As the weather turns cooler (but not so cold just yet), it always gets me thinking about knitting myself a new jumper for the season.
This year I knit my first sport weight jumper - a Shifty Pullover by Andrea Mowry, which I absolutely adore. The fit for my large frame is perfect and while I used around 700g of sport weight yarn, it doesn't feel at all heavy when I wear it, like it was beginning to while I was knitting it!
A quick diversion though - What does "sport weight" actually mean? For a UK or European audience who might not be as familiar with it as knitters and crocheters in the US, sport weight is somewhere between a fingering (sock) weight yarn and a DK. It can vary a fair bit - I've seen sport weight yarn that's 280m per 100g (very plump indeed!), and some that's 380m per 100g (very almost fingering weight). Personally, I prefer my sport weight yarn on the plumper side, and so I stock skeins that are 300m per 100g. Slap bang in the middle of a traditional sock weight (at 400m) and a DK (200m).
Anyway, all this has got me wanting to knit another sport weight jumper, or possibly a large squishy shawl as I more often wear those - naturally I gravitate towards The Shift, again by Andrea Mowry, but like any inquisitive knitter I've done some window shopping and made a list of potentials... Here are some of my favourites!
Shawls and Cowls
One of several Leaf designs from Linnea, this shawl feautres pops of colour against a solid background. It's infinitely customisable and just lovely to look at.
Linen Stitch Cowl by Carly Stipe
This single skein pattern is a free download on Ravlery with a very interesting texture. A quick knit to keep you warm outdoors this Winter!
A three skein project using three different colours in a triangle shape and featuring stripes, chevrons and garter stitch. This makes a lovely large shawl that's both eyecatching and cosy.
Midnight In Berlin by Melanie Berg
This large four skein shawl feautres basketweave mosaic stitch, which is amazingly effective! The texture is like nothing I've ever knitted before by the looks of it, you could wrap a small family up in it with you.
Another single skein project in a lovely lace pattern, knit in the round. Absolutely perfect for a single skein of variagted or speckled yarn to really show off the colour combinations.
Jumpers!
This gorgeous cropped jumper sports a yoke in the pattern of a spiders web! A quick and fun knit that's satisfying as heck if you like your jumpers a little bit spooky. Also pairs really well with a high rise skirt!
A simple but stunning top-down reglan sweater feautring moss stitch (seed stitch) and cables in the front. This pattern has been in my favourites for a long time. Perhaps this could be the one!
I See Spring by Joji Locatelli
This beautiful sweater is a classic shape specifically designed to be a relaxing knit. With lots of stockinette in the round and a good bit of positive ease, you'll find yourself not worrying about gauge.
This sweater takes my breath away every time I see it. A wonderfully detailed yoke that makes me think of stained glass windows with the details reflected in the sleeves, this looks like a most interesting knit. As a product knitter, I just know I'd slow down a bit for this one and enjoy the process too.
Gloves and Mitts
Seeta Fingerless Gloves by Maria Sheherazade
These delightful fingerless gloves use only 150m of sport weight yarn per pair, so you could knit two from one skein! The pattern also happens to be free.
Fiddlehead Mittens by Adrian Bizilia
No list of sport weight knits would be complete without these well-known Scandinavian style mittens? Using two (or three, or four) different colours, these mittens are not quite a beginner knit, but with a little patience would make a most beautiful addition to your Winter wardrobe.
Trio Mistigri by Jessika Ambada
This trio of patterns is a lovely matching set of hat, mitts and cowl, written in all sizes from baby to adult. All the items have a charming cable motif throughout and look wonderfully warm. They would make an especially lovely gift knit for a little one this Christmas.
Hats all, folks!
Very Warm Hat by Elizabeth Zimmerman
Elizabeth Zimmerman's patterns are classic and this Very Warm Hat incorporates a little bit of colourwork very effectively! The knitting folds over to create a double thick fabric to keep your noggin extra warm.
A gorgeous two colour stranded colourwork hat that starts with corrugated rib and ends in a beautifully thought out crown. A must-knit for anybody looking for a first colourwork project.
Correlation by Hunter Hammersen
This one-skein hat works at any gauge, or size and is so named because of the reversible cabled patterns it uses. If you click on no other link in this list, make sure you click to see this one! It's utterly beautiful!
This is by no means an exhaustive list, and I've only gone by what really appealed to me. There is, however, a good range of projects with varying skill levels and yardage involved - hopefully you found something new!
Thanks for reading, and why not share your favourite Sport Weight patterns below?
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