Welcome to SBTB’s Fall Week! We decided to dedicate a week of time to review books, give book recommendations, and talk about general autumn-loving things to help get everyone in the mood for this time of year. We hope you enjoy and find something new and fun to read!
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Autumn is here, and it’s my favorite time of year. The weather is crisp enough for me to break out all the awesome things I’ve knit, but not so cold that the air hurts my face. Cider and pumpkin spice lattes and caramel apples abound. Plus we have Halloween! A holiday based around candy!
In celebration of fall we decided to put together a list of autumn-themed patterns for all our Stitchy Bitches.
First up is this Maple Leaf Shawl by Natalia.
This shawl is so beautiful and delicate. I’ve seen versions of it made in gold and amber it’s absolutely beautiful and very autumnal.
This pattern is appropriate for intermediate knitters and calls for size 7 needles and fingering weight yarn.
One of the things I love most about fall is that I get to break out my favorite boots. If I want to make my legs feel extra snuggling and seasonally appropriate, I top them with a pair of cabled boot cuffs.
This pattern, Clifton Park, knits up quickly and comes in multiple sizes.
Boot cuffs are usually a fast knit that make for a good gift and add warmth to an outfit without a lot of bulk beneath the leg of the boot. If you’re not a fan of cabling, there’s also this pattern for Thermal Boot Cuffs–and it’s free!
This picture gives you an idea of the size of the cuffs when they aren’t being worn:
If you have some bulky weight yarn to use up, and if you prefer to knit flat versus in the round, you might try this Halloween Pumpkin Scarf. This is another cabled pattern, and it looks great in an autumn-orange. It’s also free!
If you prefer to crochet, I have some options for you as well.
The Habitat Cardigan looks wonderfully cozy and drapey. This is the type of sweater I like to keep at work for when I get cold.
Simplicity has a pattern for some adorable Acorn and Leaf Garlands and Mini Pumpkins for your fall décor. This pattern can be downloaded via the JoAnn Fabrics website and would be a good way to use up some leftover fall-colored yarns.
Velvet Acorn Designs has some truly adorable knit and crochet patterns for kids (and adults). One of my favorites is the Flint Fox Cowl. This cowl would be adorable as a Halloween costume or just a way to keep toasty.
Sarah: I’ve been saving up some cross stitch pattern links for this post. YAY! I’m still at work on my four seasonal windows from Cross Stitch Collection, which I’m accessing through RB Digital and my local library. I’ve just started the fall window, and my goal is to complete it by the first day of winter.
Not only is cross stitching while listening to audiobooks my new favorite way to self-soothe, but it’s immensely satisfying to stab something over and over and over and over and over. (Ahem.)
Looking for a new project? Here are some great ideas! (NB: Etsy links herein are affiliate coded, so any purchases you might make support the site with a commission we receive at no extra cost to you. If you use our links, thanks much!)
One of my favorite places to be inspired by other people’s finished projects and works in progress is r/CrossStitch, the Reddit Cross Stitch forum. They have a lovely and supportive community plus a monthly free pattern, posted in the third week of the month.
The September free pattern is adorable and I nearly paused my windows pattern to make it: Witch Better Have My Candy.
Last year, there was a pumpkin shop pattern that was also very cute.
And if you’re into tarot, there is this “card,” The Stitcher, and an alternate version with two options as well.
If the creepy, strange, and unusual in cross stitching has grabbed at your curiosity, here are a few more options for pattern perusal. The Witchy Stitcher is brilliant shopping fun with kits and patterns, like this one: Not All Witches Live in Salem.
Or I Practice Stitchcraft. (Damn skippy I do.)
There is no shortage of pumpkin spice stitching patterns, from pumpkin Spice Girl references from Stitching With Zeal:
…to this pattern for a cross stitch pumpkin spice sachet – how cute is that? – from Just Plane Jen:
And if you really want to go all-in on stabbing things to alleviate some rage, and you want to be seasonal about it, Clever Cross Stitch is here for you :
Got any crafty patterns to suggest or recommend? What are you crafting right now?
I love these posts! They inspired me to learn knitting *she says as she adds more patterns to her favorites list*
I’m so glad you like them and that you learned to knit! We have a LOT of fun putting them together. And while I’m focused on cross stitching for my stabby meditative needs, I loved learning to knit.
I’m hoping I still have time to loom this day of the dead bracelet vianneycreates.blogspot.com
OMG, love that fox cowl! I am going to try and knit that for my niece. The maple leaf shawl is so pretty, too. And I love these autumn posts – it is also my favourite time of year.
I’m loving these autumnal posts! And I adore cross stitching except… it hurts!
Does anyone have advice on how to make cross stitching not super painful? Do I just have particularly sensitive fingertips?
@Claudia – what is it about cross stitch that is hurting you? I don’t understand why your fingertips would hurt.
Claudia- it sounds like maybe you’re using too large a needle for the fabric. You can try finer tapestry needles, they sell them at joann’s and Michael’s. I prefer the gold plated ones as they seem to go through the fabric smoother (this could be all in my mind). You can also find leather finger covers for your pointer finger in the sewing notions section.
I’m mainly a knitter, and I am about to start a really interesting pattern called the Sari Cardi, which is basically.a cardigan with a front that turns into a shawl and drapes over one shoulder. I’m super intrigued and hope it works out. The plan is to knit it in Tosh lace held in Jade with some cobweb silk (for extra drape) for the body and Northbound Knitting’s Silk Merino Lace in charcoal for the edging.
Claudia- it sounds like maybe you’re using too large a needle for the fabric. You can try finer tapestry needles, they sell them at joann’s and Michael’s. I prefer the gold plated ones as they seem to go through the fabric smoother (this could be all in my mind). You can also find leather finger covers for your pointer finger in the sewing notions section.
I’m mainly a knitter, and I am about to start a really interesting pattern called the Sari Cardi, which is basically.a cardigan with a front that turns into a shawl and drapes over one shoulder. I’m super intrigued and hope it works out. The plan is to knit it in Tosh lace in Jade held with some cobweb silk (for extra drape) for the body and Northbound Knitting’s Silk Merino Lace in charcoal for the edging.
I busily working on the cross-stitch project that was supposed to be a wedding gift last June. Oops! But the temperature is about to drop, so it’s time to get out the quilting project I put away when the weather got too warm.
Sadly my knitting s still too uneven for large projects, maybe some cup warmers.
Here are some free fall patterns from my DA:
https://www.deviantart.com/nevasirenda/art/Tiny-Scaredy-Cat-640326875
https://www.deviantart.com/nevasirenda/art/Give-Thanks-In-All-Circumstances-646930310
https://www.deviantart.com/nevasirenda/art/Oak-Leaf-Bookmark-492046682
https://www.deviantart.com/nevasirenda/art/Pumpkins-488048682
https://www.deviantart.com/nevasirenda/art/Leaf-Bookmark-482371478
You’re welcome.
Also planning tp post more Harry Potter chibis and bookmarks in my Etsy shop if I can get myself in gear…
@Claudia, you may find it easier to use “continental” stitching instead of the “stick and stab” method. Rather than pushing the needle vertically through the fabric, continental involves sliding the needle sideways under the fabric, from the ending point of one leg of the X to the start point of the next in one movement. That way the needle is always moving parallel to the surface of the fabric, so you’re grasping it from the side rather than pushing from the end.
Thank you so much for the advice! I just practiced the continental method and it does hurt less! I’ll also look into finer tapestry needles and a leather finger cover!
@Claudia, glad that is working for you! Although really, unless you are stitching through something really heavy (like waste canvas on a denim jacket) you should always be handling your needle from the body, with no need to touch either the point or the eye end. What kind of fabric are you stitching on?
*adds the leaf shawl and fox cowl to his Ravelry stash*
I have a that I’ve been working on since June that I want to get done before the snow starts flying. I already have my next project picked out, that’s practically a small blanket, but I think it’ll be awesome to knit.
@EC Spurlock Oh! Cotton generally, but I learned it from my mom, who was a very casual cross stitcher (like once a decade she would make something). So maybe our technique has just always been off! I’ve honestly never considered using the body to move it (vs the eye end)!
I love this! I’m a cross stitcher and I loved that you had some of that shown as well. Thank you. It’s my other addiction besides reading.
This week I decided to try embroidery. I am a life long crocheter with tons of yarn stored in my garage to prove it (LOL!) and I currently have an alpaca scarf/shawl I’m working on. But I love following subversive cross stitch and badass cross stitch on Instagram and wanted to do something in that vein.
I’m a cross stitcher too. I love these NSFW ones.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/kevinsmith/learn-how-to-cross-stitch?utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=bffbbuzzfeed&ref=bffbbuzzfeed&utm_term=.qdWbe0VQ0#.iuM21NM8N
*if you could just provide someone to knit the cardigan for me that would be fab
@Claudia there’s also adhesive thimble pads, like these: https://www.joann.com/thimblepads-12-pkg/2181345.html (I also like leather thimbles–I’ve never needed them for cross stitching, just hand quilting)
I haven’t cross stitched in ages, but this post is inspiring me!
I have to say I’m learning how to knit and I made the pumpkin scarf as my first cable knitting project! Super easy and it turned out so well! I gave it to a friend for her birthday present!
I really love these posts on top of all the great books!