Free Crochet Pattern...Butternut Squash Neckwarmer!

Just as the first hints of fall are in the air, here is the Butternut Squash Neckwarmer!  Crocheted with a simple but beautiful stitch sequence, this is a fabulous and lighting fast project that you can have finished before the first autumn leaf falls from the tree.  Make one for yourself and several for others as we approach gift making season!

Butternut Squash Neckwarmer

By Jennifer Dickerson

Materials:

• N (9.0 mm) Crochet Hook
• 1 Skein Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick
• 2 Buttons (Note: this neckwarmer does not have button holes, it uses the lacy holes in the garment as button holes.  When selecting your buttons be sure they will comfortably fit through the holes before sewing them on.
• Tapestry Needle (for weaving in ends)

Aren't these buttons great?  They are made from recycled materials...I love their texture and rustic appearance.

Sizing: 

• Width-6.5 inches
• Length-the neckwarmer pictured is 26 inches long.  If you need yours to be a bit longer, just work extra rows as needed until desired length is reached.

Instructions:

Ch 19

Foundation Row: In the 4th chain from the hook, work dc, ch 1, dc in the same ch. *Skip two chains and work dc, ch 1, dc in the same ch.  Repeat 3 more times from * to end, then in the last ch, work 1 dc, ch 1, 1 dc in the same ch.

Row 1: Turn, ch 3 and work dc, ch 1, dc in each of the chain 1 spaces from the previous row (center of each "V").  At the end of the row, finish with a dc in the last space (ch 3 turning space).

Repeat row 1 until neckwarmer is desired length.

Finishing:

Weave in ends and you're all finished!  Sew buttons with placing them as shown.

© Jennifer Dickerson 2013
Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  In addition, if you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog (including other languages).  Thank you!

Lost stitches no more!

So I got these a while back and I've been meaning to share them with you...they are knitting needle point protectors!  Have you ever set your project down only to find later that some of the stitches have slipped off?  So annoying (maybe that is a somewhat tame word, I have been mad, mad, mad when this happens!)  

See those little stitches in the picture above?  Just inching toward the edge?

Anyway, you just pop these things on and no more worries!  You can find them online, I got mine from Knit Picks...they make a large size and a small size depending on your needle width.  They're rubbery so they give a little.  So handy!  And cheap...mine were a little over a dollar for 4 (2 sets).

Free Crochet Pattern...Modern Circles Garland!

The Modern circles garland is a fun and cheerful project that is perfect for a beginner or if you're just looking for something easy and portable.  This is the perfect stash busting project too!  Each circle uses only a small amount of yarn.  Use the garland to add cheer to a playroom, make a party extra festive, or create one in seasonal colors for a statement piece on the mantle.

Modern Circles Garland

By Jennifer Dickerson

Sizing:

• Each circle is approximately 3.5 inches wide
• Length: as long as you want...just make as many circles as you need to reach desired length.

Materials:

• H Crochet Hook (5.0 mm)
• Scraps of yarn in any colors you would like...get festive!
• Tapestry needle for sewing the circles together.

Instructions:

Chain 6 and slip stitch into the first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Make 12 dc into center of ring, join with a sl st to join round.

Round 2: Ch 3, 1 dc in first space, *2 dc into the next space, repeat from * to end of round, join with a sl st.

Round 3: Ch 3, 1 dc in the first space, *2 dc into the next space, 1 dc in the next space, repeat from * to end of round.

When you are finished, fasten the yarn off and cut leaving a 4-5 inch tail as shown in the photo below.  Do not weave in the tail just yet, you will use this tail to sew the circles together.

Once you've made the number of circles you need, you can sew them together.  The great thing about this garland is that you can always add to it later if needed.  Using the tail you left on each circle, sew it to another circle...four stitches with the tapestry needle are all it took for me to get it nice and secure.  Now you can weave in any ends that are left and you're all finished!  Add a loop on each side for hanging if you like, I just hung mine on a hook...no loop needed.  Let the festivities begin!

© Jennifer Dickerson 2013
Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  In addition, if you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog (including other languages).  Thank you!

Clever idea for a teapot...

Alright folks, I just had to share this...I saw it on Pinterest and tried it out for myself and it is such a clever idea!  If you don't have a yarn bowl or box, try using your teapot instead!  Simply put the ball of yarn in it and pull it through the spout.  This is especially helpful if you don't want your yarn ball rolling around on the floor, etc.   

As you can see my yarn ball is a little too big and/or my teapot is extra tiny, so make sure that if you try this your yarn has enough space to move about!  It was maybe a little too tight, but still worked just fine.

I went yarn shopping (again)

So I was feeling pretty fallish and apparently I don't have enough yarn laying around already...so I got my hands on these...

I have bought Araucania in the past and I am so impressed with the complexity of subtle coloring.  The green is so woodsy looking and the red one looks to me like crunchy leaves.

This pretty little number above is Araucania's Toconao Multy (colorway 407).  It reminds me of trees and moss and all of the wonderful things you might experience on a hike.

This beauty is Araucania's Ranco Multy (colorway 342) and it is so incredibly fallish, it makes me want to go rake up some leaves...well I wouldn't go that far, but definitely has me thinking about some crisp, gorgeously colored leaves!

Happy Wednesday dear stitchers!

Sweet Little Hats for Sweet Little Babies!

Made these two cuties for a little one who arrived last week, the bear hat is from this pattern:

Baby Bear Newborn or Preemie Hat

I changed it a bit by making six rounds of ribbing instead of the rolled brim.  Everything else is the same.

The striped hat is from this pattern in the newborn size:

Baby In Bloom Hat

I omitted the flower and did six rounds of each color, I really love this color combination for a little boy for the fall...so handsome!  Isn't knitting for babies the most fun thing ever?

Oh, and here's a cute little tutorial on how to tag your gifts to make them easy for your recipient to care for them and of course to make them extra special:

How to tag your hand stitched things for gift giving

It's finished!

Yay!  I finished my most involved project for the 2012 Ravellenic Games...

It was a LOT of ribbing!  I was afraid it would be a little stiff because of the ribs, but it isn't too bad.  I love it though, I knew it was going to be super long, so I chose not to make it too wide...the pom poms are cute too, but they happen to be functional as well by adding a bit of weight to keep the scarf from slipping off.

Can you tell I'm ready for fall?  There is something about this brown scarf full of tweedy goodness that screams autumn to me.

The socks that never were...

Here are some socks I started a while back...they never became socks and sat this way for about two years...

So, I pulled them apart!  This yarn is so pretty, so on to different things!

In case you're wondering it's Wisdom Yarns Poems Socks...aren't the colors amazing?  Here's another view of those gorgeous blues!

How to Knit Into the Front and Back of a Stitch (KFB)

Knitting into the front and back of a stitch (the abbreviation in patterns is "KFB") is a simple and fairly common way to increase a stitch in your knitting.  One dear reader mentioned that they needed a little help with this particular stitch, so I thought I'd show you how...it's used pretty frequently in my patterns, I rather like using it.

To knit into the front and back of a stitch, first knit to where you'd like to make the increase, or where it is indicated in the pattern,

then insert your needle into the stitch as normal,

and knit the stitch,

Now here's one important difference...

Don't push the stitch off your needle, but instead reach behind with your needle and insert it into the back of the stitch,

Wrap the yarn around the bottom needle (right hand needle) and knit that stitch too.

Now you can push that stitch off...

In the picture below, you can see the two stitches made from one stitch...note the little "bar" it creates.

In this picture I've knit a few rows so you can see what the stitch looks like...see the little horizontal bar?  

There you have it...the KFB stitch...happy knitting to you dear stitchers!

Ravellenic Games Project 2: Barley Tweed Scarf

Meet the Barley Tweed scarf...it has recently come out after a very long and extended hibernation and I am determined to finish it!

It is knit lengthwise in a 2X2 rib with US 8 needles...it's been sitting around halfway done for so long!

Can't wait until it is finished...it is about halfway done and I'm gong to put some pom poms at either end.  This is making me so excited for fall!!

Ravellenic Games 2012