Get Sporti with this Gender-Neutral Knit Collection

Knit fabric made with ribbing is magical. It’s super stretchy, of course, and while it can be clingy it does so in a way that’s super comfortable.

Ribbed projects automatically look kind of sporty, and that’s the idea behind the Sporti collection by Jacqueline Cieslak.

This pattern in two parts is actually three different pieces. There’s a sweater that can be knit to full length or cropped to a shrug (or really any length in between) and a coordinating tank top that can be worn with the shrug or sweater or on its own.

Both projects call for fingering weight yarn, which makes them lightweight and easy to wear and layer with.

The patterns are size inclusive and include gender-neutral sizing, so you can choose the fit you like without being labeled as men’s or women’s sizing.

The sweater/shrug has nine sizes to fit an upper chest circumference of 30 to 62 inches (75 to 155 cm) and has options for wide and narrow shoulders. There are lots of tips in the pattern for getting a good fit and what to do if you are between sizes. There are also instructions for optional bust darts if you need them.

The tank top has the same size options and optional bust darts. Both projects are worked from the top down so you can try them on as you go for a custom fit. Because they are ribbed you will want to choose a size with at least some negative ease to get a good fit.

I love patterns like this that offer lots of options because you can knit them over and over in different ways, and make them match or not. The patterns are both available on Ravelry (sweater|tank) and if you buy them at the same time you can get 50 percent off the tank top pattern price.

[Photo: Jacqueline Cieslak]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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