Tag: free

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Fun With Food!

Iris Rose

It has been a really busy, busy week and I haven’t had time to finish anything for you by blog time. So, instead of babbling on about something knitting or crochet related, I thought that I would turn to my next great love, food.

         

Every morning we have a mix of fruit and berries with our breakfast. I always top DH’s with a little cereal and yogurt for some extra protein. A little while ago, I got bored with the plain white yogurt on top of everything else and decided to jazz it up a bit.

         

We have a tradition of making faces with the components of the rest of our meal anyway so what is one step further? Animal faces, of course and the trend was born.
These are some of the little faces that I make to bring a smile to my sweetheart’s face and what better way to start the day than with a smile?

         

I have been working on the crochet pattern that I promised you and, with luck and some spare time, should have it the sample finished this weekend.

I have also finished a couple of machine knit cardigans like the one I posted a couple of weeks ago to add to my craft sale stock. These are just so soft and cozy feeling that I want one for myself!

I have almost finished the hand knit sample of this little sweater and hope to get that pattern to you in the next couple of weeks.

Knitting

Whining About the Cold and Some Cute Hats

Iris Rose

It is winter and still snowing (and snowing and snowing).  It is really cold again here and I am ready for spring.  Okay enough whining already, I can hear you thinking that.  Maybe I should be wining and then I wouldn’t care about whining or snow!

I wrote a pattern last summer for a little jumper (tunic not sweater) that is sized from six months to three years.  I made the sample up in a light pink colour, hence the name Pink Ice Cream, available to you as a paid pattern on Ravelry here.  It is a very easy and straight forward knit in the round piece if maybe a bit boring, think TV knitting, as it is mostly knit stitch.

Even though it is snowing (whining again here), it is a good time to consider spring knit and crochet projects.  If you have a little one that needs a little warmth for spring, this jumper is great over leggings and a long sleeved Tshirt.  The paid pattern is available on Ravelry here for download.

Speaking of spring projects, I designed these little hats for the grandkids a few years ago and they thought that they were great.  Crocheted with kitchen cotton, they were quick to make and a lot of fun to design.

If you are still in winter mode and need a cute hat for someone five and under, here is another hat that I designed.  It is a free pattern on Ravelry here and is also a fairly easy make.  Have fun with it!  Think about changing the colours and making the tiger into a teddy.

How about a snowman?  This is another free pattern of mine on Ravelry here.

Keep warm if you live in the Great White North and enjoy the warmth if you are not.  Happy crafting until next week!

Knitting

Back to Reality and a Gift For You.

Iris Rose

Is everyone back to normal after the midwinter Christmas and New Year’s break?  It takes some doing doesn’t it, to get back into the routine of everyday living.

I was away for much of December on a (for me) trip of a life time.  I spent three weeks travelling New Zealand and Southeast Australia, a bucket list destination.  We had a wonderful time and had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the airport to come home!

It is now time for reality again and back to cold winter and awesome crocheted and knit accessories and sweaters.  As promised, I have been working my tail off to finish (or rather refinish) the poncho that I started in the fall.  I am happy to say that it came off the needles yesterday and I completed the sewing up last night ready to block.  I am really, really happy with the resulting garment and will be posting the pattern in the next week.  In the meantime, here is a glimpse of the detail on the front and back and a picture of the yarn that I used, purchased at Stash Lounge in Calgary.

                            

I need to get to work next on that crocheted wrap that I promised you as well.  I had almost completed a sample in October but was unhappy with the look; it just wasn’t what I envisioned.  Too bad that you can’t take a picture from your brain and make it real.  Anyway, I have rethought the process and I think that I now have an idea of how I want to put it together.  Hopefully it will be a reality before the end of the month!

Crocheting was my first love and, even though knitting seems to have taken over, I enjoy the more three-dimensional process of hook and yarn.  I am using an ordinary acrylic (Loops and Threads) from Michaels to create something that, if my vision doesn’t get ahead of my craft again, will be extraordinary.  I am excited about this project!

This crocheted little kid’s cardigan is a paid pattern in my Ravelry store but, as it has been such a long time since I published my last new free pattern, here is gift for you:

Worked top down, this little cardigan is light and lacey.  It looks great on its own or with a long sleeved T underneath.  Pair it with leggings or jeans to make your little princess look dressed up while you know that she is comfortable.

Sizes: 12 months, 18/24 months, 2/3 years

Materials:

Red Heart Soft or equivalent worsted weight yarn: 175 m/195 yds white, 225 m/250 yds contrasting colour, 5mm crochet hook, four small buttons to match, large eyed needle for sewing in ends.

Abbreviations:    sc = single crochet               dc = double crochet

tc = treble crochet

 

Gauge: (Blocked) 4 sc or 4 dc = 2.5 cm or 1 inch, 2rows dc = 2.5 cm or 1 inch

Custer Stitch: wrap yarn around hook once to begin a double crochet, work into stitch below and draw up a loop, wrap yarn and pull through first two loops only.  Wrap yarn again and draw a loop through the same stitch, wrap yarn and pull through first two loops. Repeat this again and then wrap yarn and pull through all four loops on hook.

Begin cardigan at neck edge:

With white, ch 49, (61, 73)

Row 1: sc in each ch starting at 2nd ch from hook. 48, (60, 72) sc

Row 2: sc 7, (9, 11), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 6, (8, 10), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 16, (18, 20), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 6, (8, 10), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 7, (9, 11), ch 1 and turn. 56, (68, 80) sc

Row 3: sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn. Repeat this row for 2nd and 3rd size.

Row 4: sc 8, (10, 13), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 18, (20, 22), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), 2 sc in next sc twice, sc 8, (10, 12), ch 2 and turn. 64, (76, 88) sc

Row 5: dc 9, (11, 13), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 20, (22, 24), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next sc twice, dc 9, (11, 13), ch 2 and turn. 72, (84, 96) dc

Row 6: dc 10, (12, 14), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 12, (14, 16), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 20, (24, 26), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 12, (14, 16), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 10, (12, 14), ch 2 and turn. 80, (92, 104) dc

Row 7: dc 11, (13, 15), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 14, (16, 18), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 24, (26, 28), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 14, (16, 18), 2 dc in next dc twice, dc 11, (13, 15), ch 2 and turn. 88, (100, 112) dc

Row 8: Change to contrast colour, dc in 1st dc, * skip next dc, cluster st in next dc, ch 1*, repeat * to * working cluster and ch 1 in extra dc at sleeve increases to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc. 42, (50, 58) clusters

Row 9: Change to white, ch3, slip st in 1st chain 1 space, (ch3, slip st) in each ch1 space to end, ch3 and slip st to last dc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 10: dc 2 in each ch 3 space to end, dc in slip st, fasten off.  Bodice is complete.

Row 11: Change to contrast colour, ch 2, dc in each dc across front to sleeve corner = 16, (18, 20) dc, ch 5, dc in each dc across back to sleeve corner = 28, (30, 32) dc, ch 5, dc in each dc across front = 16, (18, 20) dc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 12: dc in each dc across front, dc in each of 5 ch, dc in each dc across back, dc in each of 5 ch, dc in each dc across front, ch 2 and turn.

Row 13: dc 18, (20, 22), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of ch 5, dc 32, (34, 36), 3 dc in ext dc, centre dc of ch 5, dc 18, (20, 22), ch 2 and turn.

Row 14: dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 15: dc 19, (21, 23) 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 34, (36, 38), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 19, (21, 23) ch2 and turn.

Row 16: dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 17: dc 20, (22, 24), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 36, (38, 40), 3 dc in next dc, centre dc of 3 dc in 1, dc 20, (22, 24), ch2 and turn.

Row 18: (2nd and 3rd size only) dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 19: (2nd and 3rd size only) dc in each dc across, ch 2 and turn.

Row 20: Change to white, dc in 1st dc, * skip next dc, cluster st in next dc, ch 1*, repeat * to * to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc.

Row 21: ch 3, sc in next ch 1 space, ch 3 repeat * to * to last st, sc, ch 2 and turn.

Row 22: dc in 1st dc, * cluster st in next ch3 space, ch 1*, repeat * to * to last 2 dc, dc in last 2 dc.

Row 23: Change to contrast colour, ch 2 and dc in 1st st, 3 dc in each ch 1 space across to last 2 dc, dc in each st, ch 3 and turn.

Row 24: tc in next dc, 2 tc in next dc repeat from * to * to end, ch3 and turn.

Row 25: tc in each tc across, ch 1 and turn.

Row 26: sc in 1st st, skip next 2 tc, (dc, ch 1 four times, dc into next tc), skip next 2 tc, sc in next tc, repeat * to * to end, sc in last st. Do not fasten off.

Right front edge:

Row 1: sc 44 evenly along right front edge, ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: sc in first sc, *ch 2, skip 1 sc, sc in next 5 sc *, repeat * to * 3 times more, (this makes your buttonholes) sc in each remaining sc, ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: sc in each sc working 1 sc in each ch 2 space. Fasten off.

Left front edge:

Row 1: join contrast colour at neck edge of right side and work 44 sc evenly along edge, ch1 and turn.

Row 2: sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: sc in each sc, fasten off.

Neck edge:

Row 1: join white at edge of front band, ch 1 and sc in first st, sc in each sc to sleeve start, skip 1 sc and sc across sleeve to corner, skip 1 sc and continue across, skipping 1 sc at each edge of second sleeve, ch 1 but do not turn.

Row 2: crab st or backwards sc across, skipping 1 sc at sleeve corners, fasten off.

Sleeve edge:

Row 1: join white at right side edge of white, sc across, ch1 but do not turn.

Row 2: crab st or backwards sc across, fasten off.

Repeat these two rows on second sleeve edge.

Weave in ends and block lightly.

Sew buttons to left front edge to match buttonholes on right.

Knitting

Oh, I’ve Started Another One

Iris Rose

I usually have a topic in mind when I sit down to write my blog post but today, not so much.  It is raining and starting to really look like fall which is really not my favourite time of the year.  I know, I know, it is a great time to be crafting.  All of those great yarns calling your name and all of those lovely patterns just begging to be made or at least bought and saved or printed and placed in the pile.  Sound familiar?  See you are just like the rest of us!

I have ventured into a couple of new projects and thought you might like to see them.  I went yarn looking (okay really yarn shopping, that road to hell is paved with I won’t buy any more yarn) on Saturday of last weekend with DD1 and came across this new, at least to me, lovely gradient yarn in a worsted weight, 200g, 500m cake.  Oh, I thought, that will make a gorgeous poncho.  But wait, 500m won’t be enough to knit a poncho in the round and to start a second cake part way through will spoil the beauty of the gradient colour changes.  I am now knitting a poncho in two pieces front and back and will seam it.  I am making notes as I go of course so, if it looks as good as I think it will, there is a new pattern in the works.

The yarn is a product of Germany called Gala.  I have seen a few free patterns on Ravelry this week so I am assuming that it a new to North America yarn.  It is, as I said, a generous 500m in a 200g cake.  It comes in six colour ranges, is composed of eighty percent wool and twenty percent nylon, and is a very nice yarn to work with.  It looks fragile but is surprisingly strong.  I can’t wait to finish my poncho; I have been neglecting my other projects in favour of this one.

I did pick up a couple of other skeins to try and will fill you in on what I thought of those when I start to work with them.  I also stepped into Michaels, that centre of temptation, and found a no name bag of fine boucle with long colour changes.  A project for that one is cooking but not quite done and ready to come to life.

I have finished the vest that I started some time ago with another clearance no name yarn that I still haven’t identified.  I thought that it was Bernat Maker but, after seeing that yarn close up, I am now sure that it is not.  In any case the vest turned out better than expected and is awaiting a zipper to finish it.

If you are in the Calgary/Okotoks area on Saturday, stop by the Etsy Made in Canada sale at the Crescent Point Regional Field House in Okotoks at 125 Field House Dr East.  I’d love to say hello in person.  I will be selling from my Etsy store, Iris Rose Crafts.

Knitting

You Will Need To Sew A Skirt for That Pretty Knit Top

Iris Rose

 

In the July 26th post I featured a pattern for knitting the top or bodice of a dress for a little girl.  The pattern came about because I got sucked into the Pinterest black hole and, although I loved the little dress on the website, could not find a link to a pattern.  I decided if I wanted to make this dress, I would have to write my own. 

The top is sized from 2 to 8 and, when paired with a sewn skirt, is really cute!  I have made a couple of these little dresses now in different sizes and am very happy with the results.

The skirt is simple to sew and should be made in a fabric that is compatible in care to the yarn used for the bodice.  I used a new ladies skirt (cut off) for one and yardage for the others.  I am posting photos of both so that you can see there is little difference in the finished product.

You will need 115cm (45”) to 150cm (54”) fabric in the length that you want the skirt portion of the dress to be plus 2cm (3/4”) for the top gathering and 4cm (1.5”) for the hem allowance.  115cm fabric will be fine for the smaller sizes, 2 and 4, but you will want the wider fabric for size 6 and 8 so that the skirt is nice and full.  You can join pieces to make the width.  I would recommend that you use two pieces the same width and use the joins as side seams instead of the back seam.  You will also need matching thread and a sewing machine of course.

Cut the fabric to the length that you want and overcast finish all of the cut edges.  Sew up the side to make a seam that will be at the centre back.  If you have used two pieces of fabric to make a wider skirt, join both sides to make two side seams.

Sew a long stitch gathering thread 1cm (3/8”) in from the top edge.  Leave a long end to pull for gathers.  Sew a second long stitch line 2cm (3/4”) from the top edge again leaving a long end to pull.  Tie of the threads at the start and, using either the top or bobbin threads only, pulling both end threads at once, gather the top of the skirt to fit to your finished and blocked bodice.  When you have the right size, tie off and trim your thread ends.

Sew a regular line of stitches between the two gathering lines to secure the gathers.  Sew a second line at the top edge where your overcasting is.  Pull out the gathering threads.

Pin the skirt inside the bodice at the line where your crochet trim starts, centering the seam at the centre back if one or at each side if two.  Carefully back stitch the skirt into place sewing through the top of the skirt and through the inside of the first row of single crochet so that the stitching does not show on the outside of the bodice.  I used two plies of the yarn that I knit the bodice with so that any stray stitches wouldn’t show.

Pin up and blind stitch the hem and, with a final press, your pretty little dress is ready to wear!