patterns
Amy Swenson’s modern knitting and crochet patterns are designed to fit and flatter, with contemporary stylings based on traditional stitch patterns. Many feature textural details, including cabling and lace.
All patterns are available as downloadable PDFs for instant gratification.

NEW: Meadowlark
A lightweight lace vest for all seasons.
Featured Pattern:Elsewhere

Periodic purl bumps add textural interest, and highlight the diagonal front panels. This jacket is incredibly versatile. Wear it open and swingy, or cross over your middle and fasten with a shawl pin or button.
$5.00 US
DK Delights

These quick socks are knit from the cuff down in an addictive and easy to memorize eyelet pattern. The heel is sturdy and well fitting, and this will quickly become your go-to pattern for heavier weight socks.
Creekside

With sideways yoke panels featuring an interesting blend of twists and eyelets, the Creekside tunic is as fun to knit as it is to wear. The length is flattering as a layer over leggings or skinny jeans, and has slimming side panels featuring a similar eyelet and cable design.
Asking for Roses

“Asking for Roses” is a narrow crescent, shaped with short rows, allowing a gentle curve to hug the shoulders, while draping gracefully around the neck. It’s a longer and narrower shape than most designs that use this kind of yardage, and I hope you find it fun to knit and flattering to wear.
Mossy Cuffs

I designed these cuffs to make the most of a small amount of yardage. Using a delicious pure alpaca, they’re stylish and warm and make a great layer over store-bought gloves. These moss stitch cuffs are embellished with an icord trim and finished with icord bind offs. Great for expressing your creativity.
Cilantro Shawl

I’m in love with big, wrappy scarves. The design for Cilantro was created with this in mind. It’s a triangle-shaped wrap, not entirely unlike a shawl. But Cilantro is a bit asymmetrical, and designed to be worn wrapped up, not extended across the shoulders.
Mod Quad Socks

For the past few years, I’ve been inspired and obsessed by the concept of modular squares, knit from the outside in. Until this pattern, I’d never found a practical way to use this motif on a sock.
Watershed

This small lacey cardie with cap sleeves is knit from the bottom edging up, with no seaming. Because of the small amounts of yardage, it’s the ideal pattern for making the most of that preciously perfect yarn.
Middle Beach

“Middle Beach Shawlette” involves two different types of increases to shape the piece so it sits nicely around the shoulders. It’s worked mostly in garter, with stockinette ribs, and features a center panel inspired by the lines in the sand at Middle Beach on Vancouver Island.
Fletcher Mittens

These funky mittens start at the cuff with two triangles, quickly joined and then worked in the round, leaving a slit for the afterthought thumb. The tops are cast off with a three needle bind off, maintaining the chevrons through the last rows.
Outlet River

Outlet River is knit from the bottom up in one piece, and features a flattering wide ribbed neckline that’s easy to shrug on with your favorite pair of jeans and hiking boots.
Silver Birches

Knit from the center back out, the Silver Birches Shawl features lace worked on every row. Instead of garter stitch, as traditionally done, the pattern is worked in stockinette to create an open and airy fabric.
Pretty Please Socks

This sock is knit from the cuff down and uses a simple fern lace pattern. It features a traditional heel and shaped toe. This is a great first lace project!
Elsewhere

Periodic purl bumps add textural interest, and highlight the diagonal front panels. This jacket is incredibly versatile. Wear it open and swingy, or cross over your middle and fasten with a shawl pin or button.
Glove Love

Gloves are lovely fun. And, when worked in a smooshy aran-weight yarn, knit up quicker than you might think. Plus, there’s a great joy in knitting a glove that fits your hand exactly.
Contorno

Spice up any outfit with a side-dish of Italian-inspired color. The Contorno wrap uses three unique colorways of handpainted yarn to create instant drama and flair.
Meadowlark

seamless, and features a T-back style for the ultimate in versatility. Wear it over a tee, a tank, a light dress - the choice is yours.
Every Last Yard

I designed Every Last Yard to make the most of whatever yarn you choose. A few design features help create more fabric from a smaller amount of yarn. I chose a superwash worsted yarn, knit deliberately a little loose to take advantage of superwash’s ability to grow a little when washed. The lace patterning is repetitive enough to look perfect no matter which row you cast off on.
Zig Zag Socks

This pair of cute socks are knit from the top down in an easy zig zag lace pattern. With an “eye of partridge” heel, the stitch pattern showcases handpainted yarn.
Munchkin Blanket

This bright and fun blanket is knit modularly, using provisional cast on stitches to join and shape four triangles. It’s fully reversible, even without need for a fabric backing. It’s finished with knit on borders, and will soon become a treasured item for the special little one i your life.
Pinery

Inspired by tall pines and waves on a lake, the Pinery pullover is knit from the neck down with elegant, modern cable details.
Saturday Shawl

Worked in two triangles knit together, the Saturday Shawl showcases busy handpainted yarns. Featuring easy beaded accents, for delightful drape and charm.
Ravinia

Ravinia is a lightweight cardigan knit from the neck down in a circular yoke pattern. The body is then knit from the hem up and joined using a three needle bind off.
64 Crayons

This blanket has been in progress for the larger part of 3 years, but I keep coming back to it for the sheer joy of seeing the colors combine in two row stripes; like a brand new box of crayons. Knit in strips and joined at the end, it’s an extremely simple and portable project that’s easy to pick up at any time.
Dizzy Diagonal Socks

For this pattern, I designed a toe-up sock that uses simple chevrons of knit and purl. It’s simple enough to stand up to busy colours, but far from plain and boring.
Snug Harbor

Knit on the loose side, this oversized turtleneck feels slouchy and comfortable without sacrificing an ounce of style. Worked from the neck down in one piece, it’s a fun and fast knit with few finishing details required.
Slow Curve

Slow Curve features ribs that travel slowly in and out again, providing a touch of waist shaping while highlighting your beautiful curves. The ribs then pull together at the raglans before blending into the stand-up collar.
wisteria garden

This shawl design epitomizes summer. Full of wisteria-blossom motifs and edged in a delicate vine, it’s the kind of light and seasonally-appropriate wrap that I’ll use when meeting up with friends for a glass of wine on a mild Saturday night in Toronto.
Shapely Cowl

This gently shaped cowl features a 2 row stitch pattern that looks impressive but works up in a snap. I designed this pattern to make the most of one skein of hand-painted merino, but it would look lovely in any DK/Light Worsted yarn.
Yoho

Designed from the shoulders down in one piece, the Yoho pullover features surprisingly easy cabled sections. While drop shoulders can sometimes feel boxy and bulky, adding a saddle shoulder allows sleeves to fit and flatter both girls and guys.
True North

Featuring fair isle patterning and a dramatic shawl collar, the True North cardigan can be worn belted or open.
Lindy Bag

For this felted bag, I wanted to create a structured base for highlighting a two-coloured houndstooth fair isle pattern. The strap features a wide shoulder band and two icord straps for durability, and is worked with short rows for a tailored shape.
Griddle Hat

This super warm hat pattern makes the most of a funky crochet stitch. Worked in three colors with optional ear flaps, it’s cool and cozy on the chilliest winter days. Two versions are provided; one with fun ear flaps and pompom ties, the other more plain. Take your pick and work one up for the guy or gal in your life - or yourself. It’ll only take a few evenings.
Urbanity

This lightweight city-friendly vest is the perfect weight for all-seasons layering. Ideal over a tee or even layered with a long sleeved dress shirt for a polished and classic work look.
Arrowhead Mittens

The mittens are knit from the cuff up using a plain but functional stockinette palm. Sized for medium-large adult hands, they’ll be sure to please the lucky guy or gal in your life. Worked in a chunky wool, the arrowhead cable pattern makes a deliciously dense fabric, sure to warm the coldest fingertips.
Boogie Woogie Scarf

Inspired by artist Piet Mondrian’s “Broadway Boogie Woogie”, this seamless scarf is constructed from garter stitch squares of varying size. Following a chart for layout and position, you’ll work squares from the outside edge in, picking up stitches along previous squares to join without seams.
Cloud Chaser

The Cloud Chaser vest is a design I’ve been dreaming of for years. Delicately cabled. Dramatically draped. The back features full cables, knit from hem to neck. The fronts are knit side to side, with a single cable detail near the edge. But the collar is the highlight here; wide and cabled and framing the neckline perfectly.
Riverbank Road

Riverbank Road is constructed to make the most of even a skein or two of your favorite sock yarn. The stockinette sections showcase color. The lace is simple enough to stand out, even in a handpaint. And the open V neckline is more than just flattering; it helps your yarn go further!
The Perfect Pouch

This little felted bag is just big enough for your essentials, but small enough to knit up over and evening or two.
Little Miss Greenjeans

Knit from the top down, Little Miss Greenjeans works up quickly, with easy cables and effortless yarnover yoke shaping on aran-weight yarn. Sized for kids ages 6 months to 10 years.
Karen Shawl

With a knit-on garter stitch border, this elegant shawl features many common lace-knitting techniques in an easy to memorize pattern. Instructions are provided in both charted and written out form.