Stripes Sweeten this Mohair T-Shirt Knitting Pattern

There’s not much I haven’t done when it comes to knitting, but one of the things I’ve always wanted to make but haven’t is a mohair shirt or sweater. In fact the only project I’ve “made” (in quotes because I haven’t finished it) with mohair is a shawl from the original Mason-Dixon Knitting book. It’s so pretty but it is a little fiddly.

I should have started with an easier project, like a simple knit T-shirt. Berry from Maria Sølvtofte is an intermediate level knitting pattern that’s a top down raglan worked in luscious mohair blend yarn and fruity stripes.

It calls for two strands of a mohair/silk/wool blend held together for one stripe, with a viscose and wool blend that also has a bit of a halo as the other stripe. Holding the strands together means you get to use larger needles (size 8 and 10 US are called for, or 5 and 6 mm), which makes the project that much faster.

The idea is that the tee should be knit with 4 inches/10 cm negative ease, meaning it is smaller than your actual body measurement. If you don’t like that idea you can make it with 0 ease or even a little positive ease, depending on how the sizing works with your body. The pattern has six size options, ranging from a chest measurement of 28.3 to 44.1 inches (or 72 to 112 cm). It’s somewhat cropped but you can add length if you prefer.

Berry is a free pattern from Hobbii.

If you’ve never worked with mohair before, here are some tips that will help you from A Knit Sheep. The main thing is to go slow and pay attention in the hope that you won’t ever have to rip out your knitting, but if you do, take it one stitch at a time instead of trying to pull out whole rows at a time, which will leave you with tangles.

[Photo via Hobbii]

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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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