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.]

Next Pattern:

The other day I saw a post from Pinterest about trends for summer and it said one of them was “cultivating whimsy.”

Well, I don’t know where Pinterest has been all this time, but we’ve been cultivating whimsy here at Craft Gossip for a long time. I love sharing projects that are a little different, things that make you smile when you see them, and will make you smile when you knit them and wear them or use them.

Such it is with the Tutti Frutti tee knitting pattern from Bea Creative Knits.

This cute little baby tee is worked top down in the round with contiguous shoulder construction to shape the sleeve caps. There are short rows for the neckline and folded hems with picot edging at the hemline, neckline and edges of the sleeves.

All of this would be great on its own, but then there’s the addition of a super cute fruit icon, which is added with duplicate stitch. There are a lot of options, including strawberry, banana, orange, cherries, watermelon, lemon, blueberries, kiwi, peach, dragon fruit, apple and pear, so it’s likely you can add on your favorite fruit.

It is offered in eight sizes, to fit a bust measurement ranging from 28-30 inches (71-76 cm) to 56-58 inches (142-147 cm). The design is meant to be worn with around 6.3 inches/16 cm of negative ease, but you can choose the fit you prefer. There’s also optional bust and waist shaping included in the pattern if you want to make it even curvier.

This is considered an advanced beginner or intermediate project because of all the skills involved, but it’s sure to be a lot of fun even if some of these techniques are new to you.

Grab a copy of the pattern for yourself form Bea Creative Knits on Etsy.

[Photo: Bea Creative Knits]

Next Pattern:

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