Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Mix and Match Sweater Patterns for Kids

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pick the pieces by lorna miserPick the Pieces by Lorna Miser is a fun book for those who want to learn how to customize sweaters on a small scale.

The book includes 12 complete sweater patterns (some of them are on Ravelry) in sizes from six month to six years, along with 48 components you can mix and match to make your own designs without the work.

So, for instance, you can make the short-sleeved sweater as shown, with allover Seed Stitch patterning, picot edging, a V neck and ties at the front, or you could make it long sleeved, turn it into a crewneck, add pockets and a hood and more.

This is a fun way to kind of dip your toe into designing, because you can choose the components and knit a totally custom sweater without having to do the math. And your kiddos will love having projects made just the way they want them (my daughter, for instance, wants every sweater to be a hooded cardigan).

If you’d like a chance to win this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, November 5. I’d love to know a little about the little ones you knit for. My daughter is 8 so she’s aged out of this book, but she does still love me to knit for her, which is great. Because last year’s sweater still fits, this year I’m making her a big, squishy lap blanket instead.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

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Comments

  1. What a great book! Thank you for the chance to win a copy. I have two grandsons (3 & 1) and love to knit them things. I know the day is likely to come when they won’t want handmade things so I’d better have my fun now!!

  2. I love the concept of this book! The tiny kids I knit for are my nieces/nephews who are 6 mo -10 yrs old and new babies of friends!! Thank you

  4. Perfect-many sweaters with one book! I have one grandchild, a boy almost a year old, and now is the perfect time to knit him up a few sweaters. I have a vest in progress right now but I’ll finish it up in case I win 😉

  5. Love to mix and match…four DGDs would love to help pick out:)

    from chilly autumnal VT,
    the Vermonster

  8. With 2 grandsons I need sweater patterns for kids, especially if they can be work as boys sweaters that are hard to find. I need to go check out this book. Winning it would be even better

  9. I knit for grandchildren of friends and for charity. This book would help with variety. Thank you for the chance to own it.

  10. My not-so-little-one will be turning 7 soon. She really needs some new sweaters! All the ones I find in the store are so thin they don’t seem like sweaters!

Have you read?

Book Review: Cable Knitting Stitch Dictionary

Stitch dictionaries are a fun way to learn new-to-you knitting stitch patterns or to take a deep dive into a particular technique. Debbie Tomkies offers 100 cable stitch designs and thoughts on how to incorporate them into projects in her Cable Knitting Stitch Dictionary.

Each stitch pattern is shown in a large swatch photo and with written and charted instructions. Any special stitches are included on the page. The stitches are rated on a difficulty scale of 1 to 3, and the pattern notes also indicate how many extra stitches you should add to a project if you’re going to work this cable (since cables pull the fabric closer together you need to compensate for that) as well as how many stitches and rows are in the repeat if you want to design a project yourself.

The cables are arranged into sections: classic cables, combinations, all-over panels, creative cables, motifs and panels and cabled edges and borders.

It’s fun to flip through the designs to think about projects you can add a single cable or two to or make with an allover cabled design. Or you could make swatches of different cables and sew them together into a pillow cover or a throw.

At the back of the book there’s a section on general cable knitting techniques, reading charts, working swatches and avoiding errors (though it mentions working the wrong number of rows between cable turns, it doesn’t share how to count rows between cables to avoid this mistake).

It also talks about how to design your own cables, combine cables in a project, choose the right yarn and needles and determine how many more stitches you need to cast on when working cables instead of stockinette stitch. There’s also a glossary of symbols and abbreviations you may find in cable knitting and other patterns.

The book provides a good overview of things you can do with cables, as well as some fun things you might not have tried like infinity cables and horizontal cables. It’s a great book for a designer who likes to work with cables or a knitter who wants to play with different stitches in their projects.

About the book: 176 pages, paperback, 100 stitch patterns. Published 2024 by David & Charles. Suggested retail price $26.99.