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Portrait of Sierra Roberts
by: Sierra Roberts

Go back to school in style…

Back to School!

Gimme Shelter Hooded Scarf with Pockets.

Although it feels like it just started, summer vacation is already drawing to an end. For students in grades K-12 (and beyond), this is a bittersweet time of year. Bitter because, well, who doesn’t want an endless vacation? But that bitterness, for me, was always tempered by the exciting prospect of new school supplies and clothing. This excitement has never left me, and to this day I look forward to updating my wardrobe each fall. So whether you’re headed to the dorms or packing your little one onto the school bus, listed below are some projects and books that will help send you and your kids back to school in style.

One of my favorite books of kid’s patterns is [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] by Anna Enge & Heidi Grønvold. This book is full of adorable, colorful knits for little boys and girls. These patterns are mostly sized for babies and toddlers, with some projects suitable for older kids, too.

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

If you like timeless classics, we have a handful of tried and true sweater patterns for kids. The Child's Sheep and Reindeer Sweaters - Yankee Knitter - Pattern download is a downloadable pattern that can be knit up in any of your favorite worsted weight yarns. I personally would recommend Cascade 220 Superwash Wool Yarn, as it’s the right gauge and easy to wash.

 

Child's Sheep and Reindeer Sweaters - Yankee Knitter  - Pattern download  Child's Sheep and Reindeer Sweaters - Yankee Knitter - Pattern download
Cascade 220 Superwash Wool Yarn Cascade 220 Superwash Wool Yarn

The English Rib Pullover for children and adults - Yankee Knitter - Pattern download is another pattern download that has been around for a long time. Knit this out of [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] for a classic Maine sweater.

 

English Rib Pullover for children and adults - Yankee Knitter  - Pattern download  English Rib Pullover for children and adults - Yankee Knitter - Pattern download
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
 [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

I can’t forget the Easy Bulky Sweater - Yankee Knitter . Knit this out of Lopi Alafoss Icelandic Wool Yarn for a sturdy, warm piece that can stand up to some serious outdoor activities. This pattern uses bulky weight yarn, so you’ve got a lot of choices!

 

Easy Bulky Sweater - Yankee Knitter   Easy Bulky Sweater - Yankee Knitter
Easy Bulky Sweater - Yankee Knitter  - Pattern download  Easy Bulky Sweater - Yankee Knitter - Pattern download
Lopi Alafoss Icelandic Wool Yarn Lopi Alafoss Icelandic Wool Yarn
Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn

For effortlessly colorful fun, you can make the Children's V-Neck Down Pullover by Knitting Pure and Simple out of Malabrigo Rios Superwash Merino Wool Yarn. This yarn creates a machine washable, beautifully variegated, and amazingly soft sweater.

 

Children's V-Neck Down Pullover by Knitting Pure and Simple  Children's V-Neck Down Pullover by Knitting Pure and Simple
Malabrigo Rios Superwash Merino Wool Yarn Malabrigo Rios Superwash Merino Wool Yarn

For all you Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn fans out there (myself included), there is the versatile Child's Pullover. Choose your favorite color from the many available, and you’re ready to rock!

 

Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn
Child's Pullover  Child's Pullover

Another favorite book of mine is Animal Hats - frog hats, elephant hats, cat hats, and more by Vanessa Mooncie. With patterns for grown-ups and kids alike, everyone will get a kick out of these clever designs. Mostly knit out of bulky yarns, Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn would be a perfect choice for most of the pieces in this book. With such a broad range of colors available, you could take your pick of animals; knit a chicken, penguin, pig, fox, mouse, dog, koala… the list goes on. Alternately, you could opt for Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra Yarn for a much softer hat, or use [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] for a machine washable version.

 

Animal Hats - frog hats, elephant hats, cat hats, and more  Animal Hats - frog hats, elephant hats, cat hats, and more
Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn Lamb's Pride Bulky Yarn
Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra Yarn Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra Yarn
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
 [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

Just for fun, I’d also like to mention the book 50 Yards of Fun - Knitting Toys from Scrap Yarn, by Rebecca Danger. I’m always looking for ways to use up my yarn scraps; these fun little toys are a wonderful option for using up every last yard.

Headed for dorm living?

 

50 Yards of Fun - Knitting Toys from Scrap Yarn  50 Yards of Fun - Knitting Toys from Scrap Yarn

Why not knit yourself (or your favorite college bound kid) something pretty and cozy? Or plan for a project to take with you to relax on a study break! You can never have too many blankets, and the [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] is a great way to use simple knit and purl stitches to create a piece that looks fancy enough to impress your friends. Originally knit out of the delightfully soft and squishy Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed Yarn, you can also make this out of Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn.

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed Yarn Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed Yarn
Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn Plymouth Encore Worsted Yarn

I couldn’t imagine a better gift for someone of high school age or older than Stitch 'n Bitch. I was 17 when this book came out, and it changed my entire outlook on knitting. I think I’ve made every project in here, and I very nearly have the entire book memorized. This wonderful resource includes loads of information for beginning knitters, with projects to take you every step of the way.

 

Stitch 'n Bitch  Stitch 'n Bitch

Our Carpet Clutch - Halcyon Classic Rug Wool is a fun way to play with pops of color – the smaller size uses just two skeins each of two different colors of Halcyon Yarn Rug Wool.

 

Carpet Clutch - Halcyon Classic Rug Wool  Carpet Clutch - Halcyon Classic Rug Wool
Carpet Clutch - Pattern download  Carpet Clutch - Pattern download
Halcyon Yarn Rug Wool Halcyon Yarn Rug Wool

For chilly nights spent studying, adult feet of all sizes can get cozy with this [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock] . This project uses Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair Yarn for soft, fuzzy warmth.

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair Yarn Jo Sharp Rare Comfort Kid Mohair Yarn

Speaking of soft fuzzy warmth, our Gimme Shelter - Hooded Scarf with Pockets is a super easy project that can be knit out of pretty much any bulky weight yarn.  The version shown was knit out of Victorian Boucle Mohair Yarn, but I’ve also seen this made out of Malabrigo Mecha Yarn, which was very cool. This piece is easy to make, and we even made a video to show you how to put it together!

 

Gimme Shelter - Hooded Scarf with Pockets  Gimme Shelter - Hooded Scarf with Pockets
Gimme Shelter - Hooded Scarf with Pockets Download  Gimme Shelter - Hooded Scarf with Pockets Download
Victorian Boucle Mohair Yarn Victorian Boucle Mohair Yarn
Malabrigo Mecha Yarn Malabrigo Mecha Yarn

While we’re on the subject of gift-giving, you have to check out these notion bags that can easily double as pencil cases (below).  These bags are lined, with a full length zipper at the top to keep things where they’re supposed to be.

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

In other crafts, we have some projects that would be great for decorating a dorm room.  Our Triple Play woven wall hanging kit (below) comes in three colors, with detailed instructions on how to make it.

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

Our Felted Ball Mobile kits (below) are another fun way to do up a room.  These kits include detailed instructions and everything you need to make your own colorful mobile!

 

[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
[Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]
  [Sorry, item discontinued or temporarily out of stock]

The Sugar Skulls Needle Felting Kit is another fun, colorful, and quick to make wall hanging. This needle felting kit includes everything you need, even the needles, and will look great when Día de Muertos arrives in a few months!

 

Sugar Skulls Needle Felting Kit  Sugar Skulls Needle Felting Kit

Whether you’re treating yourself or making something for someone you love, we hope these back-to-school friendly ideas add a little sweetness to the end of your summer vacation!

 

 

 

 

 

Related items of interest: • Knitting PatternsOur yarnsLight weight yarnsWool yarnsBulky weight yarnsMedium weight yarnsSynthetic yarnsKnitting BooksSuper Bulky weight yarnsMohair yarnsFelting Kits