Wednesdays Wrap Up- Calvaria Scarf + Cowl, Little Rustic Pumpkin & Spooky Night Beanie

With Halloween only a few days away we thought we would have some fun this week and look at a few spooky patterns to celebrate! All of these patterns will work up fairly quickly and are perfect weekend projects.

Just a reminder that the patterns are not available on our site so will need to be purchased and/or downloaded from elsewhere but we will provide a link. If you need more assistance with yarn choices or quantities please contact one of our stores where our helpful and knowledgeable staff will be on hand!

Calvaria Scarf + Cowl

by Ambah O'Brien

The Calvaria Scarf + Cowl pattern by Australian designer Ambah O'Brien features delicate lace with a spooky twist! This project is easily customisable because each skull is worked in a block repeat. You are also given the choice between either a looped cowl or a scarf and either 8ply or 14ply yarn. Ambah has knit this sample in Morris Estate 14ply, colour Terracotta, which takes just 2 balls. You could also easily use any size yarn you have at hand and adjust your needles accordingly.  

Morris 14ply is our first choice for The Calvaria Scarf + Cowl because it works up so quickly, making it the perfect yarn to use before Halloween! Ambah chose the beautiful Terracotta but the colour range is extensive with something to suit everyone. 

For the 8ply version of this pattern we love Empire for its softness and great colours. It is a superfine merino made up with many different plies for an ultra smooth finish. 

Rowan Alpaca Soft DK, with its blend of baby alpaca and wool makes the perfect accessory to wear around your neck. There are both bright, striking colours available as well as neutral shades for your Calvaria Cowl. 

Why not make a slightly more sophisticated Cavaria Cowl with beautiful Felted Tweed? You will find an amazing colour range to choose from and could even mix different shades together for a longer version of the scarf.

For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.

Little Rustic Pumpkin

by Rebecca Langford

This cute little crochet pumpkin is perfect for a fun weekend project! It is begun in the round before switching to side-to-side rows. The free pattern includes complete video instructions that take you from crocheting to stuffing, shaping and decorating. You can also easily adjust the size of your pumpkin by choosing a different weight yarn and corresponding crochet hook. For instance, the sand coloured pumpkin was crocheted with 10ply yarn versus the gold and red used an 8ply. 

Empire in both 8ply and 10ply has the perfect colours for these pumpkins and will make them soft with a bit of sheen. When crocheting with Empire it's important to be careful and not stick the hook through the strands. 

Manos Silk Blend's semi solid or variegated colours would also be a lot of fun to crochet these pumpkins out of and look striking displayed around your house. 

Estate is really nice to crochet with because of its tighter twist, making it perfect for a beginner. There are many heathered colours available that would add a nice touch to a home's decor. There are also many plys available which means you could create a set of all different size pumpkins.

Spun from 100% pima cotton, Avalon will make a soft and sturdy pumpkin. The colour range includes a lot of nice neutrals as well as beautiful golden orange shades. 

For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.

Spooky Night Beanie

by Lizzy Knits

This whimsical fair isle beanie is knit in 10ply/worsted weight yarn and features a fluffy faux fur pom pom. To show off the ghosts it is recommended to choose high contrast colours for the body of the beanie but the brim could be easily changed to any shade that you prefer. Green or purple would also look very striking against the black and white. The pattern includes written instructions for the brim and crown and a chart for the colourwork. With only two colours used in a row it would be suitable to a beginner fair isle knitter or even your very first colourwork project! 

With the perfect Halloween colours and the lovely feel of superfine merino, Empire 10ply is a natural choice for this beanie. 

Manos Alegria Grande also makes a very soft and luxurious beanie. The colour choices will make a more subtle Spooky Night but the semi solid variation of some colours will provide extra interest. 

Once you have knit your beanie, it needs a fluffy 100% vegan faux fur pom pom! Lovafur Large Pom Poms are available in an array of colours that are the perfect stylish finishing touch to your knitted beanie. 

For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.