I never feature anything in New Favorites that I don’t truly love, but it’s always interesting for me, at the end of each year, to scroll back through them all and see which ones make my heart race and my fingers twitch the most. Or which I admire greatly versus really wanting knit and to have in my possession as finished objects. This year was not absent socks, scarves, shawls and blankets, but it was light on those things, and none of them made today’s list somehow. But what follows are my Favorite New Favorites for 2016—
PATTERN OF THE YEAR
There was only one pattern this year that had me lying awake at night thinking about it, and that’s Vidje by Kristin Ford, pictured up top. I’ve declared a year’s-best-pattern three times before — Stonecutter in 2013, and Aspen Socks (pattern of the year) and Marshal (sweater of the year) in 2015 — and I’ve yet to knit any of them.* But Vidje is the new Channel Cardigan for me — as in, the one I won’t stop fantasizing about until the day I’m wearing it, that I’ll spend months or possibly years knitting, and that I hope to love and wear for ages. You can read my previous remarks (and modification plans) on this one in New Favorites: Every stitch of the Tov collection.
*Stonecutter looks terrible on me, unfortunately; Marshal still occupies my thoughts on the regular; and I conceded at the time that I would likely never manage to knit Aspen.
WOMEN’S SWEATERS
top: Sourcebook Chunky Cardigan by Norah Gaughan (as seen in Exceptional shawl-collars)
bottom left: Bue by Nele Redwieck (as seen in Every stitch of the Tov collection)
bottom right: St. Brendan by Courtney Kelley (as seen in Finn Valley and St. Brendan)
MEN’S SWEATERS
top: Tamarack by Jared Flood
bottom left: Carver by Julie Hoover
bottom right: Auster by Michele Wang
(all three as seen in For Bob — or himever!)
LOUNGEWEAR
Crazy Feeling Sweater and Heartbreaker Shorts by Wool and the Gang (as seen in WATG knitted denim jammies)
HATS
clockwise from top left:
Divide by Emily Greene (as seen in Bulky hats)
Sourcebook Balaclava by Norah Gaughan (as seen in Hoods)
Rille by Olga Buraya-Kefelian (as seen in Every stitch of the Tov collection)
Earlyrising by Annie Rowden (as seen in For the hat list)
Halus by Jared Flood (as seen in Mad hatting)
Buck’s Hat by Thea Colman (as seen in Mad hatting)
MITTENS
top: Ossify Mitts by Whitney Hayward (as seen in Mitten mania cont.)
bottom: Handspun Dreams Mitten by Hannah Fettig (as seen in Mitten mania cont.)
Those are my picks — and in this year’s case I actually already have yarn and plans for several of them! (More on that to come.) What were your favorite patterns of 2016?
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PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Bulky hats
Your blogs inspire me. I want to knit a seamed sweater and see first hand what the difference is. Which one is the question? I’d like to be more disciplined knitting wise – meaning not having so many WIPs! LOVE all your posts!
Have you looked at Pullovers for first-timers (https://fringeassociation.com/2013/11/21/pullovers-for-first-timers-or-an-introduction-to-sweater-construction/) and Cardigans for first-timers (https://fringeassociation.com/2015/01/27/cardigans-for-first-timers-or-how-button-bands-happen/)?
Beautiful choices.
I am still planning the St. Brendan. I fell in love with Alex Tinsley designs and have made Sonny and Phoncible so far http://www.ravelry.com/bundles/worsted-weight-hats
I also made two Betsey hats by Jane Richmond. I don’t think I have the concentration skills for those fabulous Aran cabled sweaters.
Depends on the gauge. You could knit Bellows or the Norah Gaughan cardigan above before losing interest, I bet!
Oh….love your choices!
One of my sons requested Auster, which adds to the long list of Michele Wang patterns I’ve fallen in love with.
Nice selection of new faves!
It’s a gem, for sure.
My favorite is probably the Optic blanket from Purl Soho!
Oh, I love the optic blanket as well. If I ever finish the massive cable sweater I’m working on, I’ve got an ever lengthening queue in front of me.
I had it in the mix here and cut it at the last minute just because of the incredibly small likelihood I’ll ever actually knit it. But I LOVE it.
Since few months i’ve a great admiration for this Marie Wallin’s sweater : http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/finch-fairisle-sweater
I can’t wait to be a old lady and have time to knit a sweater at 37 sts/4″ :-)
Seriously!
awesome blog :) beautiful photos too!
Like you I love everything about the Tov Collection. My Rhineback sweater will be one from Tov. I don’t plan to go until 2018 at the earliest so I can do it.
I love your blog and all the inspiration you provide.
Happy New Year Karen
Love that planning ahead!
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