I’m always looking for something other than a jacket to wear on those not-quite-balmy days between seasons, something warm but not too heavey, something full of texture and color to lighten the spirit, especially if spring is in the offing. Enter the tabbard, that vest-like garment that can go anywhere. Fastened at the sides by a single button or perhaps sewn at the edges for a more fitted look, the tabbard is perfect over jeans, leggings, and pants. And, what’s even better, it’s easy to knit and perfect for a mix of yarns. This kind of non-yarnogamy makes knitting anything but boring.

Though the original Tuscan Wall tabbard shown is knit with heavier weights, the pattern happily adapts to lighter fare for warmer climes. The watercolor sketch below imagines the design in silk and cotton using adobe or Tuscan hues. Choose your favorite hues in a mix of textures and cast on.