Bristol

Many moons ago, I sat knitting away feverishly so that I had some stylish knits for when I started university. And I remember hearing stories around the halls about the cardigan or jumper their mum had knitted or the unexpected parcel containing a scarf and hat set hot off their nan’s needles.

And as I started thinking about my autumn collections, I was drawn to capturing that warm, comforting feel of wearing something handmade from home. So I decided to come up with some Aran weight college style scarf designs. And as inspiration for the first five designs, I looked to the universities that mean something to me and mine!

And it doesn't seem too long ago that my sister attended Bristol to study for her Post Graduate Certificate of Education. It's amazing how quickly time flies and how many students she's taught since then!

Growing up not far too from Bristol, the mix of architectural styles including Bristol Byzantine always stuck with me. And with its ties to engineering and construction, I wanted the design to incorporate a decorative 'brick' motif to reflect this.

Bristol is an elegant Aran weight college style scarf, slightly shorter than the other scarves in my College collection, but because it's wider and has fringing it still maintains that cosy, homely feel. But if you don't want to add fringing, it still looks great without and you always have the option to knit an extra repeat of the pattern if you do want it to be longer.

An ideal project for knitters of all abilities, it is a fun, relaxing knit that knits up fairly quickly. And because the pattern is made up of sections, it's a great pattern for when you need to put it down and pick it up quite often. And it also makes an excellent box set companion, especially as the nights start to draw in. This pattern has an amazing casual feel, and whether you choose to knit it as a gift or just for yourself, it makes for a great addition to any autumn/winter wardrobe!

Happy knitting!