Make Your Own Knit Cardigan, Block by Block

I love knitting patterns that give you a lot of options. It’s almost a step between following a pattern and designing something yourself, where you get to make some of the decisions but you don’t have to do the math for yourself. The result is a mostly unique design that you didn’t have to design yourself, which is perfect for people who don’t want to design a garment from scratch but still might like some variations.

The Building Blocks Cardi pattern from Aimee Sher is a great example of this. It’s a worsted weight cardigan with a V-neck and optional bust darts, but the options don’t stop there.

You can make it a vest, which has short sleeves, or long sleeved. Make it whatever length you like and choose a straight hem or a high-low hemline. You can add one pocket, two, or none as you like.

Beyond all those options, there are 11 sizes to choose from, ranging from an upper bust measurement of 31 to 63.5 inches. The sweater has built in positive ease so the actual garment measurements range from 38.5 to 79 inches.

The pieces are worked flat from the bottom up, and includes shaping for the armholes so they fall nicely off the shoulder (which is why the vest has short sleeves). A three-needle bind off is used to join the pieces at the top.

There’s even an eight page PDF you can check out before you buy the pattern that includes detailed yardage information, sizing tips, information on special techniques used in the project (including German short rows and special cast ons and bind offs) and detailed schematic drawings and size charts so you can ensure the perfect fit for you. (The schematics are also included as images in the listing on Ravelry.)

Check out all the details and grab your own copy on Ravelry.

[Photo: Aimee Sher.]

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Not too long ago I was seeing a crochet pattern for a glasses holder shaped like a bear all over the Internet. It was super cute, and also useful as a place to put your glasses on your bedside table instead of just throwing them somewhere random.

This project stewed in my brain for a little while and I decided I needed to make a knit version, but I didn’t want to make a bear. If you know anything about me you might know that I’m a cat person, so of course my version had to be a cat.

The base is just a basic little basic worked from the center out to the desired size, then up the sides as long as you want them. Knit some ears and add embellishments to make it whatever kind of animal you want.

The way I figured out to work the base from the center out was to use a crochet cast on, which gives you an easier way to pick up stitches from the back of the cast on than if you worked a more traditional cast on for a knitting project. It’s kind of fun to do things in a different way from time to time.

This little project is adorable if I do say so myself, and even as a plain little basket not made into an animal it’s a cute way to keep your glasses or other little things in one place. I’m tempted to make one for my desk to hold pens or even little little scissors and sewing needles that are always on my desk but somehow always seem to get lost on my desk.

If you need a little holder for your glasses on your table, check out the pattern at Our Daily Craft.

[Photo: Our Daily Craft]

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