Tag Archives: autumn

Inspiration: Over the Garden Wall

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It’s officially fall (at least according to my heart, if not the weather), so it’s time for the annual re-watch of Over the Garden Wall.

Over the Garden Wall is a cartoon miniseries that’s super-weird, and is just wall-to-wall fall vibes. It’s cute and creepy and just makes you want to put on a cozy sweater and drink some hot apple cider on a walk through an overgrown cemetery.

It’s the story of brothers Wirt and Greg, and Beatrice the talking bluebird as they travel through a mysterious wood full of a host of weird and wonderful characters. A riverboat full of frogs that like to dance! A village of pumpkin people! An evil Beast stalking the woods at night! A mysterious woodsman who may or may not be trying to kill the kids! C’mon… what more can you ask for?

Anyway, here’s some patterns:

Look at this gorgeous afghan square! I could see making it into a washcloth or a tea towel, if you’re not up for making a whole blanket.

2019 GAL: Over the Garden Wall by Jacquiline Rivera

This is little Greg’s rock that he carries in his pocket (along with some candy and a frog whose name keeps changing). This little guy is surprisingly show-accurate.

Over the Garden Wall Rock by Mooeyandfriends

And, this isn’t precisely an “Over the Garden Wall” pattern, but I love the variety of these pumpkins. They definitely have the vibe of the show, and if you added little faces, they could totally be made into the folks from Pottsfield.

Pumpkin Parade by Norman Schwarze

Do you have any favorite fall movies or shows?

Inspiration: Pumpkin Spice

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Y’all.  It’s that time of year again!  And I think you know what time I mean.

Pumpkin Spice Time.

Now, I’m not a huge fan of the OG Pumpkin Spice Latte (too sweet for me), but I love all other things Pumpkin Spice.  I mean, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice?  You can’t go wrong!

I made some applesauce the other day with some Pumpkin Spice in it (very tasty), and I’ve been known to whip a batch of pumpkin pancakes and a loaf or two of pumpkin bread (with pumpkin spice, natch).  Not to mention several pumpkin pies every fall/winter.  I mean.  Can you think of a better breakfast than a slice of creamy pumpkin pie with a steaming cup of coffee?  (Of course pie is a “sometimes” breakfast, I’m not completely a monster.)

Anyway, let’s celebrate the reason for the season with some Pumpkin Spice knits!

This baby hat is too cute to be trusted.  I bet that baby is scheming to steal my pumpkin pie!

Pumpkin Spice Hat by Cuie Patootees

 

This cowl is such a lovely combo of textures and colors, I can’t think of anything better.  Except maybe a Pumpkin Spice chai?

Pumpkin Spice Cowl by Agnes Kutas-KeresztesI couldn’t talk about Pumpkin Spice projects without including a coffee sleeve!  Perfect for your next Pumpkin Spice Latte. (You can’t use it for a regular drip coffee, or even a vanilla latte.  It’s particular.  Pumpkin Spice Lattes only.)

Pumpkin Spice by Evan MiddletonWhat’s your favorite part of this time of year, and why is it pumpkin-spice everything?

Inspiration: Autumnal Equinox

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It’s officially Fall!  Happy Autumnal Equinox, everybody!  It’s now officially the best time of the year!!  It’s time for cool, drizzly days, steaming cups of hot cider, and cozy afternoons knitting on the couch and listening to old records.  The Autumn Rain has started here in Seattle, and I’m looking forward to everything getting green again.

(What, I’m the only one who prefers cold and rainy over sunny and hot?  Well, I’m a knitter, it’s in my DNA.)

Autumn is the time of year I like to start hibernating, making my house as cozy as possible.  It’s all about warm soups and comfy blankets (until the day after Thanksgiving, at which point my house turns into a Magical Christmas Extravaganza).

If I didn’t have a million things to do, I’d make myself this fantastic fall afghan.  I have a similar one that my Mother-in-Law (Hi Kris!) made me years ago.  I keep it in my studio, and it’s perfect for when my old house gets a little too drafty.  But this one’s lovely color scheme would be perfect for autumn!

Autumn Waves Throw by Mary MaximOr maybe I should make this blanket?  I can’t get over how gorgeous this crazy-oversized lace pattern is.  I bet it would work up in no time!

Autumn Lace / Winter Lace / Mayfield Afghan by Lion Brand YarnI don’t think you can have too many blankets (just ask my husband), but you can’t be truly comfy without a few pillows in the mix.  And my current throw pillows are getting a little bit… disreputable (dog hair just gets everywhere).   Maybe I should bust out a couple cute new throw pillows?  Maybe ones like this:

Autumn Equinox Pillow by Maria O’KeefeWhat do your thoughts turn to in the fall?

Fall is… Falling?

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It’s the end of October already, and fall is in full swing around here.  The leaves have all turned, and are shockingly beautiful this year.  I don’t know if it’s because of the warm, sunny weather we had all summer, or the strange number of downpours earlier this fall, but something happened and the trees are every shade of red and yellow (and purple and orange and everything in-between).

And, since Christmas is right around the corner (eep!), let’s not get bogged down in big knitting projects- no sweaters or afghans.  Let’s just look at adorable leaf patterns.

I love the texture of these leaves- The designer says they’re maple leaves, but they look more like sugar gum leaves to me.  Either way, they’re super cute.

Maple Leaves Applique Crochet Pattern, by GoldenLucyCrafts

img_9371-1_-_copy__2__medium21These oak leaves are great, too.  And so perfect!

Oak Leaves by In the Yarn Gardenoakleaves_rainbow_intheyarngarden_medium21These look like maple leaves.  Just adorable.

Fall Leaves by Michelle @ The Painted Hingefall_leaves_free_crochet_pattern-11_medium21Which is your favorite?  I can’t decide!  If I had time, I’d totally make a big pile of these and attach them to a great fall wreath, or maybe overlap them and sew them into a big afghan.  How cool would that be?

How’s fall treating you in your neck of the woods?

Inspiration: Taming the Jungle

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My yard likes to grow.

A lot.

Especially when it’s damp and chilly.

You know what’s super not fun when it’s damp and chilly?

Weeding, pruning, trimming, and mowing.

I’ve got goosebumps and stiff, chilly fingers just from thinking about it.  Brrrr.  Especially when your jeans start to soak through, your glasses fog up and your sneakers get wet.  No fun at all.

So, I’ve got to be sure to dress properly when I go out into my yard to do battle with the blackberry vines (and battalions of mushrooms, and scores of overgrown oregano bushes).  And, because I’m me, that means lots of knitwear.

Of course, I’ve got to start with a nice mid-weight sweater to keep me warm without weighing me down.

ravello by Isabell KraemerDSC_0064_medium[1]And top it off with a lovely slouchy hat to keep my ears from catching frostbite.

Sockhead Hat by Kelly McClure

IMG_0681_medium2[1]And I’ll finish it off with some pretty-yet-practical fingerless gloves.  These would be perfect for under my thick leather gardening gloves- then I’ll keep warm, and  keep my fingers from being ripped apart by blackberry thorns!

Maize by tincanknits

SC-maize-02_medium[1]Now that I’m all suited up- Once more into the breach!  Wish me luck!

Do you have a favorite outfit for working in the yard?

Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away!

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OK.  Fair warning.  I’m going to complain about something that I probably shouldn’t.  If you want to skip this post, I totally understand.

That being said, here goes:

It needs to rain more.

I know, I know!  I live in Seattle, and I’m complaining because the weather’s been too nice?  Give me a break!

Summer started extra early this year, and it has been sunny and warm for months.  We had a few blissful weeks of rain and clouds, but now it’s back to being summery- I even had the windows open yesterday!  I thought I lived in Seattle, and not Los Angeles!

Where is my rain?  Where are my clouds?  Where are my days spent curled up beneath an afghan, watching the rain drip through the cherry tree outside my window, a cup of tea on the end table and a half-finished sweater in my lap?  Where is my rain!

Maybe there’s some kind of knitter’s rain dance I can do?

I could make this gorgeous shawl in lovely rainy colors.

Color Affection by Veera Välimäkicolor-affection-2_small_best_fit[1]

I could knit up these socks with their raindrops, waves and cloud patterns.

Water Cycle Socks by Tami Sheifferdscn0958_medium2_small[1]

Or, if worst comes to worst, I could always just make my own raincloud.

Rainycloud by Anna Hrachovec483379646_e95e3b0597_z[1]

How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?

Inspiration: Knitting in Fall

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The temperature has finally settled in the low 60s, the mushrooms are sprouting on anything that stands still for more than a minute, and the fog has descended.  It is officially fall in Seattle.  I know that makes fall sound less than fun, but I absolutely love autumn in the Pacific Northwest (maybe I’m a masochist. You be the judge).  There’s something incredibly cozy and comfortable about getting up in the morning and putting on a flannel shirt or a fluffy sweater, drinking your cup of coffee and seeing nothing but gray mist outside your window.

(Interestingly, though, it’s almost impossible to take a good photo of fog.  So, instead of making you look at the crappy ones I took, I will steal one from the internet.  But, really, this is what my street has looked like every morning this week.  Except, my street has more houses.)b0a416d5ce158c4654afa438dc27868e[1]It makes me want to curl up with a mug of hot cider, Jazz music on the radio, a fire in the fireplace, and a knitting project that uses massively bulky yarn.

We could start small(ish) with a cowl so thick and cozy you could burrow into it and practically turn into a (very warm) tortoise.

The Gathering by Kalurah

DSC_2956_medium2[1]I can only imagine how quickly this gorgeous sweater would fly off the needles.  Do you think I could finish it by this evening?  It’s supposed to drop into the 50s tonight.

The Big Cable by Justyna Lorkowska

bigC3_medium2[1]Or I could just give up on any pretext of leaving the house for the next six months and hunker down under this (perfectly named) blanket.

A Blanket For Seriously Cold People by Sylvia Bo Bilvia

6443776281_f97d115886_z[1]All this talk of super-plush projects has gotten me in a very cozy mood.  There’s only one thing I can do now… I’m off to go put on as many scarves, sweaters and slippers as I can find, and bake myself a pumpkin pie.  Happy Fall, everyone!

Inspiration: Pumpkin Patch

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I spent a wonderful afternoon last Saturday at the local pumpkin patch with my husband and a few of our friends.  We ran through a corn maze, picked out pumpkins and gourds to decorate the house, drank apple cider and ate too many apple doughnuts.  It was absolutely delightful (even if it was a little damp, being the Pacific Northwest and all).  I haven’t gone to a pumpkin patch like that since college, and it was just so fun to do again.

Now that fall is truly in full swing, I’m inspired to break out the autumnal knits:

Pumpkin Patch Socks by Maggie van der Stok

DSC00480_medium2[1]Pumpkin Patch by Anna Richardson

PP_wrapped_full_medium2[1]Autumn Nuts and Berries Hot Water Bottle Cosy by Leila Caroline Design

3602423447_968dc85a79_z[1]Autumnal Mitts by Jo Bangles

IMGP1414_medium2[1]

Inspiration: In the Fog

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Usually fall in Seattle entails rain.  And drizzle. And more rain.  And overcast skies.  And more rain.  Delightful, no?

But, for some reason, this year, Seattle looks like this:

grey_square[1]It’s been crazy foggy for approximately two weeks, and I’m about ready to go crazy up in here.  It’s pretty much the worst.  It’s gray and never really gets any brighter than sort of a wan pre-dawn kind of light.  And, driving is terrifying!  You can’t see more than a block or two ahead of you with any sort of clarity.

But, I suppose, when life gives you lemons (or fog), you make lemonade (or fog-inspired sweaters).

So, here’s what I would like to knit to hold the fog at bay:

Fog Sweater by Tiennie

2183219713_e49a79cf80_z[1]Seattle Fog Beanie by Julie Grantz LeFrancois

6668403171_02b1682249_z[1]Patchwork in Fog, by Mimi FautleyKSH_Stripe_for_pattern_medium2[1]