As temperatures start to drop and days become shorter, we find ourselves drawn to working on projects that will take a bit more time. The prospect of sitting quietly with a lap full of knitting is comforting; and so larger projects have a greater appeal. With this in mind, earlier this fall Maureen teamed up with several New England designers to create a unique collection of sweater dress patterns that you may want to take a closer look at.
All Aboard! is an $18 e-book that features 6 new designs made with warmer weight yarns ranging from DK weight to Aran. These sweater dresses represent a wonderful modern take on a 1950’s wardrobe staple that will be the perfect choice for a festive holiday gathering or a weekend away.
Becky Herrick’s design, Essex Junction features eye-catching color work at the yoke, cuffs and hem. Beth Brown-Reinsel’s Alouette is knitted in the style of the British gansey. It features typical gansey textured stitches above the waist to add visual interest and provide you with something fun to work on. Lars Rains has contributed a top-down seamless pattern featuring brioche texturing: Brattleboro. His pattern includes directions for various special techniques that will make for a fun project that will build your skills this winter. Rosann Fleischauer’s Rensselaer is a flirty feminine A-line dress with cabling at the waist that makes for a figure flattering silhouette.
We have to confess a special preference for the designs included in this collection that call for Spinnery yarns.
Maureen’s Green Mountain Flyer pattern was designed with Alpaca Elegance. This yarn creates a lush fabric with beautiful movement that is as pleasurable to knit as it is flattering to wear. The overall texture is created with an easily memorized knit 2, purl one rib stitch variation. And those garter stitch patch pockets are just darling!
Suzy Allen contributed the Montpelier pattern to the collection. Her design features small symmetrical cables and an elegant empire waist; with sizes ranging from a 27″ to a 43″ bust measurement. She wore this beautiful dress to the Sheep & Wool festival at Rhinebeck last month and was frequently stopped by complimentary visitors eager to learn more about her design.
She created this pattern with the Spinnery’s worsted weight Weekend Wool in mind. And our new expanded color palette gives you even more options to choose from.
We hope that your upcoming weeks are filled with fun knitting projects and scrumptious yarn that warm your spirit as much as your hands. And if a new knitted dress looks like fun, we hope that you’ll treat yourself to the All Aboard! collection that you can find on Ravelry.