Winter Knitty is Live

It’s one of the best days of the winter season today, because the new Knitty has just been released. And this one is extra special because it’s the 50th issue of the long-running online knitting magazine. Here’s to 50 more, and many more beyond that.

This time around you’ll find musings on prejudice by Donna Druchunas and a slouchy Baltic-inspired hat designed by Susan Santos; a pep talk and historic knitting pattern for gloves from Franklin Habit; and a set of super-sweet gifts using granny squares, if you happen to crochet as well.

The Dr. Quackers toy really just cannot be resisted (he’s a duck worked in textured stripes and designed by Elizabeth Collins), but I also love Becky Collins’ awesome striped dress Folie à deux. And while I say it’s a dress you can really go your own way with it, making it a sweater or a short-sleeved top, with stripes that vary or are consistent in width, worked flat or in the round. It’s all up to you!

Other great projects include the Winter Doldrums pullover by Carla Pletzer, which is a great bold circular yoke sweater sure to entertain in the knitting and keep you warm in the wearing; Laurie Osborne’s Kayak Cowl, worked in pretty double basket stitch (such a great idea for a cowl!); the double knit Giga Cowl worked in gray and bright green in a cool chain-like pattern by Kalliopi Aronis; and the Comber Shawl by Joyce Fassbender, a reversible lace triangle worked from the center out (I particularly love the self-striping version).

There’s probably something for everyone here, so I’d love to hear what you like, too.

[Photo via Knitty.com.]

Looking for knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Looking for pullover and sweater patterns? Check these books out.

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork.

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn.

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look.

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me.

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round.

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.

Have you read?