FREE PATTERN: Tunic Gradient Length

For free pattern, click here.

Materials:

- 3.00mm Tulip crochet hook

- around 8 balls of "Beauty Silk Cotton" 90% Cotton 10% Silk 30gr each

- Scissors

- tapestry needle

Back with added strings (chain about 300)

FREE PATTERN: Big Sweater Pattern

I had my reservation in posting this pattern I created because of the non-confidence in whether I made something worthy enough to be shared.  That is until two ladies from Masco Wools downtown Auckland convinced me that I need to even sell this pattern online as the end product looked good on me.  Of course I'm now inspired to write and make more intricate sweater with this pattern as a base.

Masco Wools downtown Auckland, NZ

What you need:
- set of circular needles, I used 3.00mm - 6.00mm set
- 2.50mm circular needles
- 2.75mm double pointed needles
- 3.00mm crochet hook
- about 2 skeins of 200gr 4 ply Naked Skeinz organic merino yarn
- stitch markers
- tapestry needles

Pattern:

Body
- CO 216 sts on 3.00mm circular needles, put marker at starting st, join in the round
- K1 in the round for 1 row
- Next row onwards for 10cm: K2, P4 in the round (rib st)
- When you reached 10cm, change gradually to larger needles, going up from 3.00mm to 3.50mm for the next row, then 4.00mm for the next row, and so on until you reach 6.00mm.  This is all done in K1 (stockinette st)
- Put marker halfway at 108 sts
- Knit till 58 cm
- Bind off at armpit, 12 sts each side (6 sts before and after marker)

Sleeves

- Use the 2.50mm circular needles
- CO 42 sts, put marker at starting st, join in the round
- K1 in the round for 1 row
- Next row onwards for 10cm: K2, P4 in the round (rib st)
- When you reached 10cm, use the double pointed needles to go up from 2.50mm needles to 6.00mm needles in stockinette st
- K1 till piece measures 18cm

 

Shape Sleeves

-  Increase round: continue in stockinette st, kfb (knit into front and back) into last 2 st [2 st increased]

- Repeat increase round every 15cm, 2 more times (at 33cm and 48cm) - 48 st total

- Continue to work in stockinette st without increasing until piece measures 63cm (I have long lean arms, measure from cast on edge to underarm, unrolled, the diameter of your arms at 3 major points where you need to increase when folded)

- Bind off using 3.00mm crochet hook, 6 sts before and after marker - 12 sts

Transfer sleeves to the body

- Decrease every 6 sts making sure it's K2tog at the sleeves' junctions
- Put 1 marker, now measure from here - 232 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm (about 7 rows)
- Decrease after every 6 sts, K2tog - 203 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm (about 9 rows)
- Dec after every 6 sts, K2tog - 177 sts
- K1 in the round for about 5cm
- Dec after every 10 sts, K2tog - 139 sts
- K1 for about 5 cm
- Dec after every 10 sts, K2tog - 108 sts (divisible by 6 for ribbing)
- Start rib pattern K2/P4 for 10cm (while you keep changing to smaller needles, till you use 3.00mm needles again)
- Then work reverse rib pattern of P2/K4 for 15 cm (while changing back to larger needles till you use 6.00mm needles again)
- Loosely bind off with 3.00mm crochet hook

Does it look as expensive as the Fazioli?

The length it goes up to (disregard my sneakers, I'd pair it up with high heel ankle boots or flat knee high boots)

Free Pattern: Shoulder & Knee Warmer

This project is based on the Free Pattern "Amelia" by Drops Design.

Knee warmer as wrist warmer (my knee is the same size as my wrist???  apparently so...)

I didn't follow the instruction religiously as I felt that 2 strands of the yarn I have would be too bulky for something lacey.

Materials:

- 2 * 50gr Heritage certified organic merino 4 ply (for both shoulder and knee)

- 5.00 mm, 80 cm then change to 60 cm circular Karbonz knitting needle (for shoulder)

- 6.00 mm Tulip crochet hook (binding off shoulder)

- 2.50 mm, 25 cm circular Symfonie knitting needle (for knee)

- 2.50 mm Tulip crochet hook (binding off knee)

- stitch marker

- needle to stitch in ends

The set

On the knee, some on calf, all I need is the boots.

The alteration I did for the shoulder warmer was quite a lot because I realised as I'm only using 1 strand, it looked a bit small when going with their suggested stitches.  I added about 4 more repetition of the pattern only realising that it was a bit much and started decreasing on every knit row to keep the pattern looking as it supposed to be.
I added about 3 more repetition of the last pattern rows because I didn't want it to slip off my shoulder when worn.

For the knee, I casted on 68 stitches, and did the first pattern 6x instead of 4x as it was written.  Then I go on each pattern 1x and skipped pattern F.  I repeat G till the piece was around 25cm long.

Very simple project to do over a long weekend.  Enjoy!

Free Pattern: Kim Kardashian's Beanie

Free pattern youtube tutorial "Kim Kardashian's Beanie" on iKnits.  

There's a link to her written pattern on her youtube tutorial, which helped a lot in figuring out what to do.

 I used about 100gr of cashmere merino Zealana Yarn with 5mm Karbonz Knitpro knitting needles.

  

I'm liking the simpleness of the pattern, straight forward just follow each step and you'll be fine.
Yet to wear the beanie, but cuteness overload promised.

Free Pattern: The Owl (Dress) Pattern

The thing about crochet that my daughter always says is that it makes the wearer looks sexy.  That's why she's still opting to go with her plain T-shirt and leggings.

I have been wanting to find a great crochet dress pattern that is easy but not too easy that I became bored.

This owl (modified pineapple) pattern is just the solution for my need.

The person who made the pattern has a great youtube tutorial, although I did get lost from time to time, so I wrote down my own hack, especially for the underarm connection.  Instead of 23 chains, I made mine 33 chains.

My daughter did point out that after some time, I probably don't understand what I wrote.  So if you have any question, write me a comment and I'll see what I can remember.

 I used about 200gr of 30%Bamboo 70%Cotton yarn & 2.5mm Tulip hook.

The dress turned out more of a tunic.  A change to the pattern I'd like to make if I had enough yarn would be lengthening the sleeves.

Then I tried making a top for my daughter using the same type of yarn, about 100gr in ombre colour and a 3mm Knitpro Waves Aluminium Hook.

She doesn't wear blue, so I made another one in ombre yellow, about 100gr and I used a 2,5mm KnitPro Waves Aluminium Hook.

Given a bit more yarn in my stash, I lengthened the sleeves, stopping at the top part of the pineapple.

 As for the bottom part, I stopped at the eyes of the owl, since I was running out of yarn.

The verdict: Free pattern youtube tutorial helped a lot, but the crucial sleeves part need to be adjusted from case to case basis.

FREE PATTERN: Simple Kimono from Batik fabric

FREE PATTERN: Simple Kimono

This is a very simple kimono pattern from Elle Apparel that I love as my imagination can run like a wild horse if it wasn't for the Batik pattern fabric that I had to work with.
The pattern was too simple to work with plain fabrics as then I would itch to add belt, borders, pockets, collars, etc.
With batik, the challenge comes in lining up the pattern itself, or finding "the right fit" so as not to distort the beautiful pattern that already exists before cutting but enhancing it.

FREE PATTERN: Neck Warmer

Karbonz size 4.00 mm with 40cm cable

Only 1,5 balls needed (approx.150gr)

My favourite way to wear neck warmer

  
 

 Materials:
- 1 ball + around 20 gr (leftovers) Zealana Tui Chunky weight (70% Merino, 15% Cashmere, 15% Brushtail Possum)
- size 4.00mm circular knitting needles with 40cm cable
- 2 stitch markers

FREE PATTERN: Snuggles

There are some changes made to the pattern because I realised there's not enough yarn to make what the pattern called for.

I was also worried about the end result looking like a bib because of the split at the sides, so I decided to just work with what leftover yarn I have and just wing it at the end.
The result was the front side had 4 rows of garter and the back side only got 2 rows and the entire thing only stretches to about 30+cm.

One thing I like working with chunky weights is that you get to see result so quickly, it makes you want to do another and another and another.

Happy knitting :)

FREE PATTERN: The Right Cowl

Short version of the neck warmer made with half of a 100gr hank organic merino, possibly lace weight. 

Long version of the neck warmer (hood-able).

3 balls of 100% certified Organic Merino

KARB@NZ

Armed with size 4.00 mm circular carbon fibre knitting needles

Materials:
- 3 balls / 150grams of Heritage 100% certified organic merino
- size 4.00 mm circular knitting needles with 60cm cables
- 1 stitch marker

FREE PATTERN: Always Lovely

I know this pattern calls for summer yarn (cotton merino blend) but I felt that the organic merino stash I have would just be perfect for it.
It was a very simple lace pattern with easy to follow instruction.

Just make sure you are not watching some really awesome action movie like Resident Evil Retribution because I ended up having to undo 13 rows the next day!  Ouch!  No lifelines either!  Very clever, don't try this at home kids.

Happy creating :)

FREE pattern: Oh Baby Baby!

When I started knitting for babies, it was a shock to my family members as they think I'm hiding something.  

Fortunately, the factory has long closed and won't be producing till next life time.  

However, these baby projects are so much fun and they're so tiny you won't believe that we were once that small, too.

I am torn between knitting and crocheting.  I like the end result of knitting better and I think knitting uses less yarn, or it may just be my imagination.  Although, when it comes to the littlest thing, I think crocheting and tatting are easier method.

The FREE pattern for knitted beanie: click here.

Bamboo cotton yarn on KnitPro Symfonie 25cm circular 2.5mm needle

Premature size only used up 1/2 ball.  Boots are crocheted, my own pattern.

Crocheted boots, my own pattern.

Crocheted beanie, fit up to 2 years, my own pattern.  Used 1 ball for both boots and beanie.

 The happy uncle received it and was overjoyed that it will be the only one in the world.