Knitting Patterns Blog from SweaterBabe.com

SweaterBabe.com's MOST Popular Knitting Patterns!

The weather is warming up... so what is everyone knitting?

Here are our MOST POPULAR knitting patterns right now. . . 

Which one will be your next project?

(From left to right, top to bottom)

1) #112 Dramatic Lace Wrap Cardigan: A top-down design in a very affordable worsted weight merino blend yarn featuring a stunning lace stitch, flattering silhouette, and very cool shape!  (Hundreds of copies of this pattern were sold the first day this pattern was made available!!)

2) #111 Long Lace Shawl-Collared Vest: Beautiful vest to be worn open, belted, or pinned.  Pretty all-over lace stitch pattern is worked up to the waist.  Then, the waist is decreased to gather and transition into a great textured cable stitch.  Fronts are angled for major interest.  Back is ribbed for great fit.  Generous and ultra flattering shawl collar is picked up and knit.

3) #113 Super Cute Newsboy Cap: The name of the pattern practically says it all!  Little garter stitch brim is completely stylin'.  This hat is also seamless and ONLY requires 1 ball of yarn for ALL sizes -- baby through adult!!

4) #100 Little Lace Vest: Just a really sweet and shapely vest with leafy lace panels and lots of shaping details.  Flattering curved neckline and knit-in button bands.  This vest is knit from the bottom up in one piece, so there is only seaming at the shoulders.  Uses only a few skeins of yarn.  A great addition to any wardrobe!

5) #99 Flutter-Sleeved Blousy Cardigan: A most feminine cardigan knit from the top-down in a fabulous alpaca silk blend yarn.  A gorgeous open cable panel becomes the neckline along which stitches are picked up to complete the rest of the cardigan.  Stunning open leaf lace panels adorn the fronts and fluttery sleeves.  A unique blousy shape.

Get knitting!

Two NEW projects just off my knitting needles!

Here's a preview of some upcoming patterns.  Hope to release them by year end, but holiday craziness may get in the way. . .

This cowl is one I am wearing ALL the time!  It just makes anything I'm wearing instantly more chic.    

Plus, it's fun to "juge"(? - that word that those guys from Queer Eye used to always say!) the cowl around my neck.  I can bunch it up a bit more if I'm cold, or let it hang looser in front once I'm inside and warming up.

And, I can even pull it down over my shoulder a bit like a cowl-neck shrug!

Watch for this pattern coming soon! It's a quick knit and let's you learn a great lace stitch pattern.

I also just finished this stunning Gathered-Waist Jacket.   This one is big on the details.  You can see that it starts with a gorgeous lace bottom, which is then gathered dramatically at the waist.  Twisted stitch mock-cable panels then go up the front and back. 

I finished this one with a lovely shawl collar and extended elbow-length sleeves.

You'll see more photos of it when it's ready to be released.  Hopefully by early 2010!

What do you think?

Are you making cowls for holiday gifts this year?

SPECIAL Discount Offer - Join the NEW Knitting Pattern Club!

As a reader of the SweaterBabe.com Blog, you are invited to join the BRAND NEW SweaterBabe.com Knitting Club at a special membership price!  You'll also receive an additional free knitting pattern download.

Members of the SweaterBabe.com Knitting Club enjoy these great benefits:

* Download great NEW knitting patterns for FREE,

* WIN cool product giveaways,

* Meet other FUN knitters like you,

* Access your exclusive, new members-only web site, and

* Get MY EXPERT advice on YOUR knitting questions.
SweaterBabe is your knitting coach!

It's my DREAM Knitting Circle!  I get to interact with those who share my taste in knitting design - no matter where they live!  Come join us!

Click here for your SPECIAL blog-reader discount offer!

See you in the Club!!

Top 5 Best Selling Knitting and Crochet Patterns

Curious what other knitters and crocheters are making?  Here are the current top selling knitting and crochet patterns on SweaterBabe:

TOP 5 Knitting Patterns:
1) #77 Vine Lace Top Down Cardigan

This is one of my personal FAVES.  I wear it all the time.  So cozy!  And I always seem to need pockets to carry tissues, keys, random toys, etc.!  This is a popular one on Ravelry too!  92 projects for you to peruse and faved 1339 times! (See the SweaterBabe.com's Designer page at: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sweaterbabe)


2) #70 Lush and Lacy Cardigan
One of my more feminine designs!  Have seen many versions in different yarns that bring out the stitch definition.  Looks great on many different figures!  Also a winner on Ravelry!


3) #90 Chic Cables and Lace Cowl Neck Sweater

I get compliments from guys a lot on this one!  They often say, "I don't usually like cowl necks. . . but I like that design a lot."  Guess guys like to see our necks?


4) #73 Women's Top-Down Short- Sleeved Cardigan

A very versatile top-down design!  Do the sleeve length as you wish, as well as the body!  Knit in Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky yarn, which comes in so many vibrant, fun, or classic colors.

5) #72 Child's Top-Down Short-Sleeved Cardigan

The kid's version of #4.  A really popular one as well.  One of my customers made 12 of these!!!

TOP 5 Crochet Patterns:
1) #76 Vintage Top-Down Crochet Cardigan

A top-down crochet cardigan!  Fairly quick to make with bulky yarn.  Gets lots of compliments for it's unique look. 

2) #80 Lacy Striped Crochet Scarf

I'm not a big fan of straight stripes (a little too J. Crew for me!), so the wavy striping created by this stitch pattern was so appealing to me. . .

3) #86 Fancy Crocheted Booties

Made these on a whim in anticipation of my 3rd child.  Organic cotton too!!

4) #50 Kimono Wrap Lace Top

This was a quick fix to glam up the summery dress I was wearing to a wedding.  I love the kimono sleeves.  You feel covered up, but the airiness is very sexy and pretty.

5) #22 Easy Crocheted Beanie

This was a design I did to encourage my crochet students to try out hats!  It's been a bestseller always.

Send us your finished project photos!

Our first customer survey told us clearly that many of you would love to see more photos of the SweaterBabe patterns on real bodies!  See our great gallery of photos here!

So would we!

You can help us by submitting your finished SweaterBabe project photos!  If your photo is chosen to be posted on the site, we'll thank you with a free pattern of your choosing.

Send photos of SweaterBabe.com patterns to gallery@sweaterbabe.com. 

Please send photos that:
-- are high resolution, i.e. please don't send ones that you have made smaller or compressed for the web.  The larger the better!  At least 500 pixels wide would be great!
-- show the finished project on a person!  Some exceptions are made on dress forms, but the BEST ones are on people, and preferably without the heads cut off ;-) 
-- are well-lit and in focus
-- show your hard work to its best advantage!
(PLEASE check out previous gallery photos to see what kinds of photos we are seeking. . . )

If your photo(s) are selected, you will need to give us permission to use your photo(s). 

We can't wait to see the lovely finished items!  Thanks so much for your submissions.

We need your help! Please take our first ever Customer Survey!

Help us determine what more we can offer through SweaterBabe.com by filling out our first customer service survey!

We figure it's the best way to start thinking about what else can be offered through SweaterBabe.com and what more can be done with the patterns, the Yarn Shop Directory, etc.

If you complete the survey by March 6th, you will be automatically entered in our random drawing to win 2 fr*e patterns of your choosing.  Five winners will be chosen.

Ready to tell us what YOU think?  Click here to take the short (less than 10 minutes, really!) survey.

Thanks in advance and stay tuned for the changes that will be made based on what we learn from you!

SweaterBabe Product Reviews! Submissions welcome.

Got a product that would be interesting to discerning female knitters and crocheters? Want the chance to expose your product to over 27,000 knitters and crocheters for free?

SweaterBabe invites you to send us samples of your product for review!  Knitting and crochet-related items like accessories, buttons, hand-crafted needles, yarns, books, bags, shawl pins, etc. will all be considered and welcome, as will cool, hip products that would be of interest to our crafting female audience (e.g. jewelry, home items, women's accessories, etc.!

Please email us at: reviews@sweaterbabe.com with the following information:
- Name of your product
- Brief description
- Your name and contact information
- Where your product is available (stores, online, etsy, etc.)

Items that are well-suited to our 27,000+ knitting and crochet community will be chosen for review (It's like free advertising for you - easily a $100++ value!).  We'll email you back and let you know where to send your samples.

For items chosen for review, we ask that you send us 1 sample for review, plus 1-3 extra samples we will use as giveaways (which will give you even more exposure to our knitting and crochet community!).

We'll do a thorough review of the product with photos on the blog, email the review to our list of over 27,000 women, then we'll run a fun contest (which often involves an additional mention in our email newsletters!).  Previous giveaway contests have easily received 180 - 300+ blog comment entries (these comments really demonstrate our readers interest in the product)! 

Please see past examples here.

We're excited to see your products soon! 

New Pattern Coming! The Cables and Flowers Asymmetrical Cardigan.

Here's the latest off my knitting needles... waiting to be written up!

It's a top-down cardigan with lots of pretty details. It has a gorgeous ribbed cable that curves down the front and finishes off the curved right front hem.

A shaped waist is accentuated with ribbing detail. The lower part of the cardigan is decorated with pretty flower and vine raised motifs.

An asymmetrical design, longer length, and wonderfully soft, drapey Andean Silk yarn from Knit Picks completes this unique design.


















And here is the pretty back view:

The New Cardigan is Finished!

Here is the latest project off of SweaterBabe's needles - a romantic and pretty shaped cardigan.  It's knit from the top-down, has 3/4 length sleeves that are slightly flared, and features a beautifully flared shape.  The waist is cinched with a wide ribbon and mock-cable belt loops that match the mock-cables in the flared bottom.

Knit in Blue Sky Alpaca's dyed cotton.  It's a wonderfully soft and very vibrantly colored yarn.

Look for this pattern coming very soon!  I'll be busy writing it up right away.

Here's the gorgeous detailing of the back:

Finished Lush & Lacy Cardigan Photos

Another lovely finished Lush & Lacy Cardigan from a knitter in Canada:

"Dear Katherine,

Thanks so much for the beautiful Lush & Lacy pattern! I'm attaching pics of my finished piece to show you. It was a great pattern, easy knit, and turned out more than wearable. I'm looking forward to future pattern releases from you so I can knit, knit, knit!"

-- Christina knitsabeautifullife.com

Looks great!  A sweet color choice.