Free Patterns to Show Your School Spirit

This Saturday is the first football game of the college football season, and where I live that’s a BIG deal. My Facebook page has lately been full of people asking where they can get Razorbacks dresses or wreaths for their door, and I’m sure there are lots of crafty people all over the area breaking out their red and white stuff, if they haven’t already.

It’s going to be a little warm for school-colored knits for a few games, but it’s never too early to start. Here are some cute, easy patterns you can insert your school colors into to bring a little warmth whether you’re going to a fall football game, a winter basketball game or any other event.

Lion Brand has an easy School Colors Hat, which is worked flat in garter stitch with the color changes made on the right side for extra texture and interest. It’s a bit on the small side, so it might be better for high school kids than adults. The School Spirit Striped Scarf from Social Knitworking uses three colors and stockinette stitch worked in the round to make for a nice looking scarf that knits up quick.

And the only slightly more complex High School Colors Scarf from A.D.D. Knitter uses slip stitches to mix the two colors up and provide a much more interesting look.

Of course you could work any two-color pattern you like in your school colors to make it a “school” project, too.

Are you planning any school colors knitting? Spill it!

[Photo by Social Knitworking.]

As we get into the part of the year with a lot of food-forward holidays, it might be time to start thinking about knitting some new things for your table. While a few of these are more fall/Thanksgiving focused, just changing up the colors would make others work for Christmas, or keep it neutral and use them all year long.

What got me started thinking about this was the lovely and simple Fresh Bread Dishtowel, a free pattern from Purl Soho. Worked in a lovely cotton and linen blend, the towel is mostly stockinette stitch with a bit of texture on the borders.

You could use this same kind of pattern to make anything from placemats to a table runner, but let’s look at some specific patterns for those kinds of projects as well.

The easy moss stitch table runner from Glass Bird Knits is beginner friendly can can easily be modified to fit your table (or, again, to make placemats instead of or in addition to a runner). This version is worked in macrame cord, but you could also use bulky yarn.

Emielle Design has a garter stitch runner pattern that’s made with braided cotton cord for a lot of texture without a lot of work. But be sure to take a lot of breaks when knitting with cord because it can be rough on your hands!

I also love the diamond pattern on the Hamilton Table Runner from Wyndlestraw Designs. It calls for a DK weight cotton and linen blend yarn and comes in three sizes with different widths and lengths. The pattern has both written and charted instructions.

Amy Marie’s Table Pumpkins (on Ravelry) is a fun mosaic knitting pattern that would be great to use as a table runner through the fall and for Thanksgiving. It uses a worsted weight cotton yarn in two colors, and you can make it as long as you like for your table.

The no cable knit placemats from Yarn Culture Studio have a fun faux cable look that would be great for the table through the fall and winter.

Or here’s another pattern from Wyndlestraw Designs, this time for an easy knit and purl stitch placemat pattern that looks different but still good on both sides. It calls for worsted weight cotton and comes in two sizes for placemats, but also has instructions for coasters, a hot pad and a table pad all using the same stitch.

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