Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

A Few “Best Of” Pattern Roundups

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eyelet cowlSince I was at home with a preschooler a lot longer than I meant to be over the holidays and beyond, I’m a little behind on year-end roundups, so I thought I would share a few of the favorite pattern collections that have hit my email box recently.

Lion Brand Yarn has put together a collection of its 10 most popular patterns. I love the pint-sized Colorplay Hoodie and the Entrelac Cowl (I’ve been meaning to knit something like that for a while). The most popular pattern was the District 12 Cowl Wrap inspired by “Catching Fire.”

Red Heart’s Best of 2013 includes videos and tutorials, so you can learn how to knit with Sashay (something I still need to do) and then make the most popular pattern, a Sashay scarf. I also find it really funny that one of the most popular patterns was Angel Baby, which is an eyelet baby blanket that’s a really old pattern — I knit it for a “baby” who is now 7 years old!

Yarn Market did a countdown of 30 popular patterns, many though not all of which are free. But the Gold Rush Fan Stitch Cowl pattern, which came in at the top, is a free pattern worked in feather and fan in a locely yarn from Crystal Palace.

And Yarnspirations has a roundup of five afghan patterns and five cowl patterns you might want to check out. I’ve had my eye on that Southwest Geometric Blanket for a while, and the Spiral Cowl is pretty, too.

Last but not least, if you haven’t seen it already, is my roundup of most popular patterns from About Knitting. That cowl pictured above is mine.

Comments

  1. Thanks, Sarah, for sharing these links for free patterns! With the beginning of the new year, I’m trying to lay out my knitting projects for the next few months. Some of these free patterns will definitely make the list 🙂

    Thanks again! I also have some free patterns on my website at http://purl3agony.hubpages.com/

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]