Get a Great Deal on Patterns with the Indie Design Gift-a-Long

This year nearly 300 independent knit and crochet designers are participating in a massive show of creativity known as the Indie Design Gift-a-Long. Select patterns from each of these designers are on sale for 25 percent off now through Nov. 21, and from then until the end of the year a bunch of knit and crochet-a-longs will be happening (various ones for different types of garments) and participants will be eligible for various prizes.

You can find all the participating designers in this thread on Ravelry (though if you’re looking for a specific kind of pattern you should check the Pinterest boards, which are organized by garment type) and get the discount by using the code giftalong2014. Participants in the gift-a-long can use any paid for pattern by any participating designer, not just the ones involved in the sale, so if you’ve been sitting on something you’d love to knit you can do that, too.

Again this discount is available through Friday, November 21, 2014 at 11:59 pm US EST, and of course you could buy some patterns even if you’re not participating in the gift-a-long. But why not use the added incentive of prizes and community to get some great giftables off the needles?

It’s entirely likely that I don’t need another challenge in my life right now, but there are some really cute patterns up for grabs here. And it’s a wonderful way to support independent designers, who need all the help we can give them. I’d love to hear if you decide to take part and if you do, what you’re planning to knit!

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Have you read?