Knitters: who are your favorite pattern makers and where are your favorite indie places to buy yarn when you taste favors bougie materials?

Question

Abby · Answer

Purl Soho.: They have an amazing selection (many under their own brand) with lots of non-wool choices. They run frequent sales and they have a lot of free patterns on their website.

dani · Answer

my favourite knits: I love these patterns, they are classic but not simple and just look so beautiful.

Sara · Answer

Kelbourne Woolens: Kelbourne Woolens is my most favorite yarn company. Run by two rad Philadelphians. They create glorious solids and heathers with a focus on quality and transparency. They also have a great eye for putting together great color ways, with some notable not-quite-greys and pops of neons. I've also found that any shop that carries Kelbourne also carries great other brands!

Madeline Tolle · Answer

Le Pull: The coolest knitting patterns. The perfect combo of French, chic, and playful. And the patterns are all written perfectly

Natalie · Answer

Rows knitwear: Some very trendy patterns! I believe the founder used to be the primary pattern maker for wool and the gang

Natalie · Answer

Knitting for Olive: They have easy to follow instructions and their yarns come in gorgeous colors

Clara · Answer

Birlinn Yarn: I’m not actually really a knitter myself, but Meg is so kind and her yarn - spun from her own flock - is to die for. Her patterns are also totally gorgeous!

Karen · Answer

Nightshades Yarn: I found myself visiting the mills when I was in New Hampshire and fell in love with their nightshades collection. Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed worked with them for a while, too.

Syboné T. · Answer

@vexnot.studio for knitting patterns: I love the way Hollis writes patterns!!! I knit the Scapes sweater as the first pattern I ever followed, and then went on to test knit for her Sentinel Sweater years later!! Honorable mention for the So What Shruggie!

Heather M · Answer

Spincycle Yarns: Delicious unique yarn entirely produced in the US, and a few patterns designed to really show them off.

Brigid · Answer

purl soho: I don’t know if it’s indie, but I love Purl Soho. The team responds to all questions left in the comments which is really helpful as a running reference, and everything is well-tested. And so many great patterns are free.

Lucy Propper · Answer

Hiromi Nagasawa: I love the Sunday brunch sweater, my knit of it pictured here. It is such a great pattern I wear it all the time and I want to knit another one so I have one oversized one normal

Lucy Propper · Answer

mountain mohair from green mountain spinnery: knit on size 7 or 8 for a thick knit but you can also knit on a 9 if you want. I also love their weekend wool. Both woolen spun so can rlly be knit w many size needles, they have sales of their seconds maybe twice a year. Def awesome place to visit if you’re in New England, it’s in putney VT.

Sarah · Answer

Sandnes Garn: I am a big Sandnes Garn fan, great patterns and their yarn is gorgeous. Ordering is a little bit finicky b/c they require you to buy the yarn to go with the pattern, but it’s worth the hassle

Julia · Answer

Camellia Fiber Company: It is cliche to call a company “not boring neutrals”?

Sarah · Answer

boyland knitworks for the best fair isle patterns: This salmon sweater is at the top of my fall pattern stack. The pattern uses Brooklyn tweed yarn which I also love and rec.

Sarah · Answer

PetiteKnit knitting patterns: For very thoughtful, simple knits that you actually want to wear, petite knits has everything. Easy to follow patterns, I'm working through this Friday slip over now.

Sarah · Answer

DEGEN Patterns: For super innovative and fun patterns and colorways , Degen is your girl. I've got the flower power pullover on my list, she also has her own yarns and notions.

Sarah · Answer

Misha & Puff Knitting Patterns: For really beautiful baby knits, I've made many of misha & puffs patterns. Easy to follow, the fits are just write and very vintage feeling. Here's my second baby in the Chickadee pattern, I made the matching hat too and it was just the sweetest. I also rec their yarn.

Sealligator · Answer

The Farmer's Daughter Fibers: My favorite of theirs is Pishkun, but everything they make is beautiful. They sell other lovely brands of yarn and fabric, too, and they’ve got good swag. Also, Candace, the owner, does amazing work on Insta describing what she carries in the shop.

Sealligator · Answer

Harrisville Designs: My absolute favorite workhorse yarns for gorgeous and sturdy knits. I designed a sweater inspired by the Log Lady on Twin Peaks and made it from a Harrisville yarn and it remains one of my favorite things I’ve ever made (and it’ll definitely outlast me)

Emily · Answer

Amirisu Yarn: Not as independent as say, Fem at The Mindful Creators on instagram (because as much as I’m dying for her yarn, she doesn’t ship to the us right now 😭), but Amirisu has small, limited batches that are bea-u-ti-ful.

On Ravelry, I really like Sara Klint, Neringa Ruke, JURI, & Bea Fischer-Harrison.

Sealligator · Answer

Myak: Truly beautiful, thoughtfully made yarn

Sealligator · Answer

Websters in Ashland, OR: Their web site is merely fine, but it gets the job done. It’s their customer service and their selection that makes me love them. I can get my de Rerum Natura, Isager, Ito, Rosa Pomar, Spincycle, and Fibre Co all in the same place.

If you happen to be in Ashland, it’s really beautiful to visit, too.

Sealligator · Answer

Kirsten Kapur: She doesn’t seem to be publishing new designs these days, but Kirsten Kapur’s patterns will always be my favorite. They brought me back to knitting after a long hiatus and I find them easily the best written patterns I’ve encountered. Also, every time I wear one of the (many) shawls I’ve made of hers I get big compliments.