Halloween without a Costume

If you want to knit an accessory that will give you a bit of a Halloween feel without a full-on costume, there are a lot of great options out there.

I love my bright orange, fun fun Halloween boa as a really great addition to any outfit this time of year. You can even wear it to work and be in the holiday spirit without being in costume.

While it’s shown on a kid, the Scaredy Cat Scarf from Lion Brand Yarn would be a great one for anyone, just make the striped portion longer. The tail and the cat face make this super cute and on theme without being scary or fussy.

If you want to go a little bolder, try Lion Brand’s Jolly Roger Poncho. It’s a simple poncho pattern with a scull and crossbones added for some frightful fun. Also great for Talk Like a Pirate Day. Argh!

Do you have ideas for dressing up without a costume? I’d love to hear them!

Looking for more things to Knit for Halloween? Check out these Halloween Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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I’m trying to include more knits for kids in my posts because I know a lot of people do a lot of their knitting for the little ones in their lives.

This child’s striped vest from Lion Brand Yarn is not only cute and great for kids who might find a full sweater too hot, it’s also an easy project if you’ve never knit a garment before.

Lion Brand rates it as level 2 easy/beginner +, probably just because there’s a little shaping and seaming invovled, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.

The pattern comes in three sizes that are meant to be for ages 6, 8 and 10. The finished chest measurement is 30, 31.5 or 33 inches, which is 76, 80 and 84 cm respectively. This makes the vest a little roomy and makes it easy to slip on over a T-shirt or other top.

It’s worked in two pieces from the bottom up, with the neckband and armhole bands worked in the round after the body pieces are sewn together. One benefit of knitting stripes on a project like this is that it’s easier to make sure your pieces are the same length because you can just count the stripes (it’s also a little easier to seam because you’re always lining up the stripes).

If you’re knitting the smallest size, you only need one skein each of the two colors you choose, and for the larger sizes you will only need two, making this project a pretty good value. The suggested yarn is Color Theory, a worsted weight acrylic yarn that comes in 18 relatively muted colors. Of course you can use any worsted weight yarn you like. Keep it acrylic for easy washing or use wool to make this a warmer garment for kids who live in cooler climates.

You can grab the pattern for free from the Lion Brand website, or get a kit that includes the yarn you need (and needles if you don’t have them already). I think this would be a great basic to knit a kid for back to school in their school colors, or make it holiday with red and green, or whatever colors the child likes.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

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