Sweaters to Knit for Dog and Cat Lovers

I like to share a range of patterns with you all, include free and paid patterns, and projects with a lot of different styles (though admittedly most of the things I share are things I would actually want to knit myself, if I had infinite time and yarn!).

In scouting around for patterns I regularly visit the websites of the big yarn companies that often produce free knitting patterns, and that’s how I found these beauties.

I think I spotted the dog pullover first, but in good, unbiased fashion, there’s also a cat pullover pattern.

Both of them are worked flat in pieces with worsted weight yarn, using the intarsia method of colorwork.

If you don’t know what intarsia is, it’s a method of colorwork where you’re knitting blocks of color, each with their own ball of yarn. So for instance when you start the bottom of the cat’s face you’d have a ball of yarn for your main sweater color, then one for the light gray, one dark gray, another light gray and another one for the background color. You twist the threads as you go so there aren’t gaps in your knitting. It’s really easy once you try it, but yarn management can be an issue.

Anyway, the sweaters both come in seven sizes, with a chest measurement ranging from 42 to 65 inches (it’s clearly meant to be worn with some positive ease). The cat sweater as shown uses five colors, while the dog uses six. It would be easy to make the cat sweater look more like your favorite feline by changing the colors. For the dog you could look for other dog breeds done in knitting charts if you want to alter it to look more like yours.

Both the dog and the cat are available as free downloads from Lion Brand, or you can buy a kit with all the yarn you need.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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