Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

The March Mayhem Winner is an Awesome Sweater

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Humulus sweaterNow that April is here we had the end of the NCAA basketball tournament and the end of March Mayhem, the knitting-related bracket that crowns a champion knitting pattern from the previous year.

The winner is Humulus by Isabell Kraemer, whose designs are simple but lovely, and this one is no exception.

This one is a circular yoke sweater with colorwork designs inspired by hops flowers. If you scroll through the pattern pictures on Ravelry you’ll see that it’s pretty much universally flattering, which is certainly worth the bargain price of about $7 American for the pattern.

Have you knit a Humulus? Do you want to now that you’ve seen it? I’m definitely thinking about it!

[Photo by Isabell Kraemer, via Ravelry.]

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Cute Little Backpack Knitting Patterns

While no one would likely use a knit backpack for school, knitting a backpack is a fun way to show off your knitting skills and carry around your project or everyday essentials instead of using a purse. Check out these cute backpack knitting patterns and stitch one up for your next project. 

I couldn’t resist sharing this adorable bunny backpack (you can also make it without the ears) that is made on a circular knitting machine. This pattern is from Orange Olive Road and you can use a 46 or 48 needle machine for the bag but will also need a 22 needle machine if you opt for the bunny version. 

If you prefer knitting by hand, check out the bucket bag pattern from WoolFans Knitting. This one calls for super bulky yarn in two or three colors (you could make it all in one color, too, if you’d rather) and it looks like the base is knit flat and then the sides are worked in the round. 

You know I love a stashbuster, and that’s what you get with the Whidbey Bag from Wool and Pine Designs. This one calls for DK weight yarn for the body of the bag, which is actually worked in a single color from the top down. The colorful bits are woven in after the knitting is done, allowing you to use up all sorts of odd balls quickly. 

Adding hardware to a knit bag makes it look that much more interesting, and the combination of leather accents and a sari silk yarn makes Le Backpack from Vanrey Knits a lot of fun. This pattern is on Ravelry and uses a super bulky yarn and seed stitch for a ton of texture. 

Mama in a Stitch has a great free pattern for a little backpack with a flap closure. This one is worked in worsted weight cotton yarn with two strands held together for extra stability. It starts with a flat base with the body worked in the round and a knit flap and I-cord straps.