Books and Other Resources for Sweater Knitting

If you’re inspired to start knitting a sweater this fall or winter, there are some great books and courses out there that can help you get started with confidence.

The 30 Day Sweater is a fun ebook course that takes you step by small step through the process of choosing and knitting a sweater in the span of a month. It specifically looks at knitting a top-down raglan, and it breaks down the task into little pieces that can be accomplished daily (and once you’ve gotten through the first few days of measuring, getting gauge and doing your raglan increasing, it’s pretty simple sailing after that).

My First Sweater is a Craftsy class by Amy Ross with Lion Brand Yarn. It takes viewers through a super simple bottom up, pieced raglan that can be worked either as a cardigan or a pullover. The class gets a little tedious at times but it’s a great one if a lack of confidence is keeping you from casting on.

And speaking of cardigans, My First Cardigan Workbook is a nice little resource for knitting that particular garment from the top down. I wish there were a bit more explanation of what’s going on in the patterns, but if you’re willing to trust the process these are nice basic patterns that will get you started (I also like that even though there are only eight patterns, you get babies and adults up to size 54 covered).

Do you have a learn to knit a sweater resource that you love? I’d like to hear about it and maybe add it to my list!

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

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

[Photo via Craftsy.]

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Some knitting projects are meant to be worn and enjoyed at home, while others are designed for keeping us warm and comfortable in the great outdoors. Knit Wild by Anna-Sofia Vintersol includes 21 sweater patterns made for outdoor exploration, with colorwork motifs that speak to outdoor adventures.

The book opens by talking about the different kinds of wool yarns that are best for keeping you warm outdoors, then dives into the patterns. They are all given in nine sizes but the actual measurements of the sweaters vary depending on the ease built into the design. They are meant to be suitable for both men and women.

The patterns themselves don’t include a lot of details because these sweaters are boxy and worked mostly in stockinette stitch. They indicate how much knitting you should do before working particular charts, which assumes that your row/round gauge is the same as suggested in the pattern, which isn’t always the case (knitters would do well to monitor their row gauge and determine how long each chart will take in their own gauge and adjust as needed).

There are lots on animal motifs in the patterns, including dogs, foxes, bears, turtles and orcas. One pattern, Kitulo, features allover colorwork in a mix and match style of motifs that include birds, alpaca, hearts, crosses and many other options. Check out all the patterns on Ravelry.

Several of the sweaters are shown in varying sizes and colorways so you can see how changing the colors changes the look. There are also sometimes different neckline options, and some patterns give you the option of working pieces flat or in the round with steeks (how to deal with steeks is described in words but there are no tutorials for any knitting techniques in the book).

Some knitters won’t mind this kind of hands off, go your own way approach to sweater knitting, but for those with less confidence these instructions might be intimidating. For those who are comfortable without a ton of hand-holding, these colorful designs should be fun to knit and great to wear on outdoor winter outings.

About the book: 232 pages, hardcover, 21 patterns. Published 2024 by Stackpole Books. Suggested retail price $34.95.

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