Category: Blog

  • Karianna Pullover Sweater Design BTS

    Karianna Pullover Sweater Design BTS

    Named after my mom’s nickname from her grandfather. Karianna. Meant to be said with a Finnish accent!

    This pullover sweater is knit from a mix of my favorite wool yarns. I used some of the “spun cloud” yarn from Knit Collage, “the wool” from We Are Knitters, and “crazy sexy wool” from Wool and the Gang. These brands all carry colors and textures that differ from eachother and I love to mix and match them. It’s one of my favorite ways to design, going through all my leftovers from other projects and seeing what I can create with them.

    If you have yet to try out using the 25mm needles, yes that is a US sized 50, you need to get to it. I promise promise promise you will not regret it. It makes your wool knits go much faster, the larger stitches creating the perfect drape, and the gorgeousness of the yarn on full display.

    I lucked out and was in Minnesota for all of the knitting, finishing, and photography of this design and had the chance to wear it out on some errands with my sister and daughters.

    The Karianna sweater knitting pattern is one that requires just the basic knitting skills. If you have all the basics down, you’re not going to have a problem! Your toughest decision will be selecting the perfect colors and yarn. But that’s such a fun problem! Actually the best part of knitting if I’m being honest.

    Grab yourself a copy of the Karianna sweater pattern, some beautiful yarn, a coffee, and make something to get yourself through the rest of winter.

    Karianna Sweater Pattern

  • Free Pattern | Magic Shawl

    Free Pattern | Magic Shawl

    This Wanderlust yarn from Knit Collage was originally a tee cardigan (which I sell the pattern for on my site) but I never wore it so I took it apart to make a Christmas tree skirt. While I was making the skirt, I realized I love this yarn way too much to only have it around for Christmas. So then I decided to make it in a fashion that it could also be a lap blanket or shawl. P.S. this yarn color is called frolic.

    Honestly, I love it for a tree skirt too. This yarn is pretty much thee yarn that made me fall in love with knitting. It is actually, not pretty much.

    This wanderlust yarn is fairly spendy, so if you’d like to use something else, you could do something like WAK’s “the wool” or Wool and the Gangs “crazy sexy wool”. It won’t be as heavy as the wanderlust yarn, but will still work! You can double strand it if you wanted it to be more like this one.

    Materials Needed

    6-7 skeins Knit Collage wanderlust yarn or about 210 yards super bulky weight yarn 

    Size 25mm (US 50) straight knitting needles

    Darning needle for weaving in ends and fringe

    Skills Needed

    Longtail cast on method, stockinette stitch, bind off, adding fringe 

    Gauge

    3 stitches and 5 rows in 4×4” of stockinette stitch. 

    Finished Measurements 

    Width- 58” across

    Length- 19” 

    The Pattern

    1. Cast on 52 stitches using the longtail cast on method. 
    2. Knit 25 rows in stockinette stitch, row 1 being a purl row. 
    3. Bind off.
    4. Weave in ends.
    5. Cut strands of yarn to whichever length you’d like and add them to the edge. 

    Easy as can be!

    You can download the pdf version here if you’d like to keep it on hand.

  • Free Pattern | Winter Magic Sweater Christmas ornament

    Free Pattern | Winter Magic Sweater Christmas ornament

    Christmas is coming up so quickly and if you’re looking for last minute gift ideas for cheap, I’ve got a little free pattern for you guys! A few years ago I designed my winter magic sweater with “the wool” from We Are Knitters in the color called yarnicorn. To this day, that yarn still makes me feel all kinds of happy.

    I have quite a bit of leftover yarnicorn cotton and figured that would be perfect for a sweater ornament. Then when I was trying to think of what kind of sweater to make, the winter magic pattern seemed perfect. And so was born a little teeny tiny cute Christmas tree ornament.

    This sweater ornament will take you barely any time at all to knit up. I was thinking that maybe I’ll just go into designing tiny clothes haha. I loved finishing a sweater in such little time! And they really are the perfect little gifts. Find some pretty sparkly beads to match whatever yarn you choose and you’ll have a gorgeous gift that anyone will love to receive.

    You’re going to need just one skein of We Are Knitters “the cotton” or similar dk/worsted weight yarn. You’ll need very little of the yarn. One skein will make you quite a few ornaments! I used 5mm or US size 8 straight knitting needles and then all that’s left is a darning needle, beads, and beading wire. Also scissors of course.

    Download your free copy of the winter magic sweater Christmas ornament here.

    Enjoy!