Three Great Choices from Wool Studio Vol. X

✓Let the Interweave Knits Winter 2024 issue transport you to a winter wonderland of cozy knits! This remarkable edition features 14 extraordinary projects to immerse yourself in the uniqueness of specially crafted yarns.

Another issue of Wool Studio is out (Vol. X!) and, as always, my queue has gotten longer. This time, I’m even adding a wrap to the list, which is very unlike me. I haven’t gone totally off book, though, because of my top three, two are sweaters.

Shoji Sweater by Takako Takiguchi

Woman wearing beige knit sweater from Wool Studio Vol. X — Shoji Sweater by Takako Takiguchi. Photo by Molly Stevenson.

I love the silhouette of this sweater. The deep raglan shaping gives it a cozy, swancho feeling but keeps the pullover shape. It’s all about the details in this sweater—the ribbed collar flows beautifully into the sleeves and body, and the bit of ribbing down the sides adds a nice touch.

Named for the panels in a Japanese shoji screen, the sections of the sweater are distinctly separate yet go perfectly together. On the front, smooth stockinette bookends a central basketweave design, and the arms are knit in Andalusian stitch, which results in a cool texture. The back is worked entirely in stockinette, my favorite!

The Shoji Sweater is worked in one piece, but with the different panels, there’s always something going on. I think this is the perfect TV or Zoom meeting project, with just enough interest to keep you going.

Nested Diamonds Wrap by Monica Christine

Woman wearing a mustard color knit wrap from Wool Studio Vol. X — Nested Diamonds Wrap by Monica Christine. Photo by Molly Stevenson.

I couldn’t pass up this wrap from Wool Studio Vol. X, with its geometric twisted-stitch diamonds. Created with simple 1/1 twisted stitches, the pattern sections are easy to knit and pack a textural punch.

Soothing stockinette sections alternate with the diamond stitch pattern, making this a fun knit with small “rest periods” between twisted stitch panels. The Nested Diamonds Wrap is the perfect project for winter knitting; as you progress, it’ll keep your lap warm!

Gambrel Vest by Meghan Jones

Woman wearing a blue knit vest on an orange background from Wool Studio Vol. X — Gambrel Vest by Meghan Jones. Photo by Molly Stevenson.

I guess this isn’t technically a sweater, but I’ve never shied away from a vest—I love them as layering pieces to wear over a white or denim button-down. My friend Meghan Jones designed this beauty, and it shines with her signature textural genius; the Gambrel Vest is a graphic feast for the eyes.

Woman wearing pink Gambrel Vest — Meghan knit up her own version of this vest as soon as she put the sample in the mail to our office. She altered the sleeve hems with a narrow garter-stitch band instead of ribbing. Photo by Meghan Jones.

Meghan designed the Gambrel Vest with drop shoulders, so it does double duty as a vest and a tee. She’s always thinking, that one!

This is a fairly easy knit. If you can knit stockinette stitch, reverse stockinette stitch, garter stitch, and ribbing, you can knit this project. And P.S., vests take less yardage than sweaters, so look for those bags of “almost-enough-make-a-sweater” stash and put them to work!

These three projects have one thing in common: lots of texture. I always gravitate toward these types of knits, and that trend continues with the designs in Wool Studio Vol. X. In fact, all the patterns in this issue feature some sort of fab texture. From simple knit and purl patterns to twisted stitches to lace, there’s something to excite and inspire you to put yarn to needles.

Happy Knitting!
Kathleen