Top Five Oversized Cropped Knitting Patterns

1. The "Mainly Garter Stitch" Oversized Cropped Sweater

My Burrell Sweater is my go to comfy sweater. The body is super oversized, but the sleeves are nice and snug, and it's cropped to just the right length - so flattering. Plus it was a lovely easy knit in mainly garter stitch. The pretty modern lace pattern adds just enough interest to stop this being tedious to knit. Great with jeans or over a black jersey dress, this is cosy, flattering and easy to wear.

2. The "Classic Lace" Oversized Cropped Sweater

Tentsmuir is like a dressy version of my Burrell Sweater. A simple, timeless lace pattern at the neckline and around the cuffs adds a touch of class. Bracelet length sleeves make this perfect for Autumn and Spring too. This was the first oversized, cropped sweater I ever designed myself. I knitted one for my aunt (in 4ply yarn with 3mm needles - it was a real labour of love!) and she loved it, but it took me a while to come round to the idea for myself. I took a big leap of faith and knitted this while I was freshly postpartum with my daughter. Maybe I was crazy to knit a cropped sweater while I was least happy with how my stomach looked, but it really worked. Don't ask me to explain the physics of it, but this really truly is a flattering silhouette!

3. The "Showstopper Stitch Pattern" Oversized Cropped Sweater

I am absolutely in love with the woven look of this stitch pattern. My Caisteal Sweater features a simple basketweave cable pattern that;s supersized by adding and dropping yo's at each stitch. This leads to an open, airy, elongated woven look that I can't get enough of. The sweater itself is cosy, comfortable and quick to knit, but if you're looking for a challenging stitch pattern this is the one for you. There's a video tutorial to help you master it though!

Autumn Fireside Knitting Pattern4. The "Textured Stitch Pattern" Oversized Cropped Sweater

If the last stitch pattern was a challenge, this one is more relaxing. Autumn Fireside is a basic "knit and purl" design that still looks fabulous. It's another super cosy pullover with a bold geometric design. The yarn is Eden Cottage Yarns Brimham DK, so slightly lighter weight than the other sweaters so far which have all been in worsted or aran yarn. It's a hardwearing merino/nylon blend that still feels luxurious to work with, and the hand dyed colours are saturated and rich - a joy to knit!

5. The "Summer Crop" Oversized Top

Living in Scotland, I'm definitely biased towards warm, cosy sweaters. But the list wouldn't be complete without something for summer wear too. My Monadh Top is a flattering, drapy, long crop knitted up in 4ply yarn. Again, it's mostly simple garter stitch so perfect for relaxed knitting, but the lace detail is (in my opinion) stunning. The lace looks very complicated but it's mainly made by making and dropping yarn-overs, with one row of gathered stitches in the middle. There's lots of room for creativity in the colour scheme here, you could knit this all in one colour or add even more stripes. Who doesn't have a range of leftover odds and ends of sock yarn to use up?