Knit a Cozy Sweater Perfect for Lounging

In my world, sweaters are for all year, but if you don’t wear sweaters in the summer and are in the Northern Hemisphere, this might be one to save for the fall. Our Southern Hemisphere friends can stitch this one up right away for their cooler days.

The Pillars Sweater by Perfectly Knotted is a cute and easy sweater with a deep V-neck and lots of ribbing at the bottom of the deeply split hem. The top part that’s in stockinette would be a cropped length, but adding all that ribbing makes it long enough to wear with leggings or anything else you want.

The pattern is worked from the top down, beginning flat to form the V neck. It’s then joined in the round for the stockinette portion of the body and split into flat panels again to work the ribbing. The sleeves are roomy (she knit hers pretty long but you could always make them shorter if you like them better that way) and the sweater is meant to be worn with 2o to 30 percent positive ease, though of course you can adjust that to your liking.

Actual finished chest measurements of the sweater range from 32 to 80 inches (81.3 to 203.2 cm) and there are 17 sizes. These are made to fit an actual chest measurement ranging from 25 to 66.5 inches (63.5 to 168.9 cm), though of course you can use less ease on larger sizes if needed.

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn but also suggests you could work it with a DK weight yarn and a mohair yarn held together for extra warmth and coziness if you like. Maybe try both and see what difference it makes in the warmth — this would be a good lesson for your future knitting projects.

You can find the pattern on Etsy.

[Photo: Perfectly Knotted]

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There’s always room for more stitch dictionaries on your shelf, but Andrea Rangel’s Knitovation Stitch Dictionary is unlike those stitch pattern books you might already own. That’s because this one is full of colorwork stitch patterns rather than textured stitches, lace or cables, so the designs are ripe for adding to hats, sweaters and other projects with a stockinette stitch background.

The book starts with a quick introduction to knitting colorwork that’s also unlike what you’ve probably seen before, because it’s less about the colors themselves and more about the kinds of fibers you choose, how the yarn is prepared and the gauge you’re working at and how those things all change the look of a design.

Most of the book is filled with motif designs and swatches. The motifs were designed and named by Andrea’s husband Sean, who is an artist and brings a bit of whimsy to the designs.

You’ll find some classic looking leaves and flowers, mosaics and waves, but also rubber ducks, penguins, puzzle pieces, cherries and cows, snails and teapots, eyeballs and chess pieces, to name a few. Many of the designs also have funny names, like a fish named toilet bound, or cats in suits called corporate fat cat.

Of course you can use the designs in any way you want on any project you like, but there are also three patterns in the book — for a hat, a sweater and a pair of fingerless gloves — plus discussion of how the motifs were added, adjusting patterns for a different size or gauge, and adding your own motifs.

If you like adding a bit of colorwork to otherwise plain projects that other people have designed, or you’re ready to start making your own designs with fun motifs, this book is a great place to start. The fun and funny motifs are sure to inspire you to want to pick up your needles and add a little more color to your projects.

About the book: 160 pages, hardcover, 150+ motifs and three knitting patterns. Published 2023 by Interweave, suggested retail $28.

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