Get into Fall Knitting with Yarnspirations

Happy fall to everyone in the Northern Hemisphere (and happy spring to the rest of you!). It’s officially prime knitting season, so if your needles have been hibernating all summer (perish the thought!) it’s time to get to stitching again.

Yarnspirations is just one knitting company that’s ready to inspire you with great new projects for fall. I bring them up specifically because I love their lookbooks, which are super inspiring even if you never knit or crochet any of the projects in them.

You can see more in their Northern Lights collection (lots of crochet, but I love the Slouchy Sweater Dress) and Culture Club collection (I want a Diagonal Stripes Sweater on my needles right now).

I mention this in particular also because they’re about to kick off a Culture Club knit (and crochet) along, the knit project of which is the Shadow Cowl pictured above. It’s two-color brioche, with an accent trim in a third color. It’s rated intermediate but once you get brioche stitch down it’s really pretty easy.

The knitalong starts Sept. 29 with the release of how-to videos. If you’re playing along, you can enter their photo contest for a chance to win a yarn prize pack.

What are you knitting for fall? I’ve moved on to a super bulky cabled scarf I can’t wait to show you!

[Photo via Yarnspirations.]

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Looking for Fall patterns to Knit? Check out these Fall knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

We’re a big Studio Ghibli household, and while they are sometimes very protective of their copyrights (as evidenced by the number of patterns on Ravelry that were removed from the service when it received a takedown notice back in 2021), there are still a fair number of Totoro knitting patterns (as well as other designs I’m sure we’ll get to someday). Let’s check them out!

Yaya Labs has a cute plush Totoro that looks like it might stand up on its own. The pattern is available on LoveCrafts, and it calls for DK or light worsted weight yarn in four colors. The pattern is considered advanced but it does include a photo tutorial. It stands 10.6 inches or 27 cm tall.

A similar pattern can be found a Shino Craft, which doesn’t have the leaf hat but does include little hands, and the legs aren’t as separate from the body. This one calls for sport weight yarn and is knit flat on two needles.

All Made Here has a Totoro pouch that is super cute and looks pretty easy to knit. It measures 14 by 18 cm and is rated for advanced beginners. You can get the pattern when you subscribe to updates or follow the designer on Instagram.

Stitch Totoro on a sweater with the Totorogenseren sweater from Anna-Sofia Vintersol. This free download on Ravelry uses worsted/aran weight yarn in two or three colors. The pattern comes in nine sizes, with a chest measurement ranging from 77 to 149 cm.

The Forest Spirit Fair Isle Jumper from Kraft with Kindrex features a row of Totoros on the circular yoke, along with other little colorwork designs. The design includes three sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 91 to 101 cm. It calls for 4 ply (that’s fingering/sock weight in other parts of the world).

Or you can stitch Totoro as part of a project with more Ghibli characters, as on the Magical Anime Knit Sweater (a longtime bucket list item for me) from The Bearded Sewist. This on has a circular yoke and rows of different characters including Totoro, Ponyo, soot sprites, Calcifer and more. The pattern comes in four sizes and is rated intermediate/advanced. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can grab a copy on Ravelry.

Or try Katharina Kuntz’s Anime Scarf, also on Ravelry. This one is a double knit scarf worked in fingering weight yarn in two colors, with allover designs from Studio Ghibli movies. She started by knitting the movies in chronological order but gave that up after she realized all her favorites would be in the middle and therefore not visible when worn. You can probably rearrange the motifs further somewhat if you want to showcase your favorites.

Have you read?