Knit a Lightweight Striped Sweater

One thing to know about me is that I love heavier weight yarns. It was only a couple of years ago I had never knit a sweater using yarn lighter that worsted weight (unless maybe it was for a baby or a little kid). I’ve knit a couple of DK weight sweaters since them, and I do really like them as something I can wear more in the spring and fall (and even in the summer because I’m always cold in southern US air conditioning).

Could it follow that I would also enjoy knitting and wearing a sweater made with even finer yarn? Technically I guess I’ve done this, too, because I knit a Sea Glass Tee (Ravelry link) and that’s sock yarn, but it’s also short sleeves so it doesn’t really feel like it “counts” as a sweater. Am I the only one who makes these silly distinctions?

In any case, the Milo Jumper by Line Pedersen. This sweet little striped sweater gives henley vibes, which you might know by now is one of my favorite sweater types. (Aside: I looked it up and technically a henley has a round neck, and this is a V-neck, so technically not a henley but I’ll allow it.)

It’s worked in light fingering weight yarn in two colors, with allover stripes except on the yoke and the bottoms of the sleeves, which are each one of the two main colors. The color change happens at the center front from the look of things, so it’s a great time to practice your jogless stripe techniques.

The pattern comes in nine sizes with a bust circumference ranging from 31.5 to 63 inches, or 80 to 160 cm. It’s meant to have 1 to 3 inches/2 to 8 cm of positive ease.

The designer notes that the pattern has been tech edited but was not test knit, so do with that information what you will.

You can grab a copy of the pattern for free on Ravelry.

[Photo: Line Pedersen]

Review: Essential Knit Sweaters

Book Review – The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters

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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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