The Garter Stitch Scarf, Made Prettier

I’d guess just about every knitter has at one point or another knit a garter stitch scarf. It’s often one of the first things you knit because it’s an easy way to get comfortable with forming the knit stitch. You don’t have to think about shaping or even how much you’ve knit or how much you have left to knit because you can just keep going until it’s a good length, or you’re bored or run out of yarn.

But this take on the garter stitch scarf from NobleKnits shows you that the plain old garter stitch scarf doesn’t have to be abandoned as soon as you learn how to purl. This is still an easy project, but the yarn choice — a “railroad” yarn with a strand of wool running through the “track” for extra stability — makes it look fancier than it is.

Because this is a novelty yarn it’s a little harder to see your stitches than a plain wool would be, so I wouldn’t recommend it for your first knitting project, but when you’re on garter stitch scarf two or three and are looking for something a little different but still dead simple, this is the one for you.

[Photo via NobleKnits.]

Oh, this one has proper old-Hollywood winter charm.

The Pembroke Coat is a vintage knitted coat pattern that instantly made me think of crisp winter walks, leather gloves, polished boots, and the sort of coat your grandmother would have casually worn while looking impossibly elegant. It has that beautiful longline shape, a classic collar, button front, sleeve tabs, pockets, and a smart plaid-style design that gives it such a tailored finish.

This is not a quick “knit it while watching one movie” sort of project — and honestly, that is part of the appeal. The Pembroke Coat is one for knitters who love a satisfying vintage knitting pattern with a proper garment construction feel. The updated PDF includes the original vintage reference image along with a modern mockup, which makes it much easier to picture how this coat could look in today’s wardrobe.

I especially love that this pattern still feels wearable. Made in grey, camel, forest green, burgundy, or navy, it would be a gorgeous handmade winter coat with that timeless “where did you get that?” look.

As with most vintage patterns, I’d recommend reading through the instructions first, checking your gauge carefully, and being prepared to make small adjustments for fit and modern yarn substitutions. But for confident knitters who enjoy heirloom-style projects, this is a really lovely one to add to the queue.

You can find the Vintage Knitted Coat Pattern PDF in the CraftGossipStore on Etsy.

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