Pattern Round Up | December

Christmas is over, new year is almost upon us which for many of us means the end of gift knitting and the joyous start to some much awaited selfish knitting. So what better excuse to share a few new patterns that were published this month to get those creative juices flowing.

First up is a really cute pattern by Veera Välimäki, Brother Highlighter.

Veera could have had a whole post to herself this month. This is just one of the 24(!) patterns, t-shit transfers or gift tags she published in December, one for each day of advent. I can’t even imagine the organisation and forward planning that must have taken! This lovely children’s jumper pattern is knitted up in a chunky weight yarn so I have paired it with Malabrigo Chunky a 100% merino yarn which I think would be a great match. The colours are nice and bright and bold, definitely fun for kids. The sizing goes up to age 12 to there are lots of options for forward planning in the fit department to optimise the life span. You can see all of Veera’s other advent offerings on her blog.

As you can imagine I like to bookmark patterns during the month to make sure I remember them by the time it comes to my round up at the end of the month. This next pattern was the first to catch my eye this month which may have something to do with its reflective nature…

Reflector by Renée Callahan.

A really practical beanie hat, not just for keeping your head warm it will also keep you safe on the dark streets. There’s nothing worse than getting up in the morning and it’s dark, spending the day at work indoors and by the time you leave to go home it’s dark again and all this darkness can also lead to accidents. So, whether you cycle or not it’s always important to be visible on the streets which is where this clever reflective yarn comes in.  It will light your head up to any oncoming traffic while keeping you toasty warm at the same time.

The reflective yarn is available to buy in Renee’s Etsy shop and I have paired it with Bessie May Nettle, a robust yet soft yarn made up of 70% wool and 30% nettle.

Now for a mitt pattern by Kirsten Kapur, Metasequoia

These delightful colour work mittens are playful and quick to knit up in worsted weight yarn. The contrast inner cuff shows a surprise hit of colour. I have paired this pattern with YAK, a beautifully soft 50% wool, 50% yak blend. I would choose brown and lavender for the colourwork with a secret pop of pink inside. Christmas may be over but winter certainly isn’t and these cute mitts will definitely get you through another cold few months!

And lastly, Caramel Brulee by Alicia Plummer.

Another pom pom beanie because really I don’t think you could ever have too many. I chose this one because the cables called out to me. The simple cables almost look like little bows and I think they are super cute. And better yet the hat is knitted in The Uncommon Thread Everyday Worsted, our newest addition at YAK. It is 100% merino wool and is quickly becoming my go to yarn for its ability to fit every need.

And that’s about it for this year! It has been a bit quiet around the blog this past month but I promise it has been for good reason. All will be revealed in the coming weeks but I hope you have all had a wonderful holiday season wherever you are and best wishes for the new year. See you again in 2015!