Knit Flowers on Your Sweater

I feel like I’ve knit most things that you can knit through my many years of knitting and designing, but one thing I’ve never done is a sweater worked in fingering weight yarn. It just sounds like too much commitment to me, like it will take forever and be too delicate for me to want to wear.

I know none of that is true. Despite the gauge fine knit sweaters don’t necessarily take longer than other projects, especially if they have something to hold your interest like fun colorwork. And the level of detail you can get in a project with so many stitches really can’t be beat.

Consider Bloem by Natasja Hornby. This bottom up crew neck sweater has colorwork all over, whether it’s stripes or these big mandala-like flowers on the front and back (flowers also show up on the sleeves).

I think there’s really something to the idea that colorwork goes faster because you want to see what’s going to happen next, and in the case of this sweater there are other design elements that you’ll be excited to knit. The yoke of the sweater is a hybrid design that ensures a good fit and probably a knitting experience you haven’t had before.

You’ll knit the body of the sweater in the round from the bottom up to the underarms, then knit the sleeves separately and join all together for the yoke.

The pattern has 8 size options, with finished bust measurements ranging from 33.5 to 61 inches, or 84 to 152.5 cm.

You can choose more muted, harmonious colors like the ones shown in the sample or go bolder for a real showstopping piece. Check out the finished projects on Ravelry to give you some ideas and see how it fits on different size bodies. There’s one where the knitter made all the flowers different colors that I just love.

Learn more and grab a copy of the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Natasja Hornby]

Easy Fair Isle Sweaters for Kids and Adults

Have You Knit Your Christmas Sweater Yet?

Take it Easy with a Bulky, Textured Sweater

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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