With the arrival of cooler weather, I’m sure you’re all looking to layer up your clothing. And layering means lots and lots of sweaters, wraps, shrugs and everything in between. Unless you have lots of staple pieces in your wardrobe that you never get tired of or grow out of, then you might be restocking on sweaters every time fall rolls around. A more frugal option might be to make your own! These free knitting patterns might be a great way to stock up your wardrobe, while also saving money. They could be summer projects that you work on while the cool weather is taking a break. Here are seven free knitting patterns for cardigans, wraps and shrugs that would all be useful additions to your fall wardrobe.

Twisted Grapes Cardigan

This first cardigan is a heavy, warm, wool sweater that would be great for both fall weather and into the colder months of winter. The sweater has a decorative cabled pattern on either side of the buttons down the front. The pattern suggests using a sport/5 ply yarn. You’ll also need a US 4 (3.5 mm) needle and a US 3 (3.25 mm) needle. The project is described as being intermediate difficulty, so take your own experience level into account. The finished sweater is sure to be a staple in your cold weather wardrobe!

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit Ravelry.

Falling Leaves Wrap

Here is a wrap that seems tailor made for the fall — even its name is perfect! The original post of this pattern says that the wrap is very customizable. You can change the pattern to suit a different weight of yarn, and you can certainly make the wrap longer if you need to. The wrap is made from a 16 row pattern that is easy to work with. If you follow the pattern exactly, the finished wrap will be 24” wide and 66” long. You will need a US size 6 (4 mm) needle for the project. The finished wrap will be the perfect thing to wear on a day that just has a bit of chill in the air.

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit Everything’s Hunky Dory.

Dalilah Shawl

This wrap was created to be a warm shawl with a textured fabric. It has a soft feminine lace look but will make you feel fantastic when out on a brisk fall walk or snuggling up on the couch.  This is a huge shawl so you'll need about 7 skeins of yarn and US size 6 circular needles. It is recommended for intermediate knitters and should make for a lovely shawl in any color you chose (I'd love to see it in a blue fade). Knitted with 4 sections to wrap the body comfortably, it becomes a big shawl for chilly days!

For the Free Pattern, visit Ravelry.

Pumpkin Spice Shrug

This cozy little shrug is great for a chilly day in October and it’s best suited for intermediate knitters. The shrug has a lacey look to it that is pretty easy to knit. Because of its warm, orange color, this shrug is a great piece to use for injecting some color into your outfit. The suggested yarn weight for this project is a Medium Weight/Worsted Weight and Aran. You’ll also need 9 or 5.5 mm needles, 11 or 8 mm needles, and circular knitting needles. The finished shrug is the perfect thing to put on at the office for a bit of color, or to wear to the coffee shop if you’re a fan of the coffee drink of the same name.

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit All Free Knitting.

Paulie Cardigan

The Paulie Cardigan is the quintessential cardigan sweater, in my opinion, and it would also be fantastic for layering. The coloring is all up to you — simply pick a base color and an alternating color for the stripes. You’ll need two skeins of the base color yarn and 1 for the stripes, depending on the size you want. The pattern has a cute collar design that almost suggests there is a hood on this sweater, but don’t be fooled! It’s just a lovely decorative flair. The style is really cute and could be worn with just about any outfit as an extra, warm layer. 

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit Grasflecken.

Aqua Waves Wrap

This wrap is great if you’re looking for something comfortable and colorful. The wrap is crescent-shaped with an ocean waves lace pattern along the edge. The finished wrap, if you follow the pattern precisely, is 25 inches wide by 68 inches long. But it can be made longer, of course. You’ll need about 4 skeins of worsted weight yarn and a 8 US/5mm needle. The original creator of this pattern chose blue yarn because of the ocean wave lace pattern, but you can use any color you’d like to see in your wardrobe. This is a great piece to bring to the office, or when you’re out walking your dog and there’s a slight breeze.

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit The Knit Monster.

Chunky Shrug

Here is a lovely layering piece that I’ve never actually seen before. Rather than a thin, flowy style of shrug, this one is more chunky and substantial. It would be great to layer over a long-sleeved shirt, and perhaps a scarf for extra warmth. The pattern offers a few different measurements to fit your bust size, so it’s very customizable. You will need 7-10 100g balls of wool, and a pair of 10mm knitting needles for the project. You can choose any color yarn you’d like, but a nice standard color to layer on top of anything else you’re wearing.

For more information and the free knitting pattern, visit All About You.

Credits: Ravelry, Craftsy, Everything's Hunky Dory, All Free Knitting, Grasflecken, The Knit Monster, and All About You.

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