Free Pattern: Heat Wave Necklaces

Speaking of simple projects to jazz up your wardrobe, it doesn’t get much easier than knitting I-cord into a simple circle you can wear singly or stacked.

The Heat Wave Necklaces from the Fibre Company (designed by Kate Gagnon Osborn) are a great way to use up a bit of stash. You can change colors whenever you like or use the stripe sequence and repeats suggested in one of the two variations.

As knit the patterns use six different colors of Canopy Fingering, a fine alpaca/wool/viscose from bamboo blend, and size 2 US (2.75 mm) double-pointed needles.

One thing that’s kind of fun about this project is that it uses a provisional cast on and grafting to make a perfect circle where you can’t see the beginning or end. If you can’t stand kitchener, go ahead and cast on and bind off as normal, then sew the cast on and bind off edges together. Maybe sew a decorative button on top and no one will ever know.

[Photo by The Fibre Company.]

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It felt like it had been a while since I’d done a roundup of knitting patterns involving sheep, and if search is any indication, that is true. I found a roundup of patterns for knit sheep from a few years ago, but the only one with v I could find is from 2015. So it’s definitely time to revisit this fun genre of knitting patterns.

This all started with a headband. Alyssa Kaat’s Icelandic Sheep Headband (free on Ravelry) to be specific. Ravelry showed it to me as a pattern highlight and I couldn’t resist taking a closer look. It’s worked with two colors of worsted weight yarn and alternates sheep with stars around your head.

Another great sheepy headband is this one from Loch Fyne Crafts on Etsy. These sweet little sheep are worked in bulky yarn and you can make the background look like field and sky or work it in a solid color.

Or make a headband (or a hat, cowl, or all three) covered with a flock of sheep with this set of patterns from New Age Knitting CA. These pieces also use the field/sky coloring, but you can use whatever colors of worsted weight yarn you like.

Speaking of hats, there’s also the sheep hat from Lynann Knits Designs. The sample was worked in Icelandic wool to make the sheep and the hat extra fuzzy and warm, but any worsted weight yarn will work.

There’s also the Wandering Sheep hat from Kat Hudon (on Ravelry), which features a fun collection of speckled sheep that can be worked in different yarn weights to make different sizes of hats for kids and adults.

And lest you think sheep need to be knit in traditional stranded colorwork, check out the Rebel Sheep Mob blanket by Deborah Moore. This one is worked in mosaic knitting using fingering weight yarn. In mosaic knitting you’re only working with one color per row so it’s pretty easy. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

I can’t possibly share sheep knitting patterns without mentioning the amazing Black Sheep Shadow Shawl by Mark Jamieson. Shadow knitting is a technique I want to do more of, but it involves working two rows alternating in two different colors and the pattern emerges when you look at the design from an angle. It’s so cool and the sheep on this one are amazing! It’s not a beginner project but well worth the work. You can find it on Ravelry or at the designer’s website.

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