Tag: Knitting

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House Spirit Cardigan Pattern

The shower theme for my new nephew was Harry Potter, so naturally I wanted to make him something Harry Potter themed.  I searched for existing Harry Potter patterns, because I knew there were a lot of them, but nothing really stood out to me.  A lot of the fashion from the movies prominently used stripes (in the scarves, in the ties, etc.).  My mind kept coming back to the thought of a cardigan and stripes.  I decided to make a baby cardigan that while not explicitly referencing Harry Potter, nodded at the theme with the color choices.  The pattern features four areas of bi-colored stripes.  I decided to use the color schemes from the four houses from Harry Potter for the four regions. The idea of using the colors also added some symbolism.  Using all four represented wishing the best qualities of each house on the baby:  courage, loyalty, intelligence, and leadership.  I chose to use a variety of buttons to add a little whimsy.  I ended up making a second sweater for my daughter because it was just too cute!

The pattern is available in sizes 3-6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, and 18-24 months.  If you need another size, I can make that happen!

Buy the pattern for $5 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this cardigan on Amazon.

  • Worsted weight yarn in two to nine colors (You may choose to use two alternating colors for all of the striping or use different colors for each quadrant and the band, as I did.  I used yarn I already had at my house, but most of it was Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice.  The colors I used where charcoal grey [A] for the bands, scarlet [B], gold [C], green [D], silver [E], blue [F], bronze [G], yellow [H], and black [I])
  • US 8 24” circular needles
  • US 8 double pointed needles
  • Tapestry needle
  • Buttons
  • Needle and thread to sew on buttons


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

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Sunrise at the Beach Drop-Stitch Scarf Pattern

It’s hot in Houston right now.  Like miserable sweating within two minutes of stepping outside hot.  I decided I wanted to make something I could wear despite the heat, and I have had an idea for a drop-stitch scarf in my head for months.  The airiness of it is perfect for the heat of summer!

The design of this scarf ended up being a humbling experience.  I made a drop-stitch scarf from a pattern a few years ago.  I assumed when I saw the scarf that the look was achieved by knitting a few stitches and then yarning over several times.  However, the look was achieved by creating a large stockinette tube and then ripping out over half of the stitches.  I wanted to cry because I was wasting so much time knitting all these stitches only to rip them out.  I vowed to make another drop-stitch scarf someday with yarn overs.

When I started working on this scarf, I tried using yarn overs from the beginning.  It didn’t work.  I tried setting up a foundation row and then using yarn overs.  It didn’t work, either.  I tried knitting several rows and then using yarn overs.  It still didn’t work.  Guess what?  I ended up knitting a large tube and ripping out the stitches.  At least this pattern is a little more exciting than just stockinette stitch.

Since the pattern is relatively simple, I had a very specific yarn in mind to achieve the look I wanted.  I wanted a lace-weight yarn to make the scarf as light and airy as possible.  I wanted that yarn to be two ply with each ply being a different color.  I also wanted a slow color change so that I would end up with vertical stripes.  I looked for quite a while, and ended up stumbling upon Schoppel-Wolle Edition 6, which was perfect!  I chose the Aunt Emma colorway.

Buy the pattern for $5 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this scarf on Amazon.

  • 50 g of a lace weight yarn (I used Schoppel-Wolle Edition 6 in Aunt Emma)
  • US 7 24” circular needles
  • Tapestry needle
  • Beads for fringe (optional)

Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

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Buffalo Plaid Ankle Sock Pattern

I’ve had it in my head for a while that I wanted to knit some buffalo plaid ankle socks with a black sole, but I was struggling with how to make the stranded colorwork work over the instep portion.  If I carried it, the tension would end up funky and likely too tight.  If I cut the contrasting color every row, that would be a nightmare to work in all of the ends, and I would still probably end up with weird tension.  I also didn’t want to work it in rows and then sew the sock together.  Then an idea came to me.  What if I worked it in rows, but instead of leaving an edge I created a wrap and turn connection similar to what is used in short rows?  I tried it, and it worked beautifully!  The socks are worked all in one piece with a nearly invisible “seam” along the bottom.  I couldn’t love these socks more.

Buy the pattern for $5 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make these socks on Amazon.

  • Sock yarn in two colors (I used Premier Yarns Wool-Free Sock Yarn in Black (MC) and Red (CC))
  • 5 Size US 1.5 (2.5 mm) double pointed needles
  • Tapestry needle


Stitches and Techniques Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

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Sweet As Honey Cardigan Pattern

It’s been a while since I’ve written a post.  Honestly, it’s been because life has just been hard the last two months.  My husband has been away for a work a lot.  I’ve been juggling a full-time career and two toddlers.  The baby has been going through an extremely difficult phase.  She’s been fussy, clingy, and not sleeping.  As in getting up four times a night not sleeping.  For almost two months.  It’s been some combination of teething, a possible dairy issue, and most recently a cold.  On top of all that, I’ve had pneumonia.  There has been no time for knitting.  But today, I had a day off and finally typed up the sweater pattern I designed for her birthday.  I love this pattern, so much!

As my daughter’s first birthday was approaching, I decided to make her a bee-themed cardigan to go with her “First Bee-Day” party.  The cardigan was blue to match her beautiful blue eyes, and featured capped sleeves for the warm weather.  All of the edges feature I-cords to give a soft, rolled-edge look.  The sweater is knit as one piece because seaming is my least favorite part of sweater-making.  I hope you enjoy the pattern!

Buy the pattern for $5 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.

  • Medium sport weight yarn in two colors (I used Lion Brand Babysoft Yarn in Bluebell [MC] and Pastel Yellow [CC])
  • US 8 24” circular needles
  • US 8 double pointed needles
  • Tapestry needle
  • Buttons
  • Needle and thread to sew on buttons


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

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Egg-straordinary Easter Hat Pattern

One of my goals as I try to get my knitting pattern business off the ground was to create a pattern inspired by every major holiday this year.  When I thought of Easter, my mind initially jumped to bunnies and Easter bonnets, but there are a lot of bunny and bonnet hats out there already.  Next my mind jumped to Easter eggs.  A colorful Easter egg pattern could be really fun to make!  And the idea was born.

Ever since Lion Brand came out with their bonbons yarn, I’ve been wanting to make a project out of them!  I finally did it, and here is that project.  This hat was perfect because I wanted make an Easter egg inspired hat with lots of colors.  The bonbons brights colorway came in a sport weight yarn, perfect for spring weather.

Buy the pattern for $5 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.


Please comment below with any questions!

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Buffalo Plaid Earwarmer

Buffalo plaid has been everywhere this winter season.  If you know me, you know I’m not that in to fashion trends.  However, something about buffalo plaid really appeals to me.  Since spring decided to let winter have a big last hurrah (at least I hope it is the last), I decided to design one more winter pattern:  buffalo plaid ear warmers.  The pattern features buffalo plaid stranded colorwork and a turban-like twist in the front.

Buy the pattern for $3 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.

  • Worsted weight yarn
  • 3 size 6 double pointed needles
  • Tapestry needle


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

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La Vie Boheme Headscarf Pattern

I designed this headscarf for my sister to wear at a competition she was judging in which she needed some sort of head covering.  I loved it so much, that I made one for myself!  The pattern features garter stitch, short rows, and a modified seafoam stitch to create lots of fun texture.  It works great with a variegated yarn.

Buy the pattern for $3 on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

 

 

 

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Sham-Ombre Hat Pattern

I created a St. Patrick’s worthy hat pattern consisting of the standard shamrock and an ombre effect as the hat transitions to the crown.  I chose two coordinating green tones of Knit Picks Hawthorne fingering weight yarn that is light and perfect for spring.  I love the subtle design and the two beautiful yarn tones!  Because of the subtle effect, the hat doesn’t scream St. Patrick’s day and can be worn on other days throughout the year.

Buy the pattern on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.  The pattern is a written pattern, if you would prefer a chart, please contact me, and I can make that happen!

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.

  • Two colors of fingering weight yarn
  • 5 Size US 5 double pointed needles
  • Tapestry needle


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

 

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Sweetheart Hat Pattern

I wrote a guest blog this week over at Her Exchange about self-care through creativity, especially knitting and crocheting.  If you read the article, you’ll read about how after having kids, I really lost the joy in knitting in crocheting due to real or self-imposed deadlines and closed down my Etsy shop.  I have decided to change the focus of my shop and reopen!  Instead of selling finished products, I’m going to try to start selling my patterns.  And if I’m being truthful, I really enjoy the design aspect of coming up with a new pattern more than I enjoy making that pattern over and over for clients.

Without further ado, here is my first pattern:  the Sweetheart Hat.  I designed this hat for my daughter as a Valentine’s seasonal hat, but hearts are really always in season, so she doesn’t have to put it away after the holiday.  The pattern features my favorite heart cable that I’ve been putting on everything since college.  The hat can be worked in sizes baby through adult, but the cable size does not change so the cable will be more prominent on the baby sizes and less prominent on the adult sizes.

Buy the pattern on Etsy here or on Ravelry here.

Materials:

Go to this link to buy a kit with everything you need to make this hat on Amazon.

  • Worsted weight yarn
  • 2 Size US 8 needles for cable
  • 5 Size US 6 double pointed needles for remainder of hat
  • Cable needle
  • Tapestry needle


Stitches Used:

Please comment below with any questions!

 

 

 

 

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Horizontal Cable Knit Hat

Life got busy around the holidays, and I got behind on posting! One of my recent projects has been a new hat for Zoe. Baby heads grow so fast and none of her hats fit! The little jacket she wears all the time doesn’t have a hood, so she needed something to keep her little downy noggin’ warm. I was in love with some horizontal cabled hats I saw on Pinterest. I often make up my own patterns, but was interested in the construction techniques of this hat, so I bought a pattern I liked at Posh Patterns on Etsy. The pattern was quick, easy, and I love the way it turned out. We’ve already had many comments on it as we are out about town. The pattern can also easily be adjusted to use a different type of cable and now I have new ideas for how to construct a hat!