Doesn’t it seem like just last week that it was August, when it felt like it would never be cool enough to want a sweater again? But hard frosts have come again for many of us, and the woolens we tucked away last spring come out of storage like welcome half-forgotten friends.
I have a knitting challenge for you. Before the holiday gift-knitting list gets started and the season’s obligations pile up, knit yourself something nice. Pull out a yarn you’ve been saving and a fun-to-knit design, preferably one with an easy-to-memorize stitch pattern. Make it something that you could finish in a few weeks, then wear until next spring when the days are warm and bright again. Here are a few of our favorites.
Photo by Kate Larson
Kate’s Simple and Beautiful Shawl
by Kate Larson
With a simple garter-stitch pattern and lace edging, this project is adaptable for any gauge. Whether you choose a solid yarn or something more colorful, this is a shawl you’ll be happy to return to, on or off the needles. (This pattern is free in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.)
Photo by Matt Graves
Ilisha’s Mittens
by Sivia Harding
The pops of color in these scrappy mittens bring brightness to a gray day. Cast on now, and they’ll be ready for cold January mornings and even colder snowballs. (This pattern is available for subscribers in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.)
Photo by Elizabeth Nihoniho
Hōtoke Shawl
by Elizabeth Nihoniho
While knitters in the Northern Hemisphere are bundling up for winter, New Zealand knitters are getting ready for summer months. What more fitting project, then, than a cozy shawl inspired for the Maōri word for winter? (This pattern is available for subscribers in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library until September 20, 2024.)
Photo by Gale Zucker
Montadale Beanie
by Benjamin Krudwig
Simple to knit, this charming hat will help you stand out in a crowd if you choose the turmeric-yellow colorway seen here. (This pattern is available for subscribers in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.)
Photo by Joe Coca
Power of Ten Socks
by Carol Huebscher Rhoades
A few details put these socks a step ahead of other top-down, flap-heel designs: the eye-of-partridge heel flap, unusual Dutch heel turn, and lace-and-cable cuff. (This pattern is available for subscribers in the Farm & Fiber Knits Library.)