Wednesday, July 20

Dream Weaver Baby Set

The Dream Weaver Baby Set contains patterns for a baby blanket and a matching hat and bib. The same reversible stitch pattern is used in all 3 items. It's an easy to knit woven ribbon stitch. I published the baby blanket pattern earlier this year. I've created a bib and hat that has been added to the pattern. (The thought has crossed my mind that this would make a fun baby cardi too. :-) )

The blanket has a garter stitch border around the body of the blanket. You'll need about 500 yards of worsted weight yarn and size 8 (5 mm) knitting needles for the baby blanket. I used Lion Brand Pound of Love in blue for mine. Mine measured 27" x 27" unblocked. (I include instructions on how to make it bigger if you like.) The blanket includes written instructions and a stitch chart.

The baby hat is knit with about 60 yards of worsted weight yarn and size 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles for a newborn to 3 month size. (Use size 8 needles for a 3-6 month size). The hat is knit from the bottom up in the round with either double points or circulars. The hat is closed at the top with a 3 needle bind off. The stitch pattern makes the top corners of the hat fold into ears (or horns). I used Lion Brand Pound of Love for the hat.

My bib was knit with Lily Sugar 'n Cream worsted weight yarn and pair of size 7 (4.5 mm) knitting needles. You'll need about 50 yards for the bib (less than a ball). It's knit in one piece from the bottom up, ending with the strap. After you're done, find a button that fits the buttonholes in the adjustable strap and sew it in place on the bib. The bib measures 6.75" wide x 6.5" tall (not including the strap).

The 3 page pattern contains the blanket, hat, and bib in my Ravelry pattern store.

For more information, visit my Ravelry pattern store to see all my available designs, current pricing information, and purchase pattern downloads.

Sunday, July 17

Loopy & Yo Yo Kitchen Set

You may remember these from a post earlier in the year. These projects are ones I made as Christmas gifts for friends and family last year. They made nice gifts, especially paired with a little something extra, and were easy on the budget.

Loopy is an easy-to-knit textured dish towel. The stitch repeat is very easy to remember and knit. The name comes from a corner loop you can use to hang it up to dry and keep it handy in the kitchen. You can add a button if you'd like to button it around a handle. Or there are instructions for adding a tie to the top that you can use to tie the towel up to dry. Instructions for the loop and the tie include both knit and crochet directions.

A 10" x 12" towel can be knit from one ball of Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn (about 95 yards) with a pair of size 8 (5 mm) knitting needles. For a dishcloth, knit a few less repeats.

Yo Yo's are very simple scrubbies to knit in garter stitch from scraps of leftover cotton or other worsted weight yarns. They measure about 3.75". Raid your scrap basket for 20-25 yards lengths of worsted weight yarn and grab a pair of size 8 knitting needles and cast on. I've included a photo tutorial on how to finish these so you don't get confused. They're constructed differently than any other round scrubby pattern that I've seen. An added bonus: If you knit these out of softer yarns, they will make nice facial scrubbies or makeup remover pads that you can wash and reuse.

Any of these items will make nice and inexpensive gifts. Pair them with a pump bottle of hand soap, a bar of soap, some lotion, etc. for an even more special gift.

The two page pattern is available in my Ravelry pattern store.

All money from pattern sales is donated to the Mercy Corp.

For more information, visit my Ravelry pattern store to see all my available designs, current pricing information, and purchase pattern downloads.

Friday, July 8

Three New Shawls - 2 knit, 1 crochet

Here's what I've been up to for the last couple of months. The pictures I'm showing here are the shawls laid out flat so you can see their shape. You can view pictures of them being worn on their pattern pages in my Ravelry store.

The red shawl is called Three of Hearts. It's a top down shawl that is more than a half circle. My sample was knit with Knit Picks Gloss DK (though this yarn is thicker than a typical DK and much more of a true worsted weight yarn). You'll need about 550-600 yards of worsted weight for this shawl and a circular needle size 9 for the body and size 10.5 for the ruffle. The pattern also includes a 4 heart no-ruffle version. My blocked shawl measures 52" along the neckline edge and 18" long. (You'll need 400-450 yards of fingering/sock weight and a needles in 6 and 8 for a smaller version of the shawl.) My testers were having trouble hanging on to their shawls as every female who saw it wanted to take it home with them. LOL! The pattern includes written instructions and lace charts for the heart panel and the border lace. The 4 page pattern can be found in my Ravelry pattern store.

The blue one is called Over the Moon. This is a fast and easy shawlette to knit. (Make it into a larger shawl by knitting more repeats.) I wanted something that would show off those beautiful sock/fingering weight skeins of yarn that we all buy and don't want to use them for socks. I knit this one with one skein of Fleece Artist Nova Sock. You'll need 350 yards of sock/fingering weight yarn and a size 6 (4 mm) circular knitting needle. Blocked it measures 30" along the neck and 10" long. I've included options for a DK or worsted weight version. You'll need 400 yards of DK yarn with size 8 needles for a 40" neckline x 12" deep shawl or 450 yards of worsted weight with size 9 needles for a 45" neckline x 15" deep shawl. This is a pattern you will make again and again. The 2 page pattern with written instructions and a lace chart for the simple lace border can be found in my Ravelry pattern store.

The pink and green shawl is a crocheted shawl is called Cat Walk. The stitch pattern emulates a knitted cats paw pattern. This top down, three triangle shawl gives more coverage than a two triangle shawl. You'll need 600 yards of fingering/sock weight yarn and a size G (4 mm) crochet hook for this project. (Make a smaller one with 450 yards of fingering/sock yarn that measures 46" neckline x 18" long x 75" along bottom edge.) My sample was made with Zauberball sock yarn and measures 56" along the neckline x 18.5" long x 92" along the bottom edge. This 3 page pattern includes written instructions and a professionally drawn crochet chart. This pattern can be found in my Ravelry pattern store.

For more information, visit my Ravelry pattern store to see all my available designs, current pricing information, and purchase pattern downloads.