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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Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four.

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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