Susanna
Jan 28, 20222 min
It’s time for my favorite, bi-annual knitting catalog release: the day when DROPS opens the vote for their new knitting patterns and we get the first glimpse into what’s going to be hot in the knitting world in the next six months. This January, though, the first thing that popped into my head when looking at the their latest offerings was an overwhelming sense of déjà vu: haven’t we seen all this before?
Here are my top 5 trend picks from the upcoming DROPS Spring & Summer 2022 knitting patterns.
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: cropped, oversized, boxy sweaters are very on trend right now. And last season, and the season before that… We’re stuck in a time loop where everyone wears shapeless, drop-shoulder garments that stop at the high hip, knit in fluffy, pastel-colored yarn. At least the balloon-ey statement sleeves are gone.
Whoops, spoke too soon.
OK, I have to admit: this one is cute. (Although the sheer amount of bobbles makes me want to scream in agony.)
Everything blooms in the spring and this year DROPS are taking it quite literally. Designs mimicking petals, blossoms, flowers, and leaves are everywhere this season!
From colorwork to lace to embroidery, you can’t go wrong with a flower-themed knit over a floral-print dress this summer. For maximum effect, pose with a bouquet of wildflowers.
Lace is to summer what colorwork is to winter. Although there are a couple colorwork sweaters on the spring/summer repertoire, the majority of the round-yoke designs for the warmer months are – understandably – of the lace variety. And there is a lot to choose from!
While some of the lace patterns are fairly simple (like the pink one on the left with a horseshoe lace variation), others have that distinct Japanese lace look (such as the green number on the right) that’s become quite the craze since Hitomi Shida’s stitch dictionaries Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible and 250 Japanese Knitting Stitches came out in English a few years back.
Tank tops were popular last summer and the trend continued with sleeveless vests in the fall and winter line-up.
Sleeveless summer tops are a great summer project. They’re usually made of cotton or other cool fibers. They're also relatively small and therefore quick to knit so you get to wear the project in the same season you’re knitting it. Not to mention they’re the best way to avoid getting stranded on sleeve island: you don't have to go at all!
Here’s something new for this season: ruffled embellishments. When a picot bind-off seems mild, go for a full-on ruffled, flared, scalloped, or sawtooth edge for your summer knits. DROPS has used them quite liberally on yokes, sleeves, collars, and even sock cuffs.
What do you think of the latest DROPS patterns? Anything strike your fancy? Let me know in the comments.
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