Pattern Highlight: Karelia by Midori Hirose

Ever since Karelia by Midori Hirose was released, I knew I wanted one in my wardrobe. The whimsical flower yoke is so striking, and I loved the idea of using it to showcase some of my favorite La Bien Aimée yarns. I wanted a soft, neutral background to let the flowers really shine—and our Lix Collection (Alix, Felix, and Helix) turned out to be the perfect match.

For the main color, I used 3 skeins of Helix in Avoine, held double throughout the body and sleeves. For the colorwork, I went deep into my stash of Lix Collection yarns, holding them triple to get a satisfying contrast and a lovely texture. If you’re planning your own Karelia, our Lix Collection minis are a great way to build a bouquet of flowers and leaves in all your favorite colors. You can find them here.

My Flower & Leaf Palette 

I knit the size 2XL with 10 flowers and loved choosing the color pairings for each one. Here's what I used:

• Leaves: Felix Lush — Flower: Felix "HELLA"
  
• Leaves: Helix Winterfell — Flower: Felix LBA Yellow
  
• Leaves: Helix Amege — Flower: Felix Blanc
  
• Leaves: Helix Winterfell — Flower: Alix Kokko
  
• Leaves: Helix Amege — Flower: Felix Coquelicot
• Leaves: Helix Amege — Flower: Felix HELLA
  
• Leaves: Helix Winterfell — Flower: Felix Blanc
  
• Leaves: Alix Kokko — Flower: Alix Fluoro
  
• Leaves: Helix Amege — Flower: Helix Kitsune
  
• Leaves: Felix Lush — Flower: Alix Bois de Rose

Whether you want to replicate my palette or create your own version from scratch, Karelia is a joy to knit and wear. I hope this inspires you to cast one on!