The triple gull stitch cable is simple to work, versatile, and just plain pretty. It is distinctive because the cabled stitches are slipped on the row before cabling, forming a longer stitch.

Autumn in North Dakota: it’s a time to stockpile firewood, crack open the brandy, and break out the handknits. The air is crisp with the smell of fallen leaves, wood smoke, and that distinct smell of cold. You start needing mittens during the day. Your neck is cold- time to find the cowls. And of course, you’re wearing beautiful sweaters every day. Knit yourself the Northern Lights mittens for those nights when you’re outside, looking at the sky, hoping to see the lights. Make yourself a Fireside Cowl for those chilly evenings around the fire pit. Work up a Ghost Stories sweater, then break out your scariest stories for the kids. Autumn in North Dakota: you’re covered.

It doesn’t get much more nautical than this!

My kids absolutely love the Netflix show Gabby’s Dollhouse. It has cats, crafts, and a dollhouse, all of which are very popular around here. My oldest asked to be Gabby this past Halloween, and being who I am, I decided to make her costume instead of buy some cheapy garbage from Amazon that would fall apart in two days. I searched high and low ...

Cardigans: cozy. Blazers: polished. Why not combine the two and look put together while still being snuggly and warm? This cardigan features knitted lapels like a blazer, but it’s a bit oversized and bulky to keep you cozy all winter long. Belt the middle for a more work-ready look.

Who doesn’t love a baby in a hooded animal sweater? This one knits up really quickly using super bulky, fur-like yarn. With no edgings and a simple hook and eye closure, this quick knit is also a breeze to finish.

Delicate cabled floral motifs run the length of the First Blush Sweater—a bit of sweetness to balance the dramatic back. This sweater is knitted in the round from the bottom up to the deep back V-neck, then worked separately back and forth to the shoulders. Set-in sleeves keep the First Blush Sweater tailored and polished.

You’re unlikely to find a cozier pullover than this one. The Fall Line Pullover uses a simple allover texture pattern and a boxy shape to create a relaxed, snuggly sweater. Knit in a blend of Merino wool, alpaca, and silk, this is sure to become your go-to sweater all season long.

Reminiscent of a thermal under layer, the Waffle Stitch Pullover is a great everyday sweater. Plenty of positive ease makes it easy to wear and layer, and the easily memorized Waffle Stitch pattern makes for a rhythmic and soothing knit.

The varied cables of the Alder Pullover are reminiscent of the catkins of this sweater’s namesake, the alder tree. Worked in pieces from the bottom up, the asymmetrical body pattern looks complex but consists of just four cables, making the knitting surprisingly easy and enjoyable.

The boxy, open-front Wendover Cardigan has a fun back feature: a swath of twisted rib that is enclosed inside a twisted-stitch triangle motif that wraps around the lower body. Upscale details such as a tubular bind-off elevate a simple shape into something truly special. It’s the perfect cardigan for easing into warmer weather.

This sweater was born when my husband saw a targeted Facebook ad for an “Ugly Star Wars Christmas Sweater.” It was indeed ugly, and clearly poorly made. For whatever reason I volunteered to make him an actually good Star Wars Christmas sweater, and here we are.

Brioche is one of those “scary” knitting techniques that even advanced knitters hesitate to try. It doesn’t have to be scary! This easy hat is a great introduction to Brioche.

An ideal sweater for spring, the Garter Grooves Cardigan is an excellent layering piece. Knitted in a delicious blend of organic cotton and organic Merino wool, this cardigan is worked in one piece from the bottom up with faux side seams and garter-stitch edgings. The simple garter stripe pattern—worked only on the back—makes it texturally enga...

The Swingy Top is knitted in a delightfully smooth blend of superwash Merino wool, mohair, and silk, making it both warm and light. The variegated yarn shines in the stockinette-stitch body, while the chevron-inspired hem pattern gives it an elevated elegance.

The Downtown Cabled Hat is perfect for anyone on the go. The lacy cables pop in a luxury wool, angora, and cashmere-blend yarn.

I live in an older neighborhood called, funnily enough, Sherwood Forest. As you can imagine, trees are the dominate landscaping. My backyard has several huge, old Water Oaks that drop what feels like millions of acorns every year. The lace motifs on this hat remind me of the acorns that cover my yard. While the acorns look complex, they are act...

Who doesn’t love a top that features a surprise on the back? From the front, the Hallie Top looks like a traditional summer tee, but turn it around and you’ll discover an open back with a contrasting inset bow. Featuring a picot-edged turned hem and top-down, set-in sleeves, it’s the perfect little top for any summer occasion.

The thick-and-tweedy Horehound Henley is knitted in the round from the bottom up. The hem, cuffs, offset button placket, and neck are worked in fisherman’s rib; the body and sleeves are stockinette. Sleeve stitches are picked up around the armhole and the sleeves are knitted top down in the round.

Curious about oddly-constructed mittens and their viability, I sat down with yarn and needles and managed to make these bias-knit mittens work.

These socks are worked from the toe up with a short-row heel. The top of the cuff features a highly embossed rosebud pattern. The rosebuds are created by increasing many stitches, but the stitch count will go back to the original once the rosebuds are complete. Be sure to use a stretchy bind off, such as Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off, a...

These socks are worked from the cuff down with a heel flap and gusset. The legs and instep feature a simple knit-purl pattern (note that the knits are all worked through the back loop) that forms a chainlink type pattern. The chainlink pattern is both charted and written out.

Simple twist stitches form a triangular leaf pattern that looks much more complex than it really is. Every other round is a knit round, giving the mind a nice break from all those twists. This generous cowl is meant to puddle around the neck, but if puddling is not for you simply cast on fewer stitches in a multiple of 16 stitches.

Almost nothing is sweeter than a little kid dressed up in something with ears. Knit your little one (3-6 months up to 10 years) this fawn hoodie and revel in the cuteness.

These socks are worked from the cuff down with a heel flap and gusset. A three-stitch panel of garter stitch runs down the centre of the back leg. Keep in mind that finished the socks should be 1.5cm shorter than your actual foot length for a good fit. The pattern can be worked either from charts or written instructions, whichever you prefer.

Simpler lace patterns can be just as lovely, but allow the knitter to carry on a conversation or watch a movie while knitting. This lace stole is simple enough to knit while doing something else and give lace newbies the opportunity to learn how to “read” their stitches, but the results are anything but simple and boring!

With its hood, pockets, and open front, the Ingrid Vest is a thick, versatile extra layer that can be worn with a number of different outfits.

This tank top looks simple from the front, but the back is where the excitement is — it features an inset triangular lace panel! You won’t have to worry about being too warm in this tank top!

This classic round-yoked pullover is an original design by Emily Ringelman for Biscotte Yarns. Knitted with our famous Dk Pure hand-dyed yarn, this pullover features a chain-link pattern at the sleeve cuffs and hem, and has a bold helix-like pattern around the yoke. It’s worked from the bottom up seamlessly.

This nautical vest features wide red and white stripes and has a turned bottom hem, rolled stockinette edgings, and an i-cord tie belt. Whether you’re headed to the boathouse or just a stroll around town, this vest is the beach accessory your spring outfit needs.

Difficulty Intermediate

Difficulty Easy

Worsted weight mittens are one of my favorite things to knit. These mittens feature a double-diamond cable on a background of reverse stockinette. A thumb gusset and a rounded top make them fit nicely.

Tackle intarsia colorwork with this beginner-friendly bag and its colorful geometric design. The roomy size and drawstring handles of this bag make it ideal for all the fun outings planned for your last days of summer.

The generous pockets of this cardigan are knit as you go, making for a unique knitting experience. Designed by Emily Ringelman, this open-front cardigan is knit from the bottom up and features a simple cable panel along with an allover textured stitch pattern.

Carmine is worked in the round from the bottom up, then divided for front and back. The set-in sleeves are worked separately from the bottom up as well. The body and sleeves begin with twisted ribbing that becomes enclosed in a triangle of left and right twists. The upper portions of the body and sleeves are stockinette.

The straps of this cute striped tank cross over each other in a creative way. Worked from the bottom up in the round, a light cotton yarn makes this perfect for outdoor activities.

As sweet and feminine as you are likely to find, this delightful cushion features a row of pastel ruffles sure to be just the right embellishment for your home. And with 150 colors of Palette to choose from, you’re sure to find just the right colors to suit you.

This stranded colorwork hat features a repeating design of hearts and arrows. While it’s totally appropriate for Valentine’s Day, if that’s not your thing, make the hat monochrome using three shades of the same color- light for the background, medium for the hearts, and dark for the arrows- for a modern look.

“Super Bulky” is the most varied of the yarn weights, which can make selecting a yarn for a Super Bulky pattern tricky. This cowl is written for three different gauges of Super Bulky- 1.5, 2, and 2.5 stitches per inch. Choose your yarn based on the yarn label’s gauge over stockinette, then use the chart in the pattern to cast on. You will end u...

This cardigan features a simple all-over cable pattern. The borders are all squishy garter stitch, and the collar is especially squishy because of short rows that help it fold over. Front patch pockets are both useful and fun.

In August 2016, Louisiana experienced epic flooding that began with a 48 hour, 20 inch rain fall. Rivers overflowed, which led to breached levees, backwater flooding, and four feet of water in my house. The Amite River, which flows through Baton Rouge and was a main contributor to the catastrophic flooding, is a tributary of Lake Maurepas in Mi...

My wrists are often cold, probably because I tend to push up my sleeves when I’m doing anything with my hands- knitting, typing, reading- regardless of weather or room temperature. That’s why I like longer fingerless mitts- they cover your wrists! They’re also great layered with thin gloves for the winter; snow can’t get into your coat cuffs, b...

Oakenshield is a classic men’s modified drop-shoulder

A trio of cables decorate this cozy pillow, but the star of the show is the Antler cable pattern. Knit in Wool of the Andes Superwash yarn for easy and effortless care.

Use a super-bulky, single-ply yarn to get a super-warm and quick hat. It’s worked from the bottom up with a garter-stitch band and a fun spiral rib pattern, and is topped with a cute three inch pom-pom made thick with the huge yarn.

Gillywater is a lovely, all-over spade lace patterned pullover with a deep scoop neck. This is my favorite way to knit a sweater: the body is bottom up, in the round, then the sleeves are top-down and seamless. Simple stockinette sleeves are a nice break from all that lace.

Silverthorne Baby Blanket by Emily Ringelman in knitscene handmade 2016

Dillon Scarf by Emily Ringelman in knitscene handmade 2016

My two loves- knitting (duh) and nautical- combined in one project. Using the international maritime signal flag alphabet, the front of the bag says “KNIT” and the back says “PURL.” It’s a little meta, but why not keep your knitting project in a knitted project bag? This bag is a good size for a small project, like socks, or use it to store you...

Kimberlite is an asymmetrical tee with a repeated theme of diamonds: the off-center textured panel is one large diamond made up of many smaller twist-stitch diamonds; the back features a diamond-shaped keyhole; and the V-neck front is half a diamond. So many diamonds!

Large-scale lace patterns, worked in very thick wool, can make a great graphic impact in a space. Knit this blanket in a fun color, or a color that contrasts with your living room, toss it over the back of your couch, and bam! Style. Super bulky yarn means that this blanket will just fly off of your needles.

Use your leftover sock yarns in the cuffs, heels, and toes of the Garmond Socks, and add a bit of interest to a striped, top down, timeless sock pattern you’ll be knitting over and over again.

Lately I’m really into “modern Fair Isle.” I love how traditional Fair Isle colorwork looks when knitted at a larger (worsted) gauge. For this vintage-style ski sweater, I really wanted to experiment with using arrow motifs paired with traditional Fair Isle patterns. And who doesn’t love a little child dressed in a vintage ski sweater?

Take your love of Star Wars to the next level with your own knitted lightsaber. The blade is simply a long tube with one closed end. The hilt has raised grip welts at the bottom for all those hectic Jedi battles. There are instructions in the pattern to make the hilt and blade detachable, for ease in carrying the hilt around on your belt. Makin...

This hat was originally published in Issue 54 of Knit Now magazine.

Down here in Louisiana, we don’t generally need big thick slippers, because Winter just isn’t that bad. We’ll have cold days, sure, but it’s more like Thick Socks cold than Slippers-Socks-Mittens-and-a-Cowl cold. For those Thick Socks days, here are some worsted weight slippers- more than just socks, but less than full-on slippers, and just wha...

Knitted pants are, for whatever reason, not really A Thing. I don’t know why not; they’re no scarier to make than a raglan-sleeved pullover, they’re lovely and warm, and the patterning possibilities are endless! These pants are written for calf-length lounge pants, but if the mood strikes you, make shorts, Bermuda shorts, or full-length pants. ...

Everyone has a special place in their heart for gnomes. Your special place can be around your neck, as well! This adorable scarf is knit in a textured stitch with intarsia pockets on each end. Don’t like intarsia? Try duplicate stitch for a quick way to complete a scarf that will elicit comments for many seasons to come.

Knitted shorts! Bottoms- shorts, pants, skirts- are generally not what one thinks of when one decides to sit down and knit something. I don’t know why not; shorts are no more difficult than a raglan sweater, and they’re super comfy. Knit yourself some shorts for lounging or sleeping, or use a cotton blend and make yourself some running shorts.

A simple knit-purl pattern gets way more textured with the addition of a couple of slipped stitches. The resulting texture is almost waffle-like and has a lot of depth. The pattern is both written out and charted.

This pullover is worked from the top down in the round with raglan shaping. A cable panel begins with a large number of cast-on stitches at the neck, and runs the length of the pullover. The bottom and neckline ribbing match up with the cable pattern for a clean look.

Two years ago, my mom hit a big birthday milestone, so I flew out from California, where we were living at the time, to South Dakota, my homeland, to surprise her. My visit spanned the last couple days of April and the first couple of May, when in California, the weather was absolutely gorgeous, and even starting to stray on the wrong side of “...

Modern Fair Isle” sort of sounds like an oxymoron, but in reality, Fair Isle motifs, when used alone as an accent, can be beautifully graphic and fresh. A single motif dresses up this basic hat and really creates that pop that a basic hat needs. Each color of the motif only uses a little bit of yarn, making this pattern a great use of leftover ...

Olmsted is a top-down, totally seamless pullover with a dipped hem, plait cables, and set-in sleeves. The shoulders, sleeve caps, and hem are shaped with short rows. The body has a bit of an A-line shape for comfort. The front and back feature a wide (wider on the back) panel of double seed stitch set off with a cable on each side. Easy to toss...

Worsted-weight mittens are one of my favorite things to knit. They’re so quick and satisfying, they’re perfect for gifting, and they take less than one skein of yarn. Plain mittens are a bit boring, though, so these feature an easy-to-work slip-stitch diamond pattern on the backs. A thumb gusset makes these fit well, and a nicely rounded top is...

While I was designing this sweater, I referred to it in my head as “the mullet sweater”- an unflattering name, for sure, but one that makes sense, because this sweater is all business in the front, but then turn around and bam! Party in the back. The centered lace panel in back is fun, pretty, and adds that little something extra to a standard ...

Knitted from the bottom up in pieces and seamed, Tullamore is a classic cardigan with lovely, intricate cable details. The ability to cable without a cable needle is a real boon for this pattern, but you’ll do just fine with a needle if that’s your preference. Each piece has its own chart, making it easy to take just one piece of Tullamore on t...

Lagniappe (noun)

The Lisburn Cowl began with an idea that wouldn’t leave my head: what if I made a cowl with triangular ends and ties? What if the ties threaded through buttonholes? What if the whole thing was cabled? I ended up with a rather unique cowl-wrap hybrid. I-cord ties morph into applied i-cord edgings up each side of the cowl. Knit the i-cords in a c...

A simple shape with some lovely details: Water Skaters, so named because the traveling lines of the lace pattern look like insect legs on a pond, is a great project for a beginner who wants to broaden her skill range or a seasoned knitter who just likes to make cowls. Garter stitch edgings give way to a (very easy!) large scale lace pattern. Th...

Autumn in North Dakota: It’s getting dark earlier. The trees are losing their leaves, and the wind makes the branches rattle all night long. In the mornings, the ponds are covered in an eerie mist made even spookier by the orange sunrise. It’s the perfect time to tell ghost stories.

Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, is a beautiful, almost mythical phenomenon made even more special because it occurs in areas where not many people live, like Alaska and North Dakota. If you don’t happen to live one of those remote places, you can just knit yourself some Northern Lights mittens instead! A ribbon runs up the back of thes...

In North Dakota, autumn can be flat-out cold. Even if you’re sitting around a camp fire, or an outdoor fire pit, or, let’s face it, even your indoor fireplace, you still need something warm and cozy around your neck. The Fireside Cowl is your perfect solution. The i-cord drawstring keeps things snug, so no errant winds can get down your neck, a...

If you’re unfamiliar with the Harry Potter series, or familiar with it but not obsessed with every tiny detail (ahem, like me), then here’s a brief overview of a Harry Potter creature called The Niffler. A niffler is a small, fluffy animal with a long snout, found mostly in mines. Nifflers have a great love of gold, shiny things, and coins- any...

Gather Ye Rosebuds hat, inspired by the Robin Williams movie “Dead Poets Society.” There is a point in the movie when Williams’ character, a teacher at a prep school, quotes a Robert Herrick poem in order to make a point. The first couple lines of the poem are: Gather ye rosebuds while ye may/Old Time is still a-flying. This was one of my favor...

This is a revamping of my first ever design, published in 2009. I learned a lot in the 5 years since then, so I put all that knowledge to use when updating this pattern.

Vistoire (a common French Creole first name from the 1800s) is a flattering, fitted pullover worked from the top down with raglan shaping. It’s totally seamless, which means finishing is minimal. The deep scoop neck gives way to a striking cable panel that runs down the center of the pullover. It’s sexy, but still super comfy. Vistoire is a gre...

This pattern was originally published in the Autumn 2014 issue of Pompom Quarterly: You can subscribe to Pom Pom Quarterly or order your copy of Issue 10 here! Don’t forget to join our group for updates, KALs and chatter about Pom Pom patterns!

A simple yet fun pair of nautical gloves. A background of thin stripes lays the base for a duplicate stitched and embroidered anchor in a contrasting color. Not into the nautical look? Just use the glove pattern without the stripes or anchor.

If you ask me my favorite style of blank (clothing, home décor, vacations), I will reply “nautical” almost every time. I love navy-and-white striped shirts, boat shoes, anchors necklaces, diagrams of boats, fabric printed with whales, you name it. Is it nautical? I want. So when it came time to decorate my new East Coast home, duh, I went with ...

When I wake up in the morning, my greatest desires are, in order, 1) coffee, 2) to hug my cat, and 3) to wrap myself up in a snuggly sweater or blanket. I designed this open-front cardigan to satisfy need #3. It’s super cuddly, warm, and pretty, to boot! The middle of the body features an incredibly easy slip-stitch color pattern- you only knit...

Every knight needs a sword, but the knight’s mother would probably appreciate it if the sword did minimal damage to the knight’s brothers, cat, and furniture. Enter Woolbringer: a knitted sword.

Just because it’s warm outside it doesn’t mean you have to stop knitting! Knit yourself a fun chevron tank top to wear to the beach this summer!

A classic cabled pullover in a DK weight yarn.

Nord Mittens of Dwindling Frost:

“Babies in silly hats” is one of the best things the world has to offer. How about a viking hat?

A bold cable pattern livens up a classic silhouette in the Over the Fence pullover. Simple stockinette sleeves are a good textural contrast to the large-scale cable pattern of the body. A fairly wide neckline means that layering is easy! Throw the sweater on over a button down shirt and you’ve got a sophisticated (and warm!) outfit for the wint...

Bonnets get a bad rap because people think they’re a baby thing, something the Amish wear, or are just plain dorky, but I think they deserve a chance. A bonnet can just plunk onto your head, it never rides up in back (making biking + bonnets the ideal pairing), and there’s the potential for three (three!) pompoms. But if pompoms aren’t your thi...

Sometimes, in life and in knitting, what you need is a quick, squishy, classic cabled ski hat. Make this one in just a couple of hours and get a warm head and a great deal of knitting satisfaction.

What’s more classic than a set-in sleeve, scoop neck, striped pullover? Not much, that’s what.

This boat-neck blouse is worked seamlessly from the top down with a circular yoke. The asymmetrical bottom of the sweater is shaped with short rows and features welts, meant to look like gathers. A button tab “holds” the gathers in place. A pretty lace panel, knitted in a lighter-weight yarn and an easy, one-row pattern, peaks out from under th...

I am a big believer in creative play, dress up, and little kids wearing funny outfits. Make your kid a unicorn hoodie and get all of that in one! The unicorn hoodie is a great spark for kids’ imaginations, and you’ll get a kick out of seeing your child dressed like a mythical creature. Make it in white and silver as shown, or really nerd out an...

Like most girls I know, I wear flip-flops before it’s warm enough and sweaters before it’s cold enough, because I’m always antsy for the next season to start, even though we’re not done with the current one. The Everett Henley is great for those not-quite-cold-enough-for-a-sweater-days if you layer it over a camisole, but it can easily take you...

I was knitting a cabled swatch while also trying to watch TrueBlood, a most distracting show, and accidentally knitted too many rows between cables, because Eric Northman. The result was pretty cool looking, so I thought, eh, let’s go with it! So I took it even further and made cables that spread out more and more as the hat gets taller, then s...

My husband is an avid duck hunter with a PhD in the study of animal behavior, namely ducks. Needless to say, we have a lot of ducks in our life. Quite a while ago, he asked me for a knitted hat that looked like a duck, with all of the features 3-D. I thought, no. We have enough ducks. And I knew there was no way I’d go out in public with someon...

These basic mitts are made all the more awesome (and nautical) by the addition of textured ribbing and a button flap. Use gold anchor buttons to really play up the nautical-ness. I used Vanna’s Choice because I had it on hand, but feel free to use any worsted weight yarn of your choosing.

A classic chevron pattern in bold stripes will certainly win you style points at the yacht club. Work the scarf in two contrasting colors for a bold look, or in two shades of one color for a subtle pattern. An easy, fast knit, this scarf is surely what your nautical wardrobe has been lacking.

The Sailor Slouch is a very easy, very cute striped hat with a button band on the ribbing. It uses any worsted wight yarn that you like. Use gold anchor buttons to play up the nautical factor.

So named because my husband says it’s a “Big, fuzzy, cute hat.”

A simple, two-row lace scarf. Use any yarn you like, make it as wide and as long as you like. Gauge is not crucial to this pattern.