4 free patterns to knit up using self-striping yarn

Since everyone is going to be knitting lots of striped garments this summer in With Love Stripes, I thought I would write an article about how to wear those pieces. Stripes, just like any other patterned clothing, can make you look fabulous or look like you have no idea how to dress yourself. Here are a few tips and tricks to make those stripes really work for you this summer.

There are many great colors of Red Heart's new yarn With Love Stripes.

Three beautiful colorways, Candy Stripe, Sandbar Stripe, and Fiji Stripe.

Pick one, a singular pattern or striped garment. Wearing patterns with patterns is a very complex undertaking and one most people wish to stay away from. If you pick one garment that is striped, this is going to be the focus point of your ensemble. Everything else is an accent garment. Your garment itself, doesn’t have to be comprised completely of stripes. There are garments you can do in panels, such as skirts, that leave you a little room to play with.

The Cozy Shoulders Poncho knit in With Love Stripes. The color Sandbar Stripes is easy to pair colors with since it is mostly neutral with a blue accent.

This model is wearing the Cozy Shoulders Poncho in the color Sandbar Stripe. The sweater underneath it is a simple tan sweater – the perfect pairing. Click on the photo to download the pattern.

Know what horizontal stripes and vertical stripes are doing for you. Vertical stripes on the other hand tend to make you look taller, slimmer, and accentuate your body’s natural curves. Horizontal stipes have a couple of different groups of thought associated with them, so if you know how they work with your body then rock on, if not, I suggest you try on some items and find out. In my personal experience wide horizontal stripes tend to make things look wider, I don’t know about you, but I have problems enough as it is. Thinner horizontal stripes seem okay for me.

Red Heart's Multi-Directional Striped Cardigan is the perfect project for that new self-striping yarn. This takes the true purpose of self-striping yarn and puts it in the perfect pattern.

I really love this pattern because the stripes aren’t just going one way. They’re pointing all over the place which doesn’t emphasize any particular feature of your body, but more the construction of the garment itself. Click on the photo to download the pattern.

Don’t forget to accessorize. If you are simply accessorizing with stripes the ball is in your court. There are a ton of garments you can make to accent your wardrobe, hats, scarves, market bags. I would suggest that you stick to a theme when doing this. A color pallet at the very least, you don’t want to look like an advertisement for the circus coming to town. Displaying the hard (or not so hard) work you’ve done on your knitted garments is all that much more satisfying when you’ve coordinated them correctly.

This is the Chevron Scarf pattern we talked about on Tuesday. See how the model is echoing the blue tones in what she is wearing. The only striped garment she has on is the scarf and the other clothing is secondary to flatter the scarf. Click on the photo to download the pattern.

Last but not least, ask someone! Probably not your husband, because if he’s anything like mine, I’m still trying to instill the rule that one doesn’t wear stripes with spots. Generally, they’re willing to tell us we look fabulous no matter what we’re wearing. A family member, a friend, a co-worker, or just someone you know who’s not fashion-challenged. Odds are, they would love to share their knowledge and you’ll learn something in the exchange.

Just because a yarn is discontinued, doesn't mean the pattern is! Try the Magical Stripes Cardigan in With Love Stripes. Play with stripes and find your knitting bliss.

The yarn originally intended for this sweater is discontinued, but it’s made in panels and With Love Stripes would really do it justice! Click on the photo to download the pattern.

Now with those guidelines out there, feel free to wear your stripes out of the house. I feel I should also note that there are no fashion rules for knitting all sorts of different stripes and patterns at the same time. You can have as many on the needles as you have needles for. Knit away my fashionistas!