A sweater is for life, not just for the festive season!
A sweater is for life, not just for the festive season! Okay, well maybe not for life, but hopefully you'll treasure your handmade sweater for many years! Although the Pom team love a cheesy seasonal sweater as much as the next yarn enthusiast, we also love sweaters with more subtle and glam vibes which can be worn whenever it's cold enough as well as to festive occasions! After all, why spend all that time hand knitting a sweater that you can only wear a couple of times each year?
As much as we dislike using the F word (festive!) in September, to have a hand knitted sweater in time for 'the season to be jolly', most of us need a few months to make it! So, we've put together a list of sweaters from Pom Pom Quarterly and Pom Pom Press publications which we think make great festive sweaters!
The sweaters aren't listed in the order of their perceived festive-ness, just the order they were published in!
Cladonia from Issue 38
Although Catherine Clark designed Cladonia's colourwork to mimic lichen for our roots and branches issue, we think Cladonia's yoke also resembles falling snow, or even an ornately decorated tree. Isn't that one of the best things about our imaginations - everyone sees things slightly differently?!
Kordy from Moon and Turtle: Knitting Patterns with Variations
Kordy is rapidly becoming an iconic Pom Pom pullover design! Although Kordy is wonderful year-round, how fun would a version in festive colours be?! We're thinking a lush forest green for the main colour, with burgundy, pink, and white colourwork!
Lodestar from Issue 37
What's more festive than a star? Pom Pom editor Meghan Fernandes noted that Lodestar would look incredibly seasonal in a nice bright red, and we agree!
Deren from Embody: A Capsule Collection to Knit and Sew
Let's all take a moment and picture a version of Deren in a sparkly yarn - oh my! Although Deren involves several clever techniques, the pullover's minimalistic aesthetic would let a special yarn take centre stage! Deren is knit to a sport-weight gauge which is achieved here by holding a 4ply and mohair double, however, we've seen versions of Deren knit with 4ply yarn only. As always, be sure to check your gauge!
Eirys from Ready Set Raglan
Eirys is one of the most basic pullover patterns we've published, which makes this a quick and mindless pullover project and a perfect festive movie companion! Although the version pictured here is shown in a marl, we think a plain version of Eirys would be a great design to experiment with adding beads to your knits! Check out Jem Weston's 'Festive Top' blog post for inspiration!
Atlantica from Issue 34
There's something innately festive about bobbles! Perhaps it's because they resemble snowballs or baubles on a tree, but to us, Atlantica's bobbles radiate seasonal vibes! Two strands of lace-weight yarn are held together for Atlantica, so you can choose either a marl which is contrasting or a more tonal combination, whichever feels more celebratory to you!
Susurrus from Issue 32
Susurrus is an incredibly glam pullover - maybe it's the combination of mohair and lace? We think it would look at home at an office party (and we're not just talking about the Pom team's celebrations!), or on a special day during the festive season.
Saltings from Issue 31
Saltings oozes decadence. It's constructed by holding a silky mohair with 4ply so it looks and feels luxurious. Although pullovers tend to be associated with a casual look, Saltings is easy to dress up for an important occasion where you want to look smart but also want to stay toasty warm!
Netherton from Issue 1
Check out Netherton's rooftop motif! Rooftops are a traditional Christmas card scene so this design had to be in our top festive sweater picks! Issue 1 includes instructions for a Netherton pullover and a cardigan, so you can choose whichever goes best in your winter wardrobe. Additionally, Pom Team member, Alice, enjoys Netherton's cropped body and sleeve length. She says that 'it's ideal for indoor gatherings happening in the Winter months or during days when the oven is on for a while.'
Soirée from Knits About Winter
Soirée is published in Knits About Winter, and the title of the book says it all! If winter means cooler climes where you are, Soirée is the perfect sweater. Its boxy shape means it's an easy pullover to layer with, plus the cable and honeycomb pattern adorning the sides and upper sleeves adds to its snug log cabin aesthetic!
***
We hope there's a festive sweater here to suit everyone! Happy knitting, Pom Pals! Xx