It’s been raining almost daily these last few weeks in most parts of Europe. Not the summer we were hoping for… So instead of enjoying actual beautiful nature outside, I felt the need to incorporate some of Mother Earth’s beauty in my knitting. There are plenty of beautiful patterns designed by talented knitters that are inspired by nature. Here are some of the patterns I’m currently knitting or obsessing about.
Released in April 2023 as part of the Isager Breeze collection, this beautiful tee is inspired by the sand pattern referred to as tidal ripples, which are revealed by the outgoing loop of the tide. Done simply by alternating knit and purl stitches, this texture brings the beach to your home without all the sand *wink*. I’m knitting mine with a strand of fingering weight blend of linen and cotton, held together with a lace-weight alpaca. The result is light and breezy, with a beautiful drape. Do not let yourself be discouraged from making this because you don’t want to purl this much, Maja, the brain behind OtherLoops, hacked her design with a simple short-row turn, which means the body is entirely knitted inside-out!
This pattern was released in late July. I had been following along with the progress of this sweater ever since I first saw this beautiful yoke pattern on my Instagram feed. The yoke features a textured grain pattern that pops and really makes this sweater stand out amongst the many other top-down yoke sweater patterns out there. Camilla used an alpaca and cotton blend DK weight yarn in one color for her sample. One of her testers, Purlific Knitter, however, added a contrasting color to the yoke texture and shortened the sleeves, and the result is a truly stunning summer top! This project is going to the top of my to-do list.
This cute shortie sock pattern makes the perfect project for on-the-go this summer. The texture of the socks was inspired by early spring when the first buds appear on the branches of trees and bushes. Olivia from This Handmade Life succeeded in recreating the little buds, which will turn into blossoms and, in turn, will become peaches, cherries, or apples. The Buds and Blooms socks are a cuff-down sock pattern, but since they include both a chart and written chart instructions, they can easily be worked toe up if that is your preference. Shortie socks are a great way to use up some leftover sock yarn, as you only need about 50 grams for a pair. I certainly cannot wait to cast these on.
