Use Your Stash on a Sweater That’s All Stripes

I was thinking this morning about a long-neglected ebook project I’ve started and stopped working on a multitude of times over the past 10 years or so that’s all about using your stash. It occurred to me that maybe more than specific projects that use leftovers (because who knows what kind of yarn or how much of it each person has, or what they might like to make with it) it might be better to provide stash-busting strategies.

And one of the best stash-busting strategies I know is adding stripes to a project.

The All Stripes Sweater from Sylvia Watts-Cherry takes “just add a stripe” to the extreme, making a sweater with stripes of varying widths broken up by a strip of garter stitch when the colors change. This drop shoulder sweater is worked from the bottom up in the round and has a crew neck and a relaxed fit. It looks like it might be reversible, too.

The pattern is available in nine sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 37.5 inches to 70.5 inches, with a suggested positive ease of 5.5 to 9 inches.

While the pattern has a stripe structure for you to follow and calls for six colors of yarn, of course you can add in more and not repeat colors, or make up your own sequence. I like that this picture shows several different color schemes so you can get an idea of how the sweater might look using yarn from your stash.

In addition to having striping options, you also have different options for the weight of yarn you use. The pattern is available (all links ahead are from Ravelry) using super bulky, worsted weight or DK yarn specifications, so you can either buy yarn or use your stash you already have to make a sweater of the weight you prefer.

[Photo: Sylvia Watts-Cherry]

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Adding eyelets to a project is a great way to make it more wearable in the summer, and these mesh and eyelet sweater patterns are perfect for summer (and beyond!) for layering.

The Inez Summer Sweater from Happy Love Co combines eyelets and dropped stitches (along with some garter and stockinette) to make a casual and fun summer sweater. The pattern is one size (56 inches or 142.24 cm) around, and is meant to be worn oversized. But it’s an easy enough pattern you could alter it to suit you without too much difficulty. It calls for worsted weight cotton yarn.

Another fun project using dropped stitches in the Stella Blouse from Thelma Steimann. It calls for a fingering weight silk yarn and is worked on larger than expected needles and also uses dropped stitches. The pattern includes eight sizes, with a bust circumference ranging from 33.5 to 51.5 inches, or 85-131 cm. You can grab a copy on Ravelry.

The Design Studio Knits has a nice summer cotton tee that uses worsted weight yarn worked on larger needles so it has a mesh effect while still being worked in stockinette stitch. It’s worked in one piece and is another one size pattern, meant to fit an actual chest measurement ranging from 34 to 46 inches (that’s 86 to 117 cm).

A similar look with a cropped shape and four available sizes comes from A Box of Twine. This one is a DK weight yarn knit on large needles and still has an oversized look (for instance the size small is 42 inches/106.68 cm at the bust). It’s worked flat so this is a great one for beginners.

If you want something a little more structured, try the Pip Cardigan from Yoko Johnston. This sport weight cardigan has an allover eyelet pattern and options to close with a zipper or buttons. It’s worked from the top down and has six size options. This one is also oversized, with finished measurements ranging from 51.5 to 64.5 inches, or 131 to 164 cm). You can find this one on Ravelry.

Or check out Endlessly by Amy Gunderson, a free pattern from Knitty. This pullover uses a cable and lace pattern that is easy to knit and to wear. It uses DK weight yarn and has nine size options. The chest measurement ranges from 34.75 to 66.75 inches, or 88.5 to 169.5 cm, and is meant to be worn with a little positive ease.

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