The New Issue of Knit.Wear is Here and my Queue Just Exploded

The New Issue of Knit.Wear is here and my Queue Just Exploded

The new issue of Knit.wear has just been released and sweater knitters should pay attention.  There are a handful of beautiful sweaters in this issue, so many that I’m going to list my top 5 and leave it at that (don’t worry, I’ll also highlight a couple favorite accessories)!

Before I start, I have to mention this fun little article on faux-cables.  I love texture and I love cables.  While I never get tired of them, they add bulk to fabrics and require more yarn (that was the point of cables – to make thicker and warmer sweaters).  That said, I love this little article by Roxanne Richardson about creating the illusion of cables with a simple combination of increases and decreases.  Not only is this a great technique for someone who doesn’t want to worry about having a cable needle on them, but they create that texture without adding thickness to your knitted piece.  There aren’t any specifics to show you, but it is worth mentioning that this is a fun technique to incorporate into an improvised scarf/cowl or otherwise basic socks or sweater.

To get to the nitty gritty of favorite projects in this issue, I have to rein in my enthusiasm and not go overboard.  I’m limiting my list to a top 5 (favorite sweaters).  There happen to be two great scarves that must be mentioned.

For the most part, my favorite sweater projects in this issue are knit up in worsted weight yarn.  So before I dive in and tell you favorite projects, I’m going to tell you about some favorite worsted weight yarns!  I think all of these could be used interchangeably for these projects.

Brooklyn Tweed Shelter: I’ve mentioned recently that I’ve felt deprived that I didn’t start knitting with Shelter until recently.  I’m making up for lost time, and have completed 3 products with this yarn already.  Shelter has an incredible depth of color and knitted garments knit up into a light and lofty fabric with a lot of body.  Shelter is incredibly versatile and perfect for any sort of knitting project.

Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok: Woolstok is incredibly easy on the hands and seems to fill any shoes.  I’ve used this wonderful wool for two sweaters, a wrap and countless hats since we started carrying it last year.  It has beautiful stitch definition in patterns, or fluffs up to a lofty gauge when working with larger needles.  Woolstok is another wonderfully versatile yarn.

Pure Bliss Iris: Iris is an incredibly soft, single ply yarn made with extra-fine merino wool with a hint of cashmere for extra luxury.  It comes in the most vibrant and sumptuous hues and is begging to be turned into a sweater.  This yarn is so soft it can easily be worn right next to the skin, so a scarf made of this yummy stuff is equally enticing.

Shibui Birch + Pebble: Having just completed Odessa, a new pattern from Shibui, I worked with this combination for about a month, loving every second of that stockinette stitch project.  This combo of yarns knits into an incredibly soft and squishy worsted weight fabric, with just a hint of tweedy texture.  Birch + Pebble is also incredibly soft and another great choice for pieces being worn close to the skin.

As for favorite sweaters, I’ll move fast and be concise.

I love Irina Anikeeva’s Janus Pullover.  This heavily cabled pullover caught my attention with the simple fact that the hem ribbing perfectly evolves into strong cables.  These sort of details make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.  I also love that this piece isn’t too long, with an open neckline finished with a i-cord, and a ¾ sleeve that keeps it light.  It’s almost as easy as a t-shirt. A gorgeously cabled, handmade t-shirt.

Lana Jois’s Niamh Pullover is made up of a broken rib texture (which is really easy to knit – not too boring and not too detailed) with an asymmetrical hemline.  I love its generous length and super long sleeves – making it look cozy, chic and something you can totally wear with leggings  (yes, I’m still on that!).

The Lumi Tunic is an easy to wear mock-turtleneck pullover.  Somehow this sweater reminds me of the sweaters my grandmother used to wear – I remember thinking “that’s what an adult lady wears.”  It’s textured neckline are classic and ladylike.  But it’s scale (nice and roomy) make it modern and young.  You can easily wear this piece with skinny jeans, a pencil skirt or leggings (yes!).

The Olwen Cardigan isn’t the type of cardigan I’m typically drawn to, but I can’t stop loving this one.  Blocks of texture break up this long cardigan, and the neckline and pockets are finished in a way that make it look (almost) like a machine made garment.  It’s length makes it a perfect layering piece.  It’s easy to wear and yes, I could totally wear it with leggings.

My last favorite sweater isn’t written for a worsted weight yarn, but it’s so cool that I had to break the pattern to introduce it to you.  Norah Gaughan’s Big Sur Pullover plays on the brioche stitch trend and brings us a broken neckline that is super hot right now.  This piece is so modern and cool, I love it so much.  Big Sur is written for a sport-weight yarn, and there’s a lot of possibilities about what to with this project.  Shibui’s Birch is a ‘sport weight’ that can knit up like a fingering weight as well, and this seems like the most obvious and heavenly choice for this project.  However, HiKoo’s Sueno is another beautiful choice, as is Blue Sky Fibers’ Baby Alpaca.

There is a ton more to see in this issue of Knit.Wear.  I’ve give you a taste of less than half of the beautiful sweater patterns in this issue.  There are also a number of gorgeous accessories.

Of these, I love the Lundbye Scarf by Cheryl Toy.  Strong lines created by ribbing is punctuated by a clean and modern cable.  Lundbye is worked up in a fingering weight yarn, and would be beautiful in Shibui’s Staccato or Birch, or Baah’s La Jolla.

If you need something that will knit up a little faster, check out the Demetria Cowl by Susanna IC.  This oversized cowl is made up of big, soft cables in a super bulky yarn.  I think this piece would be crazy-cozy in Mirasol’s Ushya, or make one in a strong saturated color using Conway + Bliss’s Odin.

This issue is filled to the brim with hand knit beauty.  Often I like having these issues around for inspiration alone (the faux cable article is awesomely informative), but in this case, I’ve added a few too many projects to my queue all at once.  Stop by the shop and check out the issue for yourself!  See you soon and Happy Knitting!