• Windy Square

    Free Pattern – Windy Square

    This “windy” blanket square makes me think of a gentle, warm breeze on a bright spring day. I wanted the design to be solid, but still feel light and airy. The yarn that immediately came to mind is Anne Geddes Baby yarn by Red Heart. It’s soft and squishy like a billowy cloud, with a subtle hint of sheen. It’s a great weight for a baby…

  • #DIW2 scarf sections 1-6

    #DIW2 – Halfway done!

    We’ve just finished section 6 of the DIW2 mystery CAL blog hop scarf, so we’re actually a little more than halfway done. Don’t worry though, it’s easy to catch up! each section is only 5 rows, and there will be a little catching up time coming soon. This has been so much fun to do – it’s exciting to see the…

  • Mock Cable Pullover by Kim Guzman

    Types of sleeves

    Sleeves have always intimidated me. I never really made anything with sleeves until fairly recently, except a few baby sweaters with very basic sleeves. As I started branching out though, I got more familiar with some of the different types and found that they all have their pros and cons and all add their own distinctive feel to a sweater design. Here are a few of…

  • #DIW2 scarf section 1

    #DIW2 – Mystery blog hop CAL scarf section 1

    It’s finally time to start the Design Improv Workshop (#DIW2) Mystery blog hop scarf CAL! For the rules, social media links, etc, please check out this intro post.  Section 2 will be posted by Mistie Bush of American Crochet on 4/3/15.  I will update this link once her post is available. Remember, there are purposely no recommendations as to yarn and/or hook. We want to see…

  • #DIW2 – My yarn choice

    I’ve finally decided which yarn I want to use for the Design Improv Workshop #2 scarf (#DIW2). Here it is – this lovely skein of Madelinetosh Merino Light. This has been one of the nicer skein in my stash for almost a year now. It’s extra special because it’s a souvenir from my visit to Churchmouse Yarns and Teas near Seattle.  I…

  • #DIW2 – Mystery CAL blog hop scarf

    Here it is! the big news I’ve been hinting at! Some of you may remember the first Design Improv Workshop from back in October, where a bunch of designer friends and I got together to create an impromptu pattern. That was SO much fun that we just had to do it again. This time though, we’re going to make it a lot…

  • Bunny Bag - a free pattern on Stitches'N'Scraps.com

    Free Pattern – Bunny Bag

    This cute drawstring bag is the perfect addition to any Easter basket! It can be used in so many different ways. It’s just large enough for a few treats. You could also fill it with potpourri and sew it shut just under the drawstring for a pretty sachet. You can make it larger or smaller by using thinner or thicker yarns…

  • My finished knitapotamus

    Pattern Review – Knitapotamus by Heidi Bears

    I’ve had my eye on Heidi Bears’ crochet patterns for a while now. It’s so creative, the way she takes all different regular polygons and magically creates wonderful creatures with them. But at $6.50 each, I always hesitated to try one. I didn’t really have any NEED for a stuffed dragon, after all… 4 of my friends are having babies…

  • How I hold my hook

    So how do you hold it? (Part 2)

    Earlier this week, we talked about how different people hold and tension their yarn for crochet. It was so much fun to see all the different styles! That discussion led to the related question – how do you hold your crochet hook? In general, there are two ways to do it, but there are many variations of each. One way…