Knit a Sweater Inspired by Fast Fashion

I love a design with a good origin story. This one goes like this: Berroco released a rectangular shawl/wide scarf pattern called Ludlow, and a lot of knitters wanted to know about the sweater the model was wearing. It turned out the original was from Target, but designer Alison Green got on the case to re-create the sweater for knitters.

The result is Sydney, a scoop-neck, drop shoulder design with a pretty allover seeded rib pattern.

The design is worked flat in pieces that are sewn together at the end, and the shoulders are shaped using short rows. That makes it more of an intermediate pattern, but if you’re comfortable with short rows its otherwise a pretty straightforward project.

The pattern is available in 12 sizes, with bust measurements ranging from 35.5 to 77 inches (or 90 to 195.5 centimeters). The sweater is meant to be worn with around 4 to 6 inches (or 10 to 15 centimeters) of positive ease.

Sydney uses the same yarn as the original scarf pattern, called Berroco Renew. It’s a combination of viscose, wool, nylon and cashmere that’s a DK weight and comes in 18 colors. If you don’t have access to this yarn, I’m sure this sweater would be lovely in a range of different fibers.

You can get the pattern free from Berroco. (Ludlow, linked above, is also free; it’s a charted cabled pattern they call a scarf but it’s really wide so I’m calling it a shawl. Whatever.)

Want to play with more ribbing patterns? I’ve got a collection of easy ribbed knitting patterns you can try, which includes everything from a scarf and a hat to socks and a tank top. And while we’re talking about ribbing tricks, I can’t help but remind you of cartridge belt rib, which is a special kind of ribbing pattern that doesn’t use any purls (you slip the stitches that would be purled with the yarn in front instead).

[Photo: Berroco]

Bluebell Cardigan Knitting Pattern

Knit the Perfect Argyle Cardigan

It feels like it’s too early to be thinking about back to school, but as I write this my daughter has just a couple of weeks of summer left! So let’s get in that school and fall knitting spirit by looking at some apple knitting projects.

If you have a 22 needle circular knitting machine, knitting an apple is one of the easiest things you can do. I have an apple pattern over at Our Daily Craft that will take you just a few minutes to knit and they’re a great addition to your fall decor.

Apple hats are a classic, and whether you want to knit a hat that looks like an apple or one with apples on it, we’ve got you covered. For hats that look like apples check out the rolled brim version from Emma Crochet Design 4 U, which uses worsted weight yarn and comes in sizes for kids of all ages; and the ribbed brim version from Hand Knit Hugs. This one also calls for worsted weight yarn and comes in four kids sizes. Both include a stem and leaf.

If you’d rather have apples on your hat, try the Red Apple Hat from Little Red Window. This one is sized from newborn to 2T and calls for four colors of worsted weight yarn.

How about apple socks? You’ll find Ariel Chang’s Apple Picnic Socks as a free download on Ravelry. These use three colors of sock yarn and come in three sizes. Stone Knits also a pair of stripey apple socks that show the inside of the apple. These also have three sizes but they use six colors total, with the main color being a self-striping yarn.

If you want a little apple accessory for the house, the apple potholder from Nifty Knitter Designs is cute and a great way to practice double knitting. It uses two colors and you’ll find the colors in the reverse on the other side. The pattern only uses about 50 yards of each color of worsted weight yarn, so it’s a great use for odd balls, too.

Once you’ve got your double knitting skills sorted you can also try the double knit apple scarf from Crow and Chai Shop. The Winter Apples scarf is shown in red and gold, but you can use whatever colors you like. There are apples, stars and random stitches in the design, which calls for DK weight yarn. There’s also a matching fingerless glove pattern.

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