2026: Ongoing Projects and Plans
I hope you all had a nice, calm transition into the New Year. I was mostly crafting, sorting my yarn stash and making lists of projects i need to finish and of projects i´m planning to do this year.
I have started a lot of projects in the old year (which is quite normal for me), but that also means, i have to finish them before i can start a new project. (I love starting new projects.) I hope i can manage that in the first 3 months of 2026.
Knitting – What to finish?
At the end of January last year, i started the „Attractive Box Coat for Spring„, which is a free vintage pattern on Ravelry (and Trove).
Ravelry link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/attractive-box-coat-for-spring
Trove Link: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/167969920
I´m still working on the back piece of the cardigan, once the weather got warmer (and that happened quite fast last year) i cast on some other projects. I also planned to knit long sleeves, which makes the cardigan more winter/spring suitable, at least for the region i live in. But there is still plenty to knit with this cardigan.
At the beginning of February i startet the „Saint Malo by Rachel Søgaard“, which is a free Pattern on Ravelry.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saint-malo-3
I´m not really happy with it, but i nearly finished it…i hope. I made it with a cotton boucle yarn i found at the thrift store. I really like this type of yarn, but maybe i choose the wrong size or the wrong needles, i don´t know, but it is quite big. Still, i won´t frog it. It is a summer top (i´m planning to make short sleeves), its okay if it is bigger.
After that i had a time, where i didn´t want to knit that much. So to get back into knitting, i started the „Pebble Tank from Purl Soho“ from leftover stash yarn at the beginning of July.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pebble-tank-2
I think the only thing i have to do, is the I-cord around the armholes and the neck. Nothing more…
This project is probably the first that i will finish.
At the beginning of October i had the urge to knit again, so i started a few projects i already finished and two (or better said 3) which are still in the making.
One of those was the „Oleander by Audrey Borrego“ in a wonderful bright royal blue. This project is for someone else, but needn´t to be finished soon. So i do have some time for that.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/oleander-13
The next was something for me, which i had on my queue for a very long time. It is the „Elegant Suit by Australian Women’s Weekly“, again a free vintage Pattern.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elegant-suit
Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/4813773
I will knit the cardigan, but not the skirt. I don´t think the skirt would be very useful for me, because i probably would have to line it with stretch lining. The fabric i got with my yarn is very fine and rather drapey.
This will be a very long project i think. Light fingering weight yarn on 2,5 and 3 mm Needles takes time.
The last project i started last year is a „Scrap Stash Busting Blanket„, but i don´t plan to finish it in the near future or this year probably, because it takes a lot of time and i´m already running out of my leftovers.
Which brings us to the planning stage of my knitting!
Knitting – What to dream of?
This year i want to knit more vintage patterns. I have so many in my favourites on Ravelry, it is time to start working on them. Which also means, that i will probably be knitting a bit less, because many of those are knit in very fine yarn weights with fine needles (- not all of them, but many).
The first i want to knit is the „Cardigan Sweater No. 401 by Emile Bernat & Sons Company“ from 1956 with nice Dolman sleeves. I got the yarn, which i think i will use, for christmas. This is one of the few, which is in worsted weight yarn, so hopefully it will knit up a bit faster.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cardigan-sweater-no-401
Free Vintage Knitting: http://freevintageknitting.com/free-sweater-patterns/bernat51/cardigan-sweater-pattern-no401
© Emile Bernat & Sons Company
The second planned project is „Katren by Australians Womens Weekly“ from 1952
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/katren
Trove Link: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/46229407
Another project in fingering weight yarn. I will probably use the same yarn as the Elegant Suit. I really love the look of it.
© Australian Women’s Weekly
The third project is the „Quickly-Knitted Jacket by Australian Women’s Weekly from 1941, which i hope will really knit up quickly. It is in worsted weight yarn and i´m planning to make longer sleeves.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quickly-knitted-jacket
Trove Link: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/47485812#
Another fun thing, do you recognize the woman in the picture?
© Australian Women’s Weekly
The fourth Project is „Zelda…persuasive flattery by Australian Women’s Weekly“ from 1939. The name alone is amazing.
Ravelry Link: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zeldapersuasive-flattery
Trove Link: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/51270950
© Australian Women’s Weekly. Used under the Creative Commons License
I would like to knit more than that, or better said in my head i would like to cast on more projects, because i really love those design, but i only have two hands and the same time everyone else has. I will be very busy knitting wise this year.
Which is not my only hobby. Well, actually knitting is my only hobby, because sewing and drafting patterns is actually my profession, although last year again was very frustrating. But i hope it will be better.
Sewing – What to finish?
I have to finish the E-book for the „Wrap Trouser„, which i started years ago. It is a summer Project, but a bit complicated to sew (and therefore to write the instructions). I hope to get the Pattern Testing Call out in February.
The second Project i´m working on is an oversized Blouse with a rounded hem. Again there are some things – construction-wise – i´m not sure if i´m able to describe properly. I already made three Mock-ups, but a fourth won´t hurt.
The third Project is my „Dress with Kimono sleeves and two skirt versions“ (those are all working titles, maybe i just call it differently). That is the project which is nearly finished and hopefully the Pattern Testing Call wil go up in January. If i´m fast next week, maybe in two weeks. ( I still have the hope, that if i „announce it publicly“ i have the pressure to work faster.)
This is one version of it:
The fourth project is in its very beginning. I´m currently making a mock-up. It will be a Jacket with a diagonal Zipper closure and a Stand-up Collar. I already decided on some changes, so there will be soon a second mock-up.
The fifth project is in its planning phase. It is a simple shirt pattern with short sleeves (and one version without sleeves) and other design elements. I´m drafting the pattern for it right now and will make some Mock-ups soon.
I´m also sewing some „private“ things like pillow cases and curtains and more. So plenty to do right now.
Sewing – Planned Projects
This year i want to make more Shirts, Blouses and Skirts, maybe some Trousers, although i love Dresses the most.
I´m planning of making a Pyjama Pattern (i´m not sure, if it ends up for private use only, because not many people make pyjamas anymore), a turtle neck pullover and some bags.
All of those listed projects are not in Vintage style or Vintage inspired. Actually, at the moment, the only vintage style pattern i´m making is the dress above. But don´t worry, i will make some vintage inspired things this year. But those are all still in the drawing/planning phases, so i can´t really tell exactly how the end up looking.
As you can see, i have lots of work to do! I just hope i didn´t bite off more than i can chew.
What are your plans for 2026? Do you have lists and plans?
Thank you for reading, till next time!
#craft #crafts #Knitting #PatternTest #PatternTesting #plans #sewing #Stricken