Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Winter is Coming — Have You Started Knitting an Afghan Yet?

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free blanket knitting patternsI recently started a project, which will be done really soon if I just keep working on it, using three strands of yarn held together to knit a blanket. It’s going to be huge and super warm and use a lot of yarn (probably about 15 balls that have been in my stash for years), so I’m really excited about it. There’s nothing like a big knit blanket to cozy under when the days are cold.

If you haven’t started an afghan for the winter yet, let me direct your attention to this free ebook from Knitting Daily full of 7 Free Afghan Knitting Patterns. You do have to be a member of Knitting Daily to download it, which involves subscribing to a free daily enewsletter, but I’d say it’s worth it for more great ideas for keeping warm.

There are lots of great skills represented here, too, including mitered squares, entrelac, cables, mosaic knitting, lace and textured stitches.

Another great pattern that crossed my screen recently was the Striped Garter Throw from Plymouth Yarn (via Noble Knits). This is a super easy and fast project that even a new knitter can complete with ease. And it has tassels!

Are you knitting a blanket or afghan for winter? I’d love to know what you’re working on!

Have you read?

Beyond Basic Pumpkin Knitting Patterns

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.