We posted a couple of weeks ago about the sensationally pretty Rosie Sweater (which we have cast-on for the store), and I think her little sister, the Rosie Mittens. The Rosie mittens are a small, manageable project that doesn’t require much yarn, so you might even have some leftovers (or you can cast on for the sweater too and get a little bit of extra yarn for some mitts). The Rosie Mittens would also make a great holiday gift! My favourite yarn for this project is a combination of Drops Alpaca and Drops Kid-Silk held together, but we also list some alternatives too.
Construction The Rosie Mittens are worked from the cuff up. You start with the ribbing, then work in stockinette, with increases for the thumb gusset. The thumb stitches are put on hold, and the pattern is worked. The top of the mitten is worked with decreases. Finally, the thumb is knitted.
I’ve eyeballing some of the prettiest sweater from LE KNIT on Ravelry this week … she designs delicious sweaters with simple shapes and elegant colourwork. The Rosie Sweater and Facet Sweater are making my hands itch to knit! Combine Drops Alpaca and Drops Kid-Silk to make these delicious tops.
Rosie Sweater by LE KNIT
Who doesn’t appreciate a bouquet of roses? The Rosie Sweater has simple, wearable elegance!
Construction The sweater is worked top down. First, work the upper part of the back piece from the slanted shoulders and 9 cm down on the back. Then, pick up stitches for the upper part of the front piece along the slanted shoulders on the back piece. Once the upper part of both the back and front pieces are completed, stitches are picked up for the sleeve tops on each side and the yoke is worked in the round with raglan increases. Body and sleeves are then worked separately. Finally, stitches are picked up along the neckline, and the neckband is worked in rib.
Note
The entire sweater is worked with two strands of yarn, 1 of each quality. Wash and block the swatch before measuring the gauge.
Make sure the gauge is the same in width (21 sts in 10 cm /4“), whether you knit in single colored stockinette stitch or colorwork pattern. Use a larger needle for the colorwork if the colorwork is tighter than the stockinette stitch. I recommend the larger needle size if you are unsure about your gauge.
Size
Rosie Sweater is designed to have approx. 20-32 cm 7.75-12.5” of positive ease. The sweater is designed with a large amount of positive ease in the smallest sizes and gradually less positive ease in larger sizes. Rosie Sweater is shown with approx. 30 cm 11.75” of positive ease, meaning the sweater is shown on a model with a bust circumference that is 30 cm 11.75“ smaller than the sweater’s bust circumference. The length is measured at the center back excl. the neckline.
(XXS/XS) S (M/L) XL/2XL (3XL/4XL) 5XL
Finished Bust Circumference: (103) 114 (126) 137 (149) 160 cm OR (40.5) 44.75 (49.5) 54 (58.75) 63 inches
Length: (54) 55 (55) 57 (58) 59 cm. OR (21.25) 21.75 (21.75) 22.5 (22.75) 23.25 inches
I love the mod, classic 60s style of the Facet Sweater … so simple, so gorgeous!
Facet Sweater is a raglan sweater with a small, graphic pattern. The pattern uses three colors but is worked with only two colors at a time. Floats are kept short, making it easy to knit. Since you don’t need much of the contrast colors, Facet Sweater is perfect for using up leftover yarn. You can also play with the pattern and use more than two colors.
We made a Sophie Hood! This hooded scarf was one of the most popular projects last winter, and its going to continue to be a people pleaser again this year. Sophie Hood is similar to the simpler Sophie Shawl, but it has a hood to keep you warm when the wind blows up. It’s great for people who don’t like hats because they mess up their hair. It’s also a great gift for anyone who wears a ceremonial head covering and a conventional hat doesn’t work.
We used one strand of Sandnes Garn Double Sunday held with another strand of Drops Kid Silk. The combination creates a soft, fuzzy texture that also has some density and warmth to it. I prefer to choose two colours that are close together to create depth and dimension.
We made a size small, but I feel that the scarf ends are a bit short, and I think the medium or large is the way to go.
Construction
The Sophie Hood is worked in one piece from tip to tip. It is worked flat, back and forth, in garter stitch with built-in i-cord edges. The hood is shaped using increases and decreases, and its back is sewn together at the end, using mattress stitch along the back of the neck.
Size
We made size S. The hood section is the same for all sizes, but the length is different depending the size you make. You can see pictures of the different sizes in the Pattern on Ravelry.
Sizes: S (M) L
Length from hood to tip: approx. 102 (128) 154 cm [40¼ (50½) 60¾ inches]
Depth of hood: approx. 24 (24) 24 cm [9½ (9½) 9½ inches]
If you’re reluctant to knit with two strands together, try a yarn like Drops Air, that is already fuzzy. If you want a yarn that changes colour by itself, try Berroco Wizard.
TheFelix sweaters by Amy Christoffers are great options for transitional seasons! They knit up fast on larger needles, and you can use a cotton or cotton blend to make them for end of summer/beginning of fall days that are a little warm but also a little chilly.
My favourite yarn would be the Berroco Remix Light, because it has a soft, tweedy texture, but no wool.
Try any of the following machine-washable yarns:
Cotton/Silk/Linen Blend: Berroco Remix Light (2 strands held together) ON SALE UNTIL END OF AUGUST
The Felix Pullover is a cropped, top-down raglan with an eyelet motif incorporated into the raglan increases. This was designed to be the perfect sweater to wear layered over tunics and dresses though I find it is well suited to high waisted pants as well. I suggest putting all the stitches on waste yarn and trying the sweater on before you begin the ribbing to be sure you have a length you will like and will enjoy wearing.
Notes
I found the neckline is a bit wider than a traditional crew neck. If you want to eye-ball it as you go, try casting on with a provisional cast-on, skip over the ribbing, start with the stocking stitch, and then go back and try it on before you complete the neck ribbing. If you want to make the neck-opening smaller, you can do a round or two of decreases to reduce the neckline, then finish the neck ribbing.
I don’t think you need to do a tubular cast-on for this sweater, unless you really love an extra stretchy neck-line. The neck is wide enough that it doesn’t need a stretchy cast on.
Size
Selecting the correct amount of ease is a very personal, please choose a size based on your own preferences, a range between 2 to 10” of ease is suggested for this garment.
If choosing to knit this with less ease for a more fitted look please review the measurements on the schematic and consider adding more length to the body and plan your yarn purchasing accordingly.*
Finished bust circumference: 39 (43 ½, 48, 52 ½, 57)”Shown in second size, worn with 7” of positive ease.
Gauge
14 stitches x 20 rows = 4” in Stockinette stitch on larger needles
Yarn Options
You’ll need 600 (640, 775, 865,960) metres or 650 (700, 850, 950,1050) yards of a yarn that knits at 14 to 15 sts/4″ in stocking stitch.
You can alternatively use 1200 (1280, 1550, 1730,1920) metres of a DK weight yarn (2 strands held together).
The Felix Cardigan cropped top down raglan cardigan with an eyelet motif incorporated into the raglan increases. This was designed to be the perfect sweater to wear layered over tunics and dresses, I like it with waisted pants as well. I suggest putting all the stitches on waste yarn and trying the sweater on before you begin the ribbing to be sure you have a length you will like and will enjoy wearing.
The cardigan version is written to be worked back and forth in rows, the neck is shaped with short rows, the body and sleeves are divided after the yoke shaping. The body is worked back and forth in rows, the sleeves are worked in the round. The body of the cardigan is 1” longer than that of the Felix Pullover – please note the body can be made any length but plan to purchase more yarn.
Notes
I found the neckline is a bit wider than a traditional crew neck. If you want to eye-ball it as you go, try casting on with a provisional cast-on, skip over the ribbing, start with the stocking stitch, and then go back and try it on before you complete the neck ribbing. If you want to make the neck-opening smaller, you can do a round or two of decreases to reduce the neckline, then finish the neck ribbing.
I don’t think you need to do a tubular cast-on for this sweater, unless you really love an extra stretchy neck-line. The neck is wide enough that it doesn’t need a stretchy cast on.
Size
Selecting the correct amount of ease is a very personal, please choose a size based on your own preferences, a range between 2 to 10” of ease is suggested for this garment.
If choosing to knit this with less ease for a more fitted look please review the measurements on the last page and consider adding more length to the body and plan your yarn purchasing accordingly.*
Our SUMMER SALE is ending soon! Select products (including some clearance items) are 20% OFF until August 30, 2025, 11:59pm.
The discount is online and in-store, and it will be automatically be added at check-out, so you don’t have to jump through any extra hoops or remember to put in a discount code (this discount can NOT be combined with any other offers or discounts, including free shipping – you won’t be able to use another discount code when you check-out).
We just finished a PetiteKnit Cumulus Blouse as a store sample … perfect for the cooling weather!
The Cumulus Blouse was originally designed with 2 strands of a lace weight kid mohair held together, but I was curious to see if it could be done a bit more simply with a single strand of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, which is a very soft brushed alpaca. We made the second size, which called for about 6 balls, but in the end we used less than 5 balls of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, so you might have an extra ball – better to be safe than sorry!
You can also use 2 strands of Drops Kid Silk held together, which offers lots of opportunities for playing with colour! You could choose two colours that are close together to create a depth of colour, or pick a higher contrast to make something more marled and tweedy looking. Of course, you can also go with two strands of the same colour for a classic look.
Construction
The Cumulus Blouse is worked in the round from the top down in stockinette stitch. The design has a deep rounded V-neck, and all edges are finished with i-cord.
Size
The Cumulus Blouse is designed to have approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] of positive ease, meaning it is designed to be approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] larger in circumference than your bust measurement. The sizes XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL are designed to fit a bust circumference of 80-85 (85-90) 90-95 (95-100) 100-110 (110-120) 120-130 (130-140) 140-150 cm [31½-33½ (33½-35½) 35½-37½ (37½-39½) 39½-43¼ (43¼-47¼) 47¼-51¼ (51¼-55) 55-59 inches]. Measure yourself before beginning your project, to determine which size will fit you the best. For example, if you measure 90 cm 35½ inches around your bust (or around the widest part of your upper body) you should knit a size S. A size S sweater has a bust circumference of 102 cm [40¼ inches] which in the given example would give you 12 cm [4¾ inches] of positive ease.
Thank you Erica for knitting up this beautiful shawly/scarfy thingy, the Sophie Shawl by PetiteKnit. It’s a great design because it’s deeper in the middle, where you need more coverage, but narrower at the edges, where you don’t, making it a really wonderful fall/winter/spring garment! It’s a simple knit, mostly garter stitch with an attached i-cord edge that keeps it looking pretty and elegant (a simple technique, definitely not a dealbreaker if you’ve never done it).
I don’t know why I chose the purple … it was a momentary intuitive choice. Am I manifesting a colour trend? If you have any insight, please let me know!
Notes
We made the size medium, but used a bit more yarn than the pattern required and we had to dip into an extra ball of mohair, so if I was to do it over again I’d just level up to a size Large.
Size
Our finished measurements (size M): 82″ (213cm) long from tip to tip, 14.5″ (37cm) deep at the middle):
Sizes: S (M) L
Length from tip to tip: approx. 170 (210) 240 cm 67 (82¾) 94½ inches
Width at center: approx. 28 (34) 38 cm 11 (13½) 15 inches
The Weekend Hat by Hiromi Nagasawa is a great little project for fall and winter! It’s a pretty cabled toque that can be worn with the brim turned up like a fisherman cap or turned down to make it slouchy, or knit half a brim for a true beanie.
Many thanks to Leslea for making this sample for us! It was her first try with cables and she did it with grace (if you haven’t tried cables yet they aren’t actually hard, they just look fancy).
Notes
The top has a fancy finishing technique but we didn’t bother with it. Instead we just decreased to 8 sts, broke the yarn and pulled tail through remaining sts. Easy-peasy!
Size
The pattern is one-size and based on our sample it should fit a medium to large size head (23″ to 24″)
To make the hat smaller you can either omit the two ribs at each side, or make it with a fingering weight yarn held with the mohair and 3mm/US2.5 & 3.5mm/US4 needles.
Length for short brim: 9” / 23 cm
Length for folded brim: 11.5” / 29.5 cm length (8.5” / 21.5 cm length with brim folded up)
I think On the C Train has become my default hat pattern for exploring yarn combinations! I’m sorry if you’re getting sick of it, it’s just easy and versatile and free and simple to adapt … and patterns that work make me happy!
This time round I was looking to combine a worsted weight yarn, the new Cascade 220 SUPERWASH HAND PAINTS, with a strand of kid-mohair, Drops KID-SILK. Combining the two creates a softer, fuzzier texture, and it can also create a depth of colour not otherwise available in the base yarn. In a hand-painted yarn like Cascade 220 SUPERWASH HAND PAINTS it also gives you an opportunity to shift the colours, make them darker or lighter, or bring out certain colours and make them POP! Keep reading below for more about combining, as well as the colours that play well together.
If you love the idea of combining but want a different project, see below for a few recommendations that will work with these yarns. Turmeric and Rooibos are made with a different yarn that’s been discontinued but are still my favourite visions of what can be done when you combine a hand-paint with a coloured kid-mohair.
Modifications
I had lots of yarn to work with, so I made the hat with a warm turned-up brim (just knit for an extra 2.5″ to 3″) , but you can make yours like the originl version if you like.
I knitted the brim with 4.5mm/US7 needles to make it a bit tighter and a bit warmer, and to keep it more elastic and resilient. You can skip this if you like, it isn’t necessary.
You can add a Pom-Pom or go without, it’s all about your own style!
To make a larger size cast on an extra 8 sts, to make a child size cast on 80 sts.
Size
One Size, comfortably fits a medium (22″) head.
To make a larger size cast on an extra 8 sts, to make a child size cast on 80 sts
When you combine a regular yarn with a kid-mohair a few things happen …
The tension gets thicker, so you can go up a needle size (usually by 0.5mm for hats or mittens, or 1 mm or more for projects knitted at a regular tension like a sweater or a blanket, or more than 1mm for something looser like a shawl).
The colour shifts slightly. If the mohair is a lighter colour the project will look lighter, if it’s brighter it’ll brighten it up, and if it’s darker it’ll have a darker cast.
The texture changes and gets a bit softer, fuzzier, and takes on an aura.
For this project I used a neutral greyish-white which blended well with the background undyed colour of the base yarn and mellowed the overall colour out. If I’d wanted to bring out the orange speckles I could have used KID-SILK colour 32 Raspberry, or to make the teal more dominant I would use KID-SILK colour 24 Petrol. You can see my colour recommendations below and on our website for Cascade 220 SUPERWASH HAND PAINTS.
I’m getting ready for the COCOKNITS MABEL KAL (knitalong) starting in February!
The sweater is knit with the Cocoknits method, a unique technique for working a sweater seamlessly from the top-down, and I’m curious to finally learn it! I think I’ll make it as a turtle neck …. it gives the shape a bit more substance.
I’ve done my swatching and tried 3 different yarns:
I tried 7mm/US10.75 needles and 6.5mm/US10.5 needles, and got the best gauge by combining Drops Air & Drops Kid-Silk on 6.5mm/US10.5 needles.
In the video I also flip through the pattern … it’s very professional and comprehensive, I’m looking forward to it and I know we will be in good hands!
P.S.
The ring I’m wearing in the video is from Kormar Jewellery. I bought it at the Toronto Outdoor Art Show and LURV it! It’s 3D-printed silver and doesn’t get caught on my yarn when I knit or crochet (an essential quality in my jewellery).
Mabel
Mabel is a loose-fitting, comfortable pullover that fits the bill. She is also infinitely adaptable … try knitting the neck ribbing into a cowl or extra long fold-over turtleneck. Add cables, split the hem, knit it knee length, add stripes … the sky’s the limit. It is written in 10 sizes from 36 to 72” bust, so you have options for fit, as well!
This sweater is worked using the Cocoknits Method, a commonsense system for knitting seamless, tailored sweaters from the top down. The Cocoknits Method is explained in detail in Cocoknits Sweater Workshop by Julie Weisenberger.
Our fall Drops stock has FINALLY dropped! An unfortunate victim of COVID supply chain fatigue, our order was expected in August, then October, but got stuck in all kinds of international shipping snafus. Regardless, it’s here now and we are GRATEFUL for the bounty! There are bunch new colours in Drops Air and Drops Kid-Silk (including those marvellously neutral blush pinks and beiges). We also received some much sought after and back-ordered CHRISTMAS COLOURS in Drops Nepal.
Drops Air is a deliciously soft and airy yarn. It knits up beautifully into hats, scarves, cowls, sweaters, blankets, toys – you name it! It is a ‘blown’ yarn, which means it has a core (polyamide) that is a knitting tube, and then the fibre is literally blown into it, creating a light, fluffy, fuzzy haze of alpaca floating around it. It knits up easily, and you can even knit with 2 strands held together to bulk it up to a bulky weight (try a 6.5mm/US10.5). the yardage is also generous, coming in at 150m for a 50g ball. One of the extra bonuses with this yarn is that it’s been used a zillion times on Ravelry, so there’s lots of pattern inspiration out there and you know that its not going to let you down.
The wrap above is Hamburg Calling, a free pattern from Verena Bahls. Use 6 skeins of Drops Air (if you have a hard time finding the PDF on the website it is HERE).
Drops Kid-Silk is a luxurious, feather-light brushed mix of super kid mohair and mulberry silk. It gives garments a sophisticated look, whether used alone or held together with other yarns (see projects by PetiteKnit).
Drops Nepal is a great staple yarn made with superfine alpaca and Peruvian highland wool. Both fibers are untreated, which means that they are only washed and not exposed to any chemical treatment prior to the dyeing. This highlights the fibers’ natural properties, making it a lofty, bouncy yarn that’s great for garments. It’s hand-washable and felts beautifully. Drops Nepal is great for sweaters, hats, scarves, mitts, blankets – you name it. It also comes in 50g balls, making it an amazing choice for fair-isle projects.
The sweaters above are different iterations of Riddari, a pattern from Istex Lopi that works up beautifully in Drops Nepal. (If can’t tolerate the itch but love the look of Icelandic knits try substituting Drops Air – it won’t be as dense or itchy as a proper wool sweater, but on the upside, it’ll be light as air and soft as a baby’s butt.)
Drops Wish is a dreamy, super bulky weight, blown yarn made from baby alpaca blown into a core of merino wool and pima cotton. Wish is cosy, light, airy, soft, fluffy and absolutely itch-free. Wish is a great choice for sweaters, accessories (hats, wraps, scarves, cowls, shawls, etc), blankets – you name it. To make for a REALLY thick knit, you can hold 2 strands of this yarn together and use 15mm/US19 needles.
The sweater pattern above is Harvest Queen, a free pattern from Drops that works up beautifully in either Drops Wish or Drops Air (holding 2 strands together). We made one and it worked up beautifully (blog post forthcoming).
Drops Melody is a super soft, super delicious alternative to Mohair it looks like mohair, but it has NONE of the itch! It’s super soft, light and airy. Drops Melody is a great choice for oversize garments and accessories, although it would also make a stunning and very cozy blanket. It knits up quickly on big needles without the piece becoming heavy and it can be held together with another yarn to create a fuzzy effect, or to give garments extra volume and softness.
The sweater pattern above is Caja, a free pattern from Ravelry. It knits up with 1 strand of Melody and one of a fingering weight yarn – like Cascade Heritage.
Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk is a luxurious alpaca and silk yarn that looks like beautiful (but itchy) kid mohair but feels like super soft alpaca. It’s light and fluffy, with plenty of halo. You can work with it as a single strand or hold two or three strands together to bulk it up for larger needles. It is very affordably priced and makes a great substitute for other kid mohair yarns.
Drops Andes is a soft, chunky blend of superfine alpaca and Peruvian Highland wool. The mixture brings out the alpaca silky surface, while the wool gives the yarn better shape and stability. It’s super easy to work with and works up quickly on large needles. It’s also great for felting and is ideal for felted slippers, mitts and bags. Andes is also ideal for beginner knitters, two balls are all you need to make a scarf!
The yarn fibres are untreated, which means that it is only washed and not exposed to any chemical treatment prior to dying. This highlights the fibre’s natural properties, while it also provides a better shape and texture quality.
