Trendy Accessories (and Free Pattern Links) for Fall

My camera has gone sadly AWOL, so no picture today.  I have about half of the edging knitted onto the Pi Shawl.  it moves slowly because the edging has patterning on both sides, and also because my nearly one-year-old son doesn’t like to let me knit much these days.  Not to mention being busy getting ready for the move to Vancouver…

Anyway, I’ve been noticing a couple of trends in accessories in the stores and online, which I thought I’d share with you.  The first is newsboy caps.  I am seeing lots and lots of newsboy caps.  These are really cute for almost any age person who cares to wear one, and they would make good gifts as well.  I have found a number of patterns online, mostly crocheted, but a few knitted as well.

• Knitty’s Topi by  Jennifer Tallapaneni
• Knitting Fiend’s Newsboy Hat Pattern Generator (may be configured to be felted or just knitted)
• Catherine Lindsay’s Crocheted Newsboy Cap  (this one looks like a very close match to many of the ones I see in stores)
• Mary Jane Hall’s Crochet Newsboy Cap from Fifth Avenue Magazine uses puff stitches
  
• Eileen Tepper’s Crocheted Ribbed Newsboy Hat is a bit fuller on top and calls for chunky yarn
• Mimi Alelis’s Crocheted Warm Cap with Brim
• Celeste Young’s Crochet City Girl Cap
  

Also, pashmina-style shawls.  Pashminas are traditionally made from cashmere or a  blend of cashmere and silk, but any soft fiber would be nice.  They usually measure 12″ x 60″ (large ones measure 28″ x 80″).  Traditional pashminas are woven, but there is no reason you couldn’t knit one.  The size is very versatile, as it can be worn as a scarf, a shoulder wrap, or a head covering.  Many rectangular scarf or stole patterns would be adaptable to typical pashmina dimensions.  Ideally you want something ranging between laceweight and sport-weight yarn so that it drapes nicely and can be worn single or double thickness, depending on the weather.  Now, this might sound like a lot of knitting, but you could make something really beautiful out of a few ounces of lace or sportweight luxury fiber yarn on size 6 or 8 needles (4 or 5 mm) in plain garter stitch with a lace edging or a fringe at either end.  In garter stitch, it could make mindless knitting for watching TV, listening to a compelling audiobook, or even while reading or studying if you were to prop your book open on a table in front of you.  Of course, using one of the many gorgeous rectangular shawl patterns available, it could also be an interesting challenge.

Here are some pattern links:

• Rosemary Hill (of Designs by Romi) has a beautiful lace stole design in this Fall’s Knitty
• Jenny Raye (of the blog Loves to Bike and Knit) has compiled an extensive list of rectangular shawl patterns, available both for sale and as free online patterns.  (Scroll down for free pattern links).
• Danielle Schoonover’s Cozy from Fall ‘04 Knitty
• Eunny Jang’s beautiful Print O’ The Wave Stole (pdf file format)

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