What’s in the Cards for You, Sweater Knitter?

Sometimes I’ll scroll through Ravelry to find patterns to share and I don’t look at them all that closely before deciding to feature them. So just looking at the top of the pattern page for the Tarot Card Sweater by Tamara Jordan, for example, I just saw these two variations you see here: the moon and the star.

Of course that would be enough to make this a really cool pattern and worthy of sharing, but no, it gets even better.

There are not just two but actually six different options for the card you want to feature on your sweater: the moon, the star, the sun, the lovers, death, and our own special tarot card for the knitter.

Come on.

I didn’t cast this one on immediately because I don’t have a sweater quantity of sport weight yarn in my stash, but I tell you this one is definitely going on my list (maybe with another version for my daughter, too).

The pattern is worked flat in pieces from the top down and features a drop shoulder and crew neck style. The sleeves are worked in the round after the front and back are sewn together.

The designer suggests using ladderback jacquard to manage long floats on the back, though I think you could do a combo of stranded knitting and intarsia, too, depending on the design you’re working.

It’s intended to have about 6 inches of positive ease (that’s 15 cm) and the pattern comes in five sizes ranging from 36 to 68 inches (or 91.5 to 172.5 cm). I’d say this would be good for intermediate knitters who have some experience with colorwork. In addition to those skills, you’ll also need to be able to work increases and decreases, as well as German short rows.

You can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Tamara Jordan]

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.

Have you read?