5 Favorite Tips for Styling Your Knits

We know that knitters love to make projects that they can wear in real life. Our photography is shot on real farms and ranches, on models who are comfortable in their own skin and enjoy being outside. We also strive to show each project in ways we’d actually wear them, with clothing and accessories that are practical, accessible, comfortable, and beautiful.

As the project stylist for Farm & Fiber Knits, I'm always looking for outfits that complement—not detract from—the gorgeous knits we feature. I gather items borrowed from companies we love, vintage and new pieces from favorite shops, and loved items from our own closets and those of our friends. For the Fall 2025 issue, for example, we borrowed pieces from Brosgé, Miss Rose Sister Violet via Rows of PurL, Conscious Clothing, m.a.b.e.l., and Lotus Moth Vintage.

When I plan outfits for a photo shoot, I typically put together a couple of options for each piece that will be photographed. Once we are all at the shoot (often with sheep or donkeys grazing nearby), we start making final decisions. Here are 5 key styling tips I keep in mind:

Keep it Natural

If you are reading Farm & Fiber Knits, chances are you’re already an aficionado of natural fibers. You’ve probably noticed that pretty much all of the styling garments we use on our shoots are cotton, wool, or linen. You may think of linen as a hot-weather fabric, and while linen clothing truly keeps you cool in warmer temps, we love layering linen with handknits all year round. Here are four of my favorite linen pairings, and you'll find links for all of the knitting patterns at the bottom of the page.

Get a closer look! Click any image in the gallery below to open it in full-screen mode.

The Gelso Shawl is paired with a linen apron for a casual look. For an easy look, wear the Skellister Vest over a thrifted linen or cotton shirt. The Pole Vest is worn over a shirt left untucked—easy breezy! Consider pairing neutral tones, like the cotton shirt and linen skirt, under a garment like this Smith River Vest to allow your knitted garment to shine.

• Mirva Scivola’s beautiful Gelso Shawl is wrapped over Brosgé’s super practical Linen Studio Apron.
• Sandi Rosner’s Skellister Vest and Sissal Kristiansen’s Pole Vest are both styled over thrifted linen shirts, casually untucked.
• We paired a checked cotton shirt and linen skirt in neutral tones to show off the charming details and high-low hemline of Joanna Johnson’s Smith River Vest.

Add an Accessory

While we’re not too big on bling when we style Farm & Fiber Knits projects, there are times the perfect accessory can complement a project, even when it’s worn at the ranch.

Choose a pair of earrings that match a particular color in your garment, like the turquoise earrings Karin paired with the Rancher’s Cowl. Get creative with playful jewelry! Karin chose a copper cuff and an acorn necklace to complement the Vintage Maple Cardigan. Notice how the geometric earrings reflect the geometric pattern in the Zig Zag Tunic.

• Tressa Weidenaar’s Navajo-inspired Rancher’s Cowl was begging for the perfect turquoise earrings to play off the blue shade in the graphic colorwork.
• We added a copper cuff and acorn necklace to Lisa Lloyd’s Vintage Maple Cardigan to set off the sweater’s rich color and wooden buttons and to reflect the tree motif.
• The earrings shown with Amy Tyler’s Zig Zag Tunic subtly play on the garment’s geometric theme.

Consider Color

Whether it’s a surprising pop of color, contrasting shades, or tone-on-tone, the colors you choose to pair with your knits can make or break the look.

For standout style, consider a contrasting color to wear with an accessory, like the chartreuse top under the Loon Lake Scarf. A dark garment can make the lovely details in a bright accessory really pop. This brown jumpsuit provides a warm background to the gold lace on the Pyrope Shawlette. Think outside the box and layer various shades of the same color. The greens in a variety of patterns here allow the Turnout Shawl to stand out. Wear a solid-colored top to highlight a richly textured accessory like the Mountain Sorrel Cowl.

• Chartreuse offers the ideal contrast to the rich blue of Jen Geigley’s chunky Loon Lake Scarf.
• A rugged brown jumpsuit provides an unexpected background for the delicate golden lace Pyrope Shawlette.
• A combo of solid and patterned greens takes the styling of Seth Richardson’s Turnout Shawl from being matchy-matchy to standing out.
• The rich color and texture of Tami Gore’s Mountain Sorrel Cowl pop against a simple tee in a complementary shade of teal.

Favorite Flannels

You’ve surely noticed that we are big fans of flannel, always on the lookout for the perfect plaid to pull out the colors in a project. We scout vintage shops and men’s sale racks in search of unusual color combos that pair perfectly with knitted pieces. We especially love them with accessories.

A plaid top and utility vest provide a background to the colorful Brooklyn Mitts. Think bold when pairing something with a single-color, like wearing the Grand Picot Scarf over a bright flannel shirt. The Colubrida Wrap pairs nicely with plaid in a warm hue.

• Olga Putano’s three-color brioche Brooklyn Mitts stand out against a simple plaid and coordinating Carhartt utility vest that pick up the main color in the mitts. (And we are doubly happy when we can add a cute animal to the shot.)
• Bold red flannel with a touch of gray creates a perfect farm-y background for Lori Steinberg’s chunky Grand Picot Scarf.
• An autumn-toned plaid makes Angela Hahn’s Colubrida Wrap look right at home on the farm.

Dress it Up

Just because our photo shoots take place on farms, it doesn’t mean we don’t like dresses and skirts with our knits! Editor Kate Larson wears dresses for much of the summer when out and about on her sheep farm in Indiana. “Linen is my favorite fabric and dresses keep me cool,” she says.

The Chill Chaser Poncho looks dreamy with a vintage silk dress. A garden dress pairs perfectly with the Wee Cardi. Find a skirt that has bits of the main color of the Pocket Pullover for a complementary look. The Luisetta Vest is paired with a simple linen dress to allow the embroidered details to shine.

• We styled Deborah Newton’s Chill Chaser Poncho on a Pennsylvania farm with a vintage silk dress that perfectly coordinates with Manos del Uruguay Wool Clasica yarn in the shade La Perla.
• Norah Gaughan’s cropped Wee Cardi would be cute with jeans, but we showed it with a summery garden dress for a fresh take on country living.
• Because Mari Tobita’s classic Pocket Pullover is a solid shade, we chose a favorite patterned Anthropologie skirt from my closet that picks up the luscious mustard color and paired it with Wellies boots for a rainy day on the farm.
• A simple linen dress shows off Hannah Theissen Howard’s Luisetta Vest without distracting from the charming embroidery.

I hope these tips inspire you to wear and enjoy your handknits every day, not just for special occasions. By thoughtfully combining accessories, well-loved wardrobe pieces, and a touch of creativity, you can express your own style while highlighting the beauty of your knits.

— Karin

Find the patterns mentioned here in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.

• Scarves and Shawls: Loon Lake Scarf, Gelso Shawl, Pyrope Shawlette, Turnout Shawl, Grand Picot Scarf, Colubrida Wrap

• Vests: Skellister Vest, Pole Vest, Smith River Vest, Luisetta Vest

• Cowls and Ponchos: Rancher’s Cowl, Mountain Sorrel Cowl, Chill Chaser Poncho

• Cardigans and Pullovers: Vintage Maple Cardigan, Wee Cardi, Zig Zag Tunic, Pocket Pullover

• Mitts: Brooklyn Mitts

Resources

• Brosgé, brosgeclothing.com
• Conscious Clothing, consciousclothing.net
• Lotus Moth Vintage, @LotusMothVintage on Instagram
• m.a.b.e.l., mabelstyle.com
• Miss Rose Sister Violet, missrosesisterviolet.com
• Rows of Purl yarn store in New Jersey, rowsofpurl.com