Keep it Classic with the Turtle Dove Cardigan

There’s just something about a basic cardigan that is cozy and classic. It’s great to wear as a top layer when there’s a bit of a chill in the air or to keep handy when it’s colder inside than you would like.

The Turtle Dove Cardigan by Melissa Clulow for Sonder Yarn Co. is said to be inspired by a pullover of the same name (though I can’t find it on the designer’s Ravelry page, so if you have any intel on the pullover version, do let me know and I’ll update). It uses two strands of mohair held together with a smooth wool fingering weight yarn, which gives the whole thing a DK weight.

But because the fuzziness of the mohair needs a little room to breathe, it’s knit on larger needles than you typically would use for a DK weight project, which means it will knit up faster than you expect, too.

It’s worked from the top down, mostly in stockinette stitch, with twisted rib at the collar, cuffs and bands. It does not have buttons but is meant to be worn open with 12-14 inches (30.5-35.5 cm) of positive ease. It has deep raglan shaping for ease of layering and extra comfort, and the collar can stand up flat or fold over a bit if you like that look.

The sleeves are not full length in the pattern as written but it would be easy to adjust that (as well as the full length of the sweater) if you want more coverage. You could also choose a size that provides you with less positive ease if you want a more tailored look.

The pattern is available in nine sizes, with a finished bust measurement ranging from 44.75 to 76.75 inches, or 112 to 192 cm.

The Turtle Dove Cardigan pattern was originally published in Laine magazine and you can now get the pattern free on Ravelry.

[Photo: Sonder Yarn Co.]

Free Pattern – Long Cable Knit Cardigan

Easy Cardigan Knitting Patterns

A few years ago I wrote a post that was full of patterns for knit mushrooms, but I don’t think I ever did a post that was knitting patterns with mushrooms on them, so today’s the day.

I love the Fungi Beanie from Jacki Bean, which calls for worsted weight yarn and uses duplicate stitch to add the mushrooms and other details. I think the colors she used for the design are tonal/multicolor so it doesn’t use as many colors as it looks like, but you can use whatever red, green, brown and white yarn you have in your stash for those details.

How about some mushroom socks? The Magic Toadstool sock form Stone Knits includes a ring of mushrooms around the leg, contrasting heel and toe and a little more colorwork at the toe for extra cuteness. As shown it uses four colors and comes in three sizes.

Or there’s the Fairy Ring Socks from Katie Green, which have mushrooms of two sizes on the legs, plus a bit of wavy grass. They have a contrasting cuff, heel and toe and some colorwork flecks in the body of the sock as well. This one is available in eight sizes to fit everyone from a baby to an XL adult.

This trippy cowl from Hunt Hand Knits looks like a lot of fun to knit. The Fungus Among Us Cowl is shown using four colors of DK weight yarn, though you can do it with as few as two if you’d rather.

Stitch some mushroom mittens with this cute pattern from Holly C Watson. This design uses three colors, and it’s shown with a self-striping yarn on the mushroom caps, which makes the colors change without you having to do any work. The pattern is charted but it’s a pretty easy repeat. The mittens are one size.

If you don’t feel like knitting mushrooms but still want to give your project a touch of the forest, the Toadstools Cardigan from Julie Taylor may be what you’re looking for. It’s stitched as a plain cardigan worked in DK weight yarn and sized for newborns up to 4 years old. The mushrooms are added with embroidery and the pattern includes the design, which you can trace onto water soluble stabilizer to stitch the mushrooms onto your sweater. Or anything else you want. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

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