Add Some Texture to Your Summer Knitting

Andalusian stitch is a basic knit purl knitting stitch pattern that I love but I never think to use on projects. It’s a pretty easy four-row repeat where three of the rows are just stockinette stitch.

You need a multiple of two plus one stitches for it to work, and you knit the first row, purl the second, then work knit 1, purl 1 across the next row (ending with a knit 1) and purl the fourth row.

This also gives you some practice in reading your knitting because you can count rows on the fabric instead of marking them down on paper or with a row counter if you want.

Andalusian stitch is so easy you don’t really need to practice it before you dive into a pattern using it.

This time of year I’d love to recommend the Aosta Summer Top 2.0 from The Knit Purl Girl. (It’s 2.0 because it was a relaunch of an older pattern.)

This top down raglan is worked in the round with allover Andalusian stitch (other than ribbed edges; because it’s mostly stockinette it does tend to curl without them). The pattern calls for two strands of fingering weight yarn to be held together but you can also use a single strand of DK weight yarn, so long as you can get gauge.

The pattern comes in 12 sizes, with an actual finished chest measurement of 30.75 to 58.75 inches, or 78 to 149 cm. It’s meant to be worn with what the designer calls neutral ease, ranging from 1.5 inch/3.5 cm positive ease to 1.5 inches/3.5 cm negative ease for smaller sizes, or 2 inches/5 cm positive to negative ease range for the larger sizes.

That way it’s up to you if you want a super snug fit or a little more room. It’s meant to fit like a cozy t-shirt.

I love the refined look the Andalusian stitch gives this one and I just might need to make it for myself soon! You can grab the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: The Knit Purl Girl]

Knitting Patterns for Your Summer Picnic

Add a Gorgeous Little Knit Cover to Your Summer Outfits

Summer Gansey Knitting Pattern

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use.

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make.

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!).

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn.

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart.

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern.

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.

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