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.]

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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