Free Pattern: Knit Puppycat

I'm so excited to put another pattern out there! I've been obsessed with Bee and Puppycat for almost a year. There are patterns for crocheted puppycat on Rav, but nothing for a knit one, so I made this guy!

This pattern isn't tested. That means that I can't promise that there isn't errata - but if you have any problems, please contact me through this blog or through email and I'll be happy to help.

Meet Moby

Let's not talk about socks today.  Let's talk about this post I put up a while ago.  Remember this thingy?

I finished him!

I wanted to make a stuffed animal, because I haven't made one in a long time.  I used the leftover's from Dan's hat that I made last year (which is also an original pattern that I never wrote up...)  I'm calling him Moby the Whale.

Here's a picture of Moby playing in the leaves.

My plan is to publish this pattern, but I'd really like some test knitters.  If you're interested, leave a comment or email me (my address is on the sidebar) and I'll send you the rough draft of the pattern! I would like to have at least 6 testers.

Please spread the word if you know anyone that likes to knit toys.  The pattern uses size 5 dpns or circular needles and calls for worsted weight yarn such as Cascade 220, Caron Simply soft, or red heart. Skill needed include: knitting in the round, sewing seams, and picking up stitches.

Thanks in advance!

Free Pattern - Sunflower

Originally, this pattern was supposed to be a whole scarf - tons of tiny sunflowers sewn together to make a stole.  But, I gave up on that - other projects got in the way.  I still want to make that stole, some day, maybe... eventually...

Anyway, these flowers would make a cute summer garland, or maybe a headband, or just knit up individually as coasters, brooches... whatever! The uses for knit flowers are seriously limitless.  I know.  I've made around a dozen of these puppies.  For amazing results, pair one with two knit leaves!

Anyway! Hope you enjoy this little pattern - it's more a set of notes than an actual 'pattern' - and if you make something totally inspired, let me know and I'll feature you! :)

Free Pattern - The Pinwheel Square

I'm in a group on Ravelry called KAL weekly square, and I'm the designer for the second square!  Whoo hoo! After some trial and error, I made this baby! I'm pretty proud of it :)  The goal of the group is to have a finished blanket by the end of the summer by making a different square each week.  Designers can make an original square, or squares can be nominated that are already around.  Anyway, this square can also be used as a dishcloth, potholder, plant coaster, etc.  It's very fun and calming to make, and it's reversible - a must for my blanket!

It measures 10''x10'', and full instructions are after the jump.

New Free Pattern: Blueberry Chocolate Wrist Warmers

This weekend, I just felt like making something easy! So, I took a few minutes and whipped up this.

I used some leftover yarn from different projects, and I only ended up using about 75 yards total - and that's a conservative estimate.  They're very snug fitting, and can be easily modified by adding stitches two at a time!

I'm going to try to find someone to wear them, because my curse set in with this - the cuff is too tight, and the whole thing stretches just enough to irritate my perfectionism.  Who has wrists smaller than me?

Anyway, I think I may be on a roll again! 11 Designs in 2011? I might be able to do that.

As always, this is a free download from Ravelry, but please don't pass of my work as your own, and don't sell my work as if it's your own!

Just click the link below to download it!

download now

Glee-Inspired Knitting: Carousel Sweater

I'm going to admit something to you.  I love Glee.  I don't know if it's the music, the endearing characters... no, I do know.  It's the snark.  I love the witty comebacks and snide comments that just aren't in a lot of TV shows.  

Anyway, W and I make it a point to watch Glee on Hulu every week.  Alone.  In a locked room.  Where we know people won't judge us.

And during this week's episode, "Comeback," I laughed so much at the clothing drama.  I've always teased Rachel Berry, and seeing all of the girls in those carousel sweaters just made me laugh!

“I mean, my carousel horse sweater should make me look like an institutionalized toddler but no – I look hot and smart. I feel like Michelle Obama.”

So, I spent five minutes in Excel and made this.  It's a carousel sweater intarsia chart.  Feel free to either laugh at me, wonder why I'm not doing the mountain of homework I need to start, or thank me. 

For best results, plop it front and center in the middle of simple top-down raglan pullover.  If you hurry, maybe you can finish it before the joke is lost on anyone. 

The pattern is available as a free Ravelry Download, if you don't have a Ravelry account, click here to download the chart: download now

Free Pattern: Slouchy Ridges Hat

It is finished! It, being me. I'm finished compiling data from my awesome testers, sifting through photos of my sorry mug, tweaking pixels on the PDF... and now, I present my first pattern of 2011.

Pattern Name: Slouchy Ridges Hat

Difficulty: Easy

Yardage: 200 yards

Techniques: Knitting in the round, Working stripes (if you want a multicolored hat), and another technique explained in the pattern.

My goal this year is to publish 11 patterns. The ones I self-publish will be free all year long, and on January first of 2012 they'll go up for sale, so download this one while you can!

What I like about this hat is that it's stockinette stitch in the round, making it a good zone-out project, but every so often there's the pick-up round, where you have to pay attention.  It's hard to find knitting projects that have that duality.

Anyway, I hope you like it, too! You can download your own free copy here: download now

Free Pattern: Tiling Tiger Print

This isn't exactly a pattern, per se... but it's a useful download nonetheless! This chart is a tiger print pattern, which you can apply to any knitting pattern - just work the colors off the chart whenever your pattern calls for stockinette stitch.

I can see tons of awesome uses for this! Tiger print hats, tiger print dishcloths, tiger print bath mats, felted tiger print bags, tiger print laptop cases, tiger print scarves, cowls, mittens...

While I was uploading the pdf to ravelry, W told me that it could be zebra print... just change the colors!

Another plus to this pattern is that it tiles! Which means that you can repeat the pattern over and over, with not a lot of troubles.

Anyway, click the link here to download a copy of the chart: download now

If you're on Ravelry, check out the pattern page here!

Free Pattern: Wooper

This pattern is dedicated to my sweetie, by the nickname of "Wooper."  I wanted to be nerdy, and there are so many Pokemon... he's why I chose this one! I hope you enjoy, and expect to see some more knit Pokemon in the future! Gotta Knit 'Em All!

Here's the pattern! If come across any problems, please feel free to let me know! This little guy has not been test knit, so if you come across something odd... it's probably me, not you! Send me an e-mail at lynough (at)gmail(dot)com!

Dino the Dinosaur!

Dino the Dinosaur

Dino is a friendly little dinosaur, whose construction is a bit tricky for beginners but a fun challenge for the more advanced toy makers among us. I’ll post tutorial pictures soon, when I work on his girlfriend!

FLCL Hat

I know, I know, it's been a while since I posted a pattern up! Here it is.

FLCL Hat

I go to RIT, home of a lot of anime fans. One of my friends on floor was talking to me one day and the subject of knitted cosplay came up. What would I make? Oh man, Naota's hat from FLCL! And thus this was born. A good gift for the FLCL fan in your life, or just someone who likes their ears warm.

Kitten Mittens

Kitten Mitten
I will not hesitate to admit it: this started out as a joke. I wanted to make a cute little kitten, but someone scoffed and said I should make it “at least useful.” Well, here you go! They’re mittens, shaped like kittens, ready to smile at you while you play in the February snow.

Although they have a distinctive look, these mittens aren’t a pain to knit up. If the snow gives you a long weekend, you’ll be ready to rock these at the bus stop on Monday. If your intuition says there’s a good chance of a snow day tomorrow, you could probably whip these up for a little one in an evening of work.

I don't! Really, I don't. . .

. . . so, I need some stash busting tips for my horrid acrylic yarn. I know in the blogosphere there are Yarn Nazis as well as Anti-Nazis, who can be more dictatorial then the nazis themselves. I consider myself a "Yarn Practicalist." I feel I should make this known at the beginning of my story, so as not to confuse you guys about my morals.

So, I'm sitting on the couch watching Doctor Phil not 20 minutes ago, and I think. "I'm going to knit something interesting. How about a wedding ring?" I don't think it's been done before, because I googled around and all I got were webrings, but I wouldn't be surprised. I used some yellow Red Heart, and some white Caron Simply Soft. By the end of the pattern, I realize why I wanted to get rid of the yarn. I broke two dpns because the yarn wouldn't give and I knit too quickly for my poor rosewoods to handle.

Thankfully one is definitely fixable with some glue. . . but OOOH, am I mad! I really want to burn this yarn. Truly. I think I can stare at it until it melts by the power of my will into a smelly, yellow puddle of carcinogenic ooze.

Anyway, that's my story. My advice for this pattern is, use a different yarn. Other then that, it's a five minute knit.

We Love Katamari!

So, here we go! It's the latest doll! I love the video game "Katamari Damacy," and I know that there's a pattern on etsy for a Crochet Prince Amigurumi - which is pretty durn cool. But you know me, I can't crochet to save the queen, and upon searching the net I found no other patterns! What to do!? Make my own, of course.

Notes: I do not claim to own any part of any idea of anything associated with Katamari Damacy. Cross my heart, hope to cry. That's why this is a free pattern, not for sale (I don't want to make money off someone else's idea. . .) Also, I'm not a pro pattern-writer, so if you have any problems, drop me a line and I'll fix it, or at least do my best!

Mmmm Pocky!

So yes, I've been wanting to add this pattern to my collection of "kawaii knit foods" and, here it is! It requires very little gauge, and only knowledge of how to work an i-cord. If you don't know how, then this is a great way to learn how, I guess. I just used red Heart Super Saver, and size 8 straight needles.

Instructions:

CO 3 stitches of Brown. Work an i-cord for 5 inches

Switch to Pink and work one inch in i-cord

Increase: K1, M1. K1, M1, K1. You now have 5 stitches.

Start wrapping your i-cord around previous work. Pull work up behind the needle, wrapping the yarn for the next row around your work as you slide the stitches onto the needle. Do this for four inches, and bind off.

Now, here's how you hide the icky back part. Do you know how to pick up a stitch using a crochet hook? What do all those lines across the back look like? Exactly! Pick up these loops like you would a dropped stitch.

Embroider as you will. Little faces, "Oh no" expressions, whatever you want.

Taaaa daaaa. Only takes about half an hour of work.

Another Ami Present

I thought I'd make up for my absence by posting the finished product of a few WEEKS of labor! *Yes, actually, I work hard on my patterns.* This little guy had been lost for a good few months, but I recreated him and now here's the pattern. You internet people take good care of it, and make sure I don't lose it again, ok? ;)

Magic Snowfall Gloves

Well, hm, yes, I finished the gloves just in time to slip them in the coffin this morning, so I'm happy about that. Sadly, I don't have any pictures (I had left my camera at my Dad's house, spent the night at my Mom's. . . confusion ensued.)

My mom requested a pair, though, so I'm going to make those for her. When I do, I'll add a picture to this pattern. In the meantime, if anyone wants to help me out and knit up a pair, I'd be eternally grateful ;)

Note that these gloves are to be made in women's sizes. . . i.e, for those with small hands.

Magic Snowfall Gloves

Snowfall Pattern:
Row 1: *K2, P2, K4, P2, K2* Repeat.
Row 2: *K1, P4, K2, P4, K1* Repeat.
Row 3: *K2, P2, K4, P2, K2* Repeat.
Rows 4-5: K. Row 6: *P1, K4, P2, K4, P1* Repeat.
Row 7: *P2, K2, P4, K2, P2* Repeat.
Row 8: *P1, K4, P2, K4, P1* Repeat.
Rows 9-10: K.

Cloud Rim Pattern:
Row 1: K
Row 2: *P2, K5, P2.* Repeat across row.
Row 3: *P3, K3, P3.* Repeat across row.
Row 4: *P4, K1, P4.* Repeat!
Row 5: P

Thumb:Using a figure 8 CO, CO 12 sts onto the needles. Divide and join the stitches and K until two and a half inches long. To finish, cut the yarn and slip the active stitches onto the tail. Make two.

Glove: Using a figure 8 CO, CO 24. Join and divide stitches 6-6-12. K1 round. On the second round, Kfb the first and last stitches on each needle. Repeat this for two rounds, until there are 36 stitches on the needle.
Begin Snowfall Pattern. Work the pattern twice, then work rows 1-5 of the pattern.
Work Cloud Rim pattern.
P 1 row, dividing stitches evenly between two needles. 18 stitches should be on each needle.

Joining Thumb: Turn thumb inside out, then slip the stitches onto the needles, placing them at the opposite end of the needles (Basically, you won't be knitting these stitches immediately.) Also, try to have the thumb tail against the glove proper, instead of on the outside. P a round, dividing the stitches 12-12-24 being careful to pull stitches tight between the thumb and the glove. This division will be important in shaping the thumb gusset later; the round should be 12-12-24 needles, with the thumb stitches split between two needles.

Thumb Gusset: P 17, p2tog, P10, P2tog. P to end of round.
P17, P2tog, P8, P2tog. P to end of round.
P16, P2tog, P6, P2tog. P to end.
P16, P2tog, P4, P2tog. P to end.
P16, P2tog, P2, P2tog. P to end.
P16, P2tog, P2tog, P to end.
P16, P2tog, P to end.
You should now have 34 stitches.
P 1 more round, dividing the stitches. 10- 10- 14
P until your work is approximately 1 inch from where the thumb joins.

Wrist: Next row, P2 together at the beginning and end of each needle. You should have 28 stitches.
P2tog, P to the last two stitches of the second needle, P2tog. P2tog, P to the last two sts of the third needle, P2tog.
You should have 24 stitches.
Proceed in K1P2 ribbing until cuff has desired length, then bind off LOOSELY.

My First *Posted* Free Pattern!

I thought I'd wrap up food week with my own pattern! So, dun dun dun dun *cue fanfare* witness my um. . . first ever doll design, Shy Sister! Did you ever watch Monster Rancher as a kid? After your time? Anyway, they had this thing called "sweetcakes," but also "mochi," which totally confused me because mochi is NOTHING like sweetcakes. Duh. Everyone knows that. Later, I learned that the dish was actually Sakuramochi, a sweet cake made from cherry mochi wrapped in a cherry leaf. Go figure.

Anyway, here it is, in all it's glory!

KNIT MOCHI DOLL (Shy Sister)

NEEDS:

Double Pointed Needles (The size used is 5)
Yarn (Can be Scrap Yarn, in whatever desired. Pink seems the most sensible. I used black.)Scissors.

Some scrap Yarn in red for mouths.

Buttons for eyes

Stuffing

ABBREVIATION:
[CO] = Cast on
[K] = Knit
[P] = Purl
[K2sts] = Knit two stitches from the same stitch (an increase)
[K2tog] = Knit two stitches together (a decrease)
[BO] = Bind off

SHY SISTER(Black or Pink):

Using a Figure Eight Cast on, CO ten sts. K one round, dividing sts 3-3-4 onto three needles.

Rnd One: K2sts every stitch. Now your stitches have been doubled!

Rnd 2: K

Rnd 3: K2sts, K1, for whole round. You should have 30 stitches.

Rnd 4: K
Rnd 5: K2sts, K2, for the whole round. Now, you have 40 stitches.

Rnd 6: K
Rnd 7: K2sts, K3, for the whole round. Now, you have 50 stitches
Rnd 8: K
Rnd 9: K2sts, K4, for the whole round. At last, you have 60 stitches!
Rnds 10-20: K

Rnd 21: K2tog, K4, for the whole round. There are 50 stitches left.

Rnd 22: K

Rnd 23: K2tog, K3, for the whole round. There are 40 stitches left.

Rnd 24: K
Rnd 25: K2tog, K2, for the whole round. There are 30 stitches left.

Rnd 26: K
Rnd 27: K2tog, K1, for the whole round. You only have 20 stitches.
Rnd 28: K

BO

LEAF (Green):

CO 4 sts onto 2 dpns. K 1 Row. DO NOT turn work. Instead, slide stitches to the end of needle and knit off the unworked end (a la i-cord.) K one row, slide work again and knit another row, THEN turn work.

Row 1 (WS): Purl twice into one stitch. Do this for all stitches.

Row 2 (RS): K1, K2sts twice, K2, K2sts twice, K1
Row 3 (WS): P
Row 4 (RS): K1, K2sts 4 times, K2, K2sts 4 times, K1
Row 5 (WS): P
Row 6 (RS): K1, K2sts 8 times, K2, K2sts 8 times, K1
Row 7 (WS): P.
You should now have 36 stitches.
Row 8: K1, K2tog, K until last 3 sts, K2tog, K1.
Row 9: P
Row 10: K1, K2tog, K11, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K11, K2tog, K1
Row 11: P

Row 12: K1, K2tog, K9, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K9, K2tog, K1

Row 13: P
Row 14: K1, K2tog twice, K3, K2tog twice, K2, K2tog twice, K3, K2tog twice, K1

Row 15: P
Row 16: K1, K2tog, K to last three stitches, K2tog, K1
Row 17: P

Row 18: K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1
Row 19: P

Row 20: K1, K2tog twice, K2, K2tog twice, K1

Row 21: P
Row 22: K1, K2tog, K2, K2tog, K1
Row 23: P

Row 24: K2tog 3 times; 3 stitches remain.
Row 25: P
K2tog, K1. Pull first st over second, then BO.

ASSEMBLAGE:
Sew on eyes in a place the best suits your taste.Sew HALF of leaf to base so that hole at the top is partially covered. Stuff, then sew up the rest of the hole.

Anyone needing an introduction to dpns should go here. Figure-8 issues? Go here.

Info on Sakuramochi