We’ve been welcoming lots of fall yarn restocks from some of my favourite Canadian yarn companies and mills, with beautiful colours and textures arriving in the shop. With cooler weather just around the corner, I thought it would be the perfect time to highlight a few patterns by Canadian designers.

I’ve paired each pattern with yarn from a Canadian brand or mill, so you can explore both the design and the materials close to home. I’ve included a mix of cozy sweaters, layering pieces, and quick(er) accessories, with something for every kind of knitter.

I hope you find a pattern that catches your eye—and maybe even the perfect project to cast on as the days get shorter and the evenings invite a little more knitting. Plus, I’ve already done the yarn math, so you don’t have to!

1. Flax Sweater by Tin Can Knits

I know, I know—the Flax Sweater, or something very similar, has been made by just about everyone and their mother. But there’s a reason this classic raglan continues to be so popular.

The Flax Sweater is available in three weights—sock, DK, and worsted—and comes in an impressively wide range of sizes, from newborn through adult 6XL. Best of all, the pattern is free!

With its straightforward construction and thoughtful instructions, Flax is an excellent choice for a first sweater. It’s one of the patterns I recommend for the Knit Your First Sweater class I teach here at the shop, and it’s a great way to build confidence while creating a sweater you’ll actually want to wear.

Tin Can Knits is the collaboration of Canadian designers Alexa Ludeman and Emily Wessel, who have been designing knitting patterns together since 2010. Their patterns are known for clear instructions, inclusive sizing, and approachable designs for knitters of all experience levels.

Photos © Tin Can Knits

Yarn Recommendation: Haynes Creek Aran from Gathering Yarns

When I knit the Flax Sweater for my younger sister, I followed the sock-weight version, holding Holst Garn’s Supersoft—a light-fingering-weight Merino/Shetland blend—double with a strand of Holst’s Titicaca, a lace-weight alpaca. It made for a very warm and cozy sweater, although, admittedly, it was a bit over the top! For the Flax Sweater, I’d generally recommend Haynes Creek Heathers Aran from Alberta-based brand Gathering Yarn. It’s wonderfully soft for a non-superwash wool and a pleasure to knit with. A quick note about the name: despite being labelled “Aran,” this yarn is much closer to a worsted weight. That’s just about the only less-than-positive thing I have to say about it!

Spun from Peruvian Highland Wool and milled with care in a Fair Trade–certified facility, Haynes Creek Heathers Aran has a lovely heathered palette that adds depth and rustic charm to the Flax’s simple texture. It is a great choice for a classic, cozy sweater you’ll reach for again and again.

2. Gardener's Scarf by Maxim Cyr*

I’ve had Maxim Cyr’s Whiskey Sour in my queue for a while now, but there’s something about the trellis-stitch design of the Gardener’s Scarf that has really caught my eye for fall.

The scarf is worked as a simple stockinette rectangle with ribbing at both ends. The magic happens with the contrasting yarn: you’ll slip it in front of the work and catch the float a few rows later, knitting it into the fabric to create a striking effect reminiscent of a garden trellis.

One of the two designers behind Les Garçons, Max is a children’s book author and illustrator as well as a passionate knitter. He launched his first knitting pattern, the For Fox Sake sweater, in December 2018. What he loves most is incorporating one of his illustrations into a knitwear pattern, combining a traditional look with a modern touch.

Photos © Maxim Cyr

Yarn Recommendation: Mule Spinner 1-Ply from Custom Woolen Mills (plus Irish Tweed from Yarn Vibes)

For the Gardener’s Scarf, you’ll need one fingering-weight yarn and one sport-weight yarn for the trellis stitch. Although the pattern was designed with gradient yarns in mind, I think a contrasting combination would be especially striking: Custom Woolen Mills’ rustic, undyed Mule Spinner 1 Ply alongside Yarn Vibes’ Cliffs of Moher Irish Tweed.

Mule Spinner is a high-yardage, single-ply yarn spun from 100% Canadian Rambouillet wool. Its natural sheep shades provide a beautiful neutral backdrop, while the sport-weight Cliffs of Moher Irish Tweed adds colour, texture, and subtle tweed flecks to the trellis design. Together, they create a cozy, rustic scarf with plenty of visual interest.

3. Geologica by Saskie & Co.*

Saskie & Co. is best known for colourful colourwork sweaters—think the Nocturnal Jumper—, but Geologica takes a more understated approach. Knit in a single colour, this cozy pullover uses simple knit and purl stitches to create a beautiful, subtle texture across the circular yoke.

With its relaxed, boxy fit and seamless construction, Geologica is worked entirely in the round. The pattern includes ten adult sizes, along with options to customize the body and sleeve lengths and add bust shaping.

Geologica was designed by Weichien, the maker behind Saskie & Co. Based in the Canadian Arctic, Weichien creates knitwear inspired by a place where long winters and cozy crafting go hand in hand.

Yarn Recommendation: Haynes Creek DK from Gathering Yarn

For this project, I'd generally recommend Haynes Creek Heathers DK from Alberta-based brand Gathering Yarn. This soft DK-weight yarn is spun from Peruvian Highland Wool and milled with care in a Fair Trade–certified facility that values both fibre quality and worker welfare. Its heathered palette adds depth and rustic charm to the simple texture, while the non-superwash finish preserves wool's natural character and durability.

4. Modern Twist by Heidi Kirrmaier*

Modern Twist puts a fresh spin on the traditional cabled sweater. The design features a simple, easy-to-wear cable pattern, modified drop shoulders, and two neckline options: a classic crew neck or a cozy turtleneck.

It's a timeless style that would look equally at home on a crisp fall morning or a cozy evening in — and a great confidence-builder if you've been wanting to try cables for the first time.

Yarn Recommendation: Mule Spinner 2-Ply from Custom Woolen Mills

For Modern Twist, I'd likely reach for the same yarn I recommended last winter for Heidi’s Snow Sweater: Custom Woolen Mills’ Mule Spinner 2 Ply. Spun from 100% Canadian Rambouillet wool, this strong and resilient worsted-weight yarn has a comforting loft and excellent stitch definition—perfect for showing off the sweater’s simple cable pattern. Its durable two-ply construction will stand up to plenty of wear, while the wool softens beautifully with handling and washing, making it an ideal choice for a cozy sweater you’ll enjoy for years to come.

5. Likely Hat by Megan Nodecker*

The Likely Hat combines classic cables and playful bobbles with a reverse-stockinette background, creating a cozy accessory with plenty of texture and personality. It’s the kind of hat that feels special to knit—and even better to wear.

The pattern comes in five sizes: baby, child, adult small, adult medium, and adult large. Both charted and written instructions are included, so you can work from whichever format you find most comfortable.

Based in Abbotsford, B.C., Megan Nodecker is the creative force behind Pip & Pin’s unique, contemporary knitwear patterns. Her designs bring together thoughtful details, interesting textures, and plenty of everyday wearability.

Photos © Megan Nodecker

Yarn Recommendation:  Cèdre from Waxwing Yarn Company (held double)

For the Likely Hat, I’d choose Cèdre, held-double. A single-ply, woolen-spun fingering-weight yarn made from Canadian wool, Cèdre has plenty of loft and resilience, while its unprocessed, chemical-free finish preserves the wool’s natural character. The single-ply construction blocks and blooms beautifully, adding softness and depth with washing and wear. It should also show off the hat’s cables, bobbles, and reverse-stockinette background beautifully.

6. Courage Shawl by Shannon Cook*

I’ll admit that I find fingering-weight shawls with hundreds of stitches to be a little tedious. If a project involves casting off more than 600 stitches, I’m probably not the knitter for it! That’s why I’m always excited to find a beautiful colourwork shawl worked in a heavier yarn, like Shannon Cook’s Courage Shawl.

This triangular shawl is knit from the top down using mosaic knitting, which creates an intricate-looking pattern without making the project overly complicated. It uses two solid-colour worsted-weight yarns and one multicoloured yarn, with only one colour worked per row. The pattern is made entirely with knit and purl stitches, making it a relaxing and approachable introduction to mosaic knitting.

Shannon Cook is the designer behind Very Shannon, a Canadian knitwear design company based in Victoria, B.C. Her designs focus on modern, mindful, and relaxing knits.

Photos © Shannon Cook

Yarn Recommendation: Knot the End from Spun•Up, Plus Luxe Worsted from Nova Knits

For the Courage Shawl, you’ll need two solid colours and one variegated yarn. If you’ve been to the shop, you may have noticed that variegated yarns aren’t usually our specialty—but stick with me for a moment! For the variegated colour, I’d choose Luxe Worsted, a super-soft, squishy superwash merino hand-dyed in small batches by Jenna of Nova Knits in Brookfield, Nova Scotia Jenna dyes each skein with care, creating rich, layered colours that are perfect for slow, joyful making.

7. Matisse Jazz Sweater by Kyleigh Noelle Darchiville

My queue of knitting projects has been increasingly taken over by intarsia colourwork patterns. It’s not a technique I have a great deal of experience with, but when a design like Kyleigh Noelle Darchiville’s Matisse Jazz Sweater comes along, how could I not add it to the list? It’s completely captivating.

The Matisse Jazz Sweater is worked from the bottom up and features intarsia motifs inspired by Henri Matisse’s iconic paper cut-outs. The bold, organic shapes draw particularly from his Jazz collection, capturing the theatrical and expressive quality of the original artwork.

The sweater’s silhouette echoes those playful shapes, with voluminous balloon sleeves, a mock-neck collar, and classic 2×2 ribbing. It’s a statement piece with an artistic feel—exactly the sort of project that makes learning a new technique feel worthwhile.

Kyleigh Noelle is a Canadian interdisciplinary textile artist and designer based in Toronto, Ontario.

Photos © Kyleigh Noelle Darchiville

Yarn Recommendation: Prairie Soft Spun from Custom Woolen Mills

For the Matisse Jazz Sweater, I’d choose Prairie Medium Soft Spun, a robust bulky-weight yarn spun from 100% Canadian wool. Its substantial loft and warm, rustic character are a natural fit for this cozy cold-weather sweater—and the bulky weight means it will knit up surprisingly quickly. Because it’s softly spun, Prairie has a loose, airy twist that creates a lightweight, warm, and exceptionally squishy fabric. It should also give the sweater’s bold intarsia motifs a lovely, graphic quality while producing a fabric that feels wonderfully cozy to wear.

8. Fern Pullover by Joan Ho

A chunky cabled sweater is a must-have in any fall wardrobe, and the Fern Pullover is a particularly beautiful example. With its generous texture and cozy weight, it’s the kind of sweater that feels just right for crisp mornings and chilly evenings.

The Fern Pullover pattern is available separately and is also included in Joan’s book, Cable Knit Style: 15 Stunning Patterns for Pullovers, Cardigans, Tanks, Tees & More. The collection features fifteen cable-knit sweaters and tops designed to become well-loved staples in your wardrobe for years to come.

Based in Mississauga, Joan Ho is an independent knitwear designer specializing in size-inclusive garments and accessories. Her designs balance classic techniques with wearable, modern silhouettes.

Photos © Joan Ho

Yarn Recommendation: Atlantic from Briggs & Little

For the Fern Pullover, I’d choose Atlantic from Briggs & Little. It may not be as soft as the merino-alpaca blend suggested in the pattern, but Briggs & Little is a Canadian classic—and a wonderful choice for a sturdy, warm cabled sweater. Atlantic is a robust, all-wool bulky yarn made from 100% Canadian wool. It has plenty of body, excellent stitch definition, and a cozy, rustic character that will show off the pullover’s cables beautifully. The yarn is milled, carded, dyed, and spun at Briggs & Little’s factory in York Mills, New Brunswick, where the company has been operating for more than 150 years.

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Choosing a colour

Of course, once you've chosen a pattern, there's still the most fun part: picking a colour. If you're not sure where to start, here are a few shades and combinations that tend to shine in fall knitting—and that we've been loving in the shop lately.

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Whether you're casting on your first sweater or adding another project to an ever-growing queue, I hope this list gives you a little fall knitting inspiration. It's been such a joy putting it together — and even more fun pairing each pattern with yarn we actually carry in the shop.

If you're not sure which pattern or yarn is right for you, come find us in store. We're always happy to talk through your options, help you swatch, or just admire your stash alongside you.

Happy knitting! 

–Meg, Owner of Stitch & Knit Dartmouth

Have you knit any patterns featured above? Who is your favourite Canadian knitwear designer?

Want more Canadian-designed and yarn match-up inspo? Check out The Great Canadian Make Along from Sweet Threads Yarn & Fibre!

*All of the patterns marked with an asterisk in this post are available in-store through the Ravelry LYS Program. Ask us in-store to purchase any of these patterns.