Get a Brioche Checkerboard Look with the Ginny Cardigan

I share a lot of knitting patterns here at Craft Gossip, and the vast majority of the time I haven’t seen the actual pattern I’m writing about. If the pattern is free sometimes I will download it to verify that the project is constructed the way I expect or to check on sizing, but for patterns that are not free I don’t usually own them when I write about them (even if they are something I want to knit).

But with this one I’m super tempted to buy the pattern just to be able to better explain what’s going on here. Not that it’s confusing, I’m just interested in how it comes together.

The Ginny Cardigan from Susanne Sommer combines blocks of brioche and garter stitch to make a patchwork gingham design that’s also striped, so it changes color and texture throughout the piece. It’s super clever and I’m pretty sure it’s easier than it looks if you have a handle on basic brioche knitting.

This boxy cardigan has a modified drop sleeve design and is meant to be worn open at the front. It’s knit from the top down and includes afterthought pockets.

The bust and hip measurements are the same on the garment and range from 35.5 to 70.75 inches (that’s 90 to 180 cm) and comes in six sizes. It is meant to have between 4 and 12 inches/10-30 cm of positive ease. It calls for four colors of DK weight yarn.

If you like the look of this pattern and want to add some accessories, or try the technique on a smaller project first, the designer also has a cowl (which is actually a pretty big project, but has no shaping) and a bandana cowl pattern that use this same stitch pattern with worsted weight yarn.

You can find all three patterns on Ravelry: cardigan | cowl | bandana cowl.

[Photo: Susanne Sommer]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

Have you read?