Mary Lou Egan
Patterns available as Ravelry Downloads
Knitting: Pullover
The overlap neckline on this pullover accommodates those big baby heads, and prevents fussing. It also makes it easier for an ambitious toddler to pull on.
Knitting: Scarf
This fingering weight scarf uses a simple technique that looks like complex colorwork. Worked lengthwise, end to end, each row uses only one color, and the wrong side rows are all knit stitch. Great for the newer knitter.
Knitting: Cowl
Lambertville is a soft, squishy cowl that can hang long or wrap around your neck for extra warmth. It has a bit of the look of brioche but is really simple. All knits, purls, and slipped stitches over a 4-round repeat. It really shows up contrast between a tweedy yarn and a solid or semi-solid yarn. Go wild with color combinations or pair two c...
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
This shawl is a perfect use for that skein of variegated fingering or sock weight yarn you couldn’t resist! Pair it with a solid or semi solid and let it shine! This shawl has plain garter stitch sections and slip stitch sections that are simple to work and memorize.
Knitting: Cardigan
Georgie is sweetly reminiscent of vintage baby/toddler sweaters. This circular-yoke cardigan is worked flat seamlessly from the top down. Short rows are used to add length to the back of the yoke in the larger sizes. The yoke is then divided into body and sleeves and worked down. The button band is picked up after body and sleeves are finished.
Knitting: Pullover
Muriel is worked top-down in one piece. The circular yoke has mosaic colorwork reminiscent of mid-century modern design elements. Was there a formica table in your childhood that looked like this? Muriel is a good mid-century name, and when I was designing the yoke another Muriel was painting the streets in Washington DC!
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This is an old pattern of mine for a basic ribbed hat in bulky weight yarn, or two strands of DK or worsted held together.
Knitting: Pullover
After many requests from discerning grown-up knitters, here is the comfy adult version of the popular Lincoln Baby Sweater. No buttons on the shoulder, though. I figure adults can usually get a sweater over their own heads. The split hem adds ease, the textured yoke patterns is a four-row repeat and there is enough mindless stockinette for movi...
Knitting: Vest
No sleeve island for these babies! This pullover vest has a simple rib pattern and a v-neck with a rolled edge.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
Bodangora is a quick to knit beanie pattern, available in two weights 5-ply (Sport) and 8-ply (DK.) Knitter’s choice!
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This pattern contains directions for both a DK (8 ply) and a Sport (5 ply) version. Choose a size closest to your actual head measurement, as this stitch doesn’t have a great deal of stretch.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
The shawl is constructed by casting on a few stitches, then increasing stitches at one edge of the piece, creating an asymmetrical triangle.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves
Organic wool gives you weightless warmth, but this is also a perfect way to use up small amounts of yarn. Follow the pattern as written, or make your own stripes up as you go! Pattern includes a blank “color your own” graph. Cuff can be ribbed or done in Latvian Braid.
Knitting: Tee
Lavallette is a simple-to-knit lightweight tee shirt in two lengths. It is worked in light fingering weight yarn at a loose gauge, so it is airy and comfortable.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque, Mittens
These colorwork mittens and hat were designed for Nash Island Light, a yarn from Maine Island wool that manages to be silky and crunchy at the same time. Starcroft yarns has a new put up and some new colors.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
I named this quick knit Spin Art, since I designed it for the NFC Studio Chunky colorways named for artists. The color in the photo is named for Shepard Fairey. I’m eyeing Banksy, too.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
The ribbing in this hat is super stretchy and super cozy. This quick knit is suitable for most ages and styles.
Knitting: Pullover
The body is made in one piece, working in the round on a circular needle up to the armhole. The back and front sections are worked flat separately up to the shoulders, which are joined with a three-needle bind-off. The sleeves are picked up at the armhole and knitted down to the cuffs on circular or double-pointed needles.
Knitting: Cardigan
The body is made in one piece, working back and forth on a circular needle up to the armhole. The back and front sections are worked separately up to the shoulders, which are joined with a three-needle bind-off. The sleeves are picked up at the armhole and knitted down to the cuffs on circular or double-pointed needles. The collar and button ba...
Knitting: Cowl
This pretty and versatile infinity scarf uses only one skein of June Cashmere lace and is worked flat lengthwise, then grafted together to join in the round. The simple lace pattern can be worked from the chart or written directions and would be a good introduction to lace knitting.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This hat was designed for beginning colorwork knitters in a class I teach. There are no long color carries, and a slow striping yarn adds color changes without changing yarn, so the knitter can concentrate on keeping tension even. If you are an experienced colorwork knitter, it is a walk in the park.
Knitting: Cowl
This open basket-weave cowl is designed for both bulky and worsted weight yarns. I have a basket I love, from the folks at Tall Tales Yarn and Baskets in Tofte, Minnesota. It’s a bicycle basket I call Miss Gulch, after the owner of the most famous bicycle basket in the movies.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
This quick and simple to knit hat has a textured pattern that resembles cables, but is a simple right twist. To me, the stitch pattern looked a bit like swales -- water harvesting ditches built into a landscape.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
A quick and easy super bulky cable hat. Pompon optional, but recommended. This hat would be a good introduction to cables for the newer knitter. It would also be a super fast holiday gift.
Knitting: Cowl
This beginner-friendly knit and purl pattern knits up quickly in a worsted weight yarn. The tweed stitch and the tweed yarn make a great combination. It would also be gorgeous in a semisolid.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Designed with summer and warmer weather in mind, this simple garter stitch shawl is worked side-to-side. There is only one purl stitch in the 6 row edging repeat.
Knitting: Baby Blanket
This blanket is easy to knit, but has an attractive, cozy texture. It reminded me of terraced gardens. The yarn is dyed by a Minnesota Dyer and the Blue Faced Leicester is a dream to knit with.
Knitting: Cloche Hat
This cloche style hat has a wide hem that serves as a brim, warms the ears, and a contrast hem option.
Knitting: Cowl
This combination of ribs and welts has a herringbone appearance, but is stretchy enough to pull over your head, and elastic enough to be snug and warm.
Knitting: Scarf
This simple scarf pattern uses dropped stitches for an openwork effect with a crisp appearance. It works up quickly and makes a great spring or summer scarf.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves, Beret, Tam, Mittens, Beanie, Toque
This pattern uses garter rib to make a design that offers several variations on the basics. A beanie/slouchy hat gets slouchy by widening and narrowing the ribs and mittens can be shortened into fingerless mitts. Sizes toddler to adult.
Knitting: Vest
This vest is worked flat and seamed but easily adapted to knit in the round to the armholes if you prefer.
Knitting: Mittens
These mittens are a great introduction to stranded colorwork, or just for stashbusting. Choose anyone of the six patterns (or a solid rib) for the cuff, then combine it with any other pattern for the hand. They look complicated but are simple repeats. Amaze your friends with your sleight of hand!
Knitting: Earflap Hat
The hat features a subtle hugs and kisses ( X and O) motif - and earflaps to keep those little ears warm.
Knitting: Cowl
Kombu is a fingering weight cowl that draws in a bit, but doesn’t feel like a turtleneck. It is light enough to wear indoors, or in early spring if you use a cozy yarn.
Knitting: Earflap Hat
This quick and easy pattern is sized by changing needle size and gauge. Even a beginner can make it in a couple of evenings.
Knitting: Scarf
I wanted to design a scarf for the knitters I’ve talked to who like the look of some crocheted scarves, but don’t want to crochet. This scarf is worked long side to long side, with the tails left for fringe. I used three balls of Soft Linen (a wonderful yarn) but you could certainly use up stash with this.
Knitting: Fingerless Gloves, Beanie, Toque
The twisted stitches mimic cables and give the ribs an extra-stretchy quality. That makes the mitts snug enough for a range of hand widths.
Knitting: Mittens
I updated this pattern slightly and am making it free. Please consider making a few pairs of kid size to donate somewhere. People prefer to make and donate hats because they are more fun and easier, but I’ve been asked for mittens many times.
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
The cables on this hat are not difficult to work, and merge into the decreases at the top.
Knitting: Scarf
The stitch pattern to this scarf is so easy it makes it a great entry level lace project. It has a great deal of lateral spread, so the cast on is fewer stitches than you might think. Also, worked at a tighter gauge, the stitch is still springy, but the yarnovers are less visible.
Knitting: Shawl / Wrap
Fir Cone is a traditional Shetland lace pattern. It is another good pattern for beginner lace knitters, because the repeat is easily memorized, and the wrong side rows are plain purl. This pattern has a yarnover border to facilitate blocking -- the wires slide right through each hole.
Knitting: Cardigan
Another way to use sock weight yarn for baby sweaters! Koigu gives you so many color choices. Top-down sweater.
Knitting: Hats - Other
Tiger Hat Pattern Sales Will Benefit Heifer International The Tiger Hat can be sized for infant thru adult by varying gauge. Includes detailed directions and a full size color chart. 3 pages 1.5 MB Price $6.00 (US) 100% of proceeds will be sent to Heifer International.
Knitting: Cardigan
You can also do this pattern in DK wt for a 24 month size, but before you dismiss the idea of a baby sweater knit on size 2 (US) needles, let me reassure you. A baby sweater in sock yarn is not really any more work than a pair of socks. Maybe less. No grafting/kitchenering. (No seams, except for a three needle bind off at shoulders.) And best o...
Knitting: Beanie, Toque
I designed this hat quite a few years ago for advanced beginners to learn how to cable. Any worsted weight yarn works.