Soft, antipilling acrylic self-striping yarn will make easy work of turning the three suggested free patterns into gorgeous pieces! Bonus: a pattern for a beret knitted with short rows and a ripple stitch blankie! Let’s go!
Free patterns to try
Three free downloadable patterns pair the self-striping yarn with a solid shade from the same line. The first is a baby sweater and hat set. It combines a soft yellow stripe with a solid granite gray. Download the free pattern here. The second is a seamless textured cowl that pairs a purple stripe with a solid silver shade. Download the free pattern here. The third project joins several striped colorways with a solid shade in a diagonal, log-cabin-style throw. Squares are worked one at a time and joined as you go. Download the free pattern here.
Easy patterns to knit
Knit a beret with short rows
A quick knitting ‘recipe’ by Charles Voth turns the self-striping yarn into an original beret sized for a baby or toddler. Short rows worked in garter stitch build a flat, pie-shaped circle for the crown. A turning ridge marks the outer edge of each wedge. Repeating the short-row sequence around the circle forms the full crown. Binding off and grafting the two short ends together creates a nearly invisible seam. Stitches picked up around the selvedge edge form the base for the brim. The brim is worked in the round with alternating purl and knit rounds for a soft, ribbed look. The gauge for this project measures 20 stitches over 4″ [10cm] in garter stitch on a US 5 [3.75mm] needle. A pompom finishes the hat, though a simple crocheted chain or a plain top works just as well.
The turning st and the selvedge stitches make for a neat join between the crown and the band.
Knit a ripple stitch blankie
A second recipe by Charles Voth combines two textured stitches into a soft lovey blanket. Bunny ear decreases get their name from the two stitches that fan out like ears from the decrease point. These sit alongside large eyelets to create a rippling, W-shaped stripe pattern. Blocking makes a big difference here. A wet soak and pinning after knitting brings the ripples and eyelets into sharp, even definition. The gauge is 22 stitches and 32 rows over 4″ [10cm] in stockinette stitch on a US 5 [3.75mm] needle. The finished blanket measures about 10″ x 16″ [25.4 x 40.6cm]. Extra stitches can be added easily to make a wider piece.
After blocking, the edges settle down to their true W-ripple and the motifs are crisp and neat.