Convo Hearts to knit

Share the love and knit Convo Hearts. This is quick and easy to cast on and knit from the top down. Two sizes are included in the pattern -- a dishcloth size (35 yards) and a coaster size (12 yards). Knit them in cotton worsted weight yarn with size 8 knitting needles. The dishcloth finishes at 8" wide x 7.5" tall. The coaster measures 4.75" wide x 4" tall.

I was able to get 1 dishcloth and 5 coasters from a 2 ounce ball of Sugar 'n Cream in strawberry. I had 1 yard leftover when I was done! LOL!

Variations included in the pattern are a felted hot pad knit with 2 strands of feltable worsted weight wool yarn with size 11 needles and a felted coaster knit with 1 strand of feltable wool yarn on size 8 needles. The felted hot pad is 10" wide x 9" tall after felting and the felted coasters are 3.75" x 3" wide. I used Hobby Lobby's I Love This Wool in Dahlia Pink for the hot pad. The felted coasters were knit with scraps of worsted weight wool.

Create a cute heart swag with the felted coasters by embroidering conversation heart sayings on them and attaching them to a crocheted cord or a length of ribbon or rope. This is sure to bring a smile to the face of whoever is lucky enough to receive it. :-)


The three page pattern is available in my Ravelry pattern store.y

All proceeds from this pattern will be 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.

Felted Netbook Bag to knit

Hubby needed a carry bag for our netbook computer so I designed and knit this one for him. The finished bag holds a Toshiba netbook NB205 (about 22.5" x 18") plus the power cord. If your netbook computer is a different size, you will need to adjust the bag size.

The bag is knit flat in one piece in garter stitch before being sewing together along the sides. Then the bag is felted. The strap is knit and sewn on after the bag has been felted. I used a 1" black metal snap as a closure on the front.

I used 3 skeins of Noro Kureyon with a pair of size 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needles. About 300 yards of heavy worsted weight yarn.

It's very easy to adjust the size of the bag. To make it wider, cast on more stitches. To make it narrower, cast on fewer stitches. For a deeper bag, knit more rows.

This would also make a cute shoulder purse.

The three page pattern is available as a free instant download through my Ravelry pattern store. Click on the link below. You can view my store page even if you are not a member of Ravelry. Have fun!

Simple Knits pattern store click here

Spinning projects

Spinning seems to be something that doesn't bother my wrist so I've been doing quite a bit of it recently. My wrist is improving but still not 100%. I am currently working on a new crocheted shawl design.

Here's a picture of two batts that I just finished spinning up. Aren't they gorgeous?

These were gifts from my friend Jamie in Missouri. I've been the lucky recipient of some of her carded batts, dyed fiber, and hand dyed yarn. :-)

These batts were 70% merino and 30% silk in some of my favorite colors. She called this colorway Forbidden Love. I had so much fun spinning these up. :-)

Here's what my finished 2 ply yarn looks like. It spun up into a light fingering weight yarn. A rough estimate is 3.4 ounces and approximately 430 yards.

Jamie has recently opened an Etsy shop with her friend Bonnie. You can find their Bon*Fiber shop by clicking HERE. Check out their hand dyed yarn and fiber as well as stitch markers and line keeper magnets. They have some beautiful stuff for sale.

I also recently spun up this 2 ounce bit of dyed Corriedale top. Two ounces and 259 yards of fun!

I've got to design something to use up some of my handspun. Every time I knit with it, I love it and wonder why I don't use it more often for project. The biggest problem is most of things I design require more yardage than I have in my handspun skeins.

Hmm, I will have to dream up some designs for these smaller handspun skeins.

Pirouettes Shawl to knit

Like a graceful ballerina turning round and round in pirouettes, this crescent shaped shawl turns back and forth with short rows that form the gentle curve in this shawl. No need to wrap and turn your short rows. Just snug up the slipped stitch as you get to it or read the tutorial I've included for another "no wrap" method of dealing with them.

This design shows off yarn with long color runs or will tame those bright variegated colorways that can be hard to work with.

This shawl is one of the results of playing with sideways garter stitch last summer. (Unfortunately, an injury to my right wrist this past fall has really slowed down my knitting (and crocheting) and the pace at which this design was finished. My wrist is much better but still not 100%.)

This quick-to-knit and easy shawl is knit sideways in garter stitch (no purling required). The lace edging is worked as you knit the shawl. When you're done knitting, tuck in the ends and you're good to go! No blocking necessary unless you want to do it.

I used 3 balls of Noro Aya with size 9 (5.5 mm) knitting needles for this shawl (about 450 yards of worsted weight yarn). Finished size was 48" along the neckline x 18" deep at the center back. I didn't block it. Because of the silk and cotton in the yarn I chose, my shawl has stretched quite a bit as I've worn it.

It's gotten a lot of wear since I knit it. I get a lot of compliments on it. It keeps the chill off your shoulders, looks good draped over a coat, and doubles as a hooded scarf if you place the lace edge around your face and wrap the "arms" of the shawl around your neck.

The four page 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.

Lil' Hoot

Knit these cute little owl toys fast with scraps from your yarn basket and a pair of size 7 knitting needles. Finished they measure 2.5” wide x 3” tall.

This is a little something I came up with last year for the Holiday Mystery Gifts group. It's a little owl toy. Stuff or fill it to create beanbags or juggling toys for kids or as cat toys for your favorite feline. Remember to sew the trims on securely so that kids or cats can't pull them off.

The body is knit flat and seamed with invisible garter seaming along one side.

The eyes and beak are crocheted. If you don't know how to crochet, I've included other options for these.

This single page pattern is available as a free download from my Ravelry pattern store. Click on the link below. You can view my store page even if you are not a member of Ravelry. Have fun!

Simple Knits pattern store click here

Paw Prints Shawl

Paw Prints Shawl is a slightly asymmetrical triangle shawl.When worn the point in the back is off set to the side. This shawl features a cats paw lace pattern worked in columns. The shawl grows along one edge with each row you knit. It's a simple four row lace pattern.

The pictured shawl was knit with one 100 gram ball of Poems Sock yarn in the Pulsar colorway. The long colorways in this yarn work well with the vertical lace pattern. It would also look good worked in a solid color. Blocked, the sample shawl measured 64" along the top/neckline edge, 40" along the side x 50" along the bind off edge.

You'll need 100 grams (about 462) yards of light fingering or heavy lace weight yarn for this shawl with a size 5 (3.75 mm) circular knitting needle.

The shawl can be made with any weight of yarn with needles one or two sizes larger than recommended on the yarn label. Remember, the amount of yarn you will need will change.

The pattern includes both written instructions and a lace chart.

The 3 page pattern can be found in my Ravelry pattern store.

Have fun!

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

Regency Ruffles to crochet

Regency Ruffles is a fun and very simple scarf to crochet. It has ruffles and a bit of a twirl. It’s different than most ruffle scarves as it's not made lengthwise. Simply crochet enough rows to make it as long as you like. No blocking needed!

My testers loved this one so much that they are making more for Christmas gifts! LOL!

I made this scarf with 2 skeins of Universal Yarns Classic Shades in grapevine with a size J (6 mm) crochet hook. That's almost 400 yards of worsted weight yarn. My scarf measured flat 7” wide x 35” along the center stitches. When worn it stretched and grew to 46” long.

You can make it with any weight of yarn you want by using a hook big enough to keep the ruffles soft and drapey. It's easy to make it wider too.


The three page pattern has written instructions and crochet charts. It also includes directions for making a short button around the neck scarf.

You can find this pattern 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.