Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Patterns are Stash Too!

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I am a pattern collector. I’ve downloaded every free pattern on the internet at least 3 times. I’ve classified them, filed them, drooled over them, and promised all of them that they’d be next. All of them. Yeah, you heard that right! Because I have 75 hours every day that I can devote to knitting. (what? You don’t?)

And, with the seasonal changes, my knitting mojo has returned. This is a good thing. It’s probably the impending fall weather. (i say impending with a grain of salt because the other morning when I rode my bike to work it was just barely not frosty. The actual temp registered was 35. Yup. 35! But we’re used to that up here, and its just a stark reminder that the white stuff is right around the corner.

So what do I have on my list for fall and winter knitting? A Trendsetter sweater that’s due the 3rd weekend of Sept. And since it will be on display and not just on me I might frog it and re-knit. Just to get a closer to gauge fabric. Then there’s a really cool jumper from reynolds.
Oh, and since we’ve already established my addiction to the Red Wings, and hockey season is albeit 6 weeks away, there’s got to be a hockey project……

I’ve always kind of used my patterns as a guide, rather than a standard and just figure it out as I go. Seat of my pants kind of gal! The kids say I do that with recipes too.

For example, on the almost done, really cool hoodie, it was supposed to be a pullover but I wanted it to be a cardi. No problem! I’ll do a bit of math (which I’m allergic to by the way) and split the front. I don’t want to be bothered with knitting a band later, so I’ll add the extra stitches on each front. Originally (after I changed it) it should have been knit in 3 pieces (2 fronts and the back) but I don’t like seaming so I started to knit it in one piece. Oops, this will need the stability of a side seam so we’re back to 3 pieces. The recipient is a tall girl so I knit it in a small women’s size and go down a size in the needles.

There is a point to my rambling…
Don’t be afraid to change things up a bit. If it doesn’t work out, chances are you’ll know why and how to fix it next time.

What’s on your winter knitting list? Leave me a comment here at knitting.craftgossip.com and let me know!

T.

Looking for knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

Comments

  1. Since I knit this year’s Christmas Ornaments in January (I’m weird like that), I’m scarfing up dishcloth patterns. So far I’ve completed 3 different designs and have another half-dozen to knit through. Since I’m the only one in the family who knits/crochets/tats, handmade items are highly fought over during the family White Elephant Gift Exchange. I can’t wait!

  3. oh my gosh it’s like you climbed into my head and wrote down what i go through on a daily basis!

    my fall/winter knitting will consist of like ten sweaters. all for little kidlets, so don’t panic and think i’m the greatest american hero at knitting. i am not. i want to do something vaguely February Baby Sweater, but sized up to fit gals anywhere from one year to nine years old.

    all by christmas.

    while i write for Recycled Crafts here, my personal blog, and try to work full time and take college classes.

    so by november, can you please send someone to pull me out of the fetal position i will most likely be in?!

  4. My knitting list will probably have fingerless mittens and some headbands to make with destashed yarn. A couple of baby hats for gifts. Actually, it’s all gifts I think.

    I’ll check my ravelry list to see what I noted there and my huge list of patterns saved on my harddrive, too.

    Since I started crocheting, I’ll add amigurumi animals and some ornaments to my list, too.

    I always have to have a project in my bag in case I’m left waiting for my kids during their afterschool activities.

  5. I thought I was the only one!!!!
    My daughters make fun of me and my 8 superlarge binders of free patterns for knitting and crochet.
    But when they are looking for something to make, say a hat, and they go to mom’s hat pattern binder it’s not funny right!

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]