Free Knitting Patterns for Spring

We have a few weeks to go before the official start of spring, but I'm already drooling over warm-weather knits. I've collected eight free patterns to share with you today to spark inspiration for your springtime knitting.

 

For me, spring is the season of lightweight layers, cheerful colors, and delicate details. The patterns I've chosen to showcase include lacework and floral motifs -- two things that feel firmly rooted in spring.

Let's start with the tees. There are lots of ways to knit a t-shirt, and a good one can carry you through multiple seasons. What makes these ones feel more like spring than, let's say the Rock It Tee, are the lace details and the option for mid-length sleeves.

(c) SwanAvenue on Ravelry

Pattern: Arborg Tee by Sandra Buzza
Yarn: 940 - 1800 yards (860 - 1650 meters) of fingering weight wool
Sizing: 34" to 56" bust (86 to 142 cm) 
Why We Love It: 
The pattern includes two lace charts -- one for the body of the tee and one for the sleeves. As written, the sleeves are elbow length, but if you scroll through the project gallery, you'll see it looks great in every iteration, from cap sleeves to full length. The pattern also includes instructions on how to customize the body length, so this can serve as a cropped layer or a standalone piece in your wardrobe.

 

(c) Filipa Carneiro

Pattern: Cascata Tee by Filipa Carneiro
Yarn: 750+ yards (685+ meters) of DK weight linen 
Sizing: 32" to 40" bust (41 to 50 cm)
Why We Love It: 
This is a round yoke tee with eyelet detailing at the neck and a triangular lace panel under each arm. From what I gather, the pattern was originally published as a Portuguese yarn company handout with a measly size range. However, if I'm reading it correctly, I believe you can cast on any multiple of 3 stitches and the rest of the instructions should be fairly easy to scale up and down. I also think it's worth borrowing the chart and applying it to any other well-fitting pattern. Can you imagine a bell sleeve with that lace panel? Gorgeous.

 

(c) Marie Amelie Designs

Pattern: Cercis by Marie Amelie Designs
Yarn: 920 - 1640 yards (840 - 1500 meters) of fingering weight merino blend
Sizing: 34" to 63" bust (88 to 160 cm)
Why We Love It: 
Marie Amelie's entire library of professionally tech edited patterns is available for free in both English and French. Her collection is a goldmine of thoughtfully designed, highly wearable garments. The Cercis is a great place to start, with its familiar raglan shaping and lace sleeves. I think this would be a great option for those sunny-but-chilly days when you want to break out the tank tops but should probably still be wearing a sweater.

 

In true "Give a Moose a Muffin" style, now that you have a springtime tee, you'll need a cardigan to go with it. These are the two I couldn't stop thinking about.

 

(c) ChantieKnits on Ravelry

Pattern: Junie by Audrey Borrego
Yarn: 820 - 1640 yards (750 - 1500 meters) of lace weight wool blend
Sizing: 35.5" to 62.25" bust (90 to 158 cm)
Why We Love It: Audrey Borrego is another designer who made her collection free to download when she stopped designing. This lace weight piece is perfect for pulling over sundresses and summer tops to buy yourself a little more wear-time in the early days of the warm season. Plus, lace weight yarns have about a million yards per skein, so this might be an opportunity to splurge on a nicer fiber than you could reasonably afford in a heftier garment. For example, the largest size would cost less than $60 in Isager Trio 1.

 

(c) Wenche Roald

Pattern: Rosa Cardigan by Wenche Roald
Yarn: 950 - 1800 yards (870 - 1650 meters) of sport weight wool
Sizing: 33" to 60" bust (83.5 to 152.5 cm)
Why We Love It:
For everyone who drooled over Le Knit's Rosie Yoke Sweater this winter, the Rosa Cardigan is for you. Both have circular yokes with a classic rose motif, but the Rosa is knit in a much lighter sport weight yarn. If, like me, you're afraid of chopping up your colorwork knitting, read through Tin Can Knits' blog post on steeking before you commit. 

 

Need to satisfy a spring craving but don't have enough time for a whole garment? Enter the accessories!

 

(c) KnittedBlissJC

Pattern: Orwell's Garden Cowl by KnittedBlissJC
Yarn: 380 - 430 yards (350 - 400 meters) of fingering weight wool blend
Sizing: 19" or 20.5" circumference (49 or 52 cm)
Why We Love It: This cowl is a great way to enjoy a pop of spring color when it's still chilly enough to bundle up in the mornings. If you have a collection of sock yarn, this could be a great stash busting opportunity, as the entire project uses four colors and a total of about 100g of yarn.

 

 

(c) Drops Design

Pattern: Always Spring Socks by Drops Design
Yarn: 900 - 1125 yards (825 - 1030 meters) of fingering weight sock yarn 
Sizing: Adjustable to any multiple of 8 stitches
Why We Love It: You can't beat pink and green for spring knits. That being said, Drops patterns can be hard to follow, so I'd recommend snagging the chart and applying it to your favorite vanilla sock recipe.

 

 

(c) Britta Schonfeldt

Pattern: Galanthus Socks by Britta Schonfeldt
Yarn: 350 - 400 yards (320 - 350 meters) of fingering weight sock yarn
Sizing: Written for 72 stitches
Why We Love It: Snowdrop flowers aren't common where I live, but they remind me of bluebells, which blanket our woodlands every spring. This pattern includes four charts that can be mixed and matched to create custom socks in any color combo you can dream.

 

What's on your spring knitting shortlist? I'd love to hear what's next on your needles!