Darn Good Yarn » Free Knitting Pattern

Just in time for the autumn, choose your harvest color of our fantastic recycled sari silk ribbon from the Tibetan Jewel Collection! Go ahead and find the hue that’s just right for the season!

No Knit, No Crochet Free Recycled Silk Sari Ribbon Inside Scarf

nicole — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 02:05:50 +0000

When I’m on my way to yoga sometimes I like a little extra something for my outfit aside from my pants and shirt. I was staring at a pile of samples this afternoon and I started playing with our fantastic Recycled Silk Sari Ribbon.

I came up with a super quick no knit, no crochet Cowl/Scarf. This quick craft project is also easy and fun to do with a child as it requires just the skill of braiding and having fun with the textures. I find there is such beauty in yarns that it’s sometimes nice to just display that fact on it’s own and that’s where the inspiration came from for this scarf. All you need are three lengths of about 5 feet of Recycled Silk Sari Ribbon . I used my arms length to measure this. You may want more or less depending on how many loops you’d like around your neck or how long you’d like it to drape.

I first knotted the three ends together. I then loosely braided the Recycled Silk Sari Ribbon together for about 7 inches, then knotted it off. I then jumped about 4 inches and put another knot in the ribbon, braided the remainder and tied to the end to make a loop. You don’t have to loop it. You can just knot both ends and where it as a long slinky scarf that’s perfect for summer. And that’s it! This yarn is so darn rustic and funky and artsy, I wanted to make a simple items that shows it off and I think this does a lovely job doing it.

A variation I did with the ribbon was cut my favorite sections from the Recycled Silk Sari Ribbon and then tie them back together so that way I could make sure I got all of my favorite colors in the piece. I can’t wait to wear it out! you Buy the Sari Ribbon By Clicking HERE!

What do you think?

My Favorite Free Pattern Sites

nicole — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:46:57 +0000

Nicole at the Recycling Center!

OK, I admit it. I’m addicted to free patterns. I love printing them out and thinking oh I’m going to do this one and that one (and yes, one day I will…girl scouts honor). But my great friend Beth just reminded me that I need to tell everyone my favorite sites to get some cool free patterns from.

If you don’ t know, I’m a knitter, so my crochet list might be limited but if you have a favorite LEAVE A COMMENT! If it’s good I’ll put in the post with “props” to you.

Let’s all work together to make this an awesome resource for us cheepies/budgeters/thrifties/savers!

Knitting

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/index.php (My fav!)

http://www.knitty.com/

http://ravelry.com (OMG!)

Crochet

http://theartofzencrochet.blogspot.com/ Super Creativity Going On Here!

http://www.crochetpatterncentral.com/

http://ravelry.com (OMG!)

www.allfreecrochet.com (Thanks Tweeter: @AllFreeCrochet)

Now it’s your turn… Help Me Help US!

Darn Good Yarners Projects!

nicole — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:31:53 +0000

This part of the site is simply a collection of your awesomeness! Check out all of the amazing things people just like you are doing with Darn Good Yarn!
You see, I told you dogs love Darn Good Yarn! Didn’t Laura do a fantastic job on this headband? You can get a free pattern for it by clicking here.

Maggie the Dog Loves Headbands made from Darn Good Yarn

Wow the colors of the recycled silk sari yarn are amazing don’t you think?! Michele W is going to make a couple of these triangles and attach them to make a shawl. Yum!

Check out what Debbie made! Aren’t these colors divine?!

Made with Silk Sari Ribbon

Made With Silk Sari Ribbon

Check out what Fay did:

Click to get the yarn

and now the inside...

Have you checked out this awesome etsy shop yet? Feride is a Darn Good Yarn wiz! Check out a few of her awesome craftiness!

Click here to get the yarn

KNIT: 1/2 Ball Headband

nicole — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 14:45:56 +0000

OK give it a second… there is a video you should watch that will load right here.

Click here to get the Premium Recycled Silk Sari Yarn

This cool headband is super easy to make and it only takes a 1/2 a ball of Darn Good Yarn’s Premium Recycled Silk Yarn.

So, you can use size 5 needles and it will make a nice tight stitch.

On DPNs or circulars, CO 3 and make an i-cord for about 4 inches (or however long you want the tie tails to be and how you’re going to tie it in the back). Remember, as you break the silk in and wash it, it will stretch a little so if you’re not sure, go shorter.
After you have the first side of the tie done, you’ll start some very simple increases by making one at the first stitch and last stitch of the row for every row until you have the desired width. I brought mine out to 11 stitches. You can increase in your favorite fashion. Your hair will cover it up probably so don’t worry too much. I like KFB (knit front and back).
Now, here is where you get to be creative and you should think about how many stitches you should have on your needles now. You can go straight garter (all knit stitches) or you can really play around with the stitch pattern. Remember to account for the number of stitches you have on your needle. For example, double moss stitch (which is fun and easy and doesn’t allow for too much stretching) is created in multiples of 4’s so you would only want 12 stitches on your needles.

If you started on DPN’s and you haven’t moved your work onto straight needles you can do that now. If you’re on circulars, you can keep the work on there. You’re not joining the work in any way but working back and forth as you would on straight needles.

Put your work down for a second and measure your head. Where are you going to wear your headband toward the front of your hairline, behind your bangs? Measure it from the middle of your left ear, over your head, the the middle of your right ear. This is a great approximation of how long the body of your work should be. Again, remember, there will be some breaking in over time so while it seems short, it’s not.

About 12-13 inches will do though in case you don’t have a tape measure handy.

So after you’ve knitted the body up, start decreasing one the first and last stitch of the row down to where you have three stitches. Straight needles users, put your work onto DPN’s and circular needle. Make up that i-cord for the same length you made the first one. Bind off and weave in any ends of course.

You’re done… that was easy yes?

Recycled Silk Sari Yarn Headband Free Knit Pattern

KNIT: Free Basketweave Baby Blanket

nicole — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 22:05:32 +0000

I was recently contacted by Melissa who is associated with this website

She wanted to share an easy basketweave baby blanket pattern with you for free. She makes these blankets and sends them to Romania.

And if you know me, you know I’m a knitter that needs pretty, easy and quick patterns!

It is an easy basketweave pattern with an eyelet border that can be easily enlarged to make an afghan or larger blanket. Here is the link: http://www.forgive490.com/EasyBasketweaveBabyBlanket.php

Click here to get the Free Pattern!

You could totally use our banana fiber yarns to make a beautiful and colorful blanket!

Nicole's Recipe a la Banana Fiber Yarn in Tokyo Billboard

Click here to get our solid colored Banana Fiber Yarn

All about Faith…. the designer!

nicole — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:42:40 +0000

So you might remember I asked Chriss (our great crocheter) what inspires her: you read about it by clicking here.

But I had to ask our great knitter Faith the same thing. Read what she has to say!

Click here for Faith's Slipper Pattern

I’ve been knitting since I was in my early teens. I made myself sweaters and ponchos and the like. I earned some of my money for university knitting sweaters. I hadn’t been knitting much lately except out of necessity (I go through a lot of mittens), but I found Darn Good Yarn by accident this summer. I was entranced by the yarn and intrigued by the 80 ways to save the earth tote bag. I ordered some of the yarn. When I decided to make the tote smaller than the pattern called for, I had leftover yarn, so I decided to make mittens. Silk is supposed to be the warmest thing to wear in the winter. They turned out well, so I figured I’d try socks, something I hadn’t knit since I was about 14. This meant ordering more yarn. I was working on them while on vacation, and my daughter and I wandered into a fancy yarn shop in Charlottetown. She fell in love with thrummed mittens, so I figured out how to make those. Her sister needed a pair after seeing them, naturally. By this time I was totally in love with the silk. Nicole was looking for designers, and every time I looked at the silk I came up with another idea for how to use it. We started collaborating, and there you are.

I also design cross-stitch and blackwork patterns and write for various publications, including a review zine.

Click Here Tibet Sari Silk Poncho Knit Pattern By Faith!

KNIT: Recycled Silk Pattern Wine Bottle Bag

nicole — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 01:56:43 +0000

Check out this video and please give it a second to load!

MMMMM it's wine time!

How to make the Darn Good Yarn Wine Bottle Bag

Get a pair of size 15 needles,
get 2- 100g balls of the yarn we call the blender

Click here to get me! The Blender

You can get a little bit of ribbon too (or you can use left over yarn) This will be used in the finished product.. I’ll explain in a little bit

So, this one is easy: Cast on 39 sts and work in moss stitch (k1, p1) until your rectangle measures 6.25 inches long. Now stitch up the side. Ok now measure 3 inches down. Remember that ribbon? Yes? Well weave it in and out of your project. When you slip the bottle of wine in, you’ll use this to tighten the bag around the neck of the bottle.

Don’t like wine? Find some olive oil and use the same mechanics to give a stunning gift!

Not only is the inside goodies great but this bag totally has a chance of being re-used and will make your present look like the best one under the tree or on the table!

close up!