Category Archives: free pattern

Garland of Hearts

Posted on February 14, 2012 | 9 Comments

We don’t usually do much to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but I came across this crocheted heart pattern (by Lucy of Attic24, Teeny Tiny Hearts (Ravelry link)) and just knew I had to try stringing them up.

So, I did. On Friday I pulled the Valentines-y colors from the scrap bin and started hooking. Stowing it all away over the weekend so it would remain a surprise for Paul was hard. Then, Monday, I was crocheting in earnest. The hearts whip up quickly, each one took me less than 10 minutes to complete. When I reached 50 — the number I’d estimated I would need to span the chosen space — I stacked them all up, grabbed a ball of neutral yarn and my needles and came upstairs.

I cut a length of yarn, threaded my needle, and started stringing! (Here’s my project page.)

To borrow Lucy’s phrase, ta-da!

Here’s a wide view:

So, what do you think? I thought it added a touch of fun, of whimsy. I thought the variations in the hearts (they’re not all the same size, some of them are actually duo-toned) would be more visible, but that’s OK.

Happy Valentine’s Day! I appreciate you!

Note: I’m probably more behind on telling you about my fiber arts endeavors than I am about my bookish ones, but I’ve finally got another post (or two) almost ready to go, so hooray!

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Christmas ornaments

Posted on December 22, 2010 | 7 Comments

Before I fell full-bore into gift knitting (now thankfully done!), I was getting into the Christmas spirit by making ornaments.

Christmas trees


Click any photo to view it larger.

These are the first ones we made. Paul shaped and slipped the trees, and I strung my handspun yarn as a garland. I especially like the bit of sparkle and variation in the yarn, as well as the highlight the edges of the trees themselves bring. I love it when we find ways to collaborate in craft!

We may iterate on this idea more in the future.

Icicles


Again, click any photo to view it larger.

I pounded out quite a few of these; they’re kind of the unifying element on our personal tree this year. They come together really quick, too; I was getting four or so done in an hour. They’re a variety of lengths.

Here’s how I made them:

With a hook size suitable to the yarn (I used a G or H hook with worsted weight yarn), Ch — loosely! — a number approximating the desired length of your icicle. I had good luck with 18 or so. Any shorter than 14 I found less than ideal.

Working in the fourth ch from hook, 3 dc. Work 3 dc in each ch to end. Break yarn, weave in ends.


Icicle B prototype

This is an idea not fully come to fruition, I think. I like where it’s headed, but I’m not sure when I’ll have more time to devote to it.

I crocheted the stainless steel and threaded a bit of undyed combed top through it.

Have you made any ornaments this year?

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Hedgerows Shawlette

Posted on October 4, 2010 | 6 Comments

Hedgerows Shawlette 1I’m so very pleased to announce that my first knitting pattern has officially been released!

Hedgerows Shawlette is available as a free PDF download.

An asymmetrical triangular shawlette, Hedgerows is perfect for that special 4-ounce skein of handspun yarn. It’s designed to let you use up all of your yarn, without worrying about weighing as you go along. It also works great for a single skein of sock yarn, and it is well-suited for variegated or self-striping yarn. It will show off a wide range of yarn weights, as well, from lace all the way up to sport or DK.

Hedgerows in greys

Hedgerows in greys. Knit in Lion Brand Sock-Ease in colorway Rock Candy.

This should give you a better idea of Hedgerows’ shape:

Hedgerows Warrior

Hedgerows, spread out

I was spurred to create this pattern by the 4-ounce challenge, and although I started right away, with all my other commitments for the past few months I was working right up to the wire to get this done. But, I made it, yay!

The yarn I used in the bright sample seen here is my handspun, made from Spunky Eclectic CorriePaca (80 percent corriedale, 20 percent alpaca), in the Twenty-Ten colorway. My two-ply yarn measured 13 wraps per inch.

Twenty-Ten yarn

Fractal-spun two-ply CorriePaca in Twenty-Ten, fiber from Spunky Eclectic.

Like it? Well, since I made the pattern free, download away! And enjoy. :)

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