Winter Affair KAL - Big Lace Shawl Free Pattern

So my mom asked for a big chunky shawl with lace details. She saw one at the Russian TV channel she watches and just wants it. And I could never refuse a request from mom, she almost never asks for anything!

I decided I will release this as a mystery KAL and since it will be a fast knit with super bulky yarn, I will release each clue the following days:



Clue number 1: Friday 11th of December
Clue number 2: Sunday 13th of December
Clue number 3: Tuesday 15th of December
Clue number 4: Thursday 17th of December


 
The pattern will be in super bulky yarn with a gauge of 14 rows and 11 stitches per 4 inches (10cm), however gauge is not that crucial. 

The level of the pattern will be advanced beginner to intermediate, though I believe beginners could also join.

The pattern is written in a way that makes it easily adjustable for other yarn weights.

Lastly, there will be prizes for 3 knitters. The prizes will be yarn and/or knitted accessories and will be announced along with the last clue. In order to be eligible for the prize drawing you will need to favorite the pattern and finish knitting it by the end of December. 


Join the MKAL here: Winter Affair Shawl

First Lace Weight Shawl Completed!

Yay!!! I never thought I would do it!

If a few months back someone told me I would be a knitting lace weight shawl and loving it I would laugh to their face. This was, in my mind, way out of my league. 

The truth is I wanted to knit lace. I do. One of my biggest knitting targets is to be able one day to knit an Orenburg shawl as a gift to my mom and to honor our Russian heritage. 

So, a little baby step was achieved! The shawl I knit is far from Orenburg's pieces of art but still it is a step closer to my target!

I chose a Drops Design pattern and used their Lace yarn in my favorite color (the yarn by the way is a divine blend of Alpaca and Mulberry silk and feels so great knitting it) and finished my shawl in 5 days, Yay again! 

Now I'm just looking forward to my next lace project!

The Loving Hat - Free Pattern

Why "loving"? Well, except for the obvious small hearts and the divine fluffiness, it is a very fast knit which allows you to create quickly a big volume of hats for a charity for example!

I've done countless of these hats without writing a pattern down. I choose this pattern a lot of times when I have pieces of scrap yarn I want to use. I decided to do it now since a friend of mine new to knitting requested it.



 

The Loving Hat

You will need:

8mm and 9mm round needles (16 inch / 40 cm)
9mm double pointed needles
30-75 meters of super bulky yarn (I used Drops Eskimo here)
stitch marker
scissors
pom pom maker (optional) 


Level: Easy


Gauge: 11 stitches and 15 rows: 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Abbreviations (US)
CO - cast on
K - knit
P - purl 
K2tog - knit 2 stiches together
























Sizes: Baby (toddler, child, women's, men's)




CUFF

Cast on 38 (44, 48, 56, 62) stitches with 8mm circular needles.
Place a marker and join in the round, being careful to not twist the stitches.
Row 1: *K2, p2, repeat from * to end of round.
Repeat Row 1: 4 (4, 6, 8, 8) more times.






BODY
Change to 9mm needles. 
Row 1: Knit all stitches in main color
Row 2: k1 main color, k1 contrasting color, *k3 in main color, k1 in contrasting color* until last 2 stitches, k2 last stitches in main color 
Row 3: Knit all stitches in main color 
Row 4: *k3 in main color, k1 in contrasting color* until the end of the row 

Continue working like these adding as many different colors as you like until piece measures 5 1/2 (6, 6 1/2, 7, 7 1/2) inches from the cast one edge. 





CROWN
Work as follows, changing to double pointed needles when needed.
In this part you can either go on with the contrasting color stitches or switch to main color entirely, this is up to your liking. I have also made hats where at the crown I stop using main color and only use the contrasting one.







Baby: start the crown with Round 5
Toddler: start with Round 3
Child - Women's - Men's: start with Round 1


Row 1: *K6, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 2: Knit.
Row 3: *K5, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 4: Knit.
Row 5: *K4, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 6: *K3, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 7: *K2, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 8: *K1, k2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Row 9: *K2tog, repeat from * to end of round. 
Break the yarn and thread it through the remaining stitches. Weave in all loose ends and ta-dahhh there is your hat! You can optionally make a pom pom and attach it, or even adorn the hat with a big button in complimentary colors. I usually go for the pom pom!





Hope you enjoy! Share your projects at Instagram #LovingHat



Any items made with this pattern can be sold but I would kindly ask for a link back to the blog or/and my ravelry profile. Feel free to share with me your finished projects at my Ravelry forum! You can also share them at instagram #lovinghat #garterstitchwitch (@Olymp1a). Have fun :)

Easy Chunky Ballerina Slippers - free crochet pattern

Hey guys. Haven't been around since I have so many things going on. But now they are sorted out and can focus to my creations and blog.

So free pattern coming your way. Christmas is around the corner and I need to make a lot of gifts so I thought what is better than a pair of slippers? Very fast to make and everyone loves them!

Easy Chunky Ballerina Slippers

Hook it on Ravelry

You will need:

100 gr super bulky yarn (I used drops Eskimo) plus a few grams more if you want to add a contrasting color

6 mm hook

Scissors

Tapestry needle 

Level: easy 

Abbreviations (US)

Ch - chain

Sc - single crochet

Dc - double crochet

Sl - slip stitch

Chain 2. Make 6 sc in the second chain. Sl to join in round. 

Row 1: 2 sc in each stitch (12 stitches)

Row 2: *1 sc, 2 sc in same stitch* repeat till end of row (18 stitches)

Row 3:

Small size (5/6) single crochet along row (18 stitches)

Medium size (7/8) *3 sc, 2 sc in same stitch, 4 sc, 2 sc in same stitch* repeat twice, 1 sc (22 stitches)

Large size (9/10) *2 sc, 2 sc in same stitch* repeat till end of row (24 sc)

Row 4: work 4 (4, 5) rows of dc all stitches in round

After completing last row of desired size  we are done with the first part of the slipper and we go on as follows:

14, (16, 18) dc, ch 1, turn (not working in round anymore in order to make the sole of the slipper). 

Continue working like this for 8 (9, 10) times. 

Break yarn and sew the edge of the slipper folding it in half (leave a long tail if you want to finish your slippers in one color). I would recommend using an invisible sewing technique. 

With same or contrasting color sc around the edge of the slipper twice. Break yarn weave in all ends and your first slipper is ready!

You can let your imagination free and make unique slippers by adding different colors, appliqués, buttons or even ribbon. You can also easily turn them into Mary Janes. 

Please keep in mind that the slipper may look small at first but these babies stretch a lot. In any case I highly recommend trying on the slipper while making it especially if you are using yarn that has little or no stretch just so that you avoid any surprises. 

Share your projects at instagram #ECBslippers. Have fun :)

Enjoy the pattern! Fell free to share it at Facebook or Pinterest but always with a link to this webpage. 

Any items made with this pattern can be sold but I would kindly ask for a link back to the blog or/and my ravelry profile. Feel free to share with me your finished projects! You can also share them at instagram #ECBslippers. Have fun :)

Everybody loves socks!

Don't you? 

I will never forget my first 3-4 attempts to make sticks, they were a complete disaster. Learning to knit on your own and having nobody to help can be a real set back. However I did not quit trying and the first time I actually managed to knit a sock I was super happy. 

I'm currently trying to write my own sock pattern for the complete beginner. So far so good, hope it will actually work out well but I have to do a lot if testing. The first pair I'm making is for my boyfriend, half way there. Next one will be for me and then one pair for my best friend, this way I'll have tested 3 different sizes. 

Let's see how this turn out. 

Drop Stitch Fashion Cowl

That is the first time I ever knit anything without using a pattern. I had 4 skeins of a wonderful blue green Crelando Paula yarn which I bought last year and wanted to make a girft for my friend Hermione so this is what I came up with.

It is a very simple and super fast knit, finished it in less than 1 hour and I'm a slow knitter.

You will need:
4 skeins of super bulky yarn
19mm (US 35)
a tapestry needle or crochet hook


Level: easy


Abbreviations:

k = Knit
p = Purl
yo = Yarn Over



Cast on 22 stitches with double yarn. I personally prefer the long tail cast on method.

Row 1: (k1, yo twice) repeat until last stitch, k1
Row 2: (k1, drop the 2 yo) repeat until last stitch, k1
Row 3: knit
Row 4: purl

Repeat above 8 times.
Cast of and sew together.

A perfect knit for the beginner or for a last minute gift.

Hope you will enjoy it.

  

Turban Twist Hat

I found this wonderful pattern a few weeks ago.

It calls for Aran yarn and 5mm needles and it is worked flat, assembled with a little sewing. 

It is a very simple and fast knit but the result is very beautiful and classy. 

I will definitely make more of these babies. 

You can find the pattern for free here: http://www.yarnspirations.com/patterns/turban-twist-hat.html