Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Lion Brand Yarn Celebrates the Next Generation

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This sweet crewneck dress is part of the Next Generation collection from Lion Brand, honoring the sixth generation of the family that owns the company. Most knitters and crocheters have heard of Lion Brand Yarn, but I’ll best most don’t know much about the company’s history. It is the oldest American hand-knitting yarn brand, and the company was founded in 1878. But what’s really cool is that it’s been owned by the same family all this time, and that family is now into its sixth generation of littles involved in the company.

To celebrate the next generation the company has released 23 new knit and crochet patterns called, appropriately enough, Next Generation, all of which are modeled by the literal Lion Brand family.

My favorite may be the Next Generation Crewneck Dress, shown here. It’s a super easy striped dress that fits kids from extra small to extra large (23 to 34 inch chest measurement).

The patterns all call for Lion Brand Heartland, an acrylic yarn made in America with colors named and inspired by iconic places and things in America.

See anything that catches your eye? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Lion Brand Yarn.]

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Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF – Pembroke Coat

Oh, this one has proper old-Hollywood winter charm.

The Pembroke Coat is a vintage knitted coat pattern that instantly made me think of crisp winter walks, leather gloves, polished boots, and the sort of coat your grandmother would have casually worn while looking impossibly elegant. It has that beautiful longline shape, a classic collar, button front, sleeve tabs, pockets, and a smart plaid-style design that gives it such a tailored finish.

This is not a quick “knit it while watching one movie” sort of project — and honestly, that is part of the appeal. The Pembroke Coat is one for knitters who love a satisfying vintage knitting pattern with a proper garment construction feel. The updated PDF includes the original vintage reference image along with a modern mockup, which makes it much easier to picture how this coat could look in today’s wardrobe.

I especially love that this pattern still feels wearable. Made in grey, camel, forest green, burgundy, or navy, it would be a gorgeous handmade winter coat with that timeless “where did you get that?” look.

As with most vintage patterns, I’d recommend reading through the instructions first, checking your gauge carefully, and being prepared to make small adjustments for fit and modern yarn substitutions. But for confident knitters who enjoy heirloom-style projects, this is a really lovely one to add to the queue.

You can find the Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF in the CraftGossipStore on Etsy.