A Cabled Sweater to Span the Seasons

I know it’s only July as I write this, and there is a lot more summer to come in the Northern Hemisphere, but I’m already starting to think about knitting for fall. For one thing, it takes a little while to knit a sweater, and if you want to have it done when the season is right to wear it, you need to start knitting early.

Also, the things we knit for the fall or spring are often called “transition” pieces for a reason; you can wear them now when it’s cool in the evening or there’s a little too much air conditioning, and for a longer part of the day later in the year.

When it comes to All That Brass from Fatimah Hinds, I don’t know why you’d want to wait to cast on this beauty. It’s a top down raglan cardigan with two sets of cables running down the fronts. It’s worked to a slightly cropped length (though you know by now you can change that if you want, right?) and three quarter sleeves, perfect for those days when you need a little warmth but maybe not a full length sweater.

It has a scoop neck and a full set up buttons so you can wear it as open or closed as you like.

It would be as great over a sun dress or tank top as paired with a T-shirt, jeans and boots.

The pattern comes in nine sizes, with an actual measurement of 32 to 64 inches in the bust (or 81 to 162.5 cm). You can choose how much ease you like but it’s shown modeled with 2 inches/10 cm of positive ease, which sounds good if you’re going to wear something light under it. It was worked with two strands of fingering weight yarn held together, or you can use a single strand of DK weight to get gauge.

The pattern is available on Ravelry.

[Photo: Fatimah Hinds]

A Perfect Sweater to Knit if You’re New to Knitting Sweaters

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Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]

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