August 2025 Knitting Pattern Roundup: Sweaters, Socks, and a Showstopping Dress
Hello y’all and welcome back to YoungFolk Knits! I’m Kaci, and around here we swoon over fiber arts of all kinds – knitting, sewing, spinning, and whatever else finds its way onto my needles (or machine). Each month I comb through the newest Ravelry releases and pull together the patterns that truly made me stop, zoom in, and daydream about yarn choices. August did not disappoint. You can feel the shift from breezy summer pieces to full-on cozy season: sweaters galore, woolly accessories, and a couple of warm-weather stragglers for the fast knitters among us.
Below, you’ll find my favorite picks from beloved names and a few designers you might not know yet, but definitely should. I’ll chat through what makes each pattern special, the yarn or gauge notes that matter, and where I’m personally tempted to cast on (spoiler: several places). Let’s dive in!
Sari Nordlund’s August Glow-Up: Laulu + Lily
One of my all-time favorites, Sari Nordlund, came in hot with several releases this month.
Laulu V-Neck Tee (my test knit!)
I had the joy of test knitting the Laulu V-Neck Tee and it was such a happy project. Think engaging (but not punishing) charts with lace and cables that pop thanks to excellent stitch definition.
It scratched that itch for a pattern that asks for focus without frying your brain. I knit mine in The Wandering Flock Cotton Lino, a really interesting drapey blend: roughly 35% cotton, 30% silk, 20% plant fibers (linen/flax), and 15% alpaca. Because of the plant/silk mix, it has low bounce and less recovery than springy wool. Translation: swatch carefully and expect a bit of growth after blocking. Once it’s blocked, it largely stays put—so aim for the fit you want at finish. The alpaca adds a soft halo and the whole fabric flows beautifully. My color was Pyrite, that perfect grungy gold-green I can’t quit.
Lulu V-Neck Top
Sister pattern to the tee, Laulu removes the sleeves and nips in the arm shaping a touch.
If you loved the chart and neckline of the tee, the top gives you a warm-weather option (or a great layering piece under jackets later). Sari’s been building out this motif across a set—there’s also a sweater and shawl—so if you fall in love with the stitch work you can keep going.
Lily Vest
Sport-weight, 21-stitch gauge, and two closures: buttons or i-cord ties. I adore the look with ties—very romantic and fresh—but if you have a larger difference between upper and full bust (hi, it’s me), you might get gaping with ties unless you fit/fasten carefully.
Buttoned, it’s an easy wardrobe builder. Sari knit the sample in De Rerum Natura (sport), which would give you that woolly body and crisp texture vests love.
A Kid-Friendly Gateway Knit: The Pinky Hat
A new hat pattern stole my daughter’s heart: the Pinky Hat.
It’s worsted weight (20 st gauge), features a sweet “flea stitch” style colorwork sprinkle, and even offers an optional Latvian braid for extra flair. The braid is probably a touch advanced for younger or brand-new knitters, but the base hat is a fantastic first adventure in purls, knits, and a little color play. If you’ve got a kid who wants to make their own hat for fall—chef’s kiss.
Sweater Season Starts Now
Fall is almost here!
Ovis Sweater by Caitlin Hunter (Boyland Knitworks)
If you love sheep, this one is non-negotiable. Ovis is a DK-weight, drop-shoulder colorwork sweater knit top-down, but much of the colorwork is knit flat. You work the back flat in colorwork (hello, purl-side colorwork), then pick up and work the front, and finally join to knit in the round. If you’re new to flat colorwork, tension management on the wrong side can be a learning curve, so swatch both flat and in the round.
The sample uses Ritual Dyes Morona, a Cormo 3-ply with lovely bounce and clarity, perfect for motifs. Will it be toasty? Yes. Would I knit it anyway even in Arkansas? Also yes.
Sous Sous 2 by Nora Gaughan
Nora Gaughan is pure cable genius and this is a showstopper in the most wearable way. Picture a sleek fingering-weight sweater (around 30 sts/4″, US 2–3) with a single striking cable/lace panel running down the front.
The deep blue-teal sample oozes ocean vibes: calm, dimensional, and mesmerizing. It’s the kind of sweater that turns heads without shouting. Effort? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. A true treasure piece.
Poppy by Toksknits
Poppy gives you four patterns in one: fingering blouse, fingering dress, DK blouse, DK dress. That’s serious bang for your buck. It reads like a knit “blouse” with clean raglan lines, elegant shaping, and slightly flared sleeves that feel refined, not costume-y.
Fingering sits around a 28-stitch gauge; DK is quicker but still graceful. If you love wardrobe workhorses that still feel special, Poppy nails it.
Sula Pullover by Kit Coture
This one first caught my eye because of the styling: pale sky-blue sweater paired with rusty red pants—chef’s kiss color combo. The design itself is a study in restraint: all-over texture and small-scale cables that create interest without tipping into “too much.” If you want a sweater that functions like a basic but looks like a boutique piece, Sula is that sweet spot.
Rosie Sweater by Le Knit
Prepare to swoon. Rosie is a DK-gauge colorwork sweater with a creamy oatmeal background and bands of floral motifs (roses!) that read elegant rather than fussy. The original uses fingering held with silk mohair to hit DK gauge. If mohair’s a no-go for you, try a DK with a gentle halo (a brushed or Suri-blend DK) or just a good woolly DK for crisp blooms and cozy warmth. Every single person I’ve shown this to wants one. It’s a universal heart-stealer.
A New Beauty from Knitting Traditions (Inga)
My friend Inga from Knitting Traditions released a top-down raglan with little cables, Think refined, rhythmic texture instead of big ropes—plus neckline options: crew, mock, or full cozy turtleneck. It starts flat to build in comfortable neck shaping (short rows in back), then you join and cruise in the round.
Designed at a DK gauge and slightly cropped with a very cool textured hem, it’s that ideal “engaging but not punishing” sweater you can actually finish before winter.
Fish Girl Fall: Socks, Make-Alongs, and Coastal Vibes
Don’t forget to checkout the forum for Fish Girl Fall here, and share your projects and progress: https://youngfolkknits.com/community/knitting-projects/fish-girl-fall-makealong-projects/
Old Salt Socks by Ashley Adams (Designed by So & So)
For Fish Girl Fall, Ashley and I are co-hosting a make-along celebrating all things fisherman-core and coastal cozy. Old Salt Socks are the perfect entry: charming fishy colorwork with one rebel fish swimming the opposite direction. It’s funny, graphic, and surprisingly wearable. I’m knitting a pair for myself and my husband because the sardine vibes are immaculate. If you’re MAL-curious, this is the project to cast on. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/old-salt-socks
The Magnum Opus: Pierre Dress by Joanna Garish
Every so often a design lands that just… stops you. The Pierre Dress is allover lace in fingering weight, and it’s breathtaking.
If you’ve loved the Pierre motif across earlier pieces (sweater, tee, sleeveless top), the dress is the grand, cinematic version. Multiple back options let you personalize: a single button with a peekaboo keyhole or a full row of buttons all the way down the back. This is an investment knit, you’ll be in it for the long haul, but the payoff is heirloom-level gorgeous. If you’ve ever wanted your knitting “moment,” this dress is it.
Fluffy, Elevated, and Effortless: Divino Pullover by Claudia (Eweknit Toronto)
Divino is a masterclass in “oversized done right.” It’s lofty, cloudlike, and undeniably elegant because the fit is intentional, roomy through the body but clean at the neck and shoulders (German short rows help the neckline sit just so). The sample uses silk mohair; if you can’t wear mohair, try Suri alpaca for that same ethereal haze without the prickles, or even a softly spun light DK held single.
The allover simple texture keeps it from feeling plain and makes the fabric sing. There’s a discount code for my viewers in the video: peek at the on-screen note or the description to grab it. DIVINO25
Yarn & Fit Notes Worth Remembering
Keep these points in mind:
- Plant-rich blends drape, don’t spring. Cotton/silk/linen-style yarns (like Cotton Lo) have less memory than wool. Build that into sizing. If you’re between sizes and prefer a “closer” fit, swatch, block, and measure carefully so you don’t overshoot after wash/block.
- Flat colorwork = swatch flat. If a sweater has big sections of flat colorwork (hi, Ovis), practice your wrong-side floats and tension on a flat swatch, not just in the round.
- Halo alternatives. Can’t wear mohair? Try Suri or brushed alpaca blends for a similar glow, or choose a rustic DK for crisp motifs without fuzz.
- Closure choices matter. Vests with ties are adorable but can gape over fuller busts witho
Giveaway Winner + How to Enter This Month
Before I forget, congrats to the winner from last month’s pattern giveaway! I popped your name on screen in the video. Please email me at ka**@***********ts.com
so I can send a pattern of your choice.
Want in on this month’s giveaway? Just leave a comment on the YouTube video. Tell me which August pattern stole your heart, and I’ll pick another winner to gift a pattern. Easy peasy!
What I’m Casting On Next
- Immediate crushes: Rosy (those flowers!), Su2 (that singular cable panel!), and Old Salt Socks (for the MAL and the household).
- Responsible brain says: finish a couple of lingering WIPs first.
- Real brain says: swatch stack incoming. Pray for my project basket.
Video
Wrapping up
August felt like the first crisp breeze after a hot summer—the queue is tilting toward sweaters, texture, and gentle halo. Whether you’re ready to take on a showpiece like the Pierre Dress, want a quick win with the Pinky Hat, or you’re craving a forever sweater like Divino, there’s truly something here for every maker and every season of knitting life.
If you’re new here and this roundup was your cup of tea, make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss next month’s haul. And if you cast on any of these beauties, tag me. I love seeing your yarn choices and your in-progress magic.
Happy knitting, y’all!
-0 Comment-