What the Beans Made in 2025: Part 1
Cozy Accessories, Quick Wins, and the Projects That Kept Us Company
All year I get a front-row seat to the WIPs our team and customers dream up, and honestly, nothing fuels my next cast-on quite like seeing what everyone else is making. So this December, I thought: why not have a “Show & Tell” that trades glue sticks for soft, fluffy mohair? The knitters around me are my biggest creative push—and I couldn’t keep that inspiration all to myself.
Today’s spotlight: accessories! These are the comfort‑projects, the palette‑cleansers, the pick‑it‑up‑whenever pieces that lived in our cars, our della Q bags, our office chairs, and occasionally under the couch. They’re wearable, giftable, joyful, and just plain delightful.
Grab your needles, or at least a snack, and dive into the first wave of 2025 Bean favorites.
Killer Queens Cowl - Ayesha’s Textured, Tonal Dream
Yarn: Malabrigo Rios (Dulce de Leche, Piedras)
Pattern: Killer Queen Cowl by Mary Annarella
Ayesha wanted something rhythmic and meditative this year, and honestly, watching her work on the Killer Queen Cowl was such a treat. The combo she picked, Malabrigo Rios in Dulce de Leche and Piedras, is just unreal. That rich coppery Dulce de Leche base with those watercolor splashes from Piedras… it’s one of those projects where I kept thinking, “yep, this is why we all love Rios.”
This became her “Zoom-meeting companion,” which cracked me up because every so often she’d turn her camera off just to admire the color changes. And honestly? Same. I would’ve done it too.
Sensory snapshot: Rios really is that perfect soft + springy combo -warm, comforting, just a little bit wool-wash-y in the best way. Like wrapping your neck in a hug you earned.
Ayesha’s note made me smile: “Piedras does 90% of the heavy lifting. It’s like knitting with watercolors.”
Sophie Scarf + Ooey Gooey Cowl - Aiyana’s Cashmere Cloud Duo
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere (Inflorescence) + Yarn Citizen Trinity Cashmere (Glacier)
Pattern: Sophie Scarf by PetiteKnit and Ooey Gooey Cowl by Andrea Mowry
When Aiyana decides she wants cozy, she commits. This year she ended up making not one but two little cloud-like treats: the Sophie Scarf in Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere (Inflorescence) and the Ooey Gooey Cowl in Yarn Citizen Trinity Cashmere (Glacier). I swear, every time I walked past her desk while she was working on these, I caught myself reaching out just to squish them.
She used to joke that the Sophie Scarf lived permanently in her purse “just in case I end up somewhere drafty,” which… absolutely tracks. And the Ooey Gooey Cowl? That was her official “don’t talk to me, I’m unwinding” project -honestly a mood I deeply respect.
Sensory snapshot: These pieces feel like the softest kitten in the world choosing your neck as its nap spot. Airy, gentle, melt-right-into-your-skin soft. I kept thinking, “If comfort had a texture, this would be it.”
Aiyana’s note made me laugh because I could hear her saying it:
“I kept stopping mid-row just to squish it. No regrets.”
Autumn Wheat Hat - Dawn’s Golden Hour Beanie
Yarn: Dream in Color Riley (Amber Glass)
Pattern: Autumn Wheat Hat by Briana K Designs
Dawn whipped up this Autumn Wheat Hat in Dream in Color Riley (Amber Glass), and the first time she brought it in, we all basically said the same thing: wow, it glows. The color looks like bottled sunshine -that warm honey-amber hue that somehow makes you feel instantly warmer just looking at it.
She worked on this one in the carpool line, which feels so perfectly “maker life,” balancing everything else but still finding those tiny pockets of joy to stitch a few more rows.
Sensory snapshot: Riley has that smooth, bouncy hand that makes a hat feel structured but somehow weightless. It’s one of those knits you forget you’re wearing until someone says, “Oh my gosh, did you make that?”
And Dawn… well, she heard that a lot.
Maker Tip (from Dawn, but honestly from all of us): if cables feel intimidating, this is a great “dip your toe in” kind of pattern. You get the vibe without the stress.
Saturna Toque - Arlene’s Moody Color Moment
Yarn: Malabrigo Vientos (Amphibian)
Pattern: Saturna Toque by Jennifer Emslie
Arlene has such a good eye for color, and her Saturna Toque in Malabrigo Vientos (Amphibian) proved it yet again. This one shifts from seafoam to moss to this cozy caramel tone, and when she put it on, it was one of those “yep, that’s your color palette” moments.
She said it was one of those simple, soft, timeless knits -the kind you happily loan a friend and then immediately regret because you know you’ll never see it again. (I’ve been there.)
Why it’s a win:
- truly a one-skein wonder
- Vientos is airy but still warm
- the variegation does all the heavy lifting -such good visual interest with zero extra effort
Every time I saw it sitting on her desk, I’d pick it up and admire those shifts. It’s just the prettiest kind of moody.
Stay Tuned for Part 2…
Next week, we’re diving into the big-mood makes -the sweaters, vests, and ponchos that basically became emotional support projects for all of us this year. One of them even made its Thanksgiving debut, and another turned heads in every room it walked into. Can’t wait to share those with you.
What quick knit got you through 2025? I genuinely love hearing these stories.
