Stitch a Sweater with Stripes of Color and Texture

One of the best ways to use a special ball of yarn that’s been hanging out in your stash that you’re not sure what to do with is to incorporate it into a bigger project via color blocking or stripes.

The Highlights Pullover from Tif Neilan uses a bold pink yarn to make the stripes, as well as a confetti yarn as the main color used to add even more color and texture. (Choose a tweed yarn for a similar but less bold look.) There are actually two different pink yarns used in the sample, but you can use the same yarn or a couple of different coordinating yarns as you like.

Texture is also added with sections worked in stockinette stitch, garter stitch and a slipped stitch pattern, and the pink becomes more prominent at the cuffs of the sleeves. I love the little duplicate stitch patch that looks like visible mending has happened, but of course that’s optional if you don’t like the look. Or use another contrasting color there to make your sweater look instantly aged.

It also features a slip stitch at the center front and back like a faux seam.

The sweater is worked from the top down, starting with the front and back worked flat and separately, then joined to work in the round below the armholes until you get the split for them hem. It features a drop shoulder design as is meant to have a relaxed fit.

There are 11 size options with an actual bust measurement ranging from 33.25 inches to 68.75 inches, and is meant to be worn with 2.5 to 5.5 inches of positive ease. It looks like a somewhat cropped length, but you can always add more length to yours if you need it.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Tif Nielan]

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I’ve shared a lot of Christmas stocking knitting patterns over the years (see posts 1, 2, 3 for example) but what if you want to knit a stocking for a non-human member of your family. If you’re looking for Christmas stocking knitting patterns for your cats or dogs, this is the post for you.

These large paw print stockings are perfect for either dogs or cats, so they’re great to knit if you have both. They are worked in the round using DK weight yarn, and the stocking measures about 17 inches/43 cm from the top to the heel. You can get the pattern from nicolaluke.

The K4 Project has a super cute Kitty Christmas stocking pattern, which is worked in worsted weight yarn. They also have a dog version, or you can buy both and get a discount if you have both dogs and cats to knit for. Both projects have two patterns, showing how to work the stockings flat or in the round.

Put your dog into a Christmas scene with this stocking pattern from ifanhourChild. It shows a dog in a dog house in the snow, and has room for the dog’s name at the top. It’s worked flat using worsted weight yarn and the pattern includes charts for many small and medium dog breeds (there’s a separate listing for bigger dogs) so you can stitch a dog that looks like yours.

Annie’s Woolens has both dog and cat stocking knitting patterns that are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round. You can change up the colors to suit your pet if you want, and they come with an alphabet chart for personalization. Or you can stick with holiday colors and buy a kit to make the dog or cat stocking.

Waiting for Santa Paws is a pattern from Kate Agner on Ravelry that would be cute for a dog or a cat. It looks like a leg with a paw print on the bottom part of the foot and more paw prints running around the top of the leg. This is a great option if you don’t want to mess with a heel turn because it doesn’t have a heel, because dogs and cats don’t have heels so why would their stockings?

Book Review – 20 to Knit: Tiny Christmas Toys to Knit

Book Review – Knit Christmas Stockings

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