Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knit a Simple Striped Vest

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This pretty vest pattern has stripes that are different in both color and texture, which makes the knitting and the wearing of it a bit more fun. The Linden vest pattern by Noriko Ho was originally designed for the Puget Sound LYS Tour and was the featured knit pattern for The Fiber Gallery. Now it’s available for wider purchase and I think this will be a great project for transitioning into fall (or spring, as the case may be where you live).

The original design uses two different DK weight yarns. One is a pretty smooth superwash merino, while the other is a fuzzy blend of alpaca, cotton and merino. This gives the pattern stripes of texture as well as color without having to do any more work on your part.

Of course you could also make it all smooth, or all fuzzy, or even forgo the stripes and make a solid colored version in whatever kind of yarn you like or have on hand. Maybe you’ll want multiple versions of this simple V-neck vest. I know I probably would.

The pattern is worked flat in pieces from the bottom up. The design is meant to be cropped, but of course you can add more length if you prefer. It’s also intended to be worked with zero to 4 inches of negative ease for a snug fit.

It comes in nine sizes, ranging from a chest measurement of 30.5 inches to 62.5 inches (that’s 77 to 159 centimeters for our metric system friends).

You can get a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

Looking for more vest patterns? Check out this collection of easy vest knitting patterns, or here’s another roundup I did a few years ago of fun vest knitting patterns. Or just search for vests in the search bar at the top right of the page and you will find a bunch of individual patterns I’ve written about through the years as well!

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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.