Just about every week of every year, I post about the knitting patterns that are occupying my thoughts — whether they’re new or just newly appealing to me — under the heading of New Favorites. Some are content to be admired for just that moment, while others bully their way right into my queue. Interestingly, this year not a single New Favorites pick actually made it onto my needles (Not yet, anyway. I still have projects in my queue from last year’s and the year before’s.) Oh no, wait: I did cast on Linda — I just didn’t get very far because I need to switch yarns. Given that it’s the one I cast on and sketched into my Fashionary queue, and that I’ve mentioned it on the blog at least 92 times this year, that must have been the absolute most magnetic pattern for me this year! I’m still dying to try my hand at mosaic knitting, and this is still my favorite colorwork pattern of the year. But what follows are the patterns I’d most like to not lose track of as more and more new ones distract us from that which we already loved:
PATTERN OF THE YEAR
Although I give myself a 1% chance of ever actually knitting them, I think Dianna Walla’s Aspen socks/legwarmers, pictured up top, is the best pattern of the year, so I wanted to mention that. It’s inspired by historical garments and yet perfectly new and original, and just completely enticing and memorable. (It’s from the Farm to Needle book that, disclosure, I also have a pattern in.) If you haven’t seen Dianna’s blog post about the inspiration behind the pattern, take a minute to give it a read.
(as seen in From Farm to Needle)
SWEATER OF THE YEAR
For me, Norah Gaughan’s Marshal is the sweater of the year, despite the fact that the neck treatment doesn’t quite work somehow. If (when) I were to knit it, I think I might make it into more of a bomber jacket — with a crewneck and curved neckband. That, or keep the V-neck and just leave off the neck flap, which looks fantastic from the back but which I love less from the front. Regardless, I’m completely crazy about the pocket design, texture and placement, and the gauge shift from the body to the pockets — really fantastic use of simple detail to elevate a design.
(as seen in The chevrons of BT Winter ’15)
YOKE SWEATERS
Next year will absolutely be the year I knit myself a colorwork yoke sweater. Perhaps one of these three—
top: Stopover by Mary Jane Mucklestone, as knitted by Kathy Cadigan (as seen in Dark yoke sweaters)
bottom left: Lighthouse Pullover by Carrie Bostick Hoge (as seen in Dark yoke sweaters)
bottom right: Skaftafell by Beatrice Perron Dahlen (as seen in Winter blues)
PULLOVERS
The rest of the sweaters I’m keeping on the don’t-forget list are good, hardworking wardrobe basics that also look reasonably interesting to knit—
top left: Grille by Bonnie Sennott (as seen in Grille)
top right: Trace by Shellie Anderson (as seen in Trace)
bottom left: Sanford by Julie Hoover (as seen in The chevrons of BT Winter ’15)
bottom right: Butte by Pam Allen (as seen in Big ol’ cozy pullovers)
ACCESSORIES
left: Lambing Mitts by Veronika Jobe (as seen in Foldover mitts) (free pattern)
middle: Bonnie Banks Shawl by Beatrice Perron Dahlen (as seen in Fair-weather friends)
right: Abyss by Wool and the Gang (as seen in the WATG x Raeburn beanies)
right: Crag by Jared Flood (as seen in The hats of BT Men Vol 2)
What were your favorite patterns this year? Cast-on or otherwise!
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PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Winter blues
Loved the Fringe hatalong patterns! :)
Also, I really liked the lovely selection of patterns from Hannah Fettig’s Home and Away, although I have YET to get my hands on a copy. Will need to do so in the new year.
What an inspiring post! I always love your choices–probably because we have similar tastes. Skaftafel is next up in my queue. Ordered the yarn the very day Amirisu arrived direct from Fringe Hoping to get started by mid-January, once Mailin is off my needles! Just wish I were a faster knitter. Thanks, Karen, for a load of great ideas! HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Love your choices! Trace is on my needles now and it is pure heaven to knit. Great for mindless knitting on long car rides…..
Then after seeing the stunning Stopover, I pulled out my vintage Lopi in the same colors and to satisfy my longing, I’m swatching for the Icelandic Zip Cardigan. I’m in love with the Stopover, but afraid the lopi will be too heavy to get gauge. Any thoughts on how to sub a bulkier yarn for the lettlopi called for in pattern? Thanks for your wonderful list! The mitts are on my list, too!
When you first posted that picture of the leg warmers, I thought they were full leggings and FREAKED OUT at how lovely that looked and sounded.. But dismissed the idea of knitting leggings immediately. However, this brutally cold winter we have been having (it’s not going to hit 20f today) has convinced me that wool leggings sound HEAVENLY…. This has also been the first year that I have successfully knit 2 sweaters that I wear constantly. So, knitters confidence built up by a successful year, I think I will attempt to knit leggings, inspired heavily by that lovely pattern this next year.
My favorite pattern this year was Outline from Hedgehog Fibers, that I knit over the summer. A simple wrap, easy stitch pattern but it can be customized in so many ways: colour, size, gauge. As much as I admire triangular shawls, they don’t fit that well in my lifestyle. A big wrap works much better. And yes, these big socks are awesome.
I loved everything in Swoon, Maine! The lighthouse pullover (above) is at the top of my queue and most of the accessories follow. This also seemed to be the year of the brioche stitch! So many colorful shawls and hats came out showing off that technique– something I am super psyched to learn and do.
Thank you for the mention! xx
Wishing you a very Happy New Year, and I hope to see you again in person soon… maybe Stitches in Nashville? :-)
xoxo
Julie
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My favorite pattern of the year was Melanie Berg’s Sunwalker shawl pattern. I knitted it out of Crave Yarn Summit and it was one of those times when a yarn matched a pattern perfectly. Very beautiful! Next up in my queue is Stopover in lettilopi – am hoping the yarn arrives today so I can get started!
Try the Mosaic knitting! I’m making a pullover from the Vogue Winter 2014/15 issue (same issue that one of the scarves you referenced is from) and am loving the technique. Love the dark yoke sweaters, and hope to fit one in this year.
I love all your picks. For some reason I was reminded of this, which I found last year when looking for Lopi patterns. The knitter just made up her own pattern based on a picture her mother sent her: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/roko/lopi-vest
Should’ve mentioned it when you were doing your Cowichan thing!
Happy New Year to you and Bob. May it be full of intriguing new patterns you actually get to knit!
Looking at all of these just makes me happy. What a wonderful year of posts, challenges, inspiration and new things to think about. So looking forward to 2016. Happy Knitting New Year, Everyone!
I love my Emerson by Veronik Avery. I used Shelter in Sweatshirt, which looks good with anything and everything. Amazing pockets and the length really makes leggings and jeans look pulled together.
Looking at my Ravelry projects, I realize that 2015 wasn’t the best year for my knitting. I made lots of gifts, finished one long-term WIP and spent a month re-doing parts of a three-year-old sweater. (Which I now wear every week, instead of once a year.) I’m most pleased with a few shawls I’ve made.
For the new year, I’m very excited about the two Kate Davies books I received as Christmas gifts, as well as diving into the spinning world. I received my first spinning wheel for Christmas as well (I have the best family). I also picked up combs at Rhinebeck, and am working on processing the first shearing from my three Shetland sheep. I’m so excited to spin their wool and knit a garment – I will learn so much!
Everything! Hereis on my list of things to knit. The more I see the dark yoke sweater, though, the more that’s the one that jumps to the top! Thanks for a great year of beautiful ideas, and knits and here’s to the next one! Thnaks
Karen – If you are thinking of going bomber on the Marshal, ck out the collar on “Bookworm vest” by Cheryl Oberle on Ravelry. Thanks for all do.
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