Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Sweet Cardigans to Knit for Summer

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cardigan knitting patternsI’m on a bit of a cardigan kick right now. I stitched up but haven’t yet sewn together the Quickie Cardigan by Amy Gunderson, which I think will be perfect for summer thanks to the shorter sleeves and allover eyelet patterning. I also pulled out my Spoked Cardigan (designed by Carol Feller) recently, which I’ve been working on intermittently for about three years, and which is about 30 rows away from being done if I would just do it.

Cardigans are great for spring and summer because they’re easy to throw on over whatever you’re wearing when you get chilled, and just as easy to toss aside or into your bag when you get warm. They can also be a little more forgiving than pullovers if you choose one without closures that doesn’t have to fit your chest perfectly.

If you’re a summer cardigan fan, here are a few options that have crossed my computer screen lately.

Berroco’s textured Ametrine, designed by Emily Nora O’Neil, is one of those cardigans that hangs open, making it easy to knit and to wear. It’s pieced and uses an allover textured rib pattern that’s easy to memorize and calls for a yarn that’s a shiny blend of alpaca and rayon for warmth and drape.

I also like Watson from Berroco, designed by Amy Christoffers. This one is a cotton yarn cardi covered with cables and a textured rib. They call it a classic New England summer sweater, but it’s great everywhere.

Yarnspirations has lots of great cardigan patterns, but some of my favorites are the three-quarter sleeved Walk in the Park Cardi, which has just enough colorwork to make it fun; the simple Bright and Breezy Kimono, with its blocky shape and easy eyelet pattern; and Cardi Gras, a pretty little A-line cardigan with three-quarter sleeves that only buttons at the top.

Another really cool collection of sweaters comes from DROPS, which has a whole set of patterns you can knit either as a cardigan or a pullover. It’s so interesting to see how the projects look different when worked as a cardigan or a pullover. One of my favorites in this collection is the Fox Jacket, a round yoked lace cardigan worked with fuzzy and sparkly yarns to make a really fun and fabulous project.

Do you have a favorite cardigan you’ve knit for the summer months? I’d love to hear about it!

Looking for knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

Comments

  1. LOVE these cardigans. Walk in the Park is already on my knitting list and I’m thinking about my color choices. Thanks, as always, for sharing these great patterns!

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Pencil Knitting Patterns

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.