In the Northern Hemisphere, today — September 22, 2020 — is the first day of fall. You know what that means: If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to put away your shorts and t-shirts, and start getting out your ponchos, mittens, hats, scarves and sweaters to prepare for the chillier days ahead.

If you don’t already own any lovely ponchos, perhaps you’d enjoy knitting yourself a new one. There are bunches of gorgeous poncho patterns to consider. Check out this one:

The knitting pattern for this colorful boho poncho is included in the book Knitting for the Fun of It! by Frida Ponten, published by Trafalgar Square Books. You can knit this pattern using a random mix of leftover yarns, or emulate the colors and textures used in Frida’s sample poncho. This photo is courtesy of the publisher and reprinted here with their permission.

Knitting for the Fun of It! is one of my all-time favorite knitting books. In addition to poncho patterns, the book also includes patterns for making shawls, fingerless gloves, sweaters and bunches of other lovely items that are suitable for wearing in fall. It also has some interesting articles on topics like how to dye your own yarn. I find the book highly inspiring — and if you knit, I bet you’ll love it, too.

If you’d rather knit a shawl or a wrap than a poncho, another fabulous book to consider is Vogue Knitting Shawls & Wraps 2. The entire book is dedicated to giving you knitting patterns for making pretty, feminine shawls and wraps that will ward off the chill on crisp fall days.

If ponchos and shawls aren’t what you feel like working on right now, no worries. We have bunches of other craft ideas you might enjoy. You’re invited to check out our list of fall patterns to discover ideas for crocheting or knitting just about any type of knitwear you might want to get started on making this fall. Happy crafting!

By Amy Solovay