Tag Archives: Free

Free Pattern- Tapper Cowl

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It started a couple of years ago, I took a trip with Lisa Souza Dyeworks to the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, known to many simply as Rhinebeck. I teamed up with Lisa and began offering a free pattern to go along with her limited edition yarn for the show. This next weekend, Rhinebeck is occurring again, just as it does every October, and I have another new pattern for you featured yarn (this year it is in Deluxe Sock!).

Instead of making it only available to those that attend the show, this year I decided to share it with you, my followers as well. I hope you enjoy this quick and relatively simple one skein project. If you want to try it in the same yarn you can order it here (www.lisaknit.com), I don’t know if the same color will be available as it is a limited edition, but there are many other beautiful ones to choose from.

If you decide you want to change the yarn, it is pretty forgiving for substitutions, but I would recommend a yarn that is no larger then a 3 weight (sport), with the best being a 2 weight (fingering).

If you would like a printer friendly version, I have one available on Ravelry for $2.

Tapper Cowl

Stunningly simple, yet the effect is confident and enjoyable. This simple stitch pattern allows the yarn to be the star; it has great drape and fabulous flow. Long enough to double up, and wide enough to act as a hood, a cowl that is versatile.   

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner    Finished Size Approximately: 52”x 17”

Materials List:

  • I/9/5.50mm size crochet hook
  • Lisa Souza Dyeworks Deluxe Sock! light weight 80% Superwash Merino,10% Nylon, 10% Cashmere (4oz/495yds): 1 skein color: Rhinebeck 2017 (www.lisaknit.com)
  • Tapestry needle

Gauge: 4 ½ (sc, ch 3) groups/13 rows= 4”

Pattern Note /Special Stitches

This pattern is worked in the round, without turning.

Pattern

Rnd 1: Ch 233, sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 3, sk 3, [sc in next ch, ch 3, sk 3] 57 times, sk last 3 sts, sl st to beg sc. -58 sc, (58) ch-3 sps

Rnd 2: Ch 1, sc in same st, ch 3, [sc in next sc, ch 3] around, sl st to beg sc.

Row 3-55: Rep Rnd 2.

Finishing- Weave in ends, attaching beg of original chain to the bottom of the first sc st, block as desired.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sk: skip

sp(s): space(s)

st(s): stitch(es)

Inspiring Book & Give Away! Quick Crochet for the Home

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I do not often do reviews. This has been a personal issue for me, as I don’t want to feel like I am just “hocking” items and adding an endorsement to everything in the hopes of gaining more followers or the like. I want to actually mean what I say and have those that read my work realize that I am taking caution in sharing my views. I know I could share negative thoughts in a review, but really I would prefer if I couldn’t say something nice, that I not say anything at all. So I am selective.

When I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing the first book written by Tamara Kelly, aka Mooglyblog.com, I was flattered, but a bit apprehensive. I consider Tamara a friend, so it doubly feels like I cannot say anything negative, especially about her first book. Fortunately, after reading through it I can easily stay to my “moral high ground” of endorsements, as the book is really very nice and well done.

The book, Quick Crochet for Home, honestly would not have been the first book I would have considered for my bookshelf. This is because I have done so many home décor projects over the years that I thought I couldn’t find any that would inspire me anymore, I was wrong. Tamara applies some techniques in ways that I had not considered before and helped me to look at home décor with fresh eyes.

When checking out the Around the Table Trivet I was surprised that there was no cording listed in the materials, as looking at the photo images it appeared that the rounds were well padded, then I noticed that there was not spiral effect of the rounds. The genius of the pattern has one round worked over the adjacent round! So there is not obvious join, and it creates its own padding…genius! It is one of those, why didn’t I think of that moments.

Then her Chevron Cuddles Blanket takes the challenge of the increase and decrease stitches out of the famous crochet design of zig zags, and worked the design side to side carrying different colors instead of working each color as a separate row. This has some definite benefits, such as being easier of newer crocheters, and allowing you to really envision how the colors come together well before you have finished the project. You only have to know how to double crochet, and change colors…it is that simple, yet looks much more challenging.

I also found that the book was well presented, layout well, offered well written patterns and charts. Another bonus, it has photography that actually helped you understand the project, not just look really pretty.

I found inspiration in several of the other designs as well, but I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed going through this book. There is a little something for everyone, there are patterns that you will easily work over and over again, as well as others that might only wait for the perfect moment. Tamara shares several different original ideas in her approach to her designs, and I am sure that you will find something that you will create.

As an added bonus, I have the opportunity to GIVE AWAY a FREE copy of Quick Crochet for the Home by Tamara Kelly, to one lucky reader! Simply leave a comment telling me what your favorite item is to crochet…whether it be home décor or something else, by midnight Friday, September 1, 2017. The following day one comment will be selected at random to choose the winner.

 

Crochet Month Celebration- Free Pattern & Discounts!

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ScannedImageI can hardly believe that a month long celebration of crochet is really almost over. Crochetville put together quite the blog tour this year and I am grateful that they have invited me to attend again this year, (if you have missed any stops, make sure and check them out here).

linda.dean.crochet.express.ticket

I will admit that I have found it fun to see the focus on various social media outlets about Crochet Month, but in my personal reality nothing changed too much as crochet is my everyday celebration. I find a little something that fascinates me with this craft nearly daily. It may be the fact that there are so many different locations to place a stitch and get such a different effect that it is almost too numerous to count. It may be that the same pattern worked in a different yarn or with a different fiber can create a completely different look. It might also be that if you just change your hook everything can change. It might seem like small details, but these small details can make all the difference.

I know I probably sound like an artist that is explaining different shades of red, because the most important thing about crochet is the way it makes you feel to create. My personal soap box is that there is never “wrong” crochet, because if you enjoy it, that is all that matters. A statement that I students always enjoy is “If your friends point out your crochet mistakes, they are not your friends”.

To aide your enjoyment of the crochet celebration, I am sharing a free pattern. This pattern, The Small Empress Jeweled Egg, may be a little late for the Easter holiday, but as you may have the plastic eggs around, and these are cute additions that you can use for spring decorations. In addition I am giving a free pattern coupon for my Ravelry store. Buy any patterns totaling at least $9 and receive your choice of any pattern FREE by using code NatCroMo2016 until April 6, 2016.

Also, I am excited to share that I am teaching at the annual Crochet Guild of America conference, known as Chainlink in some crowds and the Knit & Crochet Show in others, this July in Charleston, SC. If you plan on attending, please consider my classes. I would love to meet you there!

Don’t forget to check out all the other stops today on this ride along the blog tour, places like my friend Vashti Braha, I always love reading what she has to say.

If you need some help or ideas for using beads, check out some of my tips here.

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Small Empress Jeweled Egg I do not know why the photo wants to be on its side….

Skill level: Advanced Beginner       Measures to fit plastic egg, with no ease

Material List:

  • Size F/5/3.75mm hook
  • Lincatex Gold Rush super fine weight 80% Rayon, 20% Metallised Polyester yarn (100m/25g per cone)
  • #6 size Czech glass beads 60 grams (beadbiz.org)
  • Small plastic egg, 1 1/4”wide x 1 7/8” long
  • Tapestry needle

Gauge: is not critical for this project

Pattern Note /Special Stitches

Bead Crochet (bc): Slip 1 bead to hook, YO, pull through loop on hook.

Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): YO, insert hook into indicated stitch, YO and pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO insert hook into next indicated stitch, YO pull through, YO pull through 2 loops, YO pull through last 3 loops.

Small Empress Ornament       Thread 60 beads

Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as foundation ch plus dc), bc, [dc, bc] all in 5th ch from hook 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 4. (8 dc, 8 bc)

Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout), dc in same st, bc, [2 dc in next dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Rounds 3-7: Ch 3, dc in next dc, bc, [dc in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to top of beg ch 3. (16 dc, 8 bc)

Insert small egg and work subsequent rounds.

Round 8: Ch 2 (counts as first dc2tog here and throughout), sk next dc, bc, [dc2tog in next 2 dc, bc] 7 times, sl st to to of beg ch 2. (8 dc2tog, 8 bc)

Round 9: Ch 1, sc8tog  in all dc sts, finish off.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

st(s): stitch(es)

Make it for Me! Free Pattern

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ScannedImageI am so excited that I have been invited to join a vast array of talented designers to participate in the Elk Studios “Make it for Me” event. For the entire month of January, Elk Studios has been featuring a new design, from various designers, to encourage crocheters to make a little something for themselves. The rush of the holiday season creates hooks and yarn flying, but not usually in a project for the stitcher.

Today I am happy to share my Corkscrew Scarf. This is a fun project that can work up quickly in a wide variety of yarns, and is easily adjusted in length or width to make a scarf that fits just the way you want it.

The Corkscrew scarf was originally created as a project that “new to crochet” students could practice some stitches, while learning how to read patterns, in the crochet classes that I teach at my local yarn store, Lofty Lou’s. You can find me there most Tuesday mornings from 10-1:00, so if you happen to find yourself in the California Foothills, east of Sacramento, look us up and stop by.

corkscrew

Corkscrew Scarf by Linda Dean

You will find the pattern below, if you prefer a printable version, you can download it here,  Beginner Project-Corkscrew Scarf. If you enjoy this pattern and want to explore more of my designs, check out more of my free and for sale patterns here. I hope you enjoy the Corkscrew Scarf, and take a little time to enjoy a time of Make it for Me.

Corkscrew Scarf

by: Linda Dean

Twist and Turn! This fun scarf works up quickly and is a whimsical addition to any wardrobe.

Skill level:  Beginner

Finished measurements: 2.5”x 72”

Gauge: is not critical for this project

Material List:

  • Size I/9/5.5mm hook
  • Approximately 200yrd of medium weight yarn, sample used: (multi color)Plymouth Yarn Encore Colorspun medium weight 75% acrylic, 25% wool yarn (3.5oz/100g/200yrd/183m), 1 skein color# 7512 or (solid) Berroco Ultra Alpaca medium weight 50% Super Fine Alpaca, 50% Peruvian Wool yarn (3.5 oz/100g/215yrd/189m) 1 skein color #62178
  • Tapestry Needle

 

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

dc: double crochet

rep: repeat

sc: single crochet

sk: skip

sl st: slip stitch

st(es): stitches

Row 1: Ch 182, dc in 4th ch from hook, 2dc in each ch across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as dc and ch 1), dc in next s, *ch 1, dc in next st; rep from * across, turn.

Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), dc in same st, *ch 1, dc in ch-1 sp; rep from * across to last st, dc in last st, turn.

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in same st, *ch 1, sc in ch-1 sp; rep from * across to last 2 sts, ch 1, sc in last st, finish off.

Finishing    Weave in ends; twist scarf as desired.

© 2015 Linda Dean Crochet    #2015000T1   lindadeancrochet.com   Copying prohibited, intended for private use only

 

 

Crochet -Creating Opportunities and Communities

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ScannedImageI enjoy March. How can you not, it is a month long celebration of crochet! This is the third year that Crochetville has put this fabulous blog tour together, highlighting a least 2 different crochet designers each day (if you missed any make sure and spend some time catching up with them from the interviews at Crochetville) and Thank you Amy & Donna for once again putting this together.

halosofhopeFor me I always realize something about the world through crochet, and one of the reoccurring themes is community. This blog tour also brings attention to great service organizations, like Halos of Hope, that use crochet items to better society. Crochetville is taking up a collection for Halos of Hope, please consider contributing.

Crochetville_Designer_Blog_Tour_Promo-e1427303900438Community can be large like the Crochet Guild of America, many crocheters from around the world coming together in one organization, or small like your own local guild (mine is the Hangtown Fibers Guild, you can find one near you here), or crochet group, or coffee chat. But community can be quite unique and sometime taken for granted. So I wanted to share the store of how my Empress Wide Scarf (my free pattern as a gift to you for National Crochet Month), came into being. It is an interesting network that was connected and brought together by crochet.

IMG_6799.1My rural life has me in an area that is great for growing wine grapes, I should preface this by informing you that I have very little knowledge of wine; I know there is red & white, but much more than that and I am lost. With that said I believe the majority of the wine varieties in my area are more reminiscent of Italy then France as it is a region with a Tuscany climate, as a result there are many award winning wineries nearby. So my children go to school with, and are friends with, the children of winery owners and workers. One day I was approached by the mother of one of my daughter’s friends, she has admired my crochet work and was hoping I could create something for her daughter’s birthday. She had some rough idea that she might like a scarf or something that she could wrap around her head in a dramatic fashion like a Hepburn. She would love it to have the feel of a particular shawl I wear often (the Five Peaks Shawl by Vashti Braha), created in a fingering weight hand painted bamboo.

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Empress Wide Scarf – Free Pattern (click link below)

Now this mother knows about as much about crochet and yarn as I know about wine. I know that I cannot find a comparable yarn in the local box store; my local yarn store did not even carry such a fiber, so I began playing with various fibers to see if I could get a similar feel and drape. Then I happened to run into a fiber friend, she is an independent dyer that I have done some other crochet designs for in the past. I did not think to use her yarn at first, but after looking over the stock I found something that would fit perfectly. As it happens the dyer, Lisa Souza, loves that wine that the mother creates, Holly’s Hill Vineyards, so trades were able to be arranged so that everyone benefited. As a result I have been able to take this birthday present and share it with you.

My larger take away from this is how small the world can really be. By not hiding my work, I was able to bring others together in a completely different way, and I am reminded that I have a skill that I can share. Crochet can create a community that may not have been created otherwise, as it creates “ice breaker” opportunities; people are brought to fond memories when they see the fiber arts. (I discussed this more in the blog post Thankful Crochet…Not What You Might Expect)

IMG_6805.2

Empress Scarf- Free Pattern (click link below)

So the Empress Wide Scarf is created using Tunisian Simple Stitch, but what makes this pattern stand out is that it changes color on the Forward & Return Pass. The effects are very nice. So that the colors do not get too muted together in the Tunisian work, it is edged with standard crochet in defining bands of color.

Visit my Ravelry Store and download your pattern for FREE. If you are so inclined, please feel free to use coupon code “natcromo15” to receive a 15% discount on any order of at least two patterns until April 15, 2015.

I hope you make your own communities, as often as possible.