Knit Some Pants for Cooler Weather

One thing that was long on my to-knit list was a pair of lounge pants. I finally knit some a few years ago, out of sock yarn. They took forever, and I do like them because they’re really warm and cozy (and used a lot of leftover sock yarn). But I wouldn’t recommend that style as your first ever knit pants experience because it is such a big project.

I recently found the Easy Caron Lounge Around Pants from Yarnspirations, and I think these might be a good option for your first foray into knitting pants.

They’re actually worked flat from the top down, one leg at a time, rather than working in the round. Short rows are used for extra coverage in the back, and the legs are sewn together and to each other at the inseams and crotch area. The pants have an elastic wasitband so there’s a casing knit for that (as part of the leg) so you can sew in the elastic at the end. The elastic is the only special notion you’ll need outside of regular knitting supplies.

Once you get past the shaping at the top this is a pretty mindless knit, and I think you’ll make progress on it faster than you think.

These pants use worsted weight yarn so even though it’s a big project, it won’t feel like it will take forever. The yarn, Caron Simply Soft, is relatively inexpensive and cozy, though of course you can use whatever yarn you like.

The pattern is rated easy in part because it’s worked in a solid color, but it would be fun to add stripes, too, if you’re into that.

This project is available in five sizes, with a hip measurement ranging from 32-34 inches (86.5-91.5 cm) to 58-64 inches (147.5-162.5 cm).

You can get this free pattern from Yarnspirations.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns.

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn.

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options.

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners.

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set.

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn.

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers.

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.

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