August Knitting
If you’re like the My Sister Knits staff, your mind is yearning for fall knitting. However, the weather, even with air conditioning, is not ideal for having large projects on our laps. We have a terrific solution for you!
Knitting a small project using fingering weight yarn is ideal this time of year. We can enjoy the last of summer while working on something that will be worn as soon as the weather turns cooler.
We have two samples in the shop that are ideal for August knitting!
Flax Light, designed by tincanknits
This Tin Can Knits design has over 8,000 projects on Ravelry which is an indication of a stellar pattern! It’s a free pattern on Ravelry, from their learn-to-knit series. If you’ve never made a sweater and would like to, this is the pattern for you!
Each step is clearly illustrated so you’ll understand how the sweater is constructed. You’ll have a clear picture of what you’re doing. It’s worked from the top down and has raglan sleeves. There is also an in-depth tutorial to guide you through this project on the tincanknits website.
The design of this pullover, with its garter stitch panel on the sleeves, is distinctive. You can choose a yarn that will really make the whole sweater shine! The ribbing is worked with a size 2 needle and the body and sleeves are worked with a size 5. Of course, this is just a suggestion. You’ll find out which size needles will get you the suggested gauge when you make your swatch!
yarn ideas left to right: Julie Asselin Leizu Fingering, Hue Loco, and Sprigs and Stone Hearty Fingering
One of the wonderful reasons to make this sweater is that the pattern is written for 0-6 months up to 4XL! Our sample is for a small child but you can make any size you please. We have an almost unlimited supply of fingering weight yarns that would be sensational for this project, from solids to tonals to variegated to speckled. We encourage you to leave plenty of time to browse yarn possibilities!
La Petite Robe, designed by Anne B. Hanssen
This dear little dress is sized for a child up to two years old. If you have a little girl to knit for and want to try your hand at some colorwork, this is the project for you! The colorwork design is simple and the two charts are large enough to be read easily.
Our sample is knit with fingering weight Biches and Buches Le Petite Lambswool and size 4 needles. This yarn is dreamy for colorwork because of its ‘stickiness’. There are teeny barbs in the fiber that help the stitches cling together and stay in place. It will relax into a smooth, even fabric after blocking and your colors will pop!
When choosing yarn colors, you might want to take a black and white photo to see the contrast. If you’re going to the trouble of doing colorwork, you want your colors to show rather than blend together too much!
Like Flax Light, this design is worked in the round and there are no seams. There are excellent directions on how to add or subtract length. This is worked from the bottom up which may be a little different but not an issue. You just need to measure the child which you would need to do anyway! After you do the bottom colorwork you have smooth sailing until you get to the sleeves. Then you have just a little further to go and you’re done!
We invite you to come by My Sister Knits and examine our samples!
Julie’s Finds
Julie found these essential tools, aptly named the Handi Tool, years ago and we are so glad she did! A new shipment just arrived so you can now have one in each project bag!