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Kids Sweaters for Charity Projects
This summer, my LYS will be doing a charity project involving sweaters and cardigans for children. As a resource for that project, I have made this list of free sweater patterns that I think would be great for charity. I have tried to include knit and crochet patterns in varying baby and children’s sizes. Some of the patterns are really basic and great for beginners, while others are just complicated enough to keep an intermediate level crafter interested, without taking forever to make. I looked for patterns that use DK or worsted weight yarns, and without too much tight shaping so they are likely to fit a growing child for some time.…
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Whipstitch Seam Through Wrong Side Loops
There are dozens of ways to join crochet blanket squares and motifs. One of my favorite methods is the whipstitch seam through wrong side loops only. The unused, right-side loops line up neatly on either side of the seam, setting off each motif separately rather than blending them together.
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#DIW2 ends today
It’s been a fun journey, but today is officially the last day of Design Improv Workshop 2 (#DIW2). Of course that doesn’t mean you can’t finish your scarf, or even start one if you haven’t already! If you made a scarf, please be sure to post your pictures on the Pinterest board. If you’re just following along to see all the pretty scarves, check out the Pinterest board – you won’t be disappointed! Here’s mine. I ended up making it an infinity scarf. I had originally intended to make 4 repeats (2 in each direction) for a regular scarf, but after the first 2 I realized I didn’t have enough yarn…
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Free Pattern – Pinwheel square
I love to watch pinwheels spinning in a warm summer breeze. Because of the color selection, Anne Geddes Baby yarn by Red Heart was an obvious choice for this project. It comes in a wide array of colors, including those vibrant, bright shades that can be so hard to find in a baby yarn. It’s also a great weight for a baby blanket, and the acrylic / nylon blend means it’s strong and machine washable too. This square was designed to coordinate with the Windy Square pattern I released earlier. The two squares are used together in my Dreaming of Pinwheels blanket. This pattern is protected by copyright. Please do…
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#DIW2 – Last section….or is it?
How are you coming along with your DIW2 mystery CAL blog hop scarf? I’m still a couple of sections behind, but plan to catch up tonight. Here are sections 7 & 8 on my scarf:If you do finish section 10, remember NOT to start your repeats yet until you hear tomorrow’s special announcement. Don’t worry about finishing on time, we’ll be going through May 15th to finish the scarves, so there’s still plenty of time! All I can tell you right now about the surprise is that it will be an activity, happening on the Ravelry group only, and there may even be a prize for participating. Check the group tomorrow morning (Chicago time)…
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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 blanket, and the acrylic / nylon blend means it’s strong and machine washable too. I’m working on another square that will coordinate with this one, and should have that for you soon – be sure to follow this blog so you don’t miss it! See the “follow this blog” options…
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#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 new section every couple of days. Here’s my scarf so far: If you’re participating in this CAL, be sure to keep an eye on the Ravelry group. There just MAY be a secret, surprise, bonus activity there starting on the 23rd….. The following are affiliate advertisements. If you click the ad and…
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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 those sleeve types, and some sweaters I love which illustrate them. Most of these sweaters are from KT & the Squid, I’m a little hooked on her designs right now. Drop Shoulder The easiest sleeve I’ve come across is the drop shoulder sleeve. If you do not add any sleeve shaping…
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#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 variety! Without further ado, here are my first 5 rows: Each section of this pattern is protected by the author’s respective copyright. Please do not distribute or share any section without prior permission in any way other than by sharing a link to it. Click here for copyright information. This post contains affiliate links (click…
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#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 keep thinking of using it, but then no project quite seems worthy. I think it has just been waiting for this one. The Moorland colorway is such a beautiful, mottled shade of green, which is my favorite color. It will be perfect for a light, spring scarf. I had concerns about…
