Knit Yourself an Awesome Plaid Scarf

Here’s another fun knitting technique to add to your resolutions list (as if you need more of those, right?).

Knitting plaid looks really complicated, and I suppose it could be, but there are lots of tricks you can use to make it a lot easier. Such as not actually knitting it all.

This plaid scarf pattern from Stitches N Scraps shows you how. The scarf body is worked in stripes, so you’re only working with one color on each row.

The vertical lines of the plaid are worked in later, using slip stitch crochet. It’s really simple even if you don’t know how to crochet, I promise.

This is such a lovely scarf, great for ladies and guys, and though it’s rated intermediate it is really not that difficult, and it looks really impressive.

Have you ever knit plaid? I’d love to know how it went for you. Did you use this technique or make it a different way?

[Photo via Stitches N Scraps.]

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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