the first day of fall is just just a few days behind us, but wow, have things changed around here. i can’t get over how much more color has appeared in the treetops in just one week’s time

or how much the garden has died back

neither one a cause for regret in my mind, because both signal the onset of full-on knitting season and the flurry of excitement that goes with it. time to dive back into the stash and take account, make shopping lists for fall wool shows and shop excursions, and begin scheming upon holiday knitting strategies for later in the season.

i don’t know about you, but my own excitement about the advance of wool-wearing weather is somehow amplified by the fact that it is so closely timed to harvest season, when a rich variety of plenty can be had on all levels.

right now, when time is once again freed up for evening knitting and it’s cool enough to knit with wool in hand, is a good time to work through a much-desired selfish knitting project.

maybe you’ve been desiring to stretch your skills a bit with something a bit more involved or  make a larger shawl you can enjoy layering on when the weather turns truly cold.

these two pretty pieces will fit the bill; large, light and lacy, you can wear them loose and fluttery when the sun is warmer and you just need a light cover

or bunched up into a lovely pile of warmth around your neck and shoulders when the temperatures are a bit brisk. either would be stunning as an accent at the throat of a classic, plain coat.

featured in both rectangle and semicircle versions as our october club patterns last fall, they share a composition of grape leaves and trellises, set agains a background of garter stitch and mesh.

the semicircle, zinfandel, begins with a small number of stitches and increases outward to the hem through a “pi” construction; once you work an increase row, your stitch count and patterning will stay the same until the next big increase row. it’s kind of a nice break from a construction which increases constantly; you can decide about halfway through whether you want to knit the petite or tall version.

the rectangle, syrah, also can be knit in two sizes and begins at the center back with a provisional caston and is worked outward to the hem in both directions, resulting in a solid “body” punctuated by eyelets, with lots of lacy texture down near the hems—wonderful for scarfing up if you like.

shown here is the petite stole (above) and the petite semicircle shawl (below), both knit in briar rose stella, colorway days of wine . . . and wine!, which was a custom dyed colorway for our club.

we have a very limited number of skeins left in our bare naked wools boutique; too few to list in our online shop. please contact david to inquire, using our contact form at right.   ETA: all gone now, thank you!

if it’s the single pattern you’re after, click here to view more information about the zinfandel shawl or here to read about the syrah rectangle scarf/stole. you may also view them in my ravelry pattern shop—click here for zinfandel and here for syrah.

these patterns are also included in the 2013 fall in full color eBook, along with fifteen other accessory patterns from the 2013 fall color collection—that’s a lotta patterns! anyone looking for a knitalong around these designs need not look further than the ravelry clubhouse where our color clubs meet—all are welcome and appreciated.

either of these beautiful shawls would be cushy and delicious in our chebris lace yarn or mrs lincoln’s lace.

i’ll be back tomorrow with a wrap up post about our wonderful grand opening party; stay tuned!

wow. it’s the first day of fall and just like clockwork, the temperatures have dropped and the wind has picked up. our old house can be a bit drafty, especially in the morning. today, while other knitters might be savoring their first PSL of the season, i’m getting snuggly with my own coffee and knitting at home, under a cozy little lap blanket.

the crocus patch blanket has been published for a while actually, but only as part of the book, my grandmother’s knitting by larissa brown.

until now.

i didn’t know until recently that we could publish this blanket as a single pattern, but once we realized we could, i thought it would be so pretty knit in several of our yarns. so in a way, it’s nice that we waited.

this sample was knit by our dear friend hattie, in our chebris sport, a luscious blend of fine wool and yearling mohair. i can’t even begin to describe how soft and lovely this little number feels—i want to keep it all for myself. but it was made for everyone to see—i will share.

just for this morning though, i pretended it was mine. can you see those gorgeous mohair fibers catching the light?? so beautiful!

i keep imagining what it would look like in the cabécou brillant très bien. très belle. très great!

and if you are just now wondering how this might work up as a baby blanket option—i’m about to show you.

erica’s dad sent us these precious photos of little baby carter sacked out to great satisfaction on it.

nana candy knit his in breakfast blend fingering yarn for his christening gift, along with a wee slouchy cap i designed to go with it—hey it’s never too early to get them addicted, is it?

now, the cap and blanket are not just for the little ones—both patterns include sizes. the blanket has three and the cap has eight—one for every family member from preemie to adult.

the blanket show here is the smallest size; the hat is the 3-month size. they are both knit in the oatmeal shade of breakfast blend fingering yarn. it’s such a great color for a baby—it goes with everything, especially that lovely new skin.

to purchase pattern or view complete pattern information, please click here to visit the crocus cap page in the knitspot pattern shop or click here to see specs and purchase in my ravelry pattern shop

the small size blanket is perfect for taking along in the car, stroller, or carriage, while the medium and large sizes make excellent covers for crib and playpen as well as for use as a lap blanket.

to purchase pattern or view complete pattern information, please click here to visit the crocus blanket page in the knitspot pattern shop or click here to see specs and purchase in my ravelry pattern shop

yep—blankets in the fall make everyone happy. the perfect thing to celebrate the arrival of yarn season!