Knit Your New Favorite Everyday Sweater

I have knit a lot of sweaters through the years, and there are some that are decidedly in heavier rotation than others. You’d think it might be the fancy ones, the ones that were a lot of work, maybe even ones I designed that I’m really proud of.

I do have and wear all of those sorts of sweaters, of course, but my favorite sweaters for everyday are simple. They’re usually solid colors or a single colorway if it’s a multicolored yarn. They are mostly sweaters I would describe as being like the knit version of a sweatshirt. They’re easy to wear and generally were pretty easy to knit as well.

I feel like the Phumeza sweater from Noma Ndlovu at Bigger than Life Knits would definitely fit into both the easy to knit and easy to wear category. It’s a top down, drop sleeve sweater that’s mostly stockinette with garter ridges for added interest in the knitting and texture in the wearing. There are two different neckline options so you can decide if you want it higher or lower. The sleeves are wide and comfortable for layering. I would say it’s just slightly cropped, but that could just be because I like longer sweaters and this is a fine normal length for the average person.

The pattern comes in 11 sizes, and there’s a schematic in the pattern notes for the pattern on Ravelry but I’m having trouble reading it. It looks like it goes up to 72 inches/183 cm for the finished chest circumference, and I actually can’t read the smallest so if you can read it better than I can or if you get the pattern and can see the schematic in it, let me know and I’ll update this post.

You can grab the free pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Bigger than Life Knits]

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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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