Unlike 2015, I didn’t add much to the free knitting patterns on the blog this year (just one, actually — the Plait Hat), which makes for a pretty different Top Posts list from last year’s. (I did publish multiple FO posts for top-down sweaters that include all the details you need to make your own.) Tutorials, however, there were a lot of! The mother of all tutorials was the update of my always-popular top-down tutorial, now dubbed Improv (and listed on Ravelry), which was also the basis for the Top-Down Knitalong — not only a highlight of the year for me, but of the whole five years I’ve been doing this.
But there were other tutorials I hope you didn’t miss. In the bottom-up realm: How to knit inset pockets and How to seam on a button band. And in the top-down realm: How to incorporate a stitch pattern, How to knit top-down inset pockets, How and why to knit top-down sleeves flat and How to knit a compound raglan. Plus How to knit the right size sweater, How to account for gauge differences and the importance of underarm ease. Phew!
But as far as what got clicked on most this year—
Top 5 posts from 2016:
1. Improv: Basic pattern for a top-down seamless sweater
2. Plait Hat
3. How (and why) to knit top-down sleeves flat
4. Slow Fashion October 2016 (master plan)
5. Hot Tip: Relax your cast-on
Top 5 posts from previous years (other than the top-down tutorial):
1. Pullovers for first-timers: Or, an introduction to sweater construction
2. Fringe Hatalong No. 1: Audrey by Jessie Roselyn
3. The lovely Audrey (the most popular image on Pinterest this year!)
4. Q for You: What’s your peak knitting experience? (the most popular image on Pinterest last year!)
5. Joining sweater parts at the underarm: Here comes the fun!
And some personal favorite posts that didn’t make either list:
– I have a soft spot for these photos from when I was working on Bob’s sweater in Florida in January.
– The art on Idea Log: Penguono x Joseph was probably my favorite of the year, and I still love the idea of that weirdo-minimalist take on Stephen’s cardigan, even though I abandoned the project. Might have to rethink that.
– I loved the Anna Vest knitalong, obviously — thank you to everyone who’s knitted my pattern so far!
– I only managed to publish a few Our Tools, Ourselves this year, but they were really good! See Julie Hoover and Ashley Yousling (and er, my own workroom)
– Make Your Own Basics quickly became my favorite series to put together, so it’s good that you guys seem to love it, too
– And I couldn’t be happier about the introduction of Jess’s Swatch of the Month column into the mix!
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I have two requests for you as we head into the new year:
- I’d love it if you’d leave a comment below telling me what your favorite post, series or event from this year was.
- I’d love it you’d tell others, by sharing your favorite on Pinterest or Facebook or wherever you share.
Thank you so much for reading along this year! And for all the great comments along the way.
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