Round Yoke Sweater Tee pattern from Lana Grossa for 99cents

This is one of those patterns I didn’t even plan on clicking… and then suddenly I’m zooming in, admiring the texture, and thinking, well for that price, why not?

This Round Yoke Sweater Tee from Lana Grossa is currently on sale at Jimmy Beans Wool for just 99 cents, which is honestly a bit of a no-brainer if you enjoy wearable knits.

The yoke is what grabbed me first. It’s clean and simple with a soft vertical texture that looks far more “designer” than complicated. No overwhelming charts, no head-scratching moments – just a rhythm you can settle into once you’re past the setup rounds.

I also love that this is a sweater tee. It’s one of those pieces you’ll actually reach for: warm enough to feel cosy, but not so heavy it only comes out twice a year. Perfect for those in-between seasons, chilly mornings, or houses that are always cold no matter what the weather’s doing outside.

It’s worked top-down with a round yoke, which means:

no seaming (thank goodness)
easy length adjustments
and you can try it on as you go, which saves a lot of guesswork

The pattern is written for Lana Grossa Merino, and it really shows in the finished look. The fabric has lovely drape, great stitch definition, and that soft, polished feel that makes a hand-knit look like something you bought rather than made.

Fit-wise, it’s relaxed but still flattering. Not clingy, not boxy, and the yoke sits nicely across the shoulders without pulling or bunching in odd places.

For 99 cents, this is one of those patterns that’s absolutely worth adding to your library, even if you don’t cast it on straight away. It’s a calm, enjoyable knit and the kind of sweater you’ll actually wear once it’s done — which is always the best kind.

I rarely understand why something becomes a trend in crafting. Gnomes and geese are both cute I guess, but I never thought we’d be making them for all seasons. (See, for example, this collection of gnome knitting patterns, or these knit geese.)

Another one I don’t totally understand is sardines or little fish more generally. Sure, they’re cute, and the shape is fun, but I had no idea when I was sharing this pattern for a fish-shaped pouch last year that it would become a hugely popular pattern that people are still searching for on the site. It is pretty cute, though, so if you weren’t around then or don’t remember you should got check it out.

Recently another fishy knitting pattern crossed my monitor: the little knit fish from Classical Songbird Designs.

Just as the name suggests, these fish are little, about 4.5 inches or 11 cm from end to end. They look like little sardines and take about 12 yards of sock yarn to make.

You can even make a two-tone fish and use just 6 yards of each color.

This sounds to me like just about the perfect use for the yarn that’s left over after knitting a pair of socks, or a mini skein or several that have been sitting around unused in your stash.

The fish are knit flat in one piece, which makes it easy to stitch on the eyes with more yarn or embroidery floss before stuffing, and you can stitch up the sides while you stuff (though it’s not a very big piece so you could probably stitch and then stuff, finishing with the end of the tail).

Because I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one wondering, I measured an Altoids box and as the pattern is written the fish are a little too big to fit in it (the box is about 4 inches/10 cm long). But you could make the fish a little smaller if you want to make a box of them. Or just make a fishy bag to put them in!

You can grab the free pattern for the little knit fish at Classical Songbird Designs.

[Photo: Classical Songbird Designs.]

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