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!

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

Recycled Silk Sari Yarn Headband Free Knit Pattern

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

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 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!

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!

Click here to get on the yo-yo diet

And now, thanks to our “resident” knitter Faith we now have a great Mobius Cowl pattern you can get! Click Here To Get The Pattern.

Click Here to Get the Pattern

Materials: 12 mm (US 17) needles
1-2 100g balls Darn Good Yarn Hemp yarn

Click Here to Get the Hemp

(Note: the amount of yarn and number of plastic bags needed depends on how big you want the mat to be. The mat in the picture is 32 stitches or eight squares wide and 48 rows or 12 squares long and measures about 18 inches square. It took about 15 bags of assorted sizes and two half-balls of hemp.)

Using the cut-up plastic bags and two strands of the hemp, cast on a number of stitches that is divisible by eight.

Rows 1 to 4: Knit 4, purl 4 to the end of the row.

Rows 5 to 8: Purl 4, knit 4 to the end of the row.

Continue in a four by four checkerboard pattern until the mat is as big as you want it to be.

© 2009 Faith Cormier and Darn Good Yarn.

Sample Boot Tray/Welcome Mat

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Purse

You know me, I love easy patterns…but you know what I love more? Easy patterns that kick major hiney! That’s why I love this purse!

This simple pattern was made when I was experimenting. I was actually sitting by the ocean when I casted on and thought wow… what I’m working on totally looks like seaweed, very colorful seaweed.

The handles are a “Nicole” creation. I made them out of wire. Wire? I like having fun with metal and wire so I whipped these puppies up–and I couldn’t find a pair I really liked in any stores so I made my own. If you want a set get in touch with me and I’ll make them for $10 a piece.

So, here’s what you need:
Size 13 needles
2 skeins of Darn Good Yarn Sari Ribbon Yarn

Purchase the Sari Ribbon Click Here

2 skeins of Darn Good Yarn Blender Live Wire Yarn (100g each)

Click Here to check out the Blender Yarn

1 cool button
2 purse handles: You can get ones handcrafted by me here: http://www.shop.darngoodyarn.com/product/handmade-wire-purse-handles
needle to finish it up

Buy the handles here!

Here’s how you do it:
CO 11 sts, work in moss stitch for all two skeins of the DGY Sari Ribbon Yarn and BO.
Sew up the sides.
I turned it inside out (but that’s up to you). I then flipped the first half inch over and stitched it down to create a “lip” around the opening of the purse. I thought this looked nice for the overall shaping.
Next attach the handles.

Now onto some optional embellishments which I think look great. I sewed a big wood button from Darn Good Yarn and braided some left over blender yarn to make a loop/clasp at the opening.

Top of the bag

I also made a tassel out of the leftover Blender Yarn.

Dress it up however you’d like.

This project is super easy and the whole thing took me 2 hours to create! So, it’s a quick easy gift that will get tons of ohh’s and ahhh’s!

Front of the Bag

Click Here For the Pattern!

Don’t let your imagination cease with this pattern. These great slippers are great for travel as well as around the house! I am making a pair for myself for when I fly on planes because they roll up into my purse and when I’m on the plane I can slip off my shoes and stick these puppies on….ah bliss!

Click Here For the Pattern!

You can also easily make a couple pairs for when you have guests to your house. Knit them up a pair to wear around your place and then let them take them home to enjoy and remember their time with you!

This pattern calls for an old t-shirt or two and some Darn Good Yarn (come on you know you have that one with the stain on it that really needs to be re-purposed). You can use either two balls of the premium recycled silk yarn or two balls of the slightly unrefined silk both found by click on the following pictures:

Click Here for the Unrefined Recycled Silk

Click here for DGY's Premium Recycled Silk Yarn

The pattern is very easy to follow and would be suitable for a beginner too. The pattern is $3.99, an absolute steal for the versatility of the slippers!

Click Here For the Pattern!