FREE EU beanie pattern

Introducing the EU beanie!

This beanie was designed as a political statement following the Brexit vote in the EU Referendum. But you can knit it and wear it for any reason at all.

The pattern is written for DK/8 ply yarn and fits the average adolescent to medium adult head.
The pattern is written to knit in the round on double-pointed needles, but it can also be used knitting in the flat. (Just add two extra stitches for edge stitches to allow for the seam.
You need to be able to use the colour stranding technique (using two colours at the same time, running the second along the back). If you are not familiar with this technique, there are different tutorials on the Internet. It may take a little practice to get the tension right.
I am very happy to receive questions, comments or suggestion.

The FREE pattern is available as a download on my Ravelry page. I would really appreciate it is you could share the pattern far and wide. KNIT IT, WEAR IT, SHARE IT!

Happy knitting and KEEP THE EU FLAG FLYING!

"I love NHS" beanies

I have done no Easter knitting whatsoever this year.
The main reason is that I have been inundated with orders for my "I love NHS" beanies.I must have knitted a dozen or so, including one extra large one and one with earflaps.

I designed the beanie because I am passionate about our National Health System which provides free health care at the point of delivery to whoever you are!
The thought of it being gradually dismantled and sold of to private companies for their personal gain is abhorrent and flies in the face of what the welfare state is about. But I won't bore you with details. You can read more about my passion for the NHS here is you want.

My ethos for the NHS beanie has always been that I want to make no personal profit from it. I try to cover the cost of material and posting, and any remaining profit goes towards the fight against the privatisation of the NHS.

Similarly the Ravelry pattern for the beanie is FREE and available here.
It is knitted flat and is designed for a head circumference of 22-24” or 56-61cm, but you could easily add/reduce some stitches/rows if needed.
You need to be able to use the colour stranding technique (using two colours at the same time, running the second yarn along the back). If you are not familiar with this technique, there are different tutorials on the Internet. Remember to cross the colours over at the back to avoid holes appearing.

Please share the pattern far and wide. I am not precious about it. 
What matters is that we save our NHS!

Bits and bobs and magic knot

I haven't blogged here for ages. 
At the moment I am working on my bits and bobs blanket - something I've worked on for three years or so, intermittently, when I have a bit of leftover yarn hanging around. 

So I happened to mention this on Ravelry...and was introduced to the magic knot. A new way of joining to bits of yarn. Apparently totally secure. Have you tried it? I can't wait to give it a go! 

Fingerless mittens - NEW Ravelry pattern!

My latest pattern is out on Ravelry.

It's a simple pattern for fingerless mittens. They are knitted in the round on a set of double-pointed needles.
For the mittens shown in the pictures I used Regia World College sock yarn in DK. Very cleverly a 150g ball creates 3 almost perfectly matching pairs of gloves.
But any other DK yarn should be fine.

The size fits a medium-sized adult hand.
Adjustments can easily be made. For example you can make the cuffs longer or shorter, or widen the gloves my adding 4sts to the width. (Be aware that this may affect the amount of yarn needed)

Check out the pattern here.
Thank you!

Liv's teddy (again) - FREE RAVELRY PATTERN

Liv's teddy is now available as a FREE PATTERN in my RAVELRY store.

It is written to be knitted on a set of double-pointed needles, so it essentially makes a tube (that’s because I am lazy and try to avoid as much sewing as possible!).
The legs are stitched through.
All that is required is knowing how to cast and and off and how to increase and decrease.
It get s a tiny bit more tricky at the top, when the middle 4 stitches are cast off and the ears are completed separately.

Being a simple pattern it is ideal for charity knitting - so please feel free to copy and share in your groups.

Remembrance Poppy

I have designed a pattern for this poppy just in time for Remembrance Sunday. You can find the pattern on my Ravelry page.
All proceeds from patterns sales will go to the Royal British Legion, a charity which supports serving members of the Armed Forces, ex-Service men and women (veterans), their families and dependants all year-round.

Please consider supporting this cause.

Marie's puppy

I made this little puppy for my niece Marie. Apparently her toy dog was pregnant and expecting puppies ... so I got those knitting needles out!

The pattern comes from Cath Ren on Ravelry and can be purchased for USD 3.50. Worth every penny!

Teatime!

Time for tea, anybody?

I made this tea cosy for our Community event at the Jubilee weekend.
It is an adapted version of Loani Prior's Rosie Posy Tea Cosy.

I love the detachable lid, which makes the whole tea cosy a lot more functional.

Now then. Milk? Sugar? Please help yourself to a biscuit!

Pixie hat

This new pattern is now available in my Ravelry store.
The pixie hat is designed in two sizes - newborn and 3-6 months.

This pattern is easy and a great way of using up left-over sock yarn or any other 4 ply yarn.
It is pretty is two-row stripes, but plain or self-striping yarns will look equally good.
To complete this pattern you should be able to cast on, make and decrease stitches and work with dpns.

Knitted bunny - The Sequel

Here is the first rabbit, which I made from Jo so & sew's pattern.
I say 'the first rabbit', because there will be many more between now and Easter.
Rabbits have this strange way of multiplying ...

It was a joy to make this little guy. It couldn't be easier with just a simple square.



I experimented with stitching on a face and decided for a simple one - the eyes are two small double stitches, the mouth a little upside-down V in a single thread.
The tail is made from a little square in Snowflake, pulled together along the edges and filled with a small amount of stuffing.

My Ravelry page can be found here.

Knitted bunny

This very simple and delightful bunny is made from an easy to knit square in garter stitch. How much easier could it be?
Being made from one piece it is suitable for small children too.

This will be my Easter project.

The pattern is available free here, and the Ravelry page can be found here.
Come and join the Easter fun!

Crocheted hearts

This is my last Valentines project. I promise to move on to more sensible things, which don't include hearts! :)

I usually prefer knitting to crocheting, but I couldn't resist these lovely crocheted hearts.

The pattern is from K and J Dolls Blog and is available for free.
More fun patterns are available of Ravelry.

Fingerless gloves - for Valentines

I designed these fingerless gloves myself. After some attempts and more unraveling I decided to use gussets for the thumbs.

I find gussets made the gloves more comfortable to wear and didn't pull the heart pattern out of shape.

As and when I get round to writing up the pattern, it will appear for sale on Ravelry.

Newborn baby mittens

Here is a free pattern for mittens in a newborn size:

Material: DK yarn, remnants

Needles: 3 ½ mm/ US 4/UK 9

Abbreviations:

K = knit

P = purl

stst = stocking stitch

k2tog = knit 2 together

sl1k1 = slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch

psso = pass slipped stitch over the knitted stitch

Mittens (Make 2)

Cast on 28 sts. Rib K1, P1 for 14 rows.

Then knit in stst for 16 rows.

Reduce for top:

17^th row: K2, sl1k1, psso, K7, k2tog, K2, sl1k1, psso, K7, k2tog, K2 (= 24 sts)

All reverse rows: purl

19^th row: K2, sl1k1, psso, K5, k2tog, K2, sl1k1, psso, K5, k2tog, K2 (= 20 sts)

21^st row: K2, sl1k1, psso, K3, k2tog, K2, sl1k1, psso, K3, k2tog, K2 (= 16 sts)

Cast of and close seam. Darn in all remaining ends.

The pattern of a full set of hat, bootees and mittens is for sale on my Ravelry page. Check it out here!

Snail tea cosy

I made this snail tea cosy for a competition for the Marie Curie Cancer charity

More information on my Ravelry site, and the pattern is now for sale here.

Elizabeth Zimmermann's Surprise Jacket

I have joined this KAL (Knit-along) at Ravelry to try myself at the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann.

It is knitted in one piece and turns out to be the strangest of shapes ... but with just closing two seams it turns into a baby jacket. (Or so I have been assured - I am not quite there yet myself ...)

I am using my cotton stash. I love how the colours blend into each other.

April Stash Bust

Thanks to Crafty Green Poet I have come across the April Stash Bust.

For somebody who has a whole wardrobe full of yarn stash, a stash bust sounds like a great idea!

Only last week did I send my sock yarn remnants (see above) to a fellow knitter in Ravelry's p/hop group. 

Plumbum is going to make this blanket and pledges to donate money to Medecins Sans Fontieres (Doctors Without Borders) for every batch of sock remnants she receives for her project.

Read more about the April Stash Bust here. 

Ravelry!

How did I ever manage without it??

Just recently I have joined Ravelry - a great community of knitters and crocheters, with as many patterns available (free or for sale) as I will ever need in my entire life!!

To see my own Ravelry page, look for madhat66 here.

My own designs can be found here.

Please come and visit me!

Das Monster

I found this amazing pair of toddler 'longies' on Ravelry.

How cool are they??!

I cannot wait to try knitting it myself.

The pattern is available free here and here.