Hygge at Home: Creating a Cosy Autumn Atmosphere 🍂
Knitting and Crochet for Cosiness
As the days grow shorter and the crisp chill of autumn settles in, there's nothing quite like the Danish concept of *hygge* to help embrace the season. For me and Mark, hygge is all about creating a warm, inviting atmosphere at home—a place where we can relax and try to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, especially when our corporate day jobs get busier towards the end of the year.
From soft knits to flickering candles and comforting food, here are some things that work for us to create that perfect hygge feeling at home during autumn. 🧶🕯️
Knitting and Crochet for Cosiness
It goes without saying that one of my favourite ways to bring hygge into the flat is through knitting and crochet. There’s something incredibly soothing about working with yarns - whether chunky or otherwise - that brings a feeling of cosiness. As the resident crafter of the flat not only does it feel therapeutic and help me unwind, but the end result is something tangible that brings us warmth and comfort.
I have two handmade blankets to add some extra texture to the sofa or bed—perfect for those evenings when you want to curl up with a hot drink and some extra knitting or crochet.
There’s nothing quite as luxurious as a woolly blanket and especially one that you made yourself! A simple blanket can be an easy project even for beginners, and makes a big impact in any room. Two of my favourite blankets are my knitted Habitation Throw and my crochet Honeycomb Crochet Blanket.
The Habitation Throw was made with a kit I brought from Jude of Stranded Dyeworks when he ran a Pride collection with lots of LGBTQ+ dyers a few years ago. It’s a corner-to-corner pattern which means you knit and increase until you’ve used half your yarn and then you start to decrease. Whilst the yarn is only fingering weight it’s a perfect light blanket to pop over your legs as an extra layer.
The Honeycomb Blanket is crocheted and I used Stylecraft Aran to make a weightier blanket, the pattern called for DK but by using Aran the blanket is bigger and much heavier. What I love about this blanket too is it’s made using commercial yarn, which makes it machine washable and much more cost effective than using hand dyed.
Whilst I love finding new hand dyed yarns to add to my collection, there is definitely a place for commercial yarn (even if it is acrylic) so there’s no yarn snobbery here.
Hygge isn’t just about the home;
Whilst we wouldn’t class ourselves as experts, we’ve been trying to practice the principles of hygge for a few years now, and hygge is also about how you feel! Knitting or crocheting a blanket or scarf in your favourite colours is a great way to stay warm and look stylish during brisk autumn walks. Plus, the process itself is a wonderful way to unwind at the end of the day.
I have a mix of smaller shawlettes and large shawls, as well as a box of many many hats. Either way, a mix of styles and sizes mean you’re never short of an extra layer when you need it. After all, the UK is renowned for its interchangeable weather when it can be sunny one day and freezing cold the next. Indeed as a write this post its currently sunny, but a few hours ago we had really heavy rain!
Creating Atmosphere with Candles and Lighting
Nothing says hygge quite like candles, and some evenings the flat can look like a set from Game of Thrones. We make it a habit to light a few candles as soon as the evening draws in, whether we’re eating at the dining table (we love to eat some evenings on trays on our lap) as well as when watching TV in bed or on the sofa. I like anything vanilla-y, whereas Mark is more citrus-y with scents of orange. I’ve recently discovered wooden wicks too which give off a wonderful crackling sound to give that open fire sound effect.
Comfort Food and Drink
Our hygge experience wouldn’t be complete without comforting food and drink, and for me autumn is the perfect time to break out the stews and pies! I love cooking but definitely prefer making dishes that take a long time to cook, I find making stir fries or anything that’s a 10-minute meal far too stressful. A personal favourite is a slow cooked beef shin pie - spend Saturday slow cooking the filling then Sunday making the pastry. It’s a firm family favourite and if I’m feeling extra fancy I'll make shortcrust pastry for the base and a rough puff for the top!
When it comes to drinks a hot chocolate is a must and a classic of course. But whether I’m feeling poorly or just need a little warming I love a variation on a Hot Toddy, using spiced rum with a slice of orange in place of the usual whiskey and lemon. A twist on a classic that I’d definitely recommend on a cold night.
I talked in a blog an few weeks ago about crocheting pumpkins and I’m on track to have a little autumnal display for an extra handmade goodness…
As autumn settles in, I hope these ideas inspire you to embrace the hygge lifestyle and create a home that’s warm, inviting, and filled with the things you love. Whether it’s knitting, baking, or simply lighting a few candles, there are so many ways to make your home all cosy this autumn.
How do you bring hygge coziness into your home during autumn? I’d love to hear your tips and cosy traditions in the comments below!
Happy crafting - and stay cosy! 🍁✨
In the spirit of fall knitting I thought I heard you had an interest in a tabletop spinner. I also am new to spinning and have been using drop spindles since the beginning of the year and loving it. I recently got an eel wheel from dreaming robots. It very cost effective with many helpful videos on set up and use. I’m in love with it and would highly recommend it. My only shock was when I open the box and saw all the parts I was overwhelmed, however when I saw the set up video and realized a lot of the pieces were actually replacement parts if needed, it was a piece of cake. Check it out!!
Your last post had me wanting to crochet a pumpkin and now I'm desperate for a honeycomb blanket. My crochet skills are pretty minimal but I am definitely going to have a go at a hexagon.
How hard can it be? (Famous last words)