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Last week we invited knitters to post their knitted FOs (finished objects) and WIPs (works in progress) on the AllFreeKnitting Facebook fan page in honor of St. Patrick, who we all know was an avid knitter.

Alright, so maybe the only stick St. Patrick wielded was the staff of Moses, but the St. Paddy’s Day Challenge was still a great opportunity for knitters to share their projects and showcase their skills.  We also chose one participant at random to receive an awesome prize: a Pocket Knitter (great for small loom knitting projects!) with two skeins of Deborah Norville yarn.

The lucky recipient of this goody bag was Jennifer Wylie, who posted a pair of knee-high socks in a rustic, cozy-looking yarn.  Congratulations Jennifer!

Although our contest winner was chosen at random, I have picked out a few projects from the St. Paddy’s Day Challenge that especially caught my eye.  These were my 15 favorite posts this St. Patrick’s Day, in no particular order:

1. Shamrock Socks

I decided to start off my favorites list with a project that embodies St. Patrick’s Day.  Great colorwork!

2. Double Knit Hat

I love the cornflower blue and bright yellow reminiscent of the Swedish flag, but I’m especially impressed by the double knitting.  I’ve never done this great reversible stitch before, but I’ve been reading a lot about it lately, and I’m itching to try it. If you’re inspired by this project too, try out one of these patterns that incorporate double knitting:

Double Knitted Book Scarves

Endpaper Mitts

3. Living Room Afghan

The creamy yarn sets off perfect stitch definition in this classic afghan. Love it!

4. Big Fat Cowl

For those of you who aren’t fans of lacy, drapey scarves, check out this chunky cowl. There’s something about the spring green yarn, the bulky stitches (garter stitch or seed stitch? What does this look like to you?), and the earthy leaf embellishment.

5. Felted Rosebud Tote

The intarsia and felting on this bag is great. The knitter who posted it mentioned that it was her own design. We would love to feature the pattern on AllFreeKnitting if you would like to contribute!

6. Easter Shrug

All I can say is that I wish I was wearing this shrug on Easter!

7. Hug Me Sweaters

I chose these sweaters because the knitter who posted them said they were mostly her own design. I’m very impressed by the intarsia (especially the lettering). Hopefully the knitter will share her pattern with us!

8. Pacifier Clips

This may be my #1 favorite project from the whole challenge.  Not only are they adorable, they are also totally original. I haven’t seen a project this creative, cute, and unexpected in a long time.

9. Himalayan Dog Sweater

I can say this project made the list for its resourcefulness, ingenuity, and sheer talent.  But mostly it made the list because it had us in stitches (pun intended)! The idea of spinning a yarn from your cat hair to make a sweater for your dog is truly original!

10. Irish Cap

This was the perfect knitting project for St. Patrick’s Day. It simply exudes Irish spirit!

11. Aran Baby Blanket

As you might have already guessed, I have a soft spot for blankets with chunky cables. This will be so cozy for baby!

12. Stranded Earflap Hat

There may not be much to this WIP yet, but I chose this project for the knitter’s adventurous spirit. She writes that this is her first attempt at stranded colorwork. Yay for fearless knitters!

13. Log Cabin Blanket

Another project I chose for technique. This is called a log cabin blanket because each rectangle builds off the other to create a series of interlocking squares.

14. Four Leaf Clover Hat

This is one of my favorites because the knitter really got into the St. Patrick’s Day spirit.  Love the four-leaf clover tassel!

15. Union Jack Mohawk Hat

This clever cap is not only unexpected, but also an example of impressive knitting skills. The colorwork is great, and I can’t even begin to figure out how to keep the fringe standing up.

Thank you so much to all the knitters who contributed their photos! We would love to feature your patterns on AllFreeKnitting, so please send us links, blog posts, or even handwritten patterns so we can share your projects with our whole community. If you would like to share your pattern with AllFreeKnitting, please let us know through our Contact Us page. I am especially looking forward to hearing from those talented knitters who have designed their own patterns!