Tag Archives: Halloween

Episode 357 – Knitting for Halloween

Christmas isn’t the only holiday for handknits! Producer Andi joins hosts Lee and Stacey to talk about her annual Halloween sweaters and horror-movie inspired projects. The trio also discuss other Halloween knits, like costume pieces and toys.

Andi’s Ichabod sweater, featuring Wool of the Andes Worsted, turned into a jack-o-lantern costume.

Later, Lee and Stacey share the creative process behind our latest pattern collection Scrappy Knits: Projects for Partial Skeins. They also talk about this year’s 12 Weeks of Gifting, featuring free patterns!

Mentioned in this Episode

Eldfell Pullover pattern 

Eldfell Office KAL Instagram story highlight 

Reilly Pullover pattern 

Lee’s patchwork apron 

Connecting Threads 

Andi’s Spooky Halloween sweater pattern collection 

Andi’s Arachne (spiderweb sweater) pattern 

Andi’s Ichabod (pumpkin sweater) pattern 

Lee’s Mary Tyler Moore costume 

Lee’s Waldo group costume 

Stag Head Pullover by Norah Gaughan (Ravelry link)

Lee’s Jonathan (goat cables) pattern 

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors 

13 Fanboy movie 

Lee’s cinematographer brother 

Pamela Voorhees’s sweater from Friday the 13th 

Boo bat pattern 

Arachnophobia Dishcloth pattern 

Lee’s Bloodshot Eye Hat (Ravelry link) 

Lee’s Clockwork Orange hat (Ravelry link) 

Lee’s Mario costume

Knit Picks IDP showcase (Halloween in October) 

Scrappy Knits pattern collection 

Pick’n’Mix Scrunchies pattern 

Stroll Mini Packs 

Plaid Cowl pattern 

Zignificant Cowl pattern 

Half & Half Cowl pattern 

Off-Kilter Hat pattern 

Hey Presto Hat pattern 

12 Weeks of Gifting pattern 

Crochet.com 12 Weeks of Gifting 

Timestamps

  • 00:05 Welcome to the Knit Picks Podcast!
  • 00:37 What Stacey and Lee have been up to, including the Knit Picks office Eldfell KAL
  • 05:13 Talking about Halloween knitting with Podcast Producer Andi
  • 06:43 Andi’s first Halloween sweaters were part of a pattern collection she designed called Spooky
  • 07:44 Lee talks about knitting costume pieces for Halloween
  • 09:35 Knits that give a nod to horror movies and recreating iconic horror movie sweaters, like Freddy Kreuger’s from Nightmare on Elm Street
  • 15:55 Stacey’s Boo the Bat projects are her favorite Halloween knits
  • 16:36 Andi’s 2022 Halloween sweater plans
  • 18:08 Lee’s Arachnophobia dishcloth ties in with Andi’s Arachne sweater
  • 18:53 Halloween knits as newer knitters
  • 23:40 The IDP showcase is full of Halloween knits!
  • 25:30 Discussing the latest pattern collection, Scrappy Knits
  • 28:57 Choosing colors and yarns with stashbusting and playful fun in mind
  • 30:00 Stacey and Lee talk about some of their favorite patterns from the collection
  • 36:02 12 Weeks of Gifting is happening!
  • 38:37 Credits
  • Episode 357 – Knitting for Halloween
  • Christmas isn’t the only holiday for handknits! Producer Andi joins hosts Lee and Stacey to talk about her annual Halloween sweaters and horror-movie inspired projects. The trio also discuss other Halloween knits, like costume pieces and toys.
  • Later, Lee and Stacey share the creative process behind our latest pattern collection Scrappy Knits: Projects for Partial Skeins. They also talk about this year’s 12 Weeks of Gifting, featuring free patterns!
  • 00:05 Welcome to the Knit Picks Podcast!
  • 00:37 What Stacey and Lee have been up to, including the Knit Picks office Eldfell KAL
  • 05:13 Talking about Halloween knitting with Podcast Producer Andi
  • 06:43 Andi’s first Halloween sweaters were part of a pattern collection she designed called Spooky
  • 07:44 Lee talks about knitting costume pieces for Halloween
  • 09:35 Knits that give a nod to horror movies and recreating iconic horror movie sweaters, like Freddy Kreuger’s from Nightmare on Elm Street
  • 15:55 Stacey’s Boo the Bat projects are her favorite Halloween knits
  • 16:36 Andi’s 2022 Halloween sweater plans
  • 18:08 Lee’s Arachnophobia dishcloth ties in with Andi’s Arachne sweater
  • 18:53 Halloween knits as newer knitters
  • 23:40 The IDP showcase is full of Halloween knits!
  • 25:30 Discussing the latest pattern collection, Scrappy Knits
  • 28:57 Choosing colors and yarns with stashbusting and playful fun in mind
  • 30:00 Stacey and Lee talk about some of their favorite patterns from the collection
  • 36:02 12 Weeks of Gifting is happening!
  • 38:37 Credits

Knitting with Fable Fur for a Wild Thing

Inspiration comes from all places, including from a beloved children’s book and Knit Picks Fable Fur.

Max, King of the Wild Things, Tail
24″ 7-stitch I-cord knit in Knit Picks Fable Fur, Falke colorway. Weave in ends with a small crochet hook.

Not only is Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” a family favorite, a Max-style tail and crown also gave me the opportunity to work with our Fable Fur super bulky faux fur yarn.

Armed with size 7 DPNs, I worked up a prototype based on a 7-stitch I-cord for his mom’s approval. A matching fur rim for his crown will go on the needles next.

And then my son sent this picture of Graham’s first trip to the grocery store. A Pandemic baby, he hasn’t spent much time outside of his kingdom. Not surprisingly, my son reported Graham was completely overwhelmed by the outing.

Graham’s first trip to the grocery store.

He probably wouldn’t even have been allowed that first trip to the grocery store had the temps not spiked during the recent hotter-than-hot streak here in the Pacific Northwest, making places like the ice cream aisle a little oasis of coolness for those without air conditioning.

Makes me hope that Graham’s got a bit of Max in him. He’s entitled to a rumpus or two, and loads and loads of adventures.

Feature Image ID: “Where the Wild Things Are” story and pictures by Maurice Sendak enamel pins sit on a skein of Knit Picks Fable Fur

Halloween Project Round-Up

I am continually amazed at the creativity of knitters! From the pattern designers that turn our fiber into amazing projects for us to knit, to the crafters who create beautiful items with those designs, my breath is taken away daily. Since Halloween is just around the corner, I’ve rounded up a handful of  my favorite Halloween knitting projects featuring Knit Picks yarns.

Halloween Knitting Projects: Little Monster Vest

Halloween Knitting Projects: Little Monster Vest www.knitpicks.com

Seriously… this vest? It is so stinkin’ cute I can hardly contain myself! Knit by Ravelry user Fireswan using Comfy Worsted yarn, it {almost} makes me wish my boys were still toddlers so I could make one! See the project on Ravelry for pattern and details.

Halloween Knitting Projects: Skull Mittens

Halloween Knitting Projects - Skulls and Flowers Mittens www.knitpicks.com

How about these adorable Skulls & Flowers mittens by Jennifer Thompson? You can knit the fingerless version or a full version… both with or without the flower accent. Both are completely adorable knit in Palette yarn.

Halloween Knitting Projects: Shelob’s Lair Socks

Halloween Knitting Projects - Shelob's Lair Socks www.knitpicks.com

Check out these fun top-down spider’s web socks, designed by KYMaggie! Shelob’s Lair Socks – inspired by the Lord of the Rings – are knit in Stroll and Stroll Tonal Sock yarns.

Halloween Knitting Projects: Halloween Fair Isle Scarf

Halloween Knitting Projects - Halloween Fair Isle scarf www.knitpicks.com

How do I love this scarf knit by Ravelry user CallMeMorticia? Let me count the ways… Bright colors, amazing colorwork, and our fabulous Wool of the Andes worsted weight yarn are just a few. See the project Ravelry for pattern and details.

If you have a Halloween project, we’d love to see it! Share with us in the comments or on Facebook.


Keeping Home – Woodsy Kitchen Set

October already? It’s personally my favorite month of the year and I also happen to know that it is Teresa Gregorio‘s favorite time of year as well. She’s the featured designer of our free October Keeping Home pattern – check out the Woodsy Kitchen Set!

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

This adorable set has three pieces to it – a tree-like hand towel, an adorable red leaf dishcloth and a sweet orange leaf mug cozy. All three pieces feature a mixture of texture and garter stitch, for an easy yet visually interesting pattern. Plus, they are designed to hang together when not in use – giving you an adorable decoration that is useful as well!

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

The hand towel has a great hanging loop, resembling a branch, that will go over any cupboard handle to be exactly where you need it.

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

The dishcloth features an icord hanging loop, perfect for hanging up after use to dry.

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

Finally the mug cozy is a really fun piece – it’s designed to fit any mug you may have in your cupboard! You can snugly secure the “leaves” that wrap around and drape down your mug with the I-cord ties that extend from the two side leaf tips.

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

This will cheer up the plainest of mugs!

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Woodsy Collection from knitpicks.com

Knit in CotLin in our warmest autumn colors (Coffee, Pomegranate, and Clementine), this project is perfect for all fall lovers out there! But I think this would look great in spring colors too, such as Thicket, Ivy and Sprout, when you are looking towards the warming months again. Or maybe try knitting it up in Black, Clarity and Swan for lovely icy look and a wintery feel!

But if you need more autumn in your life, don’t forget to check out Teresa’s adorable (and free!) Pumpking Dishcloth pattern as well! It’s also knit up in CotLin, so you’ll have a matching set.

Free kitchen knitting pattern - Pumpking Dishcloth from knitpicks.com

With these projects together, we’re totally ready to embrace the fall weather and colors!

Handy Links!
Woodsy Kitchen Set
All Keeping Home Patterns
CotLin Yarn
Pumpking Dishcloth
Teresa Gregorio’s patterns


Spooky Holiday Knits!

It’s time for hauntings, ghostie ghoulies and other fantastic Halloween traditions! You can celebrate in style this year with your own bowl full of knit eyeballs with this FREE Knit Eyeballs pattern.

Kittens-12

Cute rather than creepy, even kittens LOVE them. They’re quick and you can get more than a few out of one skein of yarn, perfect for your desk at work or your mantel at home! If you’re looking for other Halloween appropriate projects we have a Bat Hat and Mask and a Beard pattern, both are perfect additions to a semi-last minute knitted costume.

In other knit news, I made a “Classic Zombie” from the Knit Your Own Zombie book just in time for a friend’s October birthday. The book has several little modifications you can add to any of the zombie shapes and Fiona Goble has written the patterns so that you can separate the torso from the legs and arms with Velcro for some super cute, grizzly playtime. I loved being able to customize it with a little pouch for his removable stomach and even a little pink brain that pops out of his head!

I feel like I only get one month out of the year to try my hand at crafting creepy, funny and totally crazy knits so I take full advantage of the season to make something a little bit out of character and I just love how he turned out! I especially enjoyed explaining to people who asked what I was making while I was plugging away at his various pieces in coffee shops and at my local knitting night!

 The Classic Zombie was definitely a bit of a challenge and I converted all of the instructions to work in the round on DPNs because I just can’t STAND seaming. In the end I spent about four days playing around with “Tony” as he’s now dubbed by the birthday boy, the perfect amount of time to spend on a seasonal toy.

Are you working on Halloween or even Thanksgiving decorations this year? Do you have a favorite pattern? Share it in the comments below!

 


Clove & Spice Knit and Crochet Pumpkin Free Pattern

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Link to the Clove & Spice Knit and Crochet Pumpkin Pattern

The rains are here and I know it’s time to start thinking about pumpkins, golden leaves and early frosts. My favorite pumpkin patch has started sneaking tempting images of ripe pumpkins into my Facebook feed and my Pinterest is filling up with October crafts (beeswax-dipped leaves, anyone?) so it’s definitely time to get my fall crafting started! To celebrate the cooler weather and changing seasons I whipped up a quick little pattern with instructions for both knit and crochet pumpkins.

Both versions of the Clove & Spice Pumpkins are great beginner patterns with written pattern instructions and photos illustrating how to create those chubby little ridges. These little fellas are the perfect size to perch on a book shelf or to add into a little tabletop tableau (the knit Spice pumpkin has a 10.5″ circumference and the crochet Clove pumpkin has a 13.5″ circumference) and there’s enough yarn in one ball of Wool of the Andes Sport to make two pumpkins.

I can’t think of a cuter way to welcome in the fall season! What are your favorite cold-weather crafts? Are you gearing up for a trip to the pumpkin patch too? I can’t wait