Knit a Simple Looking Sweater Full of Fun Techniques

At first glance, the Doppio Sweater by Seunghee Hong looks like a pretty classic, straightforward, mostly stockinette stitch sweater. But as you div e into it, you’ll see there’s more going on that makes it more interesting to knit.

For example, it’s a top down raglan sweater, but the raglan lines are curved rather then being straight diagonals. That means you’re adding stitches at a different rate on the sleeves versus the body, which should give you a better fit.

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The neckline is shaped with German short rows (though there are also instructions for using wrap and turn) and stitches are picked up from the neckline or a crochet chain worked in for that purpose. The neckband is folded over and seamed, and there are purl stitches at the sides of the body and back of the sleeves to serve as faux seams.

In addition to all that, the original sweater was worked with a couple of super fine and a sport weight yarn held together to make more of a bulky weight, but you can also use a DK or worsted weight yarn held with a lace weight, or even a bulky weight yarn on its own if you want.

There are lots of tutorials and videos in the pattern to help you with the techniques, but this probably isn’t a great first sweater pattern. If you’re worked regular raglans before, and you’re familiar with short rows, you’ll probably be fine with all the techniques used here. If you’re feeling up for a knit adventure that will get you a classic sweater, this one is a great choice.

The pattern includes nine sizes, with a finished bust measurement ranging from 35 to 67.5 inches, or 89 to 171 cm. It’s meant to be worn with 2 to 5 inches, or 5 to 13 centimeters of positive ease.

You can find more information about the pattern and get your own copy on Ravelry.

[Photo: Seunghee Hong]

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use.

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make.

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!).

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn.

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart.

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern.

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.

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