The Perfect Accessory for Your Sci-Fi Adventures

The only problem with going on adventures in time and space is that sometimes you get a little chilly. If you find yourself needing a little extra warmth while you wander the universe, you might need to knit yourself a Time Skip Collar.

This design from unexfruit is basically a high-necked, zip-front top of a vest. It covers the upper torso and back, with little bits of ribbing along the sides to connect the front and back.

The neckline is double folded for extra stability, and the front, which is shorter than the back, features a separating zipper for ease of wear.

It calls for fingering weight yarn held double, or DK weight on its own, except for the plackets, which are meant to be worked with fingering weight yarn held singly and worked at a tighter gauge. The neckline, plackets and I-cord edging give you opportunities to add color.

The pattern comes in six base sizes with 12 size options for the ribbing at the bottom. The base size corresponds to your back measurement, and ranges from 13 to 17 inches, or 33 to 43 cm. For the ribbing, you’re looking for a size similar to your upper chest circumference, with a bit of positive ease. These measurements range from 33 7/8 to 57 1/2 inches, or 86 to 146 cm.

While this project has a decided science fiction feel, it would be great to knit as a little extra layer for when it’s a little cool outside but not cold enough for a full sweater. It looks good over a long-sleeved shirt, and I’m sure it would be cute over a dress, too. Different colors give it a different look (there’s even a solid color one on the pattern page on Ravelry which is also fun, though I do like the stripes on the designer’s samples).

You can get this pattern as a free download on Ravelry.

[Photo: unexfruit]

Over the years I have shared a lot of pumpkin knitting patterns, and I’ve knit and crocheted a lot of pumpkins myself. But it feels like there are always more fun things to try with knit pumpkins, so this year I wanted to look a little more beyond basic stockinette or ribbed pumpkins and share some pumpkin patterns with cables, bobbles and colorwork.

In the cable collection we’ve got these cute little basic cable and ribbed pumpkins from Elly Bear Knits. There are two sizes that make a wide, flat pumpkin and a taller round pumpkin. Both are worked in the round as a tube that’s cinched top and bottom when you’re done, and they use bulky weight yarn.

Another cute cable pumpkin knitting pattern comes from Gray Bear Akswokrat. This one is knit flat and it looks like a chunky yarn but you could use other weights to make pumpkins of different sizes. This one also has an I-cord stem and uses yarn to cinch up the sections of the pumpkin, giving it a more natural look.

Add some bobbles to your pumpkins with this design from Autumn Shelter Makes. Also worked in the round in a tube, it features a repeating pattern of bobbles and uses yarn wrapped around the outside to make segments. This one looks like worsted weight yarn to me.

Of course there’s nothing that says your pumpkin has to be a single color, so let’s throw in some colorwork. I love the look of the Cozy Fall Pumpkin knitting pattern from South Stitch Girls. The little leather loop adds a rustic touch but you could also just add a stick. These pumpkins have five colorwork options and are worked in worsted weight yarn in the round.

There’s also the Autumn Fair Isle Trio pumpkins pattern from Equestriann Style, which has three different sizes of pumpkins with four colorwork designs. They are worked in super bulky yarn in the round and look good with high contrast or more muted color combinations.

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