Tag Archives: free

WHAT!? MORE PATTERNS?

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Yes, my friends, it’s true!  More Patterns!  Beautiful ones (if I say so myself)!  And, better than that, free ones!

These patterns are Ultimate.  The Ultimate Knit and Crochet Palette Blankets!

The whole idea was to make two blankets that:

  1. Looked similar, even though one is knit and one is crocheted.
  2. Use every single color of Palette yarn.
  3. Are awesome.

I think I’ve delivered (if I say so myself).

The Ultimate Crochet Palette Blanket is based on a blanket my Great-Grandmother Anna left to one of my various second-cousins, but this one has more colors.  I think she would approve.

55756220_11Cats like it.55756220_16It’s pretty close up.55757220_2And it’s pretty from far away.55757220_23The Ultimate Knit Palette Blanket is perfect for those early-morning strolls in the greenhouse.55757220_7It’s a fun experiment with an insane number of nupps and bobbles.55756220_3But it’s also is a fantastically beautiful finished product.55756220_22Of course, you don’t have to get the whole 150 colors of Palette Yarn to make a beautiful blanket.  You could split the collection with a few friends and have enough for everyone to knit up a blanket of their own.  Or, since the pattern is essentially for one square, you’ve got lots of room for creativity.  You could pick your favorite jewel tones, or just use shades of gray.  You could make an afghan with your school colors, or just use the colors you’ve got laying around in your stash.  Or, of course, you could make the pattern as it’s photographed- it is really pretty.

Get the Crochet pattern here!

And get the Knit Pattern here!

(And don’t forget to sign up for the giveaways!  Petite Patterns!  Calendar Tea Towel!)

A New Year’s Giveaway!

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In celebration of Knit for Yourself Month, let’s do a giveaway!  After all, a giveaway is really just a present for yourself, right?

I’ve talked about my mom’s amazing graphic design talent before.  She’s the artist of the family, and designs amazing fabrics (which you can buy by the yard here), and then uses her fabric to make gorgeous little project bags, baskets and other lovely products (which you can buy here).

When I visited her over Christmas, I got to drool over her newest projects, a fabulous fabric basket:il_570xN.892993440_t1by[1]A beautiful zippered cosmetics case/sock WIP bag (I took one of these home with me.  It’s decorated with octopi.  It’s adorable.):il_570xN.883634046_5afq[1]And an adorable yarn-themed tea towel/wall hanging:

il_570xN.865351455_2ena[1]It’s printed on a really lovely cotton/linen blend, and Mom’s finished the edges really nicely (I don’t know how her hems always turn out so nice and straight.  I just don’t have the patience for that).il_570xN.865351611_8ed1[1]And here’s the best part:  You could be the lucky one to take home a tea towel of your own!

Just reply below with your favorite item from Mom’s Store, to enter, and we’ll pick a winner at random on January 18th!

(Or, if you don’t want to bother with the whole “entering a contest” thing, just pop over to Mom’s store, PaperorThreads, and treat yourself!)

(And!  Don’t forget the Petite Presents Giveaway, too!  So many Giveaways!)

New Pattern! And a Giveaway!

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Hey, guys!  Remember when I kept complaining about not being able to share all my secret projects with you before Chritstmas?  Well, it’s about time that I start telling you what’s going on.

A brand-new pattern that I designed was just published in the newest KnitPicks collection, Petite Presents!  This collection is all about small projects that you can make with less then 150 grams of yarn (often much less).

32768Exciting!

My pattern is the tiny (and cheerful) Juliet Bag, named after one of my sewing students, who is also tiny (and very cheerful).51989220_3[1]The Juliet Bag is knit in the round, from the top down, and uses only a few yards of each color- so it’s a perfect project for using up leftover scraps of sock yarn.  And, the simple colorwork is a great way to get your Fair Isle toes wet without jumping straight into the deep end of a big sweater or something.

51989220_2[1]But, I think my favorite part of the Juliet Bag is the drawstring.  It’s a continuous I-cord that is threaded through a series of eyelets at the top of the bag.  I don’t know why, but I think it’s really cute (and it’s quite functional).

Speaking of really cute, look at these other adorable projects that are also included in the collection:

These Mini Kitty Poufs are not-so-mini (They’re just the right size to be utterly huggable).

32768124[1]And the beautiful Merrifield Hat plays with color and texture in a gorgeous way.32768104[1]Want to win your own copy of Petite Presents?  Just comment below with your favorite pattern from the collection, and I’ll do a drawing on January 18th!

A New Year, A New Pattern!

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Happy New Year!  Yay!  *Noisemaker sound* *Glasses clink*

What’s that?  After all that holiday knitting (and maybe one too many glasses of champagne last night), don’t you want something fun, quick and easy?  Don’t you want a brand-new pattern, hot off the presses?  Don’t you want something impressive-looking, yet dead simple?

Well, I’ve got the washcloth for you!

It’s the Snowbank Spa Cloth!  (It’s a “Spa Cloth” because it’s fancy.  It’s knit in silky smooth Comfy Sport, but you could make it in whatever cotton yarn you’ve got laying around.  Because who has time to go to the yarn store today?  I’ve got leftover cookies to eat and new books to read.)

55831220[1]It’s all knit in a single piece (so only two ends to weave in!).  It’s a lovely square of slipped stitches and rows of purls, that, if you look at them the right way, look a little like snowflakes (hence the name).  The whole thing is enclosed in a thin border of garter stitch that’s knit as you go for a super-easy, yet classy-looking washcloth.

And the best part?  It’s free!  And available on the Knit Picks website!

Pattern Spotlight: Itty Bitty and Teeny Tiny

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I love tiny things, it’s true.  Especially really tiny things.  Especially especially teeny tiny adorable things.  It’s one of my weird quirks.  When I’m feeling down, stressed, or just in need of a quick pick-me-up, one sure-fire way to raise my spirits is to make something cute, pointless, and tiny.

I’ve been keeping this pattern in my back pocket for years, waiting for a day when I would need a tiny, adorable, pick-me-up.

Well, that day came, and instead of moping around the house, I broke out my fingering-weight yarn and my US0 DPNs and these two little bears just about flew off my needles.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThey are tiny.

Seriously.  Tiny.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThey measure just under 2 inches tall from the tips of their toes to the tops of their ears. And the best part?  Their dresses are removable- look at the teeny bare naked (naked bear) adorableness!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAAnd the best part?  The pattern is well-written, clear and free!

Teeny tiny knitted toys by Julie Williams2456725646_6de7080305_z[1]itty bitty dress by Julie Williamsminibun_medium2[1]Next time you need a quick, fiddly and adorable project, remember to keep these little guys in mind!

(And, don’t worry about me.  I just had a long day, but it was noting my tiny bears couldn’t handle!)

What do you like to make when you’re feeling blue?

 

(And don’t forget to order your Mother Bear Pattern for the first annual On the Needles Charity Knitalong!)

Pattern: Committee Socks

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We’ve done it, guys!  We’ve finished our socks.  The ones we started talking about way back in March.

You picked out the item, the style and even the colors.  And, over the last couple months, we’ve been knitting up the socks piece by piece.

And, here’s the day we’ve been waiting for!  It’s Finished Sock Day!

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They are the perfect comfy-cozy everyday socks. Featuring a classic ribbed leg with bold stripes of contrasting color and a slip-stitch reinforced heel, these socks are perfect for hiking up to your mountain cabin, beachcombing on the Puget Sound or lounging in front of the fireplace. Simple, classic, cozy and perfect.

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Thanks, everyone for your input!  I hope you had fun working on these socks together… I know I did.

Want a nice copy of the finished pattern?  Get it here:

Committee Socks.docx

 

Pattern: Baby Weasley Sweater

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A new pattern!  And this one’s the perfect center of the venn diagram of knitting, cute things, and everything Harry Potter.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAMrs. Weasley (my favorite character from the Harry Potter books)is known for showing her love for her children through her knitting.  So I can’t think of a better way to welcome a new baby to the world than with a personalized sweater based on Mrs. Weasley’s classic design.  This charming pullover sweater is knit at a slightly large gauge, so it works up in no time into a warm and cozy sweater.  Knit flat, with very simple shaping, the Baby Weasley Sweater is ideal for newer knitters.  And, the letter embellishment is added with the duplicate stitch after the sweater is finished (perfect if you don’t know the baby’s name until after they’re born).  The Baby Weasley Sweater will become a favorite of both the baby and their parents.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAGet the pattern for free here!

Baby Weasley Sweater

Pattern: One Row Wonder

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Weee-Ahhhhh, Weee-Ahhhh!  (That’s the “New Pattern Alarm”… couldn’t you tell?)

I came up with this project on vacation, in the back of a minivan, when I was stuck with a ball of lovely blue gradient hand-spun, a pair of needles, and no pattern.  I wanted to make a shawl, but not a normal shawl.  A shawl that was easy enough to knit in the back of a minivan while sightseeing.  Something with an interesting shape, but virtually no pattern to memorize.

Thus was born the One Row Wonder.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe One Row Wonder Shawl might just be the perfect pattern. With only one row to memorize, you’ll have a brand new shawl with almost no effort! It can be knit at any gauge and with any yarn. It’s a perfect way to use up leftover yarn or that extra-special skein that’s been waiting in your stash (you know the one). The finished shawl has a unique shape, which wears like a scarf, but has the look of a triangle shawl. The One Row Wonder will knit up in no time and quickly become a favorite part of your wardrobe.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI made mine with a lovely, chunky yarn, but now I’m itching to work one up in fingering yarn.  How cute would it be made with stripes of leftover sock yarn?

Get the pattern for free!

One Row Wonder Shawl

EDIT 9/20/2015:  Sorry for the confusion about the “Loop Increase.”  Apparently lots of places have different definitions.  This tutorial from Knit Picks outlines how I do the Loop Increase.

Pattern: Sailor Jane

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September in Seattle means fog rolling in and waving goodbye to the sun until next Spring. But, it also means breaking out your favorite squishy, cozy woolens and curling up with hot apple cider. This scarf is the perfect accessory to keep the winter drizzle at bay and protect against the chilly winds that come off the Puget Sound.

Sailor Jane is knit on the bias, starting from one corner and finishing at the one opposite. A thick cable, reminiscent of nautical sweaters works its way continuously around the entire border, framing a pane of thick and cozy garter stitch. It’s a remarkably quick knit, worked in bulky yarn, the scarf is finished in no time. And, the suggested undyed superwash merino makes the scarf both cozy and virtually indestructible.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAGet the pattern for free here:

Sailor Jane

DIY DPN Holder

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Here’s a neat idea from blogger the Good Weekly.  DIY felt DPN (double-pointed needle) cases.  How cute are they?  If I had a million hours to do all the cute stuff I found online, I would be a happy camper.  But this project… I might just do, even though I don’t have a million hours.

holder_group-810x537[1]Go visit the Good Weekly to see their super simple tutorial.

knit_holder[1]