Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Try Some Fun Colorwork with the Sonesta Sweater

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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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Have you read?

Classic Dishcloth Knitting Patterns

Fall will be here before we know it, and that means there are holidays coming right behind where we might be entertaining at home. It’s always fun to have a hand knit touch in your home for other people to see, and if you’re going to be in the kitchen all day you might as well have some nice knit dish cloths to use. 

I love this little plaid hand towel from Darling Jadore. Use a little bit of leftover cotton yarn from another project for the plaid portion. It looks like the horizontal stripes are worked as you knit and the vertical stripes are done with duplicate stitch, making this a quick and easy project even newer knitters can make. 

Combine garter stitch and an easy eyelet pattern worked sideways to make the Annette Dish Towel from Cluck Cluck Boots, which is meant to be reminiscent of flour sack towels. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can work it in one color or two (or even three!). 

Add a little more texture with this set of kitchen towels from Whileberry Creative. They’re mostly worked in garter stitch with borders in easy knit/purl patterns, and you can work them in sport or worsted weight yarn. 

Two of Wands Shop has another cute allover knit and purl pattern they call the Seersucker Textured Tea Towel. It’s an easy repeating pattern worked in worsted weight yarn, and there’s a chart in the pattern you can use, but don’t have to, if you want to practice knitting from a chart. 

The Classic Cloth dish towel from Handmade Home by Connie is another one that can use a little leftover yarn in a contrasting color, or you could color block it our use stripes throughout the pattern. This one uses worsted weight yarn and another easy repeating knit purl stitch pattern. 

If you like to hang your towel on the oven handle or elsewhere but it’s always falling off, try the Stay Put kitchen towel from Fancy Step Knits. This project is worked in garter stitch and includes a hole partway through so you can pull the towel through itself over a rod or handle. Stripes are optional but a nice addition.