Have You Knit Your Christmas Sweater Yet?

Did you know that Dec. 8 is Christmas Jumper Day? What better reason to start knitting a holiday sweater (even if you might not be finished with it in time for the holidays this year?) I’ve never knit a Christmas sweater but I did once knit and ugly Christmas sweater bra, which is a story you might want to know.

You can choose your own adventure when it comes to your Christmas sweater with the Winter Doodle Sweater from Jamie Lomax. Jamie provides lots of different motifs that you can add to your garment — 51, in fact, ranging from holly and snowflakes to reindeer, coffee cups and pine cones. You can add designs just to the yoke or all over your sweater as you like. It’s worked in DK weight yarn and has sizes with garment chest circumference ranging from 30 to 72 inches (76 to 183 cm) and is meant to be worn with 2-6 inches/5-15 cm of positive ease. You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

Knitting Pattern World on Etsy has another cute option with a range of little motifs to knit, though the pattern picks the designs for you. This one includes trees, Santas, snowmen and hearts. Finished measurements range from 96-144 cm or 37.75 to 56.5 inches, with six sizes available.

Make sweaters for the whole family with the Merry Christmas Sweater from Hobbii. This one has six sizes for women, as well as options for men and children, so you can make one for most everyone on your list (two years up to a chest measurement of 59 inches/150 cm). They’re worked from the top down using worsted weight yarn and rated for intermediate knitters. The design by Intreccidiceci is free on the Hobbii website.

This holiday lights pullover from Grey Owl Knits by Sarah on Etsy is so cute and a great way to use brightly colored leftovers from other projects. The retro lights are so cute and an easy shape to knit. It uses DK weight yarn and has a finished chest size ranging from 32 to 68 inches, or 80 to 170 cm, and should be worn with 2-4 inches/5-10 cm of positive ease.

Decorate your Christmas sweater with beads (or real ornaments if you want to go uglier) with the O Christmas Tree sweater pattern from Yas Knits. The muted colors give this one a retro look, but you can use bolder colors if you like. It’s worked in chunky yarn and the beads are worked in as you knit. Instructions for doing that are included. The pattern comes in three sizes, ranging from 98 to 122 cm/38.5 to 48 inches and is meant to have a roomy fit.

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Sometimes I feel like knitters get intimidated to try new things because they think they need to start with a big project. Your first time working in the round doesn’t need to be a sock, and your first colorwork doesn’t need to be a sweater, for example. You can find little projects that use the skills you want to learn to build your confidence before you move on to something that requires more time commitment.

This adorable knit bunny, for example.

The colorwork bunny from Knit Picks was designed by Amy Munson and is a kind of bowling pin shaped bunny complete with a knit hat, contrasting inner ears and a little stranded colorwork on its body. Note that the ears are attached the the hat not the bunny, but you could stitch them to the bunny if you’d rather.

It’s worked from the bottom up and also has a tiny pompom tail you can’t see in the picture but it’s a really cute touch. There are a variety of little fair isle patterns to choose from to make the best bunny for you.

The bunny comes out about 8 inches tall (or just over 20 cm) and use several colors to complete the colorwork, depending on the design you choose.

You can purchase the pattern by itself from Knit Picks, or make a kit that includes sport weight yarn in all the colors you need for your creation. There are gray and brown options for the main body of the bunny, but of course if you’re using your own yarn you can make it whatever color you like.

Once you’ve tried colorwork (maybe also working in the round and shaping if those are skills you haven’t used before) in a little project like this you’ll be ready to take on something bigger in no time.

Check out the pattern on Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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