If you are a follower of fashion, or you are just interested in the latest trends, we thought you might like a bit of help with what's 'in' this spring/summer 2023 as far as knitting and colour are concerned.
If this is you great! You are in the right place.
This year's colour palette from Pantone has been released and we think it's pretty bright and cheery. Something to help lift our moods during events that are going on around us over which we have little, or no, control over. They are spring and summer ready and you will be spotting their influence in the fashion shops, and pattern designers, in the months to come. The view is that experimenting with colour is where it's at this year to reflect new freedoms after years of Covid. The people in fashion want us to play with colour.
This doesn't mean it has to be saturated colours in all your garments but you could maybe add flashes to neutral shades to show you are on trend! So here we go........
The top 10 stand-out colours for 2023 are:
Fiery Red
Beetroot Purple (fuchsia as far as we are concerned)
Tangelo (tangerine)
Peach Pink (salmon pink)
Empire Yellow (daffodil yellow)
Crystal Rose (sugary pink)
Classic Green (think apple green)
Love Bird (or lime)
Blue Perennial (hyacinth blue)
Summer Song (sky blue)
So what should you be knitting this year?
As knitters we know that knitwear works all year long, especially if you live in the Northern hemisphere, where temperatures can still be chilly even in mid summer! Preppy and retro, those perennial faves, are back as well as colour blocking, vests are still hanging in there, and classics as well as textured knits feature too.
Ready? Well here is the low down with some pattern and yarn suggestions too:
1. The retro cropped cardi
The ideal throw over for dresses and layers this cardi can be one colour or colour blocked to ring the changes. 'Cropped' can be alarming for some so check that it hits your body at the right point for you and consider what you would wear it with, whether it is open or buttoned up, and if you want pockets as they seem to feature quite heavily in the lastest trends. I mean who doesn't love a pocket?
Pattern and yarn suggestions:
Evendoon by Kate Davies Designs
Sycamore Cardi by Baby Cocktails Ravelry: Sycamore Cardigan pattern by Ksenia Naidyon
Silver Leaf by Along Avec Anna Ravelry: Silver Leaf (Cardigan) pattern by Along avec Anna
Herd Yarns BFL DK or Wool Decanted 4ply or Krea Deluxe Wool 1 PLUS Krea Deluxe Silk Mohair
2. Colour Explosion
We highlighted the new colour palette and you can go for it with colour blocking in big and bold ways. Think of Harry Styles in his colour block cardi, or a Stephem West design which is a riot of colour and texture. Try to get colour into any garment you make if you want to be seen.
Pattern and yarn suggestions:
Plan B by Hinterm Stein Ravelry: Plan B pattern by Hinterm Stein
Coming Together Shawl by Lisa K Ross Ravelry: Coming Together pattern by Lisa K. Ross
Painting Triangles Shawls by Stephen West Ravelry: Painting Triangles Shawl pattern by Stephen West
Toni Cardi by Julie Weisenberger Ravelry: Toni pattern by Julie Weisenberger
3. Textures
Textures are really going to dominate the fashion scene this year with mohair and 'fluff' everywhere. This doesn't have to be full on mohair only sweaters (trust us these can be fairly itchy for some people!) but you can use mohair, or Suri Alpaca, in many knits and get a lovely halo effect without full on fluff everywhere. Bobbles are also having their day in the sun. I personally love knitting them but I am not such a fan of wearing them. But that is personal taste.... I could manage wearing a shawl with bobbles but they just accentuate 'the girls' if worn on my torso.
And if you love a cable then this is the year for you because they are everywhere too. Especially big chunky ones with a pop of colour added.
Pattern and yarn suggestions:
Mohair -
Birds of a Feather Shawl by Andrea Mowry Ravelry: Birds of a Feather pattern by Andrea Mowry
Mousseux by Espace Tricot Ravelry: Mousseux pattern by Espace Tricot lace + lace = fingering
Souffle by Laura Penrose Ravelry: Soufflé pattern by Laura Penrose
Krea Deluxe Silk Mohair lace + lace = fingering
Bobbles -
The Daydreamer by Andrea Mowry Ravelry: The Daydreamer pattern by Andrea Mowry
Forest Berry Jacket by Fabel Knitwear Ravelry: Forest Berry Jacket pattern by Fabel Knitwear Camarose Yaku 4ply
Sunday Morning by Shawl Espace Tricot Ravelry: Sunday Morning Shawl pattern by Espace Tricot
Cables -
Sweater No 20 by My Favourite Things Ravelry: Sweater No. 20 pattern by My Favourite Things
Purpurea Sweater by Teti Lutsak Ravelry: Purpurea sweater pattern by Teti Lutsak
Arctic Light by Veronika Lindberg Ravelry: Arctic Light Sweater pattern by Veronika Lindberg
Wellerman Shawl by Caitlin Hunter Ravelry: Wellerman pattern by Caitlin Hunter
Bees Knees by Cardi Thea Colman Ravelry: Bee's Knees pattern by Thea Colman Worsted
4. The classics
The classics include Fairisle and Argyle style knits. Again with a pop of colour to bring them into 2023 with a bang. The Queen of fairisle is definately Marie Wallin so any of her patterns are going to work but maybe swap a couple of the traditional muted shades for a brighter pop of colour? More modern takes on fairsile have incorporated a more 'graphic' element as so many of the recent colourwork patterns have demonstrated if traditional is not your thing.
Pattern and yarn suggestions:
Anything by Marie Wallin Marie Wallin - Handknit & Crochet | beautiful Fairisle and colourwork designs
Joan Shawl by Florence Spurling Ravelry: Joan Shawl pattern by Florence Spurling
Scout Mini Shawl by Florence Spurling Ravelry: Joan Shawl pattern by Florence Spurling
Graphic Elements by Amy Gore Ravelry: Graphic Elements pattern by Tamy Gore
Twinkle by Midori Hirose Ravelry: Twinkle pattern by Midori Hirose
Coofle by Kate Davies Designs Ravelry: Coofle pattern by Kate Davies Designs