Everyone could use a good carry-all bag, and this crochet project fits the bill perfectly. It’s worked in 100% hemp Fibra Natura Java for sturdiness and style.
This ultra-functional bag is worked in the round beginning in the center of the base. The simple design allows plenty of room for creativity in color choice and variations on striping. It’s a classic as-is, but I can also see it with a bold color – maybe red? – for the stripe just below the handles.
I have to say, as its creator, I’m feeling pretty good about today’s Free Pattern Friday. It was incredibly easy – just knits and purls – but you’d never know it to look at it. For that, credit goes to the yarn, Classic Shades Frenzy.
It’s a thick yarn with enough variation in color to give a simple design additional interest.
This cowl uses a diagonal rib pattern. The beauty of doing this in the round is that if you wish, you can simply cast on the required number and k2p2 all the way around every row until you’ve reached the desired width of your cowl. This took just one ball, and it made a cowl long enough to wear loose or to wrap once for extra warmth.
For mindless knitting, I tend to favor simple designs on big needles that I can work on while chatting or watching TV, and this fits the bill. Now that the weather’s turned, this would be a great knit-night project!
Have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to make time for yourself.
The weather’s cooling off here, so it’s time to dust off all those “winter is coming” images…
…and to cast on for something toasty!
The Button Up Hat and Scarf is a matched set in Fibra Natura Dona superwash merino. This cozy cabled set is brightened by the pop of color of a buttoned garter stitch band. Thread the scarf through to keep it snug.
The written and charted all-over eyelet and cable pattern creates a raised texture that’s quite warm.
Fall is upon us, and we felt the need for something toasty!
Almas is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It can act as a shoulder/bust warmer for a brisk walk in the woods, or can be scrunched up and worn as a cowl paired with your favorite winter coat. We like the rustic quality that Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash gives this cozy piece.
As a short poncho or capelet, it can be worn collar up or down, as you wish.
With just a touch of stranded knitting, this project is a nice introduction to the Fair Isle method of changing colors in your work.
Little Acorn comes to us from Anita Closic, proprietor of A Garden of Yarn in Chadds Ford, Pa. Like so many LYS folks, Anita’s a sweetheart – she also gifted our customer service team (Katie and Angie) with scarves, which they haven’t stopped raving about. Nobody appreciates crafting like crafters! Thanks, Anita!
Little Acorn is a reference to the seed from which mighty oaks grow. It’s a lovely topper that’s sized from baby through adult, with just one skein of Adore (100g/273yds) required for any size.
The hat is worked from the scalloped brim up, in the round on US size 6 (4mm) needles, or whatever gets you gauge. Accent it with coordinating buttons for a special touch.
We hope you enjoy this pattern – and if you’re ever in southeastern Pennsylvania, stop in at A Garden of Yarn and say hi to Anita!
Don’t you love it when a yarn does half the work for you? Self-striping Major makes this knitting project super colorful.
This collar cowl is perfect as an extra layer just beneath your coat during blustery winter days. The cowl is worked in the round from the bottom-up with shaping intended to perfectly hug the neck and shoulders. The result is an especially warm accessory.
Worked in bulky-weight Major, this cowl is also a quick knit. Since one skein is enough for two cowls, why not make one for yourself and another as a gift for someone special?
We hope you have a fantastic weekend. Happy knitting!
First things first: how’s everybody doing? Currently, the projected path of Hurricane Irma is moving west of us, so it looks like Universal Yarn here in NC will miss the worst of it. But we’re worried about all of you, in the midst of fire and flood. Please stay safe.
For those wanting to take their mind off things, we offer this crochet shawl in Little Bird (100g/346yds), a lightweight acrylic that’s cottony soft. Pipping is a sweet crochet confection – a bit of normalcy that we all could use right about now.
This asymmetric shawl starts on its longest edge and decreases along one edge. Cut the ends after each color change, and work them in as you go to save time in finishing.
This is an easy pattern to customize with your own colors – you’re not locked in to just three. Use as few or as many as you want. The pattern is both written and charted for your convenience.
We hope you have a safe and restful weekend. We’re thinking of all of you.
Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish. One minute it’s sleek and streamlined…
Hi there!
The next minute it’s quite a bit bulkier!
HI THERE!!
So it is with Bamboo Bloom Handpaints, transitioning from smooth and silky to fluffy puffs and back again. And given the cool blue ocean tones of this color, we thought it was appropriate.
When I got my hands on this, my immediate thought was, “this would make a beautiful Hanasaku Cowl.” It led to a lot of joy, sorting through our stock of Poems to see what would pair well. In the end it came down to two choices.
I liked the darkness and overall violet-blue of Poems in Arles 601, and am pleased with how this turned out.
I still may go back and make one in the other combo. Honestly, these slip-stitch cowls are fun and quick to make. It’s a great go-to project for something colorful and impressive-looking.
The Hanasaku Cowl is available for sale on Ravelry – but if you hit your local yarn shop, they can download it for free for you. You might want to grab a skein of Fugu while you can, too.
It’s summertime, but that’s no reason to skip the pretty accessories! This scarf calls for two balls of Nazli Gelin Garden 10 mercerized cotton, using one of the variegated shades in that yarn. The colors in this cotton are rich and saturated.
The body of this shallow shaped scarf is knitted at the same time as its border. As with all stockinette, this scarf will curl some, allowing bits of the lace to peek through depending on how you wear it.
This is a lovely lightweight piece that won’t sit heavy on your lap as you work it.
