While technically “spring is here,” it is currently snowing here in Edmonton. While it’s not unusual for it to snow here this time of year, it is getting a little wearisome. I quite love springtime when it’s cooperating, though. I love the longer days, the warmer weather, the grass emerging and turning green from under its cover of winter snow. I love planting things and getting outside again. I can hardly wait for those things! But while it still snows here, I may as well think about the indoor activities of knitting and crocheting while I look forward to what I will wear in the coming warmer months ahead. Will you join me? Here’s a collection of 10 spring sweater patterns for you to choose from to make while we anticipate soon being about to wear them outside!
*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*
It’s a great time to #StandWithSmall so check out these great patterns below and support a designer with a small purchase from Etsy. I love promoting Etsy patterns for this reason! I know many of the designers are moms and side hustlers trying to eek out a bit of a living from their creative work. For more great unique and handmade items from small indie businesses, check out the editor’s picks here. It’s a tough time for a lot of people right now, so if you’re able to throw some support to small businesses, it means so much to us!
While not technically a sweater, this Crochet Ratchet-Up Ruana Wrap Pattern is a perfect option for spring! Throw it over your shoulders in a chilly office, or wear it as an open breezy accessory for spring walks. This easy pattern would work up quickly with a lacy crochet stitch and would be suitable for a confident beginner. It’s worked up all in one continuous piece, so no seaming! I love the tassels on the end of this piece! This is definitely a contender for a spring make for me!
I just love this Calla Lily Cardigan Crochet Pattern from All About Ami. This beautiful and romantic cardigan can be worn two ways and if you make it in the recommended Cotton Bamboo yarn, you will love the drape and feel of this garment!
The Light Breeze Knit Sweater Pattern is another great pattern by Stephanie from All About Ami. This sweater is a perfect transitional weather garment. I’m a huge fan of striped shirts, so this cute sweater is so appealing to me! This relaxed and oversized sweater is the perfect comfy sweater to wear in the evening chill! Stephanie’s patterns are always easy to follow and great for beginner knitters!
This Painted Sky Shrug Beginner Knitting Pattern is another easy knitting pattern that works well with a hand-dyed yarn. It is worked up in the garter stitch, which is just straight knitting (no purls!) for you new knitters. It’s a great opportunity to try out a garment when you’re just learning to knit. This is a lovely garment to wear in any season!
Here’s another lacy lovely crocheted cardigan pattern! The Light Snow Oversized Crochet Cardigan Pattern features a trendy oversized fit and beautiful open stitchwork. It uses chunky yarn, so it’s sure to work up quickly and if you’re a new crocheter, it’s at an easy level, so it’s a great opportunity to make your first crocheted garment!
This vintage Women’s Loose Fit Top Knitting Pattern is an 80’s knitting pattern, but I think it could totally pass for a trendy garment right now if you’d just calm your hair down (haha!). The lovely thing about vintage patterns that you can get on Etsy now is that they’re in pdf format, but they’re also really inexpensive: this cute pattern is just a couple of bucks!
Knitatude has a bunch of cute knitting patterns to check out, including this great Striped Down Cardi Knitting Pattern. Recommended for an advanced beginner, this light cotton cardigan pattern comes in sizes small to extra large. I love the colours Chantel chose for this cardigan… grey, yellow and white are totally my jam… in stripes to boot!
There’s something about the bobble sleeves of this Indy Cardigan Crochet Pattern that just has me completely enamored. I think I should make one of these fun button down cardigans! This looks perfect for fall… and wouldn’t it be cute in a mustard yellow? Oh yes! This pattern is size-inclusive, written in 9 sizes from XS to 5XL and has step by step instructions with detailed photographs!
The Breckenridge Knit Topper Pattern is another great breezy knit cardigan pattern to work up for spring with a comfy fit and airy, cotton fabric. This is another easy beginner knitting pattern, so if you’re looking to take this opportunity where we’re all house-bound to learn to knit, this is a great project to work on! The oversized drape means that there’s plenty of room for error!
I just love this lacy Odyssey Cardigan Crochet Pattern from ambassadorcrochet! This open cardigan is a gorgeous cardigan for those cool spring days and breezy summer nights! It’s lightweight and lacy design make it the perfect layer accessory for any outfit. I definitely love my longer, drapey cardigans, so this lovely pattern is a definite contender!
I hope you found a pattern here you’d consider making for the warmer spring days ahead. It’s a great time to settle down and learn a yarn craft and most of these patterns are beginner level patterns, so if you’re up for it, you can absolutely learn a new craft in the next couple of months! Go #standwithsmall by grabbing a pattern today or pin it for later!
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PATTERN RELEASE: Tufted Toque!
I’m so excited to announce that I have released my Tufted Toque pattern! It’s been quite the learning curve: writing up the pattern, getting it tech-edited, working with test knitters and learning the ropes of adding the pattern information to Ravelry and Etsy.
So, today’s the day! And here it is! The Tufted Toque pattern is a textured, slightly slouchy hat made with a fun stitch pattern that is made up of a few simple rows of knits and purls. Put them together in the right order and you’ve got this beautifully textured seersucker stitch! Worked in the round on circular needles, this pattern knits up quickly with a gorgeous, pillowy result!
You can buy the pattern for only $6.00 CAD from Ravelry by clicking the little buy now button above. If you prefer to use Etsy, it’s available here.
After working with testers of various levels of knitting skill and experience, I would say that this pattern is perfect for the advanced beginner, or an adventurous beginner. It doesn’t require a lot of specialized stitches, just knits and purls, increasing and decreasing. It’s a great pattern to practice following a pattern and watching the diamond tufts take shape. Even though it is accessible for beginners, my advanced knitters also enjoyed knitting up this pattern.
The pattern is written in 9 sizes, from Newborn to Adult Extra Large (I couldn’t leave out my big-headed husband, could I?), so you can make one for every member of the family and have matching toques for everyone!
Will you please share this cute hat pattern with your knitting friends and followers? Here’s a pin you can share to Pinterest!
What to Make During Christmas Break
Happy Christmas break! We made it! Kids did all the winter concert things, you did the parties, you got those cards out (or did you?)? You did all the things! (Ok, I’ve done some of the things). But we made it. I recorded my temporary greeting at work and updated my Out of Office autoreply. I work at one of those great places that close over the Christmas break, so I’m looking forward to a lovely break! Next year, I think I’m going to take a week off at the end of November so I can feel a little bit more ready, but here we are now. Now it’s time to rest (and wrap) and make!
If you’ve been madly trying to finish up a few handmade gifts for your loved ones, you might just want to take a break from making for a while. Sometimes people lose their mojo for making during this past season, especially if you’ve been prepping things to sell at craft fairs or making gifts for people. But I find this is a great time to start looking at fun patterns to make for myself or just browse to see what interesting things there are to make. I’ve often spent the winter break making Christmas accessories for my home, like the stockings I knit one year. I never manage to get these things made in time for Christmas for ourselves, but I just think about it getting done in plenty of time for next year!
So what will you make this winter break? Need some ideas? Why don’t you check out this great collection of fantastic patterns to make this winter? Something for you? Something for someone special? Something for the house?
*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*
Something for yourself maybe? Or a monarch loving friend? Would you like to try some crochet colourwork? Or a sweater? Try it all at once with this easy/intermediate level Monarch Sweater Crochet pattern. Working with a few colours is a bit of a challenge, but if you’ve mastered the basic stitches (seriously just chain, single crochet and back loop half double crochet) you can totally make this pattern. Also, HaileyBailey has written this as a fully customizable pattern, including suggestions for customize your sweater to fit any size, and if you’re a bit bigger on top and smaller on the bottom, this is a great pattern to make something that fits YOU just perfectly.
Want to whip up something quick for yourself? Think making a sweater takes weeks and weeks of work? Try this Shit That’s Quick Sweater from Knitatude. This baby whips up really quickly for a sweater. With super bulky size yarn and some simple stitches with some fun cable detail on the arms, there’s enough here to keep you interested, but also easy enough to watch shows with your family for most of it.
As a maker, do you ever give gift certificates for handmade things for Christmas because you just plain ran out of time? I’ve totally done that. There’s no shame. Creative people have grand plans and are often not so great at time management. Did you promise a sweater to a special man in your life? if you didn’t, you should. Especially if you crochet, because look at this fantastic WULF Men’s Pullover Crochet Pattern! So classy. It’s not always easy for crocheters to find good sweater patterns. Because crochet typically makes a thicker fabric, sweaters are often really bulky, but I think this one is just fabulous, don’t you!?
Maybe you’ve been wanting some boot cuffs. Check out this Cabled Boot Cuffs Knitting Pattern. The fun thing about more intricate cable patterns like this is that they’re small and they come together relatively quickly. If you’ve never made a cable-knit project before, boot cuffs are a great project to start with. The beauty of this pattern is that you can wear them under the boot like this or folded over the boot for a cuff like this:
So, whichever you prefer, you can make these Cabled Boot Cuffs 4 ways! The bottom half has a ribbed pattern, so you can have 4 different looks from one set of boot cuffs. What a fun pattern!
I’ve really been enjoying Chantel’s patterns from Knitatude. I love this off-the-shoulder look of this Crossback Sweater. It’s also reversible! So you can wear it with the wrap in front or at the back as seen here. This pattern looks interesting but also has simple stitches, so it’s perfect for the advanced beginner. If you’re starting to venture into slightly more difficult projects, this one is for you! So you can stop making dishcloths and you can start making clothes! For yourself! That are fun and stylish. Knitting isn’t just for grannies; you can make trendy, sexy things too! And you’ll be the only one of your friends who has one just like it. Can’t go out to the store and just buy this!
Sometimes you just need to try something different. Like embroidery! This is a fibre craft that you can eventually bring into your knitting and crochet! So start with this Beginner Floral Embroidery Pattern of Wildflowers on a hoop and then maybe try it on a handmade dishcloth, or cup cozy or sweater! Wouldn’t that be fun? I love the beautiful simplicity of the wildflowers and embroidery adds such a special touch to handknit or crocheted items. It’s a great skill to develop and winter break is a great time to try something new! Also, if you take this inspiration to your knitting and crochet, you can use up scrap yarn in the process! I love to put all those bits and pieces to good use!
Did you attend an ugly Christmas sweater party this year? Did you feel blue because you didn’t have one to wear? I just can’t bring myself to buy one in a store, but somehow I feel like it would be so much more fun to make one myself. I know buying one would be less expensive than all the time it’s going to take me to make one myself, but there’s just something more authentic about a handmade ugly Christmas sweater. And if you think they have to be knit, you’re wrong! Check out this crochet pattern for this Rudolf Christmas Sweater. How fun is this? Get working now and you’ll be all ready for next year’s party.
I still think that if I were truly to make ugly Christmas sweaters for my family, I would probably have to go with Harry Potter-inspired sweaters. This one is also crochet. I would probably prefer to do something knitted, but I couldn’t find a pattern for humans, so I guess I’ll have to make one up!
I did, however, manage to find one for dogs! If you have a special dog in your life, let me tell you, that dog does not know that you missed Christmas and their sweater is late. Most of the time they have no idea what day it is anyway! You can still make them a fun Gryffindor sweater for the cold winter months ahead. Check out this Mischief Managed Dog Sweater pattern. Your dog could totally get away with wearing this more frequently than you could your Harry Potter sweater!
Ok, back to the pretty things. Here is another relatively quick knit sweater pattern. The Moss Stitch Sweater is worked up with super bulky yarn, so there are just fewer stitches. It’s a great starter project, even for the novice knitter and will give you a perfect transitional piece that will take you fashionably through the seasons. This is a fun pattern that will work up quickly and be so cozy to wear! I love this golden yellow colour… so gorgeous!
Have you seen these bobble sleeves sweaters? What are your thoughts about them? They’re pretty fun, definitely a statement piece, but not one I’m sure I could pull off wearing this sweater. Super fun though. Here’s the link to this Bobble Sleeves Cardigan. If you make this, you’re going to have to show me a picture and tell me where you wear it. Maybe you’re just way cooler than me and can wear funky things without feeling weird.
Winter break is also a great time to make a blanket! Bigger projects like this are soothing to sit under while you cozy up and watch a movie while it snows outside. I love cozy times when you don’t have to go anywhere, don’t you? This Crochet Square Sampler Blanket Pattern is also perfect to make while travelling since you can make it in pieces and then seam it up afterwards! Samper patterns are also great because they keep the project interesting. you get to make a bunch of different stitches and textures in coordinating colours to make a beautiful cohesive blanket! It’s so satisfying to finish these projects once they all come together!
Crocheters, have you ever been jealous of the beautiful cable-knit patterns that are out there for knitters? So intricate and lovely looking? Well, did you know that you can cable-crochet? It’s a little different, but you can get very similar looks. If you want to learn, try out this Annandale Cable Braided Blanket Crochet Pattern with a Celtic Aran cable pattern, perfect for Irish-inspired home decor. A complex interwoven Celtic design, this blanket is an heirloom-quality project. The pattern brings together three different cable motifs in a symmetric layout to generate a spectacular visual effect. A lace border frames the cables with a feathery elegance. This is a perfect project to make for your home when you have some extra crochet time on your hands!
For something simpler, but still just as satisfying, try this Canyon Throw crochet blanket pattern from Two Little Birds Patterns. This crochet throw pattern is an easy and versatile crochet pattern to compliment any home decor. Make this crochet blanket for yourself or as a beautiful and unique gift for someone special. The modern chevron-look of this stitch pattern is easy to learn and your finished throw blanket will keep you cozy all season!
Wrap yourself up in this romantic throw blanket from Meghan Makes Do. The Livy throw is the perfect pattern to keep you busy this winter season. Made using simple triangle and hexagon motifs it works up fast. You will need to know basic crochet stitches as well as how to make a puff stitch.
The Bicycle Race Crochet Blanket Pattern is an easy pattern for a blanket with a fun repeating bicycle pattern. This is a filet style crochet blanket with rows of bicycles that change directions each row. This pattern includes written directions in US terms and a crochet chart. You can make this blanket in any size as well as any gauge. How cute is this? It would make such a cute baby blanket pattern that’s not too baby-ish. It’d be perfect for anyone, especially bicycle lovers!
So, have I inspired you to make something while you have a bit of extra time to sit around this winter break? Do you get a little bit of extra time to relax this season? Which of these great patterns will you get started on this Christmas! Merry Christmas, makers! Pick up one of these great patterns for yourself or pin it for later!
Warm Winter Weather Wear
Well, the winter weather has arrived, at least where I live. It’s not too bad just yet, so don’t mistake my announcement for complaining. But it is definitely time to break out the knit and crochet accessories to keep ears, necks, heads and hands warm this season. If you’re looking for a pattern to make for a gift to give this season or to keep yourself warm this winter, I’ve got a great collection of fashionable knit and crochet accessory patterns for you!
*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*
First off, these twisted ear warmers are all the rage this year. Great for keeping your ears warm while not messing up your top knot or ponytail. The River Ear Warmer twisted headband crochet pattern is a great and simple crochet pattern that a beginner could handle. The beauty of these little projects is that they only take a couple of hours and a partial skein of yarn. They make great stash-busting projects!
The Woven Headwarmer crochet pattern has a little more texture and has that lovely bowtie twist to finish it off! Super cute and what a fun pattern to highlight a soft and luscious yarn. If you only have one skein of beautiful and expensive yarn, this is your project. You can make up a few of these with that one gorgeous skein and have gifts for your closest friends!
Buffalo plaid is still super cute and trendy and it’s so super fun to see three colours of yarn come together to form this fun pattern. Don’t you love the large wooden button on this Buffalo Plaid Crochet Cowl Pattern? I love fun finishing touches like that. It makes a piece look so much more professional!
Here’s another gorgeous cowl to try out: the Triangle Scarf Crochet Pattern is a textured granny-stitch style cowl that would be a great welcome back to crochet project for those whose grannies taught them the simple granny square and that’s all they really remember. This would also be a great pattern to highlight some special yarn you’ve been saving.
Check out the fringe on this June Berry Cowl crochet pattern… with buttons as well! I love the gorgeous texture on this cowl pattern and fringe is so on-trend right now. It’s a great time to get working on this beautiful scarf, for you or for a friend!
If you’ve always wanted to try cables, the Cascades Big Knit Scarf Pattern is a great first cable project. With bulky yarn and just one big braid cable through the scarf, it’s a great project to practice and learn. Just a tip: if you’re just learning, using a light coloured yarn will help you to more easily see your work and make it easier to fix any mistakes.
If you have a little more experience knitting, you might like to try knitting yourself this Chunky Mittens Knitting Pattern to keep your fingers warm this winter. These chunky mittens look so warm and cozy! My fingerless mittens just aren’t cutting it anymore; I’m going to need to get me some tips!
Ooooh! Or here’s another cute mittens pattern! The Bit of Honey Mittens Knitting Pattern has a sweet honeycomb textured stitch pattern that is subtle and gorgeous! This is a great project to spend a little more time and care with, but has a great finished result!
Update: It looks like this pattern is sold out right now, but the Honey Mitts Knitting Pattern is another pattern that is very close!
Don’t worry: I haven’t left the crocheters’ hands out in the cold. The Cadence Mittens crochet mitten pattern is a lovely textured crochet mitten pattern with a cable-like textured stitch to practice something new for crocheters looking for a little more of a challenge.
Now, THIS is a fun hat pattern! I love seeing the animal print that is making its way into knitwear! Check out this super fun Animal Attraction Leopard Print Pompom Hat knitting pattern! What a fun winter accessory!
And back to plaid. This one is a knitting pattern, though, and only made with 2 colours of yarn. The Super Bulky Buffalo Plaid Hat knitting pattern is a quick knit made with super bulky yarn; don’t you just love it with a big faux fur pom on top?
And while not exactly a wearable accessory, this Textured Christmas Crochet Stocking Pattern is a great project to get working on this time of year. It would make a lovely gift for a friend or loved one! Don’t you just love the beautiful bobble stripes? I love the natural coloured yarn used here, but I think any solid colour would look delightful in this pattern!
So there’s this week’s collection of fabulous patterns to knit and crochet. Making them and wearing them will keep you warm all season! Pick up a pattern today and find some yummy yarns to make one of these patterns. Or pin it for later!
Cardigan Season
It’s sweater weather! Now that the temperatures are dropping in my part of the world, I’ve got sweaters on my body and on the brain! Fall is a great time to cozy up with some yarn and make yourself or someone you love a beautiful handmade cardigan! I love the longer cardigans that can be thrown over a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and you’ve got an instantly classy look that keeps you warm and cozy. I’ve rounded up some great cardigan patterns for you to consider making this season
*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*
The Uptown Cardigan from All About Ami is probably one of my favourites; this was my late summer/early fall cardigan project. It’s a super simple knit and if there was a pattern rating system, I would put this one in the category of “Easy to knit while watching Netflix.” It’s lovely working with the delicate Coboo yarn from Lion Brand. It’s a worsted weight yarn that is sooooooo soft and has a lovely drape. It’s totally worth ordering the kit from Lion Brand, especially if you can get a good 40% off kits deal that Lion Brand is offering right now with the code 40KITS!
Stephanie also recently created this simple Rosewood Cardigan Crochet Pattern, also made with Coboo yarn. It’s similarly styled to the knit version, but for crocheters! This is also offered as a kit from Lion Brand and with 40% off right now, it’s a great time to pick it up!
This chunky cable-knit Braid Cardigan looks like it would work up really quickly with the chunky yarn and mostly garter stitch. And how cozy does it look? I love the cable braid detail.
Do you love the seed stitch? I love the look of it and as a continental knitter, switching between knitting and purling is pretty quick for me. The Autumn Sweater is another easy-level knitting pattern, worked up with chunky yarn, so it would come together quickly. It looks so warm!
Chantal from Knitatude has released this lovely cable knit chunky sweater as well. The Cable Crush Coat is knit with super bulky We Art Knitters The Wool (use my code: MGMKTKWSM to get $12 off!).
The Nina Cardigan is a crochet pattern for a long oversized cardigan with pockets. Pockets! We all love pockets! So you can make yourself a beautiful long cardigan whether you knit or crochet! This pattern is crocheted top-down, which is an excellent construction to work with for a sweater, so there are no surprises about how long it is because you can try it on as you go!
The Telavi Crocheted Cardigan Pattern has a lovely open lace stitch pattern, making a beautiful addition to your wardrobe, blending light and airy with soft and cozy.
So, are you ready for sweater weather? Which of these gorgeous patterns are you hoping to work up this season? Grab a pattern today or pin it for later!
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