My family does things a little differently. As adults, the winter holidays have morphed into a time of silliness, complete with a festive hat competition. This pattern is from my entry – an absurdly long, very festive Santa hat.

Autumn is my favorite season. I love seeing the changing leaves, pumpkins everywhere, feeling the crisp bite in the evening air that reminds me to get out my woolens. The October Cowl embodies the best parts of autumn, with its thicker wool and cushy cables that sit snuggly around the neck without being too warm.

When I was 8, my family and I visited the Oregon coast for a week over summer. I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, with its cool evenings, buckets of clam chowder, waves on the sand and the small swirls and eddies left behind when the waves receded. I designed this shawl to remember those small moments and the peace the ocean brings, eve...