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.*
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 Knitting Pattern: Chrysalis Cardigan
One of my goals for 2019 was to write more patterns. I want to write/publish one per month. Even though January was the Longest.Month.Ever, I still managed to miss my first marker. Partly because I’m new to this and partly because I’m a bit of a perfectionist, it’s probably not as great as I want it to be. But probably, they’re going to get better.
I wanted to wait until I had better photos. I wanted to wait until I got all my feedback from my test knitters. But I’m new to test knitters and my test knitters are new to test knitting. But I’m going to do it anyway. And I’m going to learn and maybe I’ll re-release it when it’s better. But here it is. If you make it and give me feedback, I will love you forever and I will send you an ad-free pdf of the pattern, and all updates when they come out.
This is a one-size pattern. If you want a smaller or bigger fit, try casting on fewer/more stitches in multiples of 3 and adjusting the total stitches accordingly. Ensure that you have an odd number of stitches for the edging stage. This will make the cardigan wider. To make it longer, knit more rows (try 24 inches of
Supplies needed
- Size 11 (8.00 mm) 32” circular needles (I love my KnitPicks!)
- Size 10.5 (6.5 mm) 45” circular needles
- 4 – 7 oz (198 g) balls Bernat Premium Tweeds yarn (or comparable yarn to achieve gauge. You will hold 2 strands together for this pattern)
- Scissors
- Yarn needle
Skills used
- Knit, purl, increase, decrease
- Provisional cast on
- Knitting in the round
Need to sharpen your knitting skills to take on this project? Check out some online knitting classes from Blueprint!
Abbreviations
- k – knit
- p – purl
- yo – yarn over
- sl1pw – slip 1 purl-wise
- k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
- ssk – slip, slip, knit
Gauge
4” x 4” = 12 stitches x 16 rows in the main body pattern. If your gauge is different, adjust by using larger or smaller needles.
Special stitches
Knit 2 together (k2tog): insert your right needle under the next 2 stitches and knit them together. This is a right-leaning decrease stitch.
Slip, slip, knit (ssk): slip 1 stitch from left needle to right needle knit-wise (as if you were to knit it). Slip another stitch knit-wise. Insert your left needle back into the 2 slipped stitches from the back and knit the 2 stitches together through the back loop. This is a left-leaning decrease stitch.
Pattern
Provisional cast on
With 2 strands of yarn held together, using 32” size 11 (8.00 mm) circular needles, loosely cast on 105 stitches with a provisional cast-on using the 45” circular needle cable for the base of your provisional cast on. Find provisional cast on using circular needle cable instructions here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XIr2GiqjQg&t=182s
Alternate cast on
If you prefer to use a regular cast on, you may do so, but it will result in a seam along the edge where you join the cast on edge with the working edge.
Foundation Row
(WS) *k1, p1* repeat to last stitch, k1
Body
Row 1 (RS): sl1pw, p1, *k2tog, yo, p1* repeat from * to last stitch, k1
Row 2 (WS): sl1pw, k1 *p2, k1* to last stitch, k1
Row 3 (RS): sl1pw, p1, *yo, ssk, p1* repeat to last stitch, k1
Row 4 (WS): work as row 2
Continue in this pattern until work measures 22 inches from cast on edge, ending with a wrong side row.
Note: As the pattern takes shape, if you can’t remember if the last right side row was a row 1 or a row 3, pay attention to where the YO space is from the previous RS row. On each right side row, you will be closing up the space you created with the YO of the last right side row. And creating a new YO space in an alternating space.
On the WS, you should be knitting the knits and purling the purls & YOs. If you missed a YO in the previous row, it is easy to pick up a YO in the WS row.
You will notice that we are knitting the last stitch and slipping purl-wise the first stitch of every row. This creates a clean edge which will make up the arm holes.
Join cast on edge using the provisional cast on
Use the right needle of the size 10.5 circular needle that you used for the provisional cast with the left needle of the size 11 needle to work the first half of edging round 1.
Round 1 (RS): Turn. Sl1pw. K1, p1 to end of the row. Remove size 11 needle. Place a marker.
Fold the cast on edge up to meet the working edge, right side facing you and begin using the smaller needle from the cast on edge.
Join cast on edge using a regular cast on
If you used a regular cast on, pick up and knit 105 stitches along the cast on edge with the size 10.5 circular needle.
Seed stitch edging
You should now be using only the size 10.5 circular needles. K1, p1 to last stitch in round. Join to the beginning of the previous round by k2tog the last stitch & the first stitch of the previous row. This will decrease the total stitches in the round to 209.
All Remaining Rounds (RS): *p1, k1 around. The odd number of stitches means you will be knitting the purls & purling the knits, resulting in the seed stitch pattern.
Continue in this pattern until seed stitch edge measures 5 inches, using the stitch marker as your round beginning/end. Bind off with your preferred stretchy bind off. (I like this method).
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
You can add an optional button closure with a small i cord button hole loop just above chest level to help keep the cardigan closed.
It would mean so much to me if you would share my pattern on your social media platforms. Pinterest is my personal favourite!
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