I had the idea for this pattern for a while, but it took a bit for me to work out all the details in my head. Working out mentally how each panel would be constructed took some time, and then even more time to work out the little details in real life.
Last week I shared the pattern for this wrap sweater scarf for machine knitting. Here is the instructions on how to create this versatile wrap scarf by hand.
Using a combination of strategically placed yarn overs and then knitting them together you get this highly textured body with ease. Perfect for the intermediate knitter, or a newer one wanting to expand their skills.
A knit hat is essential if you are a knitting and living somewhere that gets any where cold. Being in Michigan, we have plenty of cold days. I have several knit hats that I have made, but none that I designed. So, for this year I wanted something that I came up with, so here is the Knit Winter Windows Beanie Hat
For the past year I have been trying to grow my handmade summer wardrobe. After realizing that I had nothing handmade to wear in the summer, I knew I had to come up with some tops that I can wear through my day, and even possibly dress up for certain occasions. If you know me, I like multifunctional!
During a trip to Joanns where our creative and crafty 12 year old daughter looked at all the things she was dreaming about, I strolled the yarn section. I tend to go through craft stores to look at yarn, see what is new, see what is discontinued, and just see what I can see. On an end display was a new Patons yarn I hadn’t seen before, Linen.
Two years ago I made the Summer in the City top, and last year I wore it quite a bit along with the Summer Breeze top. I think I wore the summer breeze more, but over this winter I ended up missing not being able to wear the Summer in the City top. Just the little edge detail that is so easy to dress up or down I missed. It then came to me that I should make a long sleeve version so that I can wear it all year long.
While the Summer in the City top uses Bernat Softee Baby Cotton yarn, for this winter version I wanted something with wool. I found the Premier Wool Select yarn to be a great option. Also, both Summer and Winter in the City have the same gauge, so either yarn is a great option.
Have you ever made something that you knew that you would like it, but then once you made it and started wearing it you liked it even more than you thought you would.
That is how I feel about this Lovely Day Sweater. I wanted a sweater with some details so it wasn’t a typical pullover with rib edgings. I also wanted it to have a higher neckline so that it would be warmer in winter.
After going through library book after book in knit edgings, bandings, and stitch examples, I tried several different ideas to finally end up with a cable band that is knit in the traditional vertical orientation but then added to the sweater horizontally.
Last year I made both of our girls some house shoes out of thick and cozy yarn they picked out from the store. Both of them love their pairs and wear them quite a bit. This year, the youngest came home from school and said her teacher will let them wear slippers in the classroom instead of cold and wet shoes from the playground. But, they need to have a hard sole incase they step on anything.
Well, the ones I made last year don’t have anything on the bottom so they won’t work. I previously made for the girls a kids’ size of our Vacation Shoes pattern, but working into a pair of flip flops takes time and effort. And, in all honesty, I didn’t want to put that much effort into a pair of shoes that she will out grow in a few months.
As I mentioned in the adult Dream of a Cardigan Pattern, our 11 year old was hoping that she would get to keep the one I made for myself after she tried it on. I love the cardigan too much to give it up, but couldn’t resist the love for it that I saw in her eyes, too.
So, we went to Michaels to pick out what color of yarn she wanted for her own Dream of a Cardigan. She picked out this lighter blue color, that honestly, in the store I was not fond of. But, she loved it and had decided upon it. I even took her picture with several up against her shoulder so that she could see how it looked next to her. With her having more red in her hair it does impact how some colors look, but for the most part all looked good. She liked the blue the best and thought it would work well with many of the things in her wardrobe. So, the yarn was purchased and now I needed to make her one of her own.