Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knit a Rainbow on Your Sweater

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Whether you’re still knitting for Pride, want to commemorate a rainbow baby in your life or you just love the colorful addition of rainbow stripes to anything you knit, the Rainbow Over sweater from The Drunk Knitter is a pretty way to stitch up some color.

The yarn used in the original pattern is actually a rainbow gradient, which makes it super easy to knit because you don’t have to change colors. But this would also be a great use for any rainbow colored mini skeins you have on hand.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn and is worked from the top down with a circular yoke and bishop sleeves for high drama. You could also shape the sleeves more traditionally if you don’t want all that extra fabric at the wrist.

The pattern comes in 8 sizes to fit chest measurements ranging from 30 to 62 inches or 76 to 157 cm, with zero to 4 inches/10 cm of positive ease. The body is a little cropped but you can always make it longer if you want to. This would be super cute as a dress, too, though of course you’d need a lot more yarn and probably need to alter the pattern to make a tunic or dress.

The yoke has a bit of a textured stitch pattern, while the rest of the body is worked in stockinette stitch, making this a pretty quick and easy knit.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry or on the Drunk Knitter website.

And if you’re looking for more uses for those mini skeins, check out my post all about ways to use mini skeins from advent calendars or elsewhere. And if you are looking at rainbow knitting patterns because Pride is every day, check out my Pride knitting patterns and more general rainbow knitting patterns.

[Photo: The Drunk Knitter]

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Coffee Cozy Knitting Patterns

During the summer (which is what it is where I am writing from) I like to share patterns for things that you can knit and use even when it’s warm out. And sometimes they are things you can use when it’s cold, too, like this collection of coffee cup cozies. Because hot coffee is a must almost any time of year. 

This simple pattern form Darling Jadore is a great one for beginners and could be a good first knitting in the round project. It uses worsted weight yarn and includes video tutorials if you need extra help. 

If you want a perfectly plain cozy that you can jazz up with your own designs, check out the Base Doodle Cup Cozy from Jamie Lomax. This free pattern on Ravelry comes in two sizes (short and long) and is meant to be used with her doodle charts to make it your own. You could also keep it plain, add stripes or design your own motifs to stitch on it. 

Most coffee cozy patterns that I see are just sleeves meant to go over travel mugs, but what if your mug has a handle? This pattern from Stacey’s Knit Wits has an I-cord loop and button so you can use it on a mug with a handle or a travel cup. It uses DK weight yarn.

Coffee cozies are a fun way to play with stitch patterns and learn new techniques. If you’ve never knit cables before, this cozy from Purple Wool Co. would be a great first cable project, as it features simple braided cables all the way around. It uses worsted weight yarn and is worked in the round. 

Try double knitting to make an extra-insulating coffee cozy with this pattern from Tracy Leming. It includes little color changes so you can get the concept of how double knitting works on a small scale. It also can include a little pocket for a tea bag if you want. This one uses worsted weight yarn and is a free pattern on Ravelry.

Or try stranded knitting with the Love in the Air cozy from Danielle Thuen. It features hearts of different sizes and is worked in sock yarn. You’ll need to make sure those floats are nice and loose so it will stretch to hug your cup. You can find this pattern on Ravelry. 

They’re also a fun way to add a bit of flair to an otherwise plain cup. KnitnKaboodle Designs has this lovely leaf-shaped cozy pattern, which you could use for hot or cold beverages by changing up the fiber you choose (that’s pretty much always true). It is made in pieces that are stitched together and can be worked in a single color or choose different colors for each leaf.