The days til Christmas are slowly ticking away, but that somehow doesn’t stop pattern designers from putting new patterns out there to distract us from our well laid gift planning…The newest edition of Twist is full of amazing new patterns that will make great gifts for someone…Or maybe to keep!
Before we get lost in photos, I want to draw attention to their article about increases and decreases. I hear this question so often, and it’s all laid out here so clearly!
There is always one project in Twist that I have to fight not to cast on right away. Sometimes I lose the battle (cough, Trousseau, cough), and I may just have to bite the bullet and cast on the Perianth mittens. I love the cute fair isle motifs, and that they can be made in different sizes by just adjusting the needle size. I know I will make them in Brooklyn Tweed Loft. In Plume and Postcard. Or maybe Plume and Blanket Fort….oh, wait, we were supposed to be talking about gifts….
Hats always make great presents in my book. They are generally knit in the round, they go pretty quickly, and there is only one
piece! Yukimi is a great twist, as it is worked from the top down, instead of bottom up. If you have never started a hat this way, it’s a great way to learn something new while making a sweet gift for someone special. Perhaps my office secret santa partner is in need of a new winter hat… The new Rowan tweed DK would knit up quickly, and comes in some spectacular colors.
Every weekend, someone comes into the shop looking for a pattern for convertible mitts, and Stonybrook is my new favorite. These will knit up fast in a smooshy worsted weight yarn like Dragonfly Bluefaced Worsted or Shepherd’s wool, but the cable pattern makes them look great! Also, there is some overlapping in the fabric to make sure hands stay very warm. You could not find something this awesome in a store.
If shawl knitting is more your speed, you can’t beat a shawl knit up quickly in worsted weight yarn. Geadathe newest installment from shawl expert Susanna IC, and is just gorgeous. I love the crescent shape and the short row construction keeps me interested to the very last stitch. For me, an interesting pattern is absolutely essential to project completion. This accessory would be stunning in SweetGeorgia superwash worsted, and their bright colors would stand out against a neutral colored winter coat.
I have to admit, I fell in love with Caprio at first sight. The texture of the lace is so alluring, and while it would make a great gift, I am not certain that I would be able to part with the finished product. This pattern is knit from end to end with no grafting, and provides excellent practice in reading charts, as the pattern isn’t written out at all. You could knit this up in a great solid colors from St-Denis, or find the perfect monochrome in Babs Yummy 3-ply. Either way, I would love to find this under my tree on Christmas morning.
If you are all done with your winter gifting, the latest Twist has some amazing sweater options to get you into the new year. My favorite is Jania, knit up with clever details in a supersoft DK weight yarn. I think I could easily live in this cardigan. Knit it up in Miss Babs Northumbria DK or Neighborhood Fiber Company Maisonette DK for excellent stitch definition and durable fabric in amazing colors.