Knit Accessories Inspired by Ballet

This week’s free pattern is actually four free patterns, all from Wool and the Gang, all inspired by accessories a ballerina might wear, but that you can also enjoy even if you’re not a dancer.

First, there’s the ballet scrunchie pattern, which uses two colors and a ribbed pattern. It’s rated for intermediate knitters and the post says it takes about two hours to knit, which makes it perfect as a stocking stuffer for girls and ladies of all ages in your life. Make them in different colors and fibers to bust some stash, too.

Pair that with the Perfect Sense wrap, which is basically a long-sleeved shrug, or an extremely cropped pullover. It has a funnel neck and a relaxed fit through the arms. It’s worked from the top down so you could make the body as long as you like if you want more coverage.

If you like a more traditional ballet style sweater look, check out the Elliot Sweater, a classic wrap sweater beloved by ballerinas and others who want to be cozy and stylish at the same time. This intermediate knitting pattern is worked in a super fluffy alpaca blend yarn for extra coziness, and you’ll want to slip it on over everything all season long.

Of course you can’t talk about ballet-inspired patterns without having some legwarmers (though honestly I think legwarmers should be more popular than they are; that little extra bit of warmth always makes me happy when I wear them). The Wilkinson leg warmers pattern calls for the same yarn as the Elliot sweater above, and uses two kinds of ribbing for a stretchy, slouchy fit that still holds onto your leg where it needs to. This pattern is easy and a great one for newer knitters.

[Photo: Wool and the Gang]

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time.

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring.

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn.

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row.

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves.

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body.

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy.

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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