can move mountains - and basic attitudes - and the 2020s is guaranteed
to be remembered as the decade of women.
Alongside the Free design, Empower is a discreet statement piece, and we hope that they can
pay tribute to the community and the positive vibes that are underway.
              #FilcolanaEmpower                                                     1st edition - August 2024
                 filcolana © 2024                                                        English translation: Kelly Blank
                             Sizes & Measurements
XXS (XS) S (M) L (XL) 2XL (3XL)
Fits chest circumference
76-81 (82-89) 90-99 (100-105) 106-115 (116-125)
126-135 (136-145) cm
                                      D
                                                       C
Circumference (A)
97 (105) 109 (118) 130 (135) 147 (156) cm
                                                              A
Length (B)
56 (57) 58 (59) 60 (61) 62 (62) cm                                               B
                                                                                                                  D
Sleeve length (C)
42 (43) 43 (44) 44 (44) 43 (43) cm
Knitting direction (D)
                                           Strikkeretning
                    Materials                                                   Gauge
                                           Længdemål
YARN FROM FILCOLANA                                         19 stitches and 26 rows in stockinette on 4 mm, with
                                                            1 strand of each yarn type held together = 10 x 10 cm.
Pernilla color 977 (Marzipan)                               The gauge is measured after washing.
250 (250) 300 (300) 350 (350) 400 (450) g
and                                                         Needle sizes are only a guide.
Vilja color 977 (Marzipan)                                  If you have more stitches for 10 cm, you will need to
300 (300) 300 (350) 400 (400) 450 (450) g                   change to bigger needles. If you have fewer stitches
                                                            for 10 cm, you will need to change to thinner needles.
The whole piece is worked with 1 strand of each yarn        If the swatch meets the width but not the height, it can
type held together.                                         help to change the type of needle, for example from
                                                            metal to wood, or vice versa.
NEEDLES
Circular needles 3 and 4 mm 60 cm and 80-100 cm
Double-pointed needles (DPNs) 3 mm and 4 mm
(these needles are not needed if working with magic
loop technique on long circular needles)
2 DPNs 3 mm for the i-cord
NOTIONS
1 Stitch holder
1 Stitch marker
#FilcolanaEmpower                                                                                               2 of 6
               Technique                                                    Workflow
ABBREVIATIONS                                                Empower is worked from top-down.
                                                             First the upper back is worked, with increases on both
k: knit                                                      sides to shape the shoulders. Afterwards the back is
p: purl                                                      worked straight down to the bottom of the armhole.
rnd(s): rounds                                               Stitches are picked up along the shoulders and each
s(ts): stitch(es)                                            side of the neckline is worked separately, until the
tbl: through the back loop                                   bottom of the neck opening. From here new stitches
tog: together                                                are casted on and the front piece is joined and worked
                                                             straight down to the bottom of the armhole. The back
SSK                                                          piece is joined to the front piece. Then the body is
Slip 1 stitch knit-wise, Slip the next stitch knit-wise.     worked in the round and finished with a twisted rib
Put the two slipped stiches back to the left needle and      edge.
knit them together through the back loop.                    Stiches are picked up around the armholes and sleeves
                                                             are worked in the round from the top-down, then
                                                             finished with a twisted rib edge.
SPECIAL TECHNIQUES
Edge stitches                                                Additionally, stitches are picked up along the neckline
The first and last stitch of each row is worked knit-wise.   and the neck edge is also knitted in twisted rib. The
                                                             edge is folded down and knitted to the inside while also
Backwards loop cast on                                       casting off the stitches.
Make a loop of yarn so that the long end of the working
yarn is laid on top of the strand that is on the needle.     Finally, a long i-cord is worked that is shaped to form
Put the right needle into the loop from the front,           the word “Empower”, which is sewn onto the front
tighten the loop so that it becomes a stitch.                piece.
Repeat this as many times as needed to reach the
number of stitches
#FilcolanaEmpower                                                                                                 3 of 6
                                                           Break the yarn and let the sts rest on a stitch holder.
                    Pattern                                Left front piece
                                                           Place the back piece in front of you with the cast-on
                                                           edge upwards (away from yourself). With 4 mm needles
BACK                                                       and 1 strand of each yarn type held together, pick up
Cast on 32 (32) 32 (32) 36 (36) 36 (36) sts onto           30 (34) 36 (40) 44 (46) 52 (56) sts along the right
4 mm needles with 1 strand of each yarn type held          side of the left shoulder.
together. Work back and forth on circular needles.
                                                           Work back and forth in stockinette, with the first row
Purl 1 row.                                                being the wrong side. Keep an edge st on each side,
                                                           and work until the piece measures 10 cm from the edge
Now work back and forth in stockinette (knit on the        with picked-up sts. Finish with a right side row.
right side and purl on the wrong side), while also
shaping the back piece as follows:                         Now work increases towards the neckline as follows:
                                                           1st row (wrong side): K1, purl the rest of the row, cast
1st row (right side): Knit 1 row. Cast on 2 sts with       on 1 st with backwards loop cast on.
backwards loop cast on, as an extension of the sts on      2nd row: Knit the entire row.
the needle.
2nd row: K1, purl to the end of the row. Cast on 2 sts     Repeat rows 1 and 2 for a total of 7 times = 37 (41) 43
with backwards loop cast on, as an extension of the sts    (47) 51 (53) 59 (63) sts. Finish with a wrong side row,
on the needle.                                             where the last increase is made.
Repeat rows 1 and 2 a total of 15 (17) 18 (20) 22 (23)     Break the yarn and let the sts rest on a stitch holder.
26 (28) times = 92 (100) 104 (112) 124 (128) 140
(148) sts.                                                 Right front piece
                                                           Place the back piece in front of you with the cast-on
Continue in stockinette, with the first and last st on     edge upwards (away from yourself). With 4 mm needles
each side of the row (edge sts) always worked knit-wise,   and 1 strand of each yarn type held together, pick up
until the piece measures 29 (30) 32 (34) 35 (37) 39        30 (34) 36 (40) 44 (46) 52 (56) sts along the right
(40) cm, measured from mid-back.                           side of the right shoulder.
#FilcolanaEmpower                                                                                                4 of 6
Work back and forth in stockinette, with the first row     Continue working back and forth in stockinette, with
being the wrong side. Keep an edge st on each side,        the first and last edge sts on each row always worked
and work until the piece measures 10 cm from the edge      knit-wise.
with picked up sts. Finish with a wrong side row.
                                                           Continue until the piece measures 29 (30) 32 (34)
Now work increases towards the neckline as follows:        35 (37) 39 (40) cm, measured from the picked up sts
1st row (right side): Knit the entire row, cast on 1 st    on the shoulder, right into the neckline. Finish with a
with backwards loop cast on.                               wrong side row.
2nd row: K1, purl to the last st, K1.
                                                           BODY
Repeat rows 1 and 2 for a total of 7 times = 37 (41) 43    Next row (right side): Knit over the front piece’s sts,
(47) 51 (53) 59 (63) sts. Finish with a wrong side row.    place the back piece sts back onto the needle and knit
                                                           these sts. Insert a marker to indicate the beginning
Join the front piece                                       of the round = 184 (200) 208 (224) 248 (256) 280
Next row (right side): Knit the right front piece’s        (296) sts.
sts, cast on 18 (18) 18 (18) 22 (22) 22 (22) sts with
backwards loop cast on, place the left front piece’s sts   Work in the round in stockinette until the whole
back on the needle and knit the rest of the row = 92       piece measures 49 (50) 51 (52) 53 (54) 55 (55) cm,
(100) 104 (112) 124 (128) 140 (148) sts.                   measured mid-back from the back’s neckline.
                                                           Keep the 4 mm needles.
                                                           Ribbing
                                                           Work 7 cm in twisted rib (k1tbl, p1).
                                                           Bind off in twisted rib.
                                                           NECKLINE
                                                           Start with the back’s right shoulder. With 3 mm
                                                           needles and holding together 1 strand of each yarn
                                                           type, knit 108 (108) 108 (108) 116 (116) 116 (116)
                                                           sts along the right side of the neck opening.
                                                           Insert a marker at the beginning of the rnd and join.
                                                           Work 9 cm in twisted rib (k1tbl, p1).
                                                           Knit the neckline to the edge as follows: fold down the
                                                           neckline and knit the live neckline sts together with the
                                                           picked-up sts, as follows:
                                                           Lift the first st from the picked-up edge onto the left
                                                           needle and knit the first two sts together, *p1 and pull
                                                           the second st on the right needle over the first st, so
                                                           that the st is bound off. Skip the next st on the picked-
                                                           up edge, lift the next st on the picked-up edge onto the
                                                           left needle and knit it together with the next st on the
                                                           left needle, pull the second st on the right needle over
                                                           the first so that the st is bound off*, repeat from * to *
                                                           until all sts are bound off.
                                                           Alternatively, the sts can be bound off normally and
                                                           then the neckline sts can be folded down and sewn to
                                                           the inside edge with the picked-up sts.
#FilcolanaEmpower                                                                                               5 of 6
SLEEVES                                                  I-CORD
Begin at the underarm. With 4 mm needles and holding     Cast 3 sts onto 3 mm DPNs with 1 strand of each yarn
1 strand of each yarn type held together, pick up 84     type held together. Work an i-cord as follows:
(90) 92 (96) 98 (102) 106 (106) sts along the right      *K3, don’t turn but slide the sts to the other end of
side of the armhole. Insert a marker to indicate the     the needle – the beginning - so that the sts are worked
beginning of the rnd and join.                           again from the RS*, repeat from * to *, until the i-cord
                                                         measures 2.5 m.
Work in the rnd in stockinette while at the same time
make decreases on every 4th rnd, as follows:             K3tog and pull the yarn’s end through the last st.
                                                         Break the yarn.
Decreasing rnd: K2tog, work in stockinette until 2 sts
remain, SSK.                                             FINISHING
                                                         Weave in all ends.
Work this decreasing rnd a total of 20 (21) 22 (22) 21
(21) 21 (21) times = 44 (48) 48 (52) 56 (60) 64 (64)     Measure an area on the front piece approx. 44 cm wide
sts.                                                     and 15 cm high.
                                                         Sew on the i-cord according to the sketch, as follows:
Work straight down the sleeve until the sleeve
measures 34 (35) 35 (36) 36 (36) 35 (35) cm.             Place the i-cord on as seen in the sketch, with the
                                                         “writing” is where indicated. The end is attached by
Change to 3 mm needles.                                  pulling the thread out of the sts so that there is enough
                                                         to weave in.
Ribbing                                                  Shape the letters and fasten them with pins. When you
Work 8 cm in twisted rib (k1tbl, p1).                    are satisfied with the result, sew the i-cord in place with
                                                         small stitches all the way along the i-cord.
Bind off in twisted ribbing.
Work the other sleeve the same way.                      Wash the sweater according to the label’s washing
                                                         instructions and lay it flat to dry on a towel.
#FilcolanaEmpower                                                                                              6 of 6