Learn to make this really simple leaf pattern using just a few simple knitting techniques, with this knitted leaves tutorial.
So, I’ve been thinking for a while about starting a YouTube channel for simple knitting ideas and tips for new knitters or knitters wanting something easy to do. And guess what? I did it! The video above is my first ever Knitkatpaddywhack YouTube video!
I’ve used a version of this pattern to make the eaves on the brooch above. I’ve also made this leaf in wire to make earrings, pendants for my bridesmaids’ necklaces, and even the headpiece I wore to my wedding, to go with my hand-knitted gown. It’s the kind of pattern you can memorise quickly and make a whole lot of them in front of the TV.
Techniques needed
There are a few basic knitting techniques that I’m assuming you have for this pattern. These are:
- Casting on
- Knit
- Purl
- Make 1 to the right (m1R) and left (m1L)
- Slip, slip, knit (ssk)
- Knit 2 together (k2tog)
- Central double decrease
So let’s make this leaf!
Knitted Leaves Tutorial
Download the PDF here: Knitted Leaves Pattern
Yarn: A small amount of any yarn. The leaf in the image was made with 8ply acrylic yarn called Marvel by Moda Vera. If you’d like to try it in wire, I’d recommend 36 gauge beading wire held double.
Needles: Straight needles appropriate for your yarn. For guidance on the right size needles to use, look at the yarn’s ball band. You may also like to do a tension swatch to see how the yarn looks knitted in your needles.
Notions: Scissors, darning needle, row counter (optional)
CO 3 sts
Row 1: K1, m1r, k1, m1l, k1. 5 sts.
Row 2 and all even rows: P
Row 3: K2, m1r, k1, m1l, k2. 7 sts.
Row 5: K3, m1r, k1, m1l, k3. 9 sts.
Row 7: K4, m1r, k1, m1l, k4. 11 sts.
Row 9: K3, ssk, k1, k2tog, k3. 9 sts.
Row 11: K2, ssk, k1, k2tog, k2. 7 sts.
Row 13: K1, ssk, k1, k2tog, k1. 5 sts.
Row 15: Ssk, k1, k1tog. 3sts.
Row 17: Slip 2 tog, k1, psso (this is also called a central double decrease). 1 st. Fasten off. Weave in ends.
So that’s all you need to make this simple little leaf. If you liked this pattern, please let me know in the comments below, and comment on the video too.
I’m hoping to post one to two videos a week on the Knitkatpaddywhack YouTube channel, so please like this video and subscribe to the channel if you’d like to see more simple knitting tutorials and knitting tips and recommendations.
Peace,
Kat
New Pattern! Watch Wearer Fingerless Mittens
It’s Autumn here in Tasmania and the weather is steadily getting colder, though we do still have plenty of nice days. However, for most of you who read this blog, I know that you’re in the Spring time. I’m a little jealous! Like in Australia, I imagine many of you are getting cooler days mixed in with some lovely sunshine. Therefore, I have a new knitting pattern for you! Introducing the Watch-Wearer fingerless mittens. I designed these with brisk coolish days in mind, just like you get in the Spring and Autumn. They’re made from comfortable cotton-blend yarn which provides a little warmth but not too much. I designed them super short with a nice loose cuff, so you can check your watch easily while wearing them, hence the name. See them here.
Download The Pattern
The Watch-Wearer knitting pattern is available for purchase on Ravelry for $3.00 AUD. It is an instant download and you don’t have to have a Ravelry account to purchase. Download yourself the pattern today! If you’d like to see some of my most popular free patterns, take a look at my Garter Be Kidding Me headband, my French Rhubarb fingerless mittens, and the Wiser Baby Sun Hat. These are some of my most popular patterns.
As this is my first ever pattern for purchase, I would love to hear what you think of it if you do make a pair of mittens from this pattern! Send me a message via Ravelry and make a Ravelry project. I would really love to see some photos of mittens people have made using this pattern.
Peace,
Kat
Colour Cube + Balls Educational Toy – Free Tutorial
I’ve got another garter stitch only project for you this week! I’ve had so much fun compiling garter stitch patterns from around the web, and sharing with you my Garter Be Kidding Me bow headband, that I couldn’t wait to share another garter stitch pattern with you. This easy little cube toy would be a great present for a toddler, and is a brilliant way to use up your left over 8ply acrylic yarn.
Today’s project is a really simple coloured toy cube, with matching coloured balls. They can be used in all kinds of ways.
- Throw the cube and ask your child to find the ball that matches the colour it lands on
- Throw the cube and get your child to find something else in the room that matches the colour
- Make lots of cubes and use them as building blocks
- Add some numbers or dots to the cube with felt to turn it into a die, and knit enough balls to match the number on each cube face to turn it into a number-learning toy
For those of you who are new to knitting, you may be wondering what I’m talking about when I say garter stitch. Garter stitch is the stitch that you get when you just knit “plain”, that first stitch everyone learns when they first start to knit. It creates a bumpy, reversible fabric. So if you’re a beginner knitter and want to know what to do with those random squares you’ve made in your practise, look no further than this post, and the ones I linked above.
You will need to know basic increasing and decreasing to make the balls, as well as some seaming techniques. Below are some links to tutorials for the techniques you’ll need to make this cube.
- Long tail cast on
- Basic cast off (aka bind off)
- Basic increase (knit front and back, or kfb)
- Basic decrease (knit two together, or k2tog)
- Whip stitch
- Mattress stitch
- Weaving in ends
Like I mentioned in last week’s Yarn Along post, my husband and I are seriously considering home schooling our little girl Peanut (don’t worry, not her real name) and any future siblings she may have. I was already interested in the way kids learn, being a psychologist by training and all, but thinking about home schooling now has me personally invested in a little person’s education. It’s both absolutely fascinating and daunting at the same time.
Peanut is 17 months old now and learning like a sponge. She’s only been talking for six months but she’s already learning lots of letter sounds, even recognising the written letter T and making the sound for it! So I’ve been thinking about ways to support this interest in learning, and I came up with this little toy. She doesn’t know her colours yet, but maybe she’ll learn them with the help of this toy!
The balls are made using my Knitted Sphere Tutorial, which is one of my most popular patterns on Ravelry. The only modification is that I made these balls in garter stitch rather than stocking (stockinette) stitch. The tutorial is a super useful tool for when you need to make spheres of any size for all kinds of projects (like the tail of my handspun rabbit-fur rabbit). So even though I’ll post a full tutorial for these coloured spheres down below, check out the general Knitted Sphere Tutorial as well, just for your future reference.
Alternatively, you could use made or bought pom poms instead of the knitted balls, however I think the balls will be longer lasting than any pom pom.
Here’s the pattern!
Colour Cube + Balls Educational Toy
WARNING: This toy contains small parts which could pose a choking hazard. Always supervise your children when they are using this toy.
Yarn: 8ply acrylic yarn in six colours. I used Moda Vera Marvel. You will need approximately 25g of yarn for each colour. Hayfield Baby Bonus DK, King Cole Big Value DK, and Stylecraft Special are good substitutes.
Needles: 3.75mm (UK 9/ US 5) straight needles
Tension: 19sts = 10cm in garter stitch
Other supplies:
- Toy stuffing (Poly-Fil)
- An 8cm x 8cm (3″ x 3″) square of foam or sponge. See below how I made and cut mine from a car washing sponge.
Notions:
- Scissors
- Darning needle
- Gel pen
- Ruler
- Serrated knife (for cutting sponge to shape)
Make the Foam Cube
I wanted to make this toy as washable as possible, but also affordable. If you have access to clean mattress foam, I think that would be ideal. If, however, you can’t find that, just use a car washing sponge like I did! It may not be machine washable (I have yet to test it out) but you can be sure it can be hand washed with little fuss.
You will need a large car washing sponge to make one 8cm (3″) cube. You want the width and length of the sponge to be at least 8cm (3″) each, but the height can be shorter. The one I used measured L: 21cm x W: 8cm at the narrowest x H: 5cm (L: 8.5″ x W: 3″ x H: 2″) and worked well for this project, and actually came in a set of two. Here is another option for a similar sponge.
Measure out an 8cm x 8cm (3″ x 3″) square on one end of the sponge, as far over to the edge as you can. I found that a gel pen was the best pen for marking the lines.
Use a serrated knife (a bread knife, for example) to cut out the square, all the way down the sponge.
If the height of the sponge is less than 8cm (3″), you will need to measure and cut another 8cm (3″) square from the leftover sponge and combine it with the first square. You may need to trim one of the pieces down if it is too high. There is no need to glue the two pieces, just stack one on top of the other.
Pattern
Make Faces of Cube
Make six cubes alike, one in each colour.
Using long-tail cast-on, cast on 15 sts. Work in stocking stitch until the piece is square, then cast off.
Assemble the Cube
Sew each face together into a cube shape using whip stitch, remembering to sew the foam cube into the centre of the cube. Weave in and hide all ends inside the cube.
Make Balls
Make six balls alike, one (or more, if you prefer) in each colour.
Using long-tail cast-on, cast on 3 sts.
Row 1: [kfb] to end. 6 sts.
Rows 2, 4, 6, and 8: K all sts.
Row 3: [k1, kfb] to end. 9 sts.
Row 5: [k2, kfb] to end. 12 sts.
Row 7: [k3, kfb] to end. 15 sts.
Row 9: [k4, kfb] to end. 18 sts.
Rown 10-12: K all sts.
Row 13: [k4, k2tog] to end. 15 sts.
Rows 14, 16, 18, and 20: K all sts.
Row 15: [k3, k2tog] to end. 12 sts.
Row 17: [k2, k2tog] to end. 9 sts.
Row 19: [k1, k2tog] to end. 6 sts.
Row 21: [k2tog] to end. 3 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a 30cm tail. Thread the tail through a darning needle and pass through the three live sts on the knitting needle. Remove sts from the knitting needle and pull the thread tightly. Using mattress stitch, sew together the edges of the piece until the hole is nearly closed. Then turn the piece inside out, hiding the cast on tail inside the ball. Stuff with toy stuffing and then close up the hole using mattress or whip stitch. Weave in end and conceal end inside the ball.
That’s all, guys. Enjoy this project, and I’d love to see your own versions of this project on Ravelry.
Peace,
Kat
Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I will receive a commission if you click on the affiliate link and purchase the item.
Garter Be Kidding Me Bow Headband – Free Pattern
I hope you all enjoyed last week’s post, on five things you can make out of your garter stitch squares. Researching for that post was so much fun and I loved seeing the creative things people make from just a square of plain knitting. I wanted to add another idea to the list: this adorable headband! Isn’t it cute? I’m going to give you a little tutorial on how to make one for yourself. If you find yourself asking “what’s a garter stitch square?”, take a look at last week’s post so you know what I’m talking about.
Let’s call it the Garter Be Kidding Me Bow Headband. Please forgive me for the terrible pun. I couldn’t help myself. This would be an ideal project for any new knitter, and I’m especially thinking about young knitters who might want to make something special for themselves and their friends. And even better, it is a SUPER quick knit.
I’ve been seeing big hair bows around the place a lot lately. I’m usually someone who balks at any big trend with distrust (it took me years to warm to skinny jeans), but who doesn’t love a cute bow? And they’re so easy to make! Let’s get started.
Below is a tutorial for a basic headband, but you can get really creative with these bows. Here are some ideas:
- Instead of a attaching the bow to a headband, attach it to a hair elastic
- Experiment with contrasting colours and differently-dyed yarn (think self-striping or speckled yarn)
- Add embellishments like buttons or beads to the centre of the bow
Garter Be Kidding Me Bow Headband
Download a PDF of these instructions here: Garter Be Kidding Me Bow Headband
Yarn: DK/8ply weight yarn (I used a 100% acrylic yarn). Use a smooth yarn, not a fancy, fringed, or loopy yarn.
Needles: 4mm straight needles
Tension: 22 sts x 30 rows = 10cm2 in stocking stitch (but tension is not crucial for this project)
Notions: Craft scissors, tapestry needle, tape measure.
Bow
Cast on 22 sts. Work in garter stitch (knit every stitch) until the piece is square. Cast off and weave in ends.
Fold the square into five pieces, like a paper fan, as shown below. I find it easier to fold the square in half and pinch the centre, then make two equal-sized folds on either side of the centre fold.
Taking a new piece of yarn, wrap it around the centre of the folded square about 20 times. Tie both ends of the yarn together at the back of the bow with a double knot. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail on one end. Hide the other end inside the yarn wrapped around the bow.
Headband
First, measure the head circumference of the person the headband is intended for. Measure around the head where the headband is going to sit. If you cannot measure the wearer’s head, look at this sizing guide over at Woolly Wormhead.
Cast on 10 sts. Work in garter stitch until the piece measures about 3″ (7-8cm) shorter than the head circumference you are knitting for (garter stitch is stretchy!). Cast off, leaving a long tail.
Sew both ends of the piece together using mattress stitch.
Attach bow to Headband
Sew bow to headband using the long tail from the wrapped yarn. Weave in ends.
It really is as simple as that! I hope you enjoy it, and make one for yourself or someone special in your life.
Peace,
Kat
White Wedding Washcloth – Free Pattern + Blooper Photo!
I have another free pattern for you – the White Wedding Washcloth pattern! I decided to design this because, well, I needed a washcloth to use to clean myself in the shower. Shortly after I learned to knit, I made myself this one called Simple Clean, from the book AwareKnits by Vickie Howell and Adrienne Armstrong. I LOVE this book and pored over it and borrowed it several times from the library because I was a poor student and I hate spending money at the best of times. I made so many things from that book. Maybe I should do a book review on that book – let me know in the comments if you’d like me to!
That old washcloth from that book is the only one I had. I like washcloths more than a bath puff thing because a hand-knitted cotton washcloth is machine washable and lasts a long time, unlike those puffs which you need to replace often. Washcloths also dry well if you wring them out, meaning you’re not washing your body with a bacteria party every time you shower.
So anyway, that washcloth was made back in about 2011, maybe late 2010. After 7+ years of daily use, my washcloth went from looking like this one, to looking like this:
Yeah it’s not good. So I needed another one. Queue the White Wedding Washcloth. I think the White Wedding Washcloth would also make a beautiful yet impractical decorative handkerchief as a bridal accessory.
It is a SUPER simple pattern. It uses the same stitch pattern from my French Rhubarb Fingerless Mittens. I called the pattern the Eyelet Rib Pattern, but it’s not exactly a rib. It’s yarn overs alternating with knit stitches and central double decreases. Very simple, and a good way for beginner knitters to step a tentative foot into the thrilling waters of lace knitting.
Why the Name?
The yarn I used is actually left over from my wedding dress! If you’d like to read about how I knitted my wedding dress, I wrote blog posts about it which you can find here, here, here, and here. I bought way too much of this yarn for my dress. I’ve already used heaps of it to make my daughter’s baptism gown and a matching bonnet, and after this washcloth I still have over a ball left over.
The yarn is called Milford Satin and it’s a 2ply mercerised cotton. I used white. It is a beautiful yarn, shiny but doesn’t boast about itself like a Lurex yarn. They have their place, for sure, but not on my wedding gown, Peanut’s baptism gown, or my washcloth. Milford Satin was perfect for it.
Blooper Photo (aka: what happens when you try to take a blog photo with a toddler around)
My little girl Peanut didn’t sleep as long as I wanted her to today (isn’t it always the way when you’ve got something important to do?), so she was with me while I quickly shot some photos of the washcloth for this post. It’s a bathroom washcloth, I thought, so why not add a prop of a nice jar of cotton balls in the frame? That didn’t work out great. As well as being a useful bathroom product, do you know what a jar of cotton balls looks like to a 14 month old? A great toy. Here is Peanut’s arm snatching the jar. I gave up on the jar after a while 🙂
The Pattern
Here it is! You can download the PDF here: White Wedding Washcloth
Please make sure you make a project for this pattern on Ravelry so I can see your finished product.
Needles: 3mm straight needles
Yarn: Milford Satin in white
Notions: Scissors, tapestry needle
Tension: 21sts x 28 rows in patt = 10cm2, after blocking. Note: Tension is not critical for this project.
Finished measurements: 21cm x 20 cm
Pattern
Using a long tail cast-on, cast on 47 sts.
Work 4 rows in garter stitch.
Next row: k4, [yo, slip 2tog k-wise, k1, psso tog, yo, k1], k3.
Next row: K3, P41, K3
Repeat these two rows 25 times more, or until the piece is almost square in shape.
Work 3 rows in garter stitch. Cast off k-wise. Weave in ends.
Pin out and steam to block.
I hope you enjoy knitting this washcloth, and that it lasts you at least 7 years!
Peace,
Kat
Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I will receive a commission if you click on the affiliate link and purchase the item.
French Rhubarb Fingerless Mittens – Free Pattern
Important Update Jan 25, 2018: I noticed an error in the pattern and have now updated it. Please re-download the pattern if you have already printed it!
It’s warm here in Australia, especially on the mainland where my family and most of my friends are. So, I thought, what better time than now to post a pattern for mittens?! Just jokes, but maybe some of you in the northern hemisphere are looking to make some nice new mittens that will show a little skin as the weather starts to heat up for you.
I was inspired to design these mittens when I was looking through my copy of The Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary by Wendy Bernard. I love this book. Let me know in the comments below if you’d like me to do a review of it! There is a section where Wendy writes instructions on how to use her stitches to design your own garments, including a pattern for some pleated mittens. As it happened, I didn’t follow her directions and the stitch patterns I used aren’t exactly the same as any stitch pattern in her book, but she switched on my pattern-designing brain.
About the Mittens
The French Rhubarb Fingerless Mittens are simple to knit, with little scallops on the bottom edge and two bit scallop on the top of each mitten. The little scallops aren’t really scallops, but they look like them to me. They’re simply a side-effect of the stitch pattern, but I think they add a lot to the finished product.
These mittens are named in honour of a dear friend of mine, because for some reason they remind me of her. She got married in 2015 and she wore a Georgian-inspired, lacy ivory wedding gown. It suited her and her personal tastes perfectly, and these mittens remind me of her and that gown.
A Note on the Pattern (it’s reversible!)
The main stitch pattern, which I’m calling the Eyelet Rib Pattern, was designed by me (although it’s fairly simple so maybe I’m not the first person to invent it). I think it is gorgeous, most gorgeous worn “purl”-side out, what most would consider wrong side out. So I’m leaving it up to you how you prefer to wear them, but here they are with the “knit”-side out vs the “purl”-side out. The quotation marks, if you’re wondering, are because the mittens are knitted in the round, so very few actual purled stitches are actually worked. The only stitches that you actually purl are in the edging and the casting off.
Before we Continue…
It’s timely that I’m posting this pattern which reminds me of my friend, whom I’ll call Rhubarb for the purposes of this post. As I mentioned in my last post, I spent a few days last week enjoying a relaxing stay on beautiful Bruny Island with my husband, baby girl Peanut, two friends who have a little girl a similar age to our Peanut, and Rhubarb and her husband. We had a lovely time despite the mosquitoes (and babies who liked to take shifts in napping so we could never go out all together). We played board games late into the night, cooked for each other, read (or knitted, in my case) on the deck, and laughed at the babies playing. Here are a few photos of Peanut on the beach. It was an unexpected beach visit due to our holiday house not being ready for us, so we wandered down unprepared, only to have Peanut run/stumble/crawl straight into the water while I frantically removed the insert from her cloth nappy before it swelled with seawater. We played this great game where I fish her out of the water, haul her to dry land, then repeat the process as she bolts for the water again. Fun times!
Yes, Peanut is wearing the last pattern that I shared on this blog, the Wiser Baby Sun Hat. That hat has had a lot of use this summer.
The Pattern!
I’m sure my neighbours must have thought me insane if they happened to look over their fence this afternoon on this hot day, to see me taking pictures of my mittened hands feeling a grape leaf. You’re welcome for the photos!
I hope you enjoy this pattern for the French Rhubarb Fingerless Mittens. I would love it if you could make a project on Ravelry for this pattern if you do make them, so I can see how they turn out!
You can download the PDF here: French Rhubarb Fingerless Mittens
Yarn: Moda Vera Biscay in White
Needles: Four 3.75mm double-pointed needles
Notions: Stitch markers, scrap yarn, tapestry needle
Tension: 22sts x 23 rows = 10cm2 in eyelet rib pattern
Eyelet rib pattern
Round 1: yo, slip 2tog knit-wise, k1, pass slipped stitches over together, yo, k1.
Round 2: P all sts.
Mittens (Make 2 alike)
Cast on 36 stitches. Distribute evenly across 3 dpns and join to work in the round, being careful not to twist stitches.
Work 22 rounds in eyelet rib pattern.
Next round: Work 16 sts in eyelet rib pattern, k4, work a further 16 sts in eyelet rib pattern as set.
Shape thumb gusset:
Work 16 sts in eyelet rib pattern, k2, pm, k2, work 16 sts in eyelet rib pattern as set.
Next round: Work 16 sts in patt, k2, sm, m1, sm, k2, work 16 sts in patt as set.
Work 2 rounds as set without increasing.
Increase round: Work 16 sts in patt, k2, sm, m1, k until next marker, m1, sm, k2, work 16 sts in patt as set. 3 sts between markers.
Work 2 rounds as set without increasing.
Repeat these last 3 rounds until there are 11 sts between markers. Work increase round once more (13 sts between markers).
Next round: Work in patt to first marker, remove marker, transfer next 13 sts onto scrap yarn, CO 1 st using backwards loop, remove second marker, work in patt to end.
Work 4 rounds in eyelet rib pattern for all sts.
Edging
Round 1: P all sts.
Round 2: *[ssk]x3, [k1, yo]x6, [ssk]x3, repeat from * to end.
Round 3: P all sts.
Rounds 4: K all sts.
Repeat rounds 1-4 once more. Cast off purl-wise and weave in ends.
Thumb
Remove scrap yarn and distribute live sts across 3 dpns. Knit 1 round, then pick up and knit one stitch over the gap where the inside of the thumb meets the hand. 14 sts on needles.
Knit 4 more rounds. Cast-off purl-wise. Weave in ends.
These mittens can be worn either side out, so be sure to weave ends in as neatly as you can.
I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I enjoyed designing it!
Peace,
Kat
Please note that some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means I will receive a commission if you click on the affiliate link and purchase the item.
Wiser Baby Sun Hat – Free Pattern
Wiser Baby Sun Hat
I’m really excited to share this pattern with you: The Wiser Baby Sun Hat, a hat to fit babies aged around 12 months. Isn’t it cute? It’s similar to the Wise Baby Sun Hat (a newborn-size hat) which I shared earlier, and like it, I designed it for my little girl, Peanut.
About The Pattern
This is a simple pattern, knitted flat and seamed, with a row of lazy daisies embroidered around the band (if you’re new to lazy daisies, here is a good tutorial). The hat is sweet and simple: my favourite kind of pattern. It’s knitted in a cotton yarn which is light for the summer but not so light that the sun will get through. I’m also including instructions for optional crochet ties. We need these for Peanut or else she’ll just pull off the hat and leave it who knows where.
Peanut is a big girl, with a big head. There was no getting around that: big heads run in both sides of her family. The Wise Baby Sun Hat only fit her for about two weeks. So as her first birthday approached, which was two more (non-handmade) hats later, I started to notice her hat looking way too small. The brim wasn’t extending far enough to cover her face. In Tasmania where we live, once the sun comes out, you want your kids to have good sun protection. Even though it’s colder than a lot of Australia, the ozone layer is thin and the sun is still hot in the summer.
So, for her first birthday, I made her this hat.
She opened her handmade present on November 14, her first birthday, at a small picnic in the park attended by us, her paternal grandparents, an aunt, an uncle, and a cousin, before we flew out of Tasmania for Adelaide to attend the wedding of a dear friend of mine.
Peanut got a second, much bigger birthday party, attended by many excited great aunts, extended family, and my godmother’s family and friends. Have I ever mentioned my mum is from the Philippines? This is how parties work when your mum is from the Philippines. It’s amazing that there was no karaoke.
As a wonderful coincidence, my husband’s parents were also in Adelaide at the same time as us, so Peanut got to have all four of her grandparents, much of my family, and my husband’s brother and his family there too! She was a spoiled girl, and my little sometimes-timid Peanut came home from Adelaide with much more confidence to navigate a crowd of admirers.
About the Yarn (+ substitute suggestion)
The yarn I selected is called Gelato, by Moda Vera. It’s the same yarn that is used in the Wise Baby Sun Hat, and I love it. Maybe it’s because eit’s cotton and it slips between your fingers so experty as you knit, like it knows what it’s doing. There’s something delicious about working with cotton. I don’t know, maybe it’s just me. Is it just me? Let me know in the comments if I’m weird.
This yarn is available from Spotlight stores in Australia, but I used Yarnsub to find a substitute which is available in more places. Bergere de France Coton Fifty looks like a great match, and has an average rating of 4.2 stars on Ravelry. Of course, check your gauge before you make this hat, whether or not you’re substituting yarn. Below are the closest matches I could find for colours in the Bergere de France yarn:
Red: Ecarlate
Purple: Raisin
The Pattern
Here is the pattern! I hope you enjoy it. If you make it, I would love for you to make a project for it on Ravelry so I can see photos and what you thought of it.
You can download the PDF here: Wiser Baby Sun Hat Pattern
Yarn: Moda Vera Gelato. One 50g ball each in Pink, Red, and Purple
Needles: 2.25mm straight needles
Crochet hook (optional, for ties): 3.50mm
Tension: 28 sts x 40 rows = 10cm2 in stocking stitch
To Fit: 12 months approx. (45-50cm head circumference)
Tip: When changing colours, leave a long tail and do not weave in ends as you go. When working the seam after the hat has been knitted, use these tails to switch to the matching yarn so the seam is less noticeable.
Using red, CO 256 sts. Work in garter stitch for 28 rows.
Next Row: [k2tog] to end. 128 sts. Change to purple.
Starting with a WS row, work in stocking stitch for 15 rows (end on WS row). Change to Pink.
Work a further 22 rows.
Decrease for crown
Row 1: [k6, k2tog] to end. 112 sts.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12: P all sts.
Row 3: [k5, k2tog] to end. 96 sts.
Row 5: [k4, k2tog] to end. 80 sts.
Row 7: [k3, k2tog] to end. 64 sts.
Row 9: [k2, k2tog] t end. 48 sts.
Row 11: [k1, k2tog] to end.32 sts.
Row 13: [k2tog to end]. 16 sts.
Row 14 (WS): [p2tog] to end. 8 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a long tail. Using a tapestry needle, pass tail through 8 remaining live stitches and pull tight. Using mattress stitch, work back seam (see tip at the start of the pattern).
Using pink, work lazy daisy stitch along purple band, beginning on the 6th row. Make each daisy 7 sts wide, and 8 rows high, leaving a space of 10 sts between each daisy (see chart in PDF linked above for guidance).
Crochet ties (optional – make 2)
Please note: The following instructions are written in US crochet instructions. A US single crochet is the same as a UK double crochet.
Using pink and a 3.50mm crochet hook, work a chain until it is 22cm long.
Rows 1 and 2: Work a single crochet into each stitch.
Fasten off. Attach each tie to the underside of the hat where yarn changes from red to purple, such that the ties hang behind the ears of the wearer. Weave in ends.
Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover – Free Pattern
I’ve got a new free pattern for all those cold medieval enthusiasts in your life: The Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover!
Please note this post was updated on January 13, 2018 – I have now added the missing chart! Aaa I can’t believe I forgot about that!
I made this hot water bottle cover on the requ
est of my slightly nerdy husband. He also looks a bit like a crusader (big beard, long hair, wears a cross), and everyone knows crusaders like to be toasty and warm at night. It uses a chunky yarn so it’s quick to knit and will insulate your hot water bottle for longer lasting warmth on those cold nights (we get a lot of those here in Tasmania).
As a side note, the Knights Hospitaller are an order of knights who used to own Malta and offered shelter to pilgrims and crusaders. Some of you might recognise the shape of the cross as being very similar to the St John Ambulance. That’s right, The Knights Hospitaller were the inspiration for the Order of St John in the nineteenth century who started St John Ambulance. I’m not part of St John Ambulance or anything, I just find that interesting.
About the Pattern
This cover is designed to fit a standard 2 litre hot water bottle.
This pattern uses intarsia colourwork techniques, so you might want to brush up on your intarsia if it’s been a while. At a basic level, in intarsia, each block of colour gets its own ball of yarn, and you don’t carry floats behind the work.
Yarn Used
The yarn I used, Moda Vera Biscay, is available at Spotlight stores in Australia. It is a bulky/12ply weight yarn in 70% acrylic and 30% alpaca. The wool-like halo makes my FO appear kind of old fashioned which fits with the theme. However, if you can’t find this exact yarn, I wouldn’t be shy about experimenting with other yarns of similar tension/gauge. I think this would be a fine pattern to use the inexpensive 100% acrylic yarns you can find everywhere.
The Pattern!
Here it is! You can download the PDF of the pattern here: Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover
Knights Hospitaller Hot Water Bottle Cover
Needles: 4mm straight needles
Yarn: Moda Vera Biscay. 1 x 50g ball each in grey, black, and white.
Tension: 20 sts x 25 rows = 10cm2
Notions: Stitch markers, scissors.
Pattern Instructions
Using grey, cast on 44 stitches.
Row 1 (RS): [k1, kfb] to end. 66 sts.
Row 2: P all sts.
Row 3: *k2, [k2, kfb] six times, k2. Repeat from * two more times. 84 sts.
Work rows 4-14 in stocking stitch, beginning with a P row.
Row 15: K29, pm, work row 1 of Knights Hospitaller Shield Chart, pm, K29.
Continue working in stocking stitch as set (working in grey either side of the markers and following the chart in between markers) until chart is completed, on row 58 (WS). Remove markers on the next row.
Using grey, work in stocking stitch for 12 rows.
Next row: [k2, k2tog] to end. 42 sts.
Next row: P all sts.
Next row: [k6, k2tog] seven times, k6, k3tog, k1. 36 sts.
Work in 1×1 rib for 25 rows.
Cast off using sewn cast off. With WS facing and using mattress stitch, sew back seam. Thurn piece RS out. Keeping the back seam lined up with the centre of the cross, sew bottom seam using a shoulder seam or whip stitch. Weave in ends.
Knights Hospitaller Shield Chart
If you like this pattern, take a look at some of my other free patterns like the Angelfish Beanie and the Wise Baby Sun Hat.
Peace,
Kat
Wise Baby Sun Hat Pattern – PS I had a baby!
Hi friends,
Sorry for the long long gap between posts, but I was busy having a baby. On November 14, 2016, at 9:16pm, I gave birth to a healthy 4.09kg (9lb) baby girl. Let’s call her Peanut. That’s not her name, but let’s call her that. She is now 7 months old, beautiful, chubby, tall, and a delightful handful. When she was five weeks old she was baptised and wore the gown (link) I made her, which thankfully fit, because my goodness that baby grew quickly. I haven’t had a heap of time for knitting or blogging, but I’m hoping to get back into it, and what better way for a new mum to do that than post a new pattern for a baby hat!
When Peanut was born, we had plenty of beanies that fit her, but no sun hats, and when she was born, summer was just around the corner. So, I designed and made one for her. Before the pattern, a couple of notes:
- The hat in the photos is the one I made for my daughter. When I had finished it, I decided it was a little too shallow, so in the pattern I added a few extra stocking stitch rows above the butterfly stitch, so when you knit it, it will be a bit deeper in the head than the image.
Without further ado, here it is. I hope you enjoy the Wise Baby Sun Hat!
Wise Baby Sun Hat
Download the PDF here: Wise Baby Sun Hat
Yarn: Moda Vera Gelato (or any 4ply smooth cotton yarn), held double (MC=pink, CC=red)
Needles: Size 10 (3.25mm) straight needles.
Tension: 10cm = 18 stitches x 28 rows in stocking stitch.
To fit: 0-3mo approx.
This hat is worked flat and bottom up.
Glossary of Terms
k: knit
P: purl
St/sts: stitch/stitches
K2tog: knit 2 stitches together
Wyif: with yarn in front
Wyib: with yarn in back
Yif: yarn in front
Yib: yarn in back
Make butterfly: With right hand needle, pick up the five floats by inserting the needle under the floats from the bottom up, then knit the next stitch on the left hand needle.
Brim
Using MC, cast on 128sts. Work in garter stitch for 15 rows.
Next row (WS): [K2tog] to end. 64 sts.
Start of band
Work 4 rows in stocking stitch, starting with a P row.
Butterfly stitch panel
Change to CC.
Rows 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 (WS): P all sts.
Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10: [k1, yip, s5, yib, k2] to last st, k1.
Row 12: [k4, make butterfly, k4] to last st, k1.
End of band
Change to MC. Work 8 rows in stocking stitch.
Decrease for crown
Row 1: [K6, k2tog] to end. 56 sts
Row 2 and all even-numbered rows: P all sts.
Row 3: [K5, k2tog] to end. 48 sts.
Row 5: [K4, K2tog] to end. 40 sts.
Row 7: [K3, K2tog] to end. 32 sts.
Row 9: [K2, k2tog] to end. 24 sts.
Row 11: [K1, K2tog] to end 16 sts.
Row 13: [K2tog} to end. 8 sts.
Cut yarn, leaving a 60cm tail. Thread yarn through the 8 remaining live stitches. Pull tightly. Sew up seam and weave in ends. Block or steam.
Lily Ear Flap Hat
Lily Ear Flap Hat
