Here’s one of those cases where I get a peek at an upcoming book and love the patterns so much I instantly order a big stack of copies for the shop. So today we have Pam Allen’s latest, Plain and Simple, in store and it’s also the focus of my current favoriting. The book includes 9 sweaters (6 pullovers and 3 cardigans) plus a hat and a cowl-like object, and all of the sweaters are of the sort that you can imagine having in your closet for years, dressing them up and dressing them down, wearing them until they’re too tattered to leave the house in. (The subtitle is actually “11 knits to wear every day.”) And yet they also run the gamut from stockinette to colorwork to cables and textures, so it’s a knitting cornucopia. These are my very favorites:
TOP: Birch — a statement yoke sweater
MIDDLE LEFT: Chestnut — a simple allover-cable cardigan
MIDDLE RIGHT: Oak — a reverse-stockinette classic
BOTTOM: Willow — gansey-inspired beauty
You can see the whole pattern set at Ravelry and pick up a copy of the book at Fringe Supply Co.!
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PREVIOUSLY in New Favorites: Geometric yokes
Pam’s patterns are always well written and very wearable.
I think my faves are Chestnut, Larch, and Balsam – and in fact, I’ve got yarn ready to knit a Balsam just waiting for whenever I have the time to cast it on…
I’ve been wanting to knit with Owl since its release. But I’m also now feeling like all of my sweaters skew too warm …
i’ve been swatching with owl. it’s so perfect. I’m thinking an antonia/uniform hybrid but now i’m tempted by these…
Even though I don’t have that issue in Montreal, having grown up in NC I understand that feeling! I have plenty of other sweaters in my queue (both design queue and personal queue), which is part of why I chose to go for Balsam instead. It’ll go quite nicely with my green coat in Hemlock too!
And yet, with the exception of the two yokes, they’re all drop-shoulder patterns! I really wish this trend would go away.
(I say this as someone who is wearing a drop-shoulder sweater right now, but maybe doesn’t want every sweater in her arsenal to be one)
Oh, my, yes. That colorwork! So much impact, without being as hot as a full stranded sweater.
I’ve been searching for a good men’s sweater pattern that is classic and simple. You have such classy, timeless taste and highlight lovely, well-tailored patterns. Any chance you might be able to round up some men’s patterns that fit the same bill?
I haven’t done a lot, but you can find them all here: https://fringeassociation.com/tag/men/
Oh yeah, when I saw the teaser on the Quince & Co blog, I knew I would love it. I hope my favorite yarn online stores in France will order too, so I can order it. I like all the patterns, but I’ve been looking specifically for a beautiful pattern to use some gorgeous Aslan Trends Invernal yarn I have in my stash in two colors. Birch would be perfect.
When I first heard “plain and simple,” I thought, well, mundane, but these patterns are great. Good think I’m open to changing my opinions.
It’s the first book that’s made me want to knit and wear every. single. design.
I was just swatching some yarn and gauge was, 17st/4”. Not a lot of choices, so was going to change needles, but guess what … no need to reswatch, just waiting on the arrival of this book. Thanks for sharing this book, and for stocking it.
definitely agree on the drop shoulder fatigue! i’d be modding the shoulders on all of these. gorgeous designs though,
This looks right up my street! I love Pam’s designs. She has a great eye for simple detail.
Beautiful!
Beautiful designs, but they are all bottom up knits, like over sized tee tops made into long sleeved sweaters. The look is great on the surface, but extra wide, drop shoulder and dolman sleeves don’t look good on everyone. I guess I’ll let this book go by. Too bad, they are worsted weight Owl, too.
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