Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

A Super Bulky Vest to Knit and Wear Right Away

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In 2022 for Christmas I got myself a mystery yarn grab bag from Lion Brand Yarn, and in it were a couple of skeins of super bulky yarn. Because it was almost the beginning of the year and I was trying to challenge myself to use my stash, I knit it up right away into a hat and a little vest.

(This year I bought myself the yarn to make Linger from Knitty’s Deep Fall issue. Can’t wait to cast on.)

If I were using that yarn again I’d still make a vest but it would probably be Vest is Best from Crafts Everywhere.

This cozy, boxy, hooded vest has a kangaroo pocket (this time of year I want pockets in everything) and is super quick and easy to knit. I almost wrote “to knit and wear this weekend” in the headline, but I don’t know when you’re reading this or how fast you knit, but it should still be on and back off your needles pretty fast.

The pattern comes in five sizes and uses US 19 (that’s 15 mm) knitting needles. It’s rated for intermediate knitters, but it would be a good first garment project if you’ve never knit a sweater or vest before. It’s worked from the bottom up in the round to the armholes (which are really deep so actually a lot of it is worked flat), then you seam the shoulders and work the ribbing around the armholes in the round. The hood is worked flat with ribbing added after the hood is worked. The pocket is worked flat and sewn on. And the drawstring can be I-cord or whatever else you’d like to use.

It’s meant to be worn with 4 to 6 inches (10-15 cm) of positive ease, which is perfect for wearing over a long-sleeved shirt or a light sweater.

You can get the pattern from Crafts Everywhere on Etsy.

[Photo: Crafts Everywhere]

Have you read?

Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.