FREE PATTERN: Gnome Tea Towel Topper Crochet Pattern

Hello friends! I am taking a slight diversion from my regularly scheduled sharing of other people’s patterns and here I am sharing my own. To celebrate this generous Christmas season, this pattern is FREE!!! It’s right here! No clicking away, no scrolling forever and ever. No wondering how you’ll ever find the pattern! It’s right here. No more clicks!

*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*

I just wrote this pattern today, so it’s super fresh and it’s super-fast, just in time for last-minute gifts for friends, family and colleagues who you want to give something special to, but you have no idea what to get them? Got a nephew who is too old for $20 in a card, but you still want to give a little gift to? Perfect! Got a mom who has everything? She would be delighted by this little handy character! Got a co-worker you hardly know that gave you an unexpected gift and you want to reciprocate? I gotcha.

Meet Snaanbag, the Tea Towel Topper Gnome! Even better, Snaanbag isn’t just a tea towel topper, he’s a tea towel holder! That’s right! He’s got a wooden ring that holds your tea towel so you can easily wash it. You can make this adorable gnome in neutral or Christmassy colours, depending on your mood or decor. He’s a little grumpy, but if you dry your hands quickly on his beard, you’ll be ok.

Because I just wrote this pattern today, it has not been tested. I welcome your feedback, if you want to provide it! If you catch an error or provide me with helpful feedback for improving the pattern and include good pictures of your gnome topper, I will send you a free pdf of the pattern! Get in touch with me via the contact me page; I would love to hear from you!

Snaanbag the Tea Towel Topper Gnome

Supplies

Crochet Hook: H/8 or 5.00 mm hook
Yarn Weight: (4) Medium Weight/Worsted Weight (I used Red Heart Super Saver)
Yarn colours: Hat: Grey (or colour of your choice) Nose: Beige (or colour of your choice)
Stitch markers (1 of any kind, 2 locking), yarn needle, needle & thread for stitching button
Embellishments: 60 mm (2.5 in) wooden ring – measurement taken from the outer edges of ring. (You can also use a covered elastic hair tie), 15 mm (.6 in) button, small amount of polyfill for nose

Finished Size

Tip of the hat to bottom of nose unfolded, laid flat, length: 22 cm (8.625 in).
Folded & buttoned: 11 cm.
The hat only unfolded, laid flat: 20 cm (8 in).
At the widest point of hat, width: 11 cm (4.25 in)

US Terminology

Rnd = Round
MC = Magic Circle
SC = Single Crochet
St = Stitch
YO = Yarn Over
Inv Dec = Invisible Decrease

Special Techniques

Invisible Fasten off – Pull yarn tail through loop and thread onto a yarn needle. Skipping the stitch next to the last stitch of the Rnd, insert the needle under the top 2 loops of the next stitch (where you would insert your hook for a stitch) and pull yarn through. Insert the needle into the middle of the last stitch of the round and down through to the back of the work. Secure yarn by weaving the yarn under 2-4 stitches; do not cut excess tail yarn. (Crochet Arcade has a good tutorial if you need more visuals.)

Invisible Decrease – insert hook under front loop of the first stitch and leave the loop on the hook. Insert hook under front loop of next stitch, YO, pull through 2 (front) loops on hook, YO, pull through 2 loops on hook to complete SC. (All About Ami has a good tutorial!)

Hat

Rnd 1: 5 SC into a MC. (5 sts)

Rnd 2: 2 SC in 1^st st. Place marker in 1^st st of Rnd. SC to marker. (6 sts)

Always place the marker back in the 1st st of the new Rnd.

Rnd 3-21: Repeat Rnd 2 until you have 25 st in the Rnd. (7-25 sts)

Rnd 22 (add the ring): 2 SC in 1^st st, SC 4, SC 8 around the wooden ring: Place wooden ring under working yarn, behind the work (inside the hat). Insert hook in next stitch and YO under the ring, pull through 1 loop, YO above the ring and pull through 2 loops, completing the SC (8 times total). SC to marker. (26 sts)

Rnd 23-32: Repeat Rnd 2. (27-36 sts)

At this point, the wooden ring should be hidden when the hat is laid flat. If it is not, repeat Rnd 2 until it is. If you need more rows here, your st count total will differ from the pattern going forward.

Place nose positioning markers: Before continuing, place 2 locking markers 2 sts from start of Rnd and 10 sts from start of Rnd on the right side of the work. These will remain in place until the nose is positioned.

Rnd 33 (make the button hole): 2 SC in 1^st st. SC 12. Ch 1. Skip next st. SC around to marker. (37 sts)

Rnd 34: 2 SC in 1^st st, SC around, treating Ch 1 as a st. (38 st)

Ensure you can fit your button through the button hole you have created.

Cut yarn, leaving a 46 cm (18 in) tail.

Use the Invisible Fasten Off technique, weaving the yarn in the direction of where the nose will be placed and DO NOT CUT the excess yarn tail. We will use this yarn to secure the nose in place.

Attach the button

Lay the hat flat with the ring at the back. Secure the button in between Rnds 3 & 4, in the centre of the front of the hat, when laid flat.

Nose

Rnd 1: 5 SC in MC. (5 sts)

Place the marker in the 1^st st of Rnd 2. Always place marker back in 1st st of Rnd.

Rnd 2: 2 SC in each st around. (10 sts)

Rnd 3: *2 SC in st, SC. Repeat from * around to marker. (15 sts)

Rnds 4-6: SC around to marker. (15 sts)

Rnd: 7: *Inv Dec, SC. Repeat from * around to marker. (10 sts) Stuff firmly with polyfil.

Rnd 8: Inv Dec around to marker (5 sts)

Cut yarn leaving a 20 cm (8 in) tail and pull through. Thread a yarn needle and weave the needle through the front loops of the 5 stitches of the last Rnd. Pull to tighten and fasten off. Weave the tail inside the stuffing of the nose cut the excess yarn.

Attach the nose

Position the nose with Rnd 1 facing out and between the 2 markers on the underside of the hat along Rnd 5 of the nose. Using the excess tail yarn from the hat, attach the nose with by pushing the needle through one stitch of Rnd 5 of the nose and to the front of the hat. Backstitch along Rnd 32 of the hat onto Rnd 5 of the nose, using the previously placed markers to position the nose. Secure and weave tail through 5-10 stitches of the hat and ending in the nose. Pull slightly and snip tail yarn so the end disappears into the stuffing of the nose.

That’s it! Loop your new little friend to your stove handle or your dishwasher handle and add a tea towel (I like these ones!) to the wooden ring and you can dry your hands on his beard until it’s time for it to be washed!

I hope you enjoyed this free pattern! As soon as I get it formatted into a pdf, I’ll add a link to an ad-free printable pdf pattern that you can download from Etsy or Ravelry for a small fee. Until then (and afterwards!), enjoy it for free here on the blog! If you liked this pattern, please share it on Pinterest!

Free crochet pattern! Direct link to this adorable Scandinavian Gnome tea towel topper to hold your tea towel! Has a wooden ring to hold any tea towel you like! Makes a great quick last minute handmade gift idea! #crochetpattern #freecrochetpattern #freepattern #scandinaviangnome #gnomepattern #crochetgnome #quickcrochetedchristmasgifts
#CraftEvangelist

September 5, 2020September 24, 2022

Time for Toques? The Best Beanie Patterns to Knit & Crochet!

It’s still summer, at least according to the calendar, but these chilly mornings have me thinking about fall and the cooler weather ahead. So there’s no better time to get prepared by choosing a new warm hat pattern to make so you have plenty of time to make a warm new beanie for fall! I’m still loving the wonderful textures of hand-knit and crocheted toques, topped with fluffy faux fur pompoms! If you don’t have one of these gorgeous hats (or even if you do), it’s time to make yours today!

*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*

First up, the Leaves of Change Beanie Crochet Pattern. Check out the fun textured rows in this cute hat! The pattern includes 4 sizes and works up quickly, so you can make one for everyone in the family. How adorable would these be for outdoor family photos?! Find the pattern in the Hooks Yarns and Loops Etsy shop here.

If you’re loving texture, check out the Mountain Ridge Beanie Crochet Pattern from Sheepish Stitches. This pattern features a standard and a bulky version, so you can use whatever yarn you have on hand and have amazing versatility! Don’t you just love the gentle colour change of the yarn in the stripes pictured here? Gorgeous! Get the pattern here.

Do you crochet, but love the look of knitting? Then the Lark Beanie Crochet Pattern from Alyse Crochet is for you! This cozy and stretchy faux-stockinette stitch works up quickly and easily with less than 110 yards of bulky yarn! How’s that for a quick last-minute handmade gift?! Pick up the pattern here.

And of course, I can’t forget the knitters. This classic cable-knit Heartland Beanie Knitting Pattern is a lovely warm hat with an easy-to-follow pattern. You can’t get any more classic that this gorgeous braided cable. This pattern uses Lion Brand Heartland Yarn which is a #4 weight yarn. Find the pattern here in Knits by Jenny Boutique.

The Be Mine Beanie Crochet Pattern from Hook and Loop Boutique is another lovely crocheted toque pattern made with worsted weight (#4) yarn, so you shouldn’t have any trouble getting your hands on the right yarn to make this subtle beauty. This pattern includes both adult and child sizes so you can make one for most anyone! Get the pattern here.

I’m just loving all the different gorgeous textures on The Celestial Beanie Crochet Pattern. The different stitches come together in a lovely combination of textured stripes and again uses easy-to-source worsted weight yarn and comes in three sizes: toddler, child & adult. Pick up the pattern here in A Lil Loopy’s Etsy shop.

The waffle texture on this Winter Woods Beanie Crochet Pattern has me swooning! What a fun texture to crochet! This pattern will need some of your worsted stash, so it’s a great last-minute gift idea and even includes instructions on how to make your own faux fur pompom! Find the pattern in Kathy’s Crochet Closet’s Etsy shop here.

Another gorgeous worsted-weight yarn pattern, the Chain Ridge Beanie Crochet Pattern from Kathy’s Crochet Closet is a quick project and easy enough for the advanced beginner. The subtle texture on this cute hat is gorgeous and not distracting; it’s a great pattern to highlight a lovely, scrumptious yarn! Get the pattern here.

The bobbles on this Eileen Beanie Crochet Hat Pattern also from Kathy’s Crochet Closet (so many fun crocheted hat patterns from her!) are just adorable! The design features three colors of cluster stitches and spike stitches in stripes with a ribbed brim. You’ll adore this sweet toque! Pick up the pattern here.

The Pathway Beanie Crochet Pattern from Leesas Knotty Corner is a pattern that works up super quick because it is made with bulky weight yarn and is written in sizes from 0-3 months to extra large adult. I love this fun option of including 2 pompoms here. (Get my favourite pompoms from GingerSnap Handmade). This beginner-friendly pattern works up quickly with lots of gorgeous texture! Find the pattern here.

Update: this pattern is no longer available. Try one of these bulky weight yarn crochet beanie patterns.

Here’s another classic knitting pattern: the Stargazer Toque Knitting Pattern by Lamb and Co Designs. This pattern is a great way to put your intermediate level knitting skills to work and get a gorgeous fair-isle hat in a bulky, cozy wool!

Update: this exact pattern is no longer available from Lamb and Co Designs, but check out this very similar pattern from Smeeny Beanie Knits.

Knitters will also enjoy making this lovely Summit 9 Beanie Knitting Pattern. Also made with bulky (#5) yarn, this advanced beginner/intermediate fair isle knitting pattern has a lovely mountain design to inspire you to hit the great outdoors this winter! This cute hat would make a great holiday gift for the outdoor enthusiast! Get the pattern here from Alpine Knits Co.

If you are new to knitting, you might want to start here before you branch out into more complicated fair isle knitting. This Color Block Beanie Knitting Pattern from Love and Stitch Designs works up quickly with super bulky weight yarn and introduces the beginner knitter to color changes. Color-blocking is still very trendy, so enjoy mixing and matching your leftover stash to make a unique hat this fall! Pick up the pattern here.

I would be remiss to neglect to mention my own Tufted Toque Knitting Pattern. It’s a lovely pattern with plenty of interesting texture to keep you interested as you knit. Worked in the round on circular needles, this pattern knits up quickly with a gorgeous, pillowy result! The drape on the We Are Knitters Meripaca yarn is just divine! I highly recommend picking some up! You can find it in my Etsy shop here or on Ravelry here.

Awesome round up of knit and crochet patterns for beautiful winter hats, toques and beanies! Perfect to make as gifts or for sale markets! #knittingpatterns #crochetpatterns #knithatpatterns #crochethatpatterns #yarn #crafts #patternroundup #craftevangelist

March 21, 2020March 21, 2020

Calming Crafts (Free Patterns!)

So, it feels weird to just go about my business sharing my favourite crafts and encouraging you to get making something right now, but with all the weirdness of the world right now and the recommendation of social distancing, crafts are EXACTLY what we should be doing. Studies have shown that knitting can reduce anxiety and depression and crocheting can improve your sense of calm and give you a project to help pass some of your newfound downtime. But I also know that this is a time of great uncertainty for a lot of people, as many people are experiencing reduced work hours (and pay) and have uncertainty about the security of their jobs and income. So today I want to share some great FREE and discounted craft resources for you!

*Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click on them and buy something, you don’t pay any extra, but I may get a small commission.*

Knit Scamander Scarf free knitting pattern for this Hufflepuff scarf, as seen on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them by New Scamander. This pattern is available for free from craft evangelist. Check out the free pattern round up! #newtscamanderscarf #freescarfpattern #hufflepuffscarf #knittingpattern #freeknittingpattern #freepattern #craftevangelist #knitscamander

Get my free Knit Scamander scarf pattern here or buy an ad-free printable pdf pattern here.

Let me just give you a little glimpse into pattern designing and the business side of things: knit and crochet designers (among other pattern designers) put a lot of work into designing, writing and testing patterns. Those that offer them for free on their blogs can earn some ad revenue from your traffic and they often offer a pdf printable pattern for a small fee, often on Etsy or Ravelry. As I’ve disclosed, I’m an affiliate and so I get a little bit of commission bit if you make a purchase through one of my Etsy links. If you need free patterns, please be sure to access the designer’s website and give them the traffic they need to earn a little bit of ad revenue and if you can afford it (and also because pdf patterns are so handy), please use one of my links to purchase from Etsy, as that’s how the designer earns some money and how I earn a little bit, too (same price for you and it encourages me to keep finding great patterns to share with you). It really is a joy for me to promote patterns on Etsy because as someone with my own (sad) Etsy shop, I know that pattern designers are individuals, mostly women and often moms just trying to earn a little extra from home for their families, not giant corporations. And I’m glad to support and promote them in their creative endeavours.

First of all, there’s my local knit and crochet celebrity, Stephanie from All About Ami. Stephanie has nearly all of her patterns available for free on her blog. Here she is modelling her Daylight Cardigan, which is free on her blog or available on Etsy here. This cardigan is made with Lionbrand Chainette yarn and is available as a kit from Lionbrand. Lionbrand is running a promotion right now with 25% off all kits with the code KITS25.

Some of my favourite patterns from Stephanie include her amigurumi patterns. Every year, she designs a new one for Chinese New Year, which is really awesome. This year is the Year of the Rat, so she’s got this adorable Chinese New Year Rat amigurumi pattern. It’s available here for free on her blog and also available as a printable pdf pattern on Etsy.

Another great resource for free crochet patterns is Whistle & Ivy. You can get this great Tartan Plaid Slouchy Hat pattern for free on her blog. Bethany has so many great buffalo plaid crochet patterns too, but also crochet patterns of all kinds! She’s very prolific! I learned to crochet buffalo plaid from this hat pattern. If you want to purchase one of her ad-free patterns, they’re available here on Etsy.

Beyond buffalo plaid, Whistle & Ivy also has this beautiful crocheted flip flop pattern for free on her blog here or an ad-free pdf printable pattern here. This is a perfect pattern to work up right now to be ready for the summer weather to come. Some of you can already see the grass where you are (unlike me, who still just sees 20 cm of crusty snow covering my garden), so the hope of summer sandals is much more real for you. These flip flops are so cute! I can’t wait for summer!

If you’re just learning to knit or crochet and would like access to hundreds of online classes and crafting resources, Bluprint is offering 14 days of free online classes to new subscribers and 40% off any item this week (ends March 27, 2020).

We Crochet is a new crochet-focussed spin-off company from Knitpicks. They offer some free crochet patterns as well as pattern kits, complete with both the pattern and the yarn, as well as the option to purchase any hooks or other supplies you might need. Check out this cute Floral Tapestry Top, which is a free downloadable pdf pattern! Bonus!

I love Knitpicks for affordable yarn and needles. But did you also know they have free resources for learning to knit? You can learn to Cast On, Knit, Purl and Bind off. There are so many great free resources available on YouTube and blogs. If you have a free resource you’d like to share, please do so in the comments!

Now that we’re talking about Knitpicks, I must say I really do love my Knitpicks interchangeable needles, especially the beautiful wood needles! I have the Caspian Options Short Interchangeable Set, which I love for hats and sleeves. It’s so great to knit in the round without using double-pointed needles. I do also have a set of Caspian Double Pointed Needles, which come in very handy for finer yarns and when decreasing at the top of a hat. I love how all the Options interchangeable sets work with each other, so it’s like Lego, you can use them with all your other sets and mix and match as need be!

Jessica from Mama In A Stitch has a bunch of lovely free knitting patterns and free crochet patterns including this fun Trails End Seamless Poncho. Nearly every knitter and crocheter I know dislikes seaming, so when we see seamless, we’re in love! Get the free pattern here on her blog or the pdf printable version here on Etsy. Check out her Etsy shop for all her pdf downloadable patterns.

Another free pattern that I’ve made a few times and given away (all my kids have one in their rooms) is this No Fuss Fish pattern from Eden Reborn. You can get the free pattern here on the blog or buy a low cost, ad-free, printable pdf pattern here. It makes a super cute gift and really doesn’t take too long to make at all. Check out all of Eden Reborn’s free crochet patterns here.

Since we still have some time before Easter, it’s not too late to make this floppy bunny amigurumi pattern from One Dog Woof. You can find the free pattern here on the blog or an ad-free pdf printable pattern here on Etsy.

Ashleigh from Sewrella also offers a lot of free patterns on her blog. The Crochet Seaside Cardigan is a lovely drapey cardigan that’s perfect for summer. Find the free pattern here on her blog or an ad-free pdf printable pattern on Etsy here.

I recently made one of Ashleigh’s Double Thick Crocheted Potholders from the free pattern here on her blog (get the ad-free pdf printable pattern here on Etsy). I had some cotton yarn for dishcloths leftover from a previous project, so I whipped up one of these babies when I realized Mr Evangelist’s hands don’t really fit in our oven mitts, so that’s why he’s been using my tea towels!!!

Since we’ve been watching all the Great British Baking Show episodes lately, I want to make one of these Double Oven Mitts by Sarah of Ned and Mimi. She’s got the free pattern on her blog and an ad-free pdf printable pattern available for purchase on Ravelry. So pick up some cotton dishie yarn or any other 100% cotton worsted weight yarn and get making one of these lovely double oven mitts today. I have some Lionbrand 24/7 yarn kicking around, so I think that’s what I’m going to use.

If you are looking for a mandala pattern like the one in the pin and the title heading, I have a resource for you, but it’s not for the exact pattern that I have here. I think I ended up guessing my way through this pattern with an image of a partial chart and a photo, so I don’t really have a pattern for it. But there are some similar-looking patterns here from Mollie Makes.

I hope you’re able to make some of these great free patterns while you’re practicing social distancing. Makers, we’re ready for this! We’ve been stockpiling yarn for YEARS! It’s time to put your stash and your skills to use! Take this break from the whirlwind of life and make some beautiful things. It may help calm the anxiety and you could also get a sweater out of it!

Pin this for later so you can find all these great resources when you’re looking for them!

Free knit and crochet patterns to get you through social distancing. I need some serious crafts right now! Love these free resources for crochet patterns and knitting patterns! #freepattern #freecrochetpattern #freeknittingpattern #freeresources #knittingpatterns #crochetpatterns #craftevangelist

January 24, 2020January 24, 2020

PATTERN RELEASE: Tufted Toque!

I’m so excited to announce that I have released my Tufted Toque pattern! It’s been quite the learning curve: writing up the pattern, getting it tech-edited, working with test knitters and learning the ropes of adding the pattern information to Ravelry and Etsy.

So, today’s the day! And here it is! The Tufted Toque pattern is a textured, slightly slouchy hat made with a fun stitch pattern that is made up of a few simple rows of knits and purls. Put them together in the right order and you’ve got this beautifully textured seersucker stitch! Worked in the round on circular needles, this pattern knits up quickly with a gorgeous, pillowy result!

You can buy the pattern for only $6.00 CAD from Ravelry by clicking the little buy now button above. If you prefer to use Etsy, it’s available here.

After working with testers of various levels of knitting skill and experience, I would say that this pattern is perfect for the advanced beginner, or an adventurous beginner. It doesn’t require a lot of specialized stitches, just knits and purls, increasing and decreasing. It’s a great pattern to practice following a pattern and watching the diamond tufts take shape. Even though it is accessible for beginners, my advanced knitters also enjoyed knitting up this pattern.

The pattern is written in 9 sizes, from Newborn to Adult Extra Large (I couldn’t leave out my big-headed husband, could I?), so you can make one for every member of the family and have matching toques for everyone!

Will you please share this cute hat pattern with your knitting friends and followers? Here’s a pin you can share to Pinterest!