Tag: beginner

Teaching a Friend How to Knit a Scarf, Landscape Lesson #1

Want to learn to knit? Come learn how to knit a scarf with us from beginning to end. A good friend wants to learn to knit but she lives far away, so I’m writing her lessons on my blog! Are you a beginner knitter? Come join us for the fun.

A scarf is a great beginner pattern when learning how to knit. It’s what I knit the most, before graduating to knitting hats. A long, straight (knitting back and forth) project that should give the beginner lots of practice with knits and purls. And you just may have a beautiful and unique item to wear around your neck next winter.

I’ve decided to knit my own scarf as I show a beginner how to start. I live in Florida and my friend lives in New York. So she will be learning online. I have learned many things about knitting from YouTube, so I’ll include some favorite YouTube knitting tutorials.

Yarn and Needles

My friend had some very good and basic questions such as, what needles should I use and what kind of yarn? Obviously you need both of those things!

First buy some yarn, and look at the yarn band info. It should say what size needle is needed to knit with this yarn. The weight, or thickness, of the yarn will determine the size (thickness) of the needles. In the example skeins below, knitting needle size suggestion is US 1-3 (needle size can also be in mm). This is a thin yarn called fingering, so it needs a small needle. 

I think a beginner knitter should buy a worsted weight. It is a mid-thickness and usually requires a size 6-8 needle size, but read the label on your yarn choice.

Hot Shot Toes mini skeins of yarn
Miss Babs mini skeins of sock yarn

What is a circular needle?

Knitting can be done with either straight needles or circular. Circular needles allow the knitter to join their knitting and knit in the round. This is something you can’t do with straight needles. Think of a hat, cowl, or sweater that is circular. But this type of needle can also be used for plain old knitting – flat, like a scarf. Pretend the needles are not joined by a cable. Or, use a pair of normal, straight needles if it makes you feel better.

Read more about buying needles on my previous post.

What I Am Using To Knit My Landscape Lessons Scarf

I am naming this scarf so it will be easier to find and it will be “Landscape Lessons” because I plan to show you some very basic knit and purl combinations along the way. It’s all about practice and deciding which combinations you favor.

If you live near a yarn store, or craft store, go there and pick out some yarn you like. Otherwise, I can suggest Wool and Company, an online site that ships yarn for free – no minimum purchase required.

I am using Lykke brand wooden circular needles with Lettlopi wool yarn.

knitting with wool on circular needle
Size 8 circular needles and wool yarn

Some yarn skeins will need to be wound before using. If your skein is twisted – like the Miss Baby yarn in my photo above, it will have to be wound. Skeins, like the Lettlopi above, do not need winding.

Cast On

Once you have your yarn and needles, you will cast on. I have written a whole page about various cast on methods, but beginners can use the very simplest.

The video below is excellent, except that I would not suggest bulky yarn. Big needles and bulky yarn can make your hands tired after a while. You can do this same thing with worsted weight yarn and see the stitches fine.

In the video below, she shows how to make the slip knot, begin casting on, knitting back and forth, and binding off! Who needs me? Haha… She also knits right handed, and “throws” the yarn. This is exactly how I knit. (Some people knit continental, which is different, and I’m not getting into right now.)

Well, I do have one suggestion. When she casts on, she is putting her right-hand needle between the two strands and is using only one. This is also how you do the knit stitch – The right needle goes between the two on the needle (photo 2 below).

However, you can also put your needle under BOTH strands for the cast on (photo 1 below). Do the cast on the same way, just stick the needle right under the entire stitch. Either way will still make a nice cast on. Going under both strands makes a sturdier cast on, or something. I forget. Don’t do that while knitting… do it only for the cast on row.

casting on
Casting on under both strands
casting on in knitting
Casting on using one strand

This is a great video, but don’t do the cast off… if you want to knit a scarf, we must continue knitting. I have some changes in store, just in case you want to branch out and try something new along the way.

For my Landscape Lessons Scarf you will cast on, and knit back and forth for as many rows as you like. This will be one end of your scarf. By knitting back and forth, it will help you get a feel for the basic knit stitch.

A light color yarn makes stitches easier to see the stitches!

Do as the woman does in the video above and cast on your stitches. This will be the width of your scarf. If you are using worsted weight yarn with size 7 or 8 needles, cast on 35 stitches. This should make your scarf around 7 inches in width (after I began knitting, my scarf is more like 8.5 inches). Everyone knits differently, so width may be different. You won’t be able to see the actual width until you have knit quite a few rows. Don’t measure the cast on row!

Some people knit English style, and others prefer Continental. Here is a video explaining the difference.

Do as she does in the video and knit back and forth – she is knitting English style.

If you are using circular needles, do the exact same thing as she does using straight needles. Turn the work, and begin knitting again. Forget the cord is there attaching your needles.

The reason I suggest buying circular needles is that they can be used for more things later on if you find you really love knitting. I rarely ever use straight needles for anything these days.

Read This – a Helpful Hint

Let’s say you have to set your knitting down and you just plop it on the table, or into the basket. When you come back to continue knitting you must know where to begin.

I’ve made this mistake back when I began knitting. It’s easy to pick up the work and begin knitting in the wrong direction, unless you know this:

Your yarn strand must always be coming off the right-hand needle. Unless you are beginning a new row. If that’s the case, it will hang from the end of the needle where you need to begin knitting.

Don’t just pick up the project and flip the yarn to the back and begin knitting. Photo on the left shows the yarn in the wrong place. Turn the work around so that the yarn is coming off the right hand needle. Then begin.

knitting helpful hints
Yarn in wrong position
yarn knitting tips, yarn placement
To begin knitting, yarn must be coming from right hand needle.

This page should provide the start to an easy, beginner knitting project. Let me know how you do, or if there are question. When these skills are mastered, please proceed to Lesson #2.

Go On to Lesson #2

More Knitting Stories From the Blog

Knitters and Our Many Projects

How many projects do you have on your needles? It is not uncommon to find that fellow knitters have many things going at once.

Year-Round Camping in Florida; Enjoying Nature While I Knit

The peaceful days of camping in the wilderness go perfectly with knitting. What could be better than having coffee outside, with knitting on my lap? We camped twice in the last month and here is a look at the knitting projects I took along.

Getting Started: Choosing Knitting Needles

Knitting is much more involved than picking up two needles and some yarn. Seriously, there is a lot to know. For this reason, I have enjoyed my knitting journey because there is always something else to learn. If you enjoy continuous learning, knitting may be just your thing!

The good news is that when beginning to learn to knit everything can remain simple. The focus is to get used to holding needles and working the stitches. Get the yarn onto the needles and practice. A beginner question may be, “What needles do I need to get started?” So, I’m here to give you some advice on buying a first pair of knitting needles. And if the knitting bug strikes, they surely won’t be your last pair.

None of my advice here is set in stone! I’ll try to mention some basic things to consider about buying knitting needles.

Knitting Needle Types

Knitting needles come as straight – which are just that, or circular meaning you can knit around and around if you choose. Then there are the double-pointed needles which are used for small circumferences like socks and mittens and hat crowns. There are cable needles for cabling too.

types of knitting needles showing straight, circular and DPNs
Straight, circular and DPNs

My Beginning Knitter Days

I had a set of my grandmother’s knitting needles, which were all straight needles, and that is what I picked up to use when I began my knitting journey. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money trying something I might not end up liking.

Straight knitting needles
My Grandmother’s straight metal needles

The old metal needles were difficult to use because the yarn slipped easily. My next step was to buy wooden straight needles for better control of the yarn.

Later, I learned about circular needles, and I have since purchased a lot of those. Circular needles are metal or wood needles joined by a cord. When knitting, pretend they are not joined and use them just like straight needles.

FOR BEGINNERS: Because they can be used for flat or circular knitting, I would suggest buying a circular needle to begin with. Namely a 32-inch wood circular needle – in a natural color, probably size 7 or 8. Colored wooden needles can sometimes bleed onto fingers and yarn so stick with natural wood.

Circular Needles Work 2 Ways

In the photos below I am using 32-in circular needles to knit a cowl and a shawl. The Honey Cowl (white) is knit in the round – the stitches have been joined and knitting is done round and round, called “in the round”. The Hidden Gems (orange) is knit back and forth called “flat knitting”. See the red cord with no stitches? Even though I am using a “circular” needle, I am knitting back and forth – just pretend there is no cord attaching the needles. I also could have used straight needles to knit the shawl.

circular knitting the Honey Cowl in off-white
Honey Cowl
Hidden gems shawl
Hidden Gems Shawl

Practice knitting can be done on either type of needle, as long as the circular needle is long enough to be comfortable in your hands. A 32-inch long circular works perfectly, which is shown in both of my photos.

Circular Needle Advantages

  • More stitches will fit on a large, circular needle
  • Needles are attached so you won’t lose one!
  • Larger projects can be knit, such as blankets, wraps, and big shawls.
  • Circular projects like hats and sweaters need this type of needle, not necessarily this length.

My favorite needles are Lykke Driftwood (wood – seen in the Honey Cowl photo). I also have a lot of Chaio Goo (metal ends with red cord, in the Hidden Gems photo) – these are both affiliate links to Amazon. Wood is easiest, especially for beginners.

A Word About Interchangeable Knitting Needle Sets

If you KNOW you will be knitting a lot in the future, spending money on a knitting needle set could be a wise decision, although I don’t recommend it for beginners. I want to mention these as options for down the road.

Needle sets come in pieces, with various size “ends” or the needle part, and various cord lengths. The needles can be attached to any cord (interchangable) and it gives you pretty much every size and length of needle needed for knitting nearly everything, but not quite.

An interchangeable needle set does not include double-pointed needles, and sets only include certain sizes. Read carefully about what is included if you plan to purchase an expensive set like this. And they are expensive, but worth the money if they will truly get use.

The downside of buying a set is the question of how well the needles attach to the cords and stay attached. Once the needle is put together, how easily does the yarn slide over the join. Read comments beneath an Interchangable Needle set before you buy to find potential problems.

Buy Needles That Are Printed With Sizes That Are Easy to Read!

Each knitting needle you buy will be sized. If you are knitting a pattern that calls for a size 8 needle, you will look ON THE NEEDLE to see the size. Some brands make it easier to read the sizes than others. If you have bad eyesight this is especially important.

Another reason I love the Lykke brand is their easy-to-read sizing. I love ChiaoGoo metal needles and have many, but finding the size on those metal needles is often difficult for me!

Knitting needle size stamp
DPNs: Knitter’s Pride, ChiaoGoo wood
Needle sizes
Clover, ChiaoGoo metal, Lykke

Having a knitting needle gauge sizer is also helpful, but they are not always super accurate in my opinion. You stick the needle through the hole to see the needle size. Every knitter probably has at least one and you may want one down the road.

Matching Needle Size to Yarn

So now you have purchased your knitting needles and the next important part of knitting is of course the yarn. If you bought size 7 or 8 size needles, buy a worsted weight yarn. Worsted can also be called aran. (Read more about yarn weights.)

Tip: Buy a lighter color when choosing yarn as the stitches are easier to see.

Yarn and needles need to match up, or be close. What I mean by that is a skein of yarn will usually have a suggested needle size on the band. Check the label on the yarn you buy.

The label below shows that the “Shelter” yarn is worsted weight and needle size suggestion is 7-9 US, or 4.5 to 5.5 mm. This label says that when knitting with this size and this yarn you will knit approximately 4 1/4 to 5 stitches per inch.

yarn label with needle size

Why is this important? Well, if I wanted to knit a scarf using my size 8 needle, and I want my scarf to measure around 12 inches wide, I would need 60 – 5 per inch x 12 inches – stitches on the needles. This math gives you the number to cast-on. If you are using a pattern, match the needle size and yarn type to the pattern requirements and cast on as the pattern says.

This is a rough guess, and that is okay for an item such as a scarf. But when knitting a garment, such as a sweater, you will need to be much more careful and find your gauge – but that is for later. For now, we just want to get the yarn onto the needles and begin knitting!

Read my post to begin knitting either a dishcloth or scarf.

Keep Reading the Blog

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

How to Begin Knitting an Easy First Scarf

Beginners can get started with these simple, free, and fun projects to knit. Advice is given for choosing yarn and needles, with links to simple patterns.

For beginner knitters, I’ve written this page to help you begin a first project – a scarf. If you are very new to knitting, I’ve listed a free washcloth / dishcloth pattern for practice. Once you are used to knitting and purling, move onto the bigger scarf project.

If you already feel comfortable with knits and purls, skip the washcloth and go directly to the Wheat Scarf notes (scroll down the page), where you will find the pattern link. A scarf is an excellent beginner knitter project.

Small Project Practice – Begin with a Dishcloth

There is no reason not to make something useful when you first pick up a pair of knitting needles. A little dishcloth is the perfect item. All you need is cotton yarn and knitting needles.

This pattern link goes to Ravelry and is offered for free by Tia Stockton. Follow her link to a blog page where she shares the easy pattern.

Here are some dishcloths I have knit while trying out various stitches. They are excellent for experimentation because they can look bad, be full of mistakes, and still work well!

Cotton dishcloths hand-knit
Hand-knit cloths hold up well.

You will have to cast-on (see my cast-on videos page) and cast-off or bind off– video below. There is no getting around those two things. They are needed for almost everything you will ever knit. (Exceptions: hats and mittens don’t have a normal bind-off.) As a knitter, you will do these two things so often that they will become easy. And they are important parts of the project, so take your time.

Stitches to practice: Knitting and Purling, Casting On and Binding Off when finished.

Dishcloth Knitting: Choosing Needles and Yarn

Buy needles: Size 7 or 8 US (4.5mm or 5mm) circular knitting needle – length 32 inches. The scarf pattern below takes an 8. My preferred brand is Lykke (paid link) or ChiaoGoo (affiliate link to Amazon). OR buy straight needles (paid link). Either will work for these projects, but the circular will probably get more use down the road if you plan to continue knitting.

Better yet, borrow some needles! Use a needle size that is close to the recommended needle size. Find that on your skein of yarn.

Wood or bamboo needles are better for a beginner because metal needles will be slippery. The size 7 or 8 circular needle will also work when I want to knit a shawl (another good beginner project) or sweater because it is nice and long. Circulars work for any type of flat knitting project also – the projects on this page are knit flat.

Buy yarn: Only one skein is needed for this small project, and I can probably get a few dishcloths made with one skein. Look for a cotton yarn that can be washed in the machine. Generally cotton yarn is cheap. A dishcloth / washcloth gets lots of use and needs to be water absorbent. For this reason do not use wool or acrylic. Walmart carries cotton yarn, and if you have a LYS (local yarn store) they will carry cotton yarn. Amazon carries lots of Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (paid link) cotton in many colors.

Get practicing and have fun! If you make a little mistake keep going. Un-knitting is more difficult, so don’t worry about it. If you make a big mistake you can take it off the needles, wind it up and begin again. It’s all practice anyway.

At the end of every project – after the bind off – all the loose yarn ends need to be woven in. For this, you will need to have a tapestry needle, or a small crochet hook.

yarn ball divider

Knit the Wheat Scarf, A Beginner Pattern

When you are feeling confident, after knitting a few dishcloths, tackle the Wheat Scarf. It is an easy pattern, with knits and purls. This gives the knitter something to wear in the end!

wood knitting needles
Lykke wooden needles and two stitch markers – beginning the scarf

The Wheat Scarf pattern is from Tin Can Knits. It is a PDF download with excellent directions. They offer a huge collection of FREE patterns for beginners (and not-so-much beginners). I wish I had found TCK when I first began my knitting journey.

Need to know: Cast-on, knit, purl, working between markers, adding a new skein when one runs out, and binding off.

NEEDLES: If I made the washcloth already, I have the needles. Whether I bought a size 7 or 8 doesn’t really matter because this project is a scarf. If you need needles, this pattern calls for a size 8 US (straight or long circular). You need some stitch markers (only 2) for this pattern as well. Something like rings from ChiaoGoo (affiliate link to Amazon) work fine. In a pinch, use anything that will fit around your needle and stay put. Earrings, colorful loop of yarn, safety pins, and twist ties come to mind.

BUY YARN: 400 yards is needed for the Wheat Scarf. The pricing in my list below reflects the number of skeins needed. Yarn is sold in various lengths so purchase the number of skeins needed according to yardage in each.

Hint: Light color yarn is easiest for seeing stitches.

For a scarf you want yarn that is comfortable around the neck. It should also be warm, unless your scarf is for looks only! Personally I avoid man-made acrylic yarn and would go with pure wool, a wool combo, or merino wool for scarves. But the choice is yours as long as it is worsted weight. Because a scarf will not be washed often, a non-superwash is also a good choice. You will wash it once after knitting and rarely after that. Be aware that Superwash wool tends to stretch and “grow” when it is washed.

Do I Need to Wind the Yarn? Winding vs. No Winding

Some skeins of yarn will need to be wound before using the yarn to knit. Some can be used right away. If the skein you buy looks twisted, like the images below, it will need winding. These are “hanks”. Yarn stores will usually do it for you, if you ask, but they sometimes charge a small fee. You can also wind the yarn yourself.

Teak and Foliage Harrisville Highland yarn
Harrisville Highland yarn skeins
Spincycle yarn
Spincycle Yarns
skeins of hand-dyed yarn
The yarns I chose are speckled, variegated and solid denim blue

Scarf Yarns to Consider

Here are some yarn suggestions. Of course you can go to a local yarn store, if you have one, and pick something out. The shop owner, or workers, should be happy to help you.

I am in the US and like to order from Wool and Company because they have a large selection of yarn, and they will wind skeins and ship for FREE!

(Links and prices – at the time of this writing – go to Wool and Company)

  • Cascade 220 Superwash – Solid colors, good value. No winding. Can wash in the machine. Not a favorite of mine because it is scratchy. Total Cost: 2 skeins = $26
  • Berroco Ultra Wool – Superwash, good value. I’ve never knit with it, so can’t say how soft it is. Total Cost: 2 skeins = $24 approx.
  • Manos del Uruguay Alegria Grande – This yarn has a bit of nylon with the wool. Must wind this yarn. Buying this yarn supports Uruguayan women and the yarn is beautiful in color and texture. It is not cheap but the color selection is so fun! I love Manos yarn. You will need 2 skeins for this project. Total Cost: 2 skeins = $52 approx.
  • Madeleine Tosh Vintage – Comes in many colors. It is expensive. Must wind this yarn. I would choose the Manos over this but many people love MT yarn. Total Cost: 2 skeins = $58
  • Lettlopi worsted wool – comes from the sheep living in Iceland! There is no winding required for this yarn. This will make very warm scarf but it will be hand-wash only. This yarn is strong and after washing the fabric changes for the better. See my Migrating Birds sweater. The yarn is inexpensive. Total Cost: 4 skeins = $21 approx. (My white yarn photos on this page are Lettlopi yarn.)

You may think that a first knitting project should be created with the cheapest possible yarn, but have faith in yourself! Knitting with a nice, pretty yarn is fun! Cheapers yarns are from man-made fibers, or a combination of natural fibers and “fake”.

You should plan to keep that first project forever, as a reminder of your knitting journey. No matter what, choose a pretty color that you will actually wear … and get started!

Wheat Scarf Knitting Help

Basics of the knitting project.

For the Wheat scarf you will cast-on and then knit back and forth (creates Garter Stitch) until you have three inches of knitting. (Please note that in my scarf sample I did not knit for three inches because I only wanted to show the patterning.)

Next is the set up row. The set up row changes things up a bit and sets you up for the remainder of the pattern knitting. Continue on until just before the desired length. The last bit will mimic the patterning at the beginning of the scarf to make the ends match. Bind off.

cast on using wood needles
Cast on for the Wheat Scarf
patterning for Wheat scarf
The pattern emerges

Pattern Reading Help

Some things to note when knitting a pattern: When you see something inside parentheses, such as (k1,P1) and the pattern says to repeat, only repeat what is in the parentheses. Sometimes a * is used. Often a row will begin and end a certain way with the pattern repeating in the middle.

I like to read through a pattern first to visualize the project. Use a highlighter for important information. Then, go back and begin the knit. Don’t worry about gauge at this point. Gauge makes sure your scarf comes out to the measurements suggested, but since this is a scarf, it’s not necessary.

Read the pattern line by line – do as it says – and move on to the next line, or section, of directions. Keep track with sticky notes if needed.

MARKERS

Knitting patterns are written using abbreviations and a key to the abbreviations is listed. For instance PM means “place marker” and SM means “slip marker”. Markers are used to remind the knitter that something happens / begins / ends at this spot.

In the Wheat pattern, the markers remain on the needles to tell us when to knit the ribbing (the alternating knits and purls) – they divide one part from another. Put a marker onto the needle to PM (place marker) and slip it while knitting when it says SM. Remove all markers while knitting the last row that needs to use them!

patterning for Wheat scarf
The pattern emerges

IDENTIFY KNITS AND PURLS

The knit and purl section of the scarf will make a “ribbing”. In case you lose track of where you are, it helps to be able to identify knit stitches and purl stitches. Purls have bumps and knits look like “V’s”. Each stitch appears different. The knits stand out, while the purls recede. Pull down on the section to view the stitches best. The purl bumps should be very visible.

The stitches alternate for the middle section of the scarf, but they are the same on every row. Knits and purls should line up. This creates a rib.

knits and purls
Identifying knits and purls

HOW TO ADD A NEW SKEIN

Well, I can’t find a decent video about how to do this simple thing. All I do is when I get near the end of the old skein – leave enough length so the end can be woven in (6 inches at least) – insert the needle as if to knit – wrap the strand from the new skein around the needle, pull it through and knit it – leaving a tail. This attaches the new skein. The two pieces of yarn hanging (from the old & new skeins) will be woven in when the project is finished. You may search on YouTube for “how to add a new yarn” “how to add a new skein” etc.

Once you bind-off, all that is left is the weaving in of ends. For that you need a tapestry needle (paid link) which has a large eye for yarn.

Knit in the Right Direction!

We all need to set down our knitting at some point. If you ended up finishing a row, starting again will be easy – start at the end where the yarn is. But in the middle of a row, things can be tricky.

TIP: When you pick up your project to knit, and are in the middle of knitting a row, be sure the yarn is coming off the right hand needle. Turn the project around to the correct position. This is a beginner mistake and I have done it! If you are not careful you will be knitting in the wrong direction.

For more patterns by Tin Can Knits, visit their pattern page. Many patterns are free and they are good for anyone from beginner to advanced. Choose wisely if you are just starting out, and go back and choose something more challenging later.

All knitters (and wannabe knitters) are invited to keep reading!

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Heading Into Summer – Four Projects On the Needles

Here’s what I am currently knitting. A couple of easy, free patterns, as well as a hat and sweater.

Because I live in a climate that is seldom considered to be “cool”, I knit with wool year round. I’m not sure what other knitters do, but this is the time of year when all the big yarn sellers come out with cotton, linen and silk yarns and showcase knitting projects for lightweight tops. I really don’t pay much attention to that because most “summer” projects are still too hot to wear here in central Florida.

Currently I am finishing up four knitting projects I have been working on regularly. I like to have a variety of knitting going at once.

The Hidden Gems Shawl

For a while now I have avoided knitting “shawls” because I never wear them. I would love to, but in this hot and humid climate the last thing I want is something around my neck. But, when I saw “Hidden Gems” knit up in hands-spun yarn, I thought it was a beauty and it might be nice to have one.

Hidden Gems free shawl pattern
Hand-spun shawl / scarf

The shawl is more of a scarf in the shape of an elongated set of triangles – larger in the middle coming to points on each end. It is a free pattern, and could be knit using any type of yarn. This pattern would be great for a beginner knitter. It is mostly garter stitch with a few other stitches that would be good practice. You should know how to knit front and back, slip, slip knit, and knit 2 together.

The Orange Slouchy Hat

I have knit this slouchy hat in light blue already. It is a tedious knit that seems to take forever and that makes it great as a take-along project AND becomes a very lovely everyday hat. I have mostly been knitting on this hat while traveling. I no longer have a car of my own, so I ride as a passenger everywhere. It is perfect for knitting this simple 1×1 ribbing.

orange hat knitting

The Honey Cowl

The Honey Cowl is another simple (and FREE) pattern that is perfect for take-along car rides, or TV knitting. This is my third Honey Cowl and it is another good pattern for a beginner knitter to try. Because stitches are slipped, this is a faster knit.

Honey cowl knitting Mrs. Crosby yarn

The Lopi Sweater

This sweater started as a vest. The vest directions were hard to understand, mainly because I have never knit a vest. After I knit the body part of the “vest” I had to switch to making it a sweater. The whole thing was pretty much made up as I went along.

As I write this the pullover is nearly finished. I mainly have weaving in of ends, washing and blocking left. There is no pattern for this, but I followed stitch counts (mostly) from Farfuglar.

Yoke section of Lopi wool sweater
Yoke patterning of the Lopi Sweater

The sweater is nearly finished, and once that is done with I will look for another sweater to knit. I already have yarn set aside for two patterns, so I will probably begin one of those. The simplicity of the hat, cowl and shawl patterns make them perfect for occasional knitting and there is no hurry in completing any of them.