My family LOVES a tradition…I swear it’s not just me! And taking a cheesy pic of my kids and niblings together is one of my very favourite traditions. Raisie is the newest baby in the fam, looking very cute all bundled up! Here’s 2023’s festive shoot.
Some years have stronger themes than others, but this year we decided the palette was everything. I love all the different reds and greens, and a pop of mint to keep things interesting. If you hang around here long enough, you’re bound to see some hand-me-downs amongst the crew!
Hunter’s sweater was VERY fun to knit!
Yarn: I love this bright red from La Bien Aimée so much. I held together a strand of sock yarn and a strand of silk mohair for a bit of a halo. I used the colourway Coquelicot in both yarns for the bright red. For the pale pinky colour I used Pretty In Pink for the sock yarn and Peach Sweater for the silk mohair.
Pattern: This is a slightly modified Simple Sweater. I wanted a little extra positive ease, and bigger sleeves. My gauge was 18 sts per 4″, so I followed the worsted weight instructions, adding 2 extra increase rounds at the bottom of the yoke to give it that oversized fit. I did unshaped sleeves, decreasing to the desired cuff stitch count right before the ribbing at the cuff.
I guess I was pretty smitten with the Simple sweater this year! Jones is also wearing a Simple Sweater, but knit to pattern with shaped sleeves. I worked constrast ribbing and I was quite pleased with the result!
Yarn: I used Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Northern Lights and Forest Floor
Pattern: Simple Sweater, worsted weight instructions, and long shaped sleeves.
Bodhi is looking very elfin in her Sparkle sweater and jaunty toque! I love this combination of cool greens, mint, and bright orangey red!
Yarn: The sweater is Farmers Daughter Fibers Soka’pii in Juniper, Emil, Undercurrent, and Flower Point. The hat is knit up holding a strand of Brooklyn Tweed Peerie in Firebrush with a strand of ITO Sensai in colour 309 red.
Patterns: The sweater is Sparkle, a bit of my favourite geometric colourwork. The cabled hat is Westerly.
Arlo is wearing his Christmas sweater from 2021…and it still fits! Aunty Alexa knit it up with extra room, and it’s still going strong. This was one of the first yokes I did for our 2021 photo, I love the gold squares, they feel like belt buckles to me. And the wild and colourful palette? Chefs kiss!
Yarn: The main colour is Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Hammock, and the yoke is a smattering of bits and bobs from my yarn stash.
Pattern: This is the Carousel yoke. The pattern is written for a sport weight yarn, so I sized down to get the right fit for Arlo.
Ellis is wearing a hand-me-down Strange Brew sweater from 2017! It was originally Hunter’s sweater, then Bodhi’s, and now Ellis’.
Yarn: This sweater is knit up in Brooklyn Tweed Arbor in Alizarin, with Hammock for the colourwork at the yoke. The hat is Brooklyn Tweed Shelter in Northern Lights.
Pattern: The sweater is Strange Brew. Check out all the details (including the chart if you wanna knit one too) here. The hat is the Basic Beanie, worsted weight.
The newest addition to the family got a new sweater. Raisie is looking so precious in mint and red. It was a battle during photos ’cause everyone wanted to hold the baby!
Yarn: Raisie’s sweater is knit up with Moondrake Co. Moonspun in Mint and a beautiful skein of Spincycle Dyed in the Wool from way back. Her Beloved bonnet is knit up in the same Spincycle.
Pattern: This one is the Decades sweater, and the bonnet is Beloved.
I try to not to play favourites…but these sweaters are amazing! Michelle knit these Christmas train sweaters up using our Strange Brew recipe. Michelle’s Dad is a big train guy, and the boys are too. She’s combined all sorts of festive motifs, but the trains were vital!
Yarn: A classic combo of red and green in Berocco Vintage
Pattern: Strange Brew, top-down, worsted weight. Michelle created the motifs herself.
Ripley is our little skeptic, off to the side. She’s not convinced by our family photos, but we’ll win her over yet!
Yarn: Ripley’s cardigan is knit up in SweetGeorgia Superwash DK in Cilantro, and her hat is La Bien Aimée Cashmerino held doubled in Coquelicot
Pattern: Ripley is wearing the Classic Cardigan, DK weight.
