Try Some Fun Colorwork with the Sonesta Sweater

There are so many different things you can do with stranded knitting, from delicate little repeating patterns of just a stitch or two to elaborate, intricate colorwork or even some big, bold designs like this sweater.

The Sonesta Sweater by Chinua “Chin” Matthews features a neutral background highlighted by fun wedges of colorwork that look sort of like feathers. Worked in a multicolored yarn, it gives a bold effect without any more work on your part.

The project is worked in sport weight yarn as a tube from the bottom up, with steeks for the armholes and neckline. There’s a video tutorial included in the pattern to help you set up and cut your steeks if that’s something you need help with.

I know steeks can be intimidating, but it’s actually great in this project because it keeps you from having to do colorwork in purl, which I know a lot of people don’t like.

There are 12 sizes to choose from, ranging from a finished garment chest measurement of 30.25 to 81.5 inches, or 77 to 207 cm. The pattern suggests choosing the size that works for you with the amount of ease that you like.

It doesn’t look like it’s worn with a huge amount of ease in the photos, but it’s up to you how you would like to wear it. (I like a few inches of positive ease since I generally wear a shirt under my sweaters.) The pattern also includes tips for size modifications if you need a different fit. Click through the projects to see how it looks on different people.

You can learn more about the pattern and buy it on Ravelry. If Ravelry isn’t your thing, you can also buy it on PayHip. Learn more about the designer at his Instagram page, chin2tog.

[Photo: Chinua “Chin” Matthews]

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I’ve been enjoying knit amigurumi animal patterns lately (see also: this adorable knit pigeon) and of course being a knitter I love llamas.

So when I saw this little llama pattern I knew I had to share it.

The appropriately named Llama patter from Annie Ahn calls for fingering weight yarn, and it uses two colors for the body and three for the little blanket. The pompom can be made to match or in another color. All of these parts take tiny amounts of yarn so you can use whatever scraps you have left over from socks or other projects and change colors whenever you need to.

It might also be fun to use some mohair or other fuzzy or textured yarn on this one to give your llama a different look. In all the project uses between 100 and 150 yards, or 91-137 m, of yarn and the llama comes out about 10 cm/4 inches tall.

The body of the llama is worked in one piece, so this project is suited to intermediate knitters or those who have comfort working in the round and with all those little pieces.

This one is made to be small so you can carry it around with you (it would be super cute on a keychain or as a zipper pull) but I think it would be a lot of fun to knit this in larger yarn, too, to make a bigger llama. You could even make a whole family in different sizes just by using different weights of yarn and corresponding needles.

The details are so cute, from the shaggy hair to its little accessories, but you could make it plain or change it up by knitting a tiny scarf or even working a little fair isle pattern on the legs or body. So many fun possibilities!

The pattern is available on Ravelry in English and Korean.

[Photo: Annie Ahn]

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