The Take Me Back sweater design is now available for purchase in my Etsy shop!
This pattern was created using 6 skeins of Wool and the Gangs shiny happy cotton, plus one skein of accent for the mesh stitch on the sleeves. I used a size 5mm (US 8) straight knitting needles.
I wanted to create a pullover for summer that had an airy feel along with a little weight. Wool and the Gangs shiny happy cotton is a heavier cotton and gives it that exact effect!
This sweater is perfect for beginners and everyone else! You’ll need to know the basic longtail cast on, 1×1 twisted rib, garter stitch, increasing, decreasing, bind off, and seaming. I promise you can do it!
Summer time brings out all the cotton yarns, smaller needles, and lightweight knitting patterns. I don’t think many of us fancy sitting around with chunkier needles and thick warm fluffy wool (why do I look forward to that already though, love the big yarn so much and also that reminds me of pancakes) if we are knitting anywhere outdoors. Or even indoors if you don’t have the ac running. The cost of our utilities is really getting to me, so I only turn ours on when it’s absolutely necessary.
So where I live, there aren’t any yarn stores. We have Wal Mart. That’s it. And our next nearest town that’s larger than ours is two hours away, so it was a bit of a problem when I was just starting out. I had to wait when I was so excited!
Ever since I started knitting, I’ve ordered my yarn from the two companies I first heard of upon googling yarn. Wool and the Gang and We Are Knitters (with a couple other brands here and there). Very similar yarns. I started out with their thick Peruvian wools, which are 100% comparable. People often ask and I always tell them, you can use them interchangeably in my patterns that call for either one brand (also in case you’re wondering, lots of people use Lion Brand thick n quick to replace the wool).
With the cotton, it’s a little trickier. You can use them interchangeably. I’ll even use both brands in one project. However, there are a few differences, starting with their structure.
Yarn colors shown are yarnicorn and hand painted sprinkle. Pattern of tank shown is Lorraine Tie back tank
While both brands are 100% cotton, there is a difference in the way these two yarns work up.
Shiny happy cotton is a thicker, heavier, yarn. Your finished piece knit with this yarn will yield an amazingly gorgeous drape. It’s even heavier than the “anxiety” hoodies that are all the rage. 100%, a sweater knit with shiny happy cotton can be an anti anxiety sweater. First, because of your skills that you should be so proud of, and second, because of the heavy yarn.
“The Cotton” is a smaller and more lightweight yarn. I use this often for my summer knit projects, because it’s so light. It knits up quick and you won’t be having much body pain or needing as many breaks, even when you’ve got a full panel on your needles! Idk about you guys, but my lower back gets so sore if I knit every day in a row for awhile. It’s a struggle. If you knit a cardigan or pullover with this, it’s still going to be lightweight! It is absolutely perfect for anything summer.
The pros and cons to both cottons are similar. They’ve got a wide array of beautiful colors to choose from, which is seriously a difficult task.
They are both fun to work with and I love the way the finished pieces look. If I’m going for a heavier feel, I go with WATG. Lighter, I go with WAK.
If you’ve ever knit with the big yarns and big needles, these cotton projects seem to take forever! It’s hardly a con of the yarn, just a con of life. Haha.
The yarns tend to split if you’re not careful. This happens a lot when I’m doing knitting through the back loops for increases or decreases. The needle with her stuck on a single ply of yarn and it just almost shreds apart. So you do need to knit carefully to avoid that!
Overall, these two yarns are both great and I absolutely love knitting with them! Let me know your thoughts or tips/tricks you’ve learned!
If you’re already a knitter, enjoy the validation here of doing what you do! If you’re not a knitter, read on to see why you need to start knitting!
Us knitters all know why we do what we do. Some of us came across the hobby in different ways, at different times in life. Many have been knitting since childhood, and some (🤚) didn’t start knitting until well into adulthood! Either way, we discovered one of the most rewarding and satisfying hobbies, one that can be continued no matter how old we get.
1. Coffee and knitting sesh. Drinking your coffee is heavenly, but drinking coffee and knitting is a whole new level of bliss. This is a valid reason to start knitting, trust me. Sometimes, I won’t even be planning to knit and then I go grab a coffee and will be like hey, I should knit while I enjoy this!
2. Wearing an article of clothing, accessory, or whatever that you literally made. With just needles and yarn. I finish a design, try it on for the first time, and am filled with so much elation. I always take a quick pic to send to my mom or sisters before I do the official pattern photos. Every knitter who has created something to wear, will tell you, you feel so self sufficient. Like you could probably start a homestead, jk. But it does give you this feeling of like “wow, I really made this myself.” You really can do anything.
3. The act of knitting promotes feelings of zen and happiness. Many studies have been done on knitting, the effects it has on the brain and mental health. The repetition that comes from using the needles and working the stitches has been shown to release serotonin, which in turn, gives you those good happy feelings. Lol, this might be the only reason that’s actually philosophical.
4. There’s something about yarn colors that really speaks to the fiber artist. It’s no secret that many of us knitters favorite part of knitting, is choosing the yarn colors. I will just stare at my yarn balls for oddly long periods of time, in such a peaceful happy state, envisioning them created into a beautiful thing. It’s the best part of the process. So if you’re into color at all, come knit with us.
5. It’s a hobby that’s super easy on the go. There’s not many creative hobbies that you can easily tote along on travels. You can take your knitting in the car, on a boat, train, plane, bicycle, you name it. That doesn’t necessarily mean knitting while on those things, but just saying, you can bring them. I don’t knit at all when I’m on fun trips, just the home away from home trips.:)
6. It’s a pastime you can just pick up wherever, whenever, and work a few rows. My two year old had my phone and I found this photo on it 🙈 😂 I was trying to think of what to make for dinner and decided I might as well do a couple rows while I think. I often will just pick up my work and do just few stitches here and there even, just to get a little ahead.
7. Knitting makes for really pretty pictures! I love photographing yarn, knitting projects, the finished design, all of it. I just have lots of serotonin boosters.
8. Knitting projects hold memories. Every single design I’ve ever knit, I can look back at, and know what was going on in my life at that point. This one was in memory of my dad, designed a few months after he passed. I have had multiple people knit this sweater in memory of their loved ones as well. It makes me so happy that we have these memories that we put into something, made by us, and will always think of them.
As you can see, there are a plethora of reasons to start knitting!
All you need to do is pick a project and go! You got this!
happy love co 