Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Download Yarnspirations Patterns to Help Charity

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This summer, Yarnspirations is working to support Dress for Success, a charitable organization that provides women with support and professional clothing to help them achieve economic independence.

From now through July 23, 2023, if you download a selection of free patterns from the Yarnspirations website, they will donate to Dress for Success ($1 for every 20 patterns donated, up to $20,000 Canadian).

You can find the knitting patterns here (there’s a filter so you can choose to see just knitting patterns, just crochet patterns or both). In all there are 47 free knitting patterns that are eligible to count for this program, mostly for blankets and hats. There are also 75 crochet patterns, if you also do crochet or are ready to learn.

A few of my favorites from the free knitting patterns include:

  • Knit Foxy Toy: worked in one piece, this sweet little fox features a little cabled sweater that’s part of its body
  • On the Go Knit Shawl: uses a multicolored yarn and a mesh like stitch for a design that looks complicated but isn’t really that hard
  • Lumberjack Blanket: worked in mitered squares of different colors and patterns for a buffalo plaid look made easy
  • Turning Points Knit Blanket: I guess I’m attracted to mitered squares today, because this blanket with half squares of different colors is also made with mitered squares but has a totally different look

If you’re into crochet, I’m a little obsessed with waffle stitch right now, so you know I had to download the crochet Waffle Stitch Hat. It’s so cute, and can be worked in color blocks, stripes or a solid color.

I hope you’ll check these patterns out, download a bunch and come back and let us know which ones you’re itching to stitch! Thanks to Yarnspirations for supporting the community and spreading the word about Dress for Success.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

 

Have you read?

Go Back to the ’90s with this Set of Knitting Patterns

If you want to feel personally attacked by a collection of knitting and crochet patterns as I was, check out the “90s Mod Inspired” pattern lookbook from Yarnspirations. 

It’s actually a great collection of patterns for folks who want to stitch up that Y2K look again (or for the first time). There’s an oversized, striped grandpa cardigan! A (crocheted) plaid messenger bag! A boxy argyle vest, and a rolled hem sweater the likes of which I bought in a store in the ’90s and knit a replica of later. 

There’s also a section of “Prep School” patterns (think “Clueless,” they’re even called things like “As if” and “Betty”) including a granny square tie and crocheted wrap skirt, and a knit cabled pullover, beret and cardigan with blocky stripes. Other sections include casual collegiate, punk and mod, and academia. 

Some of the patterns repeat among the sections but there’s a nice selection for people who want a little throwback for their back to school and fall wardrobes. 

Since I had this sweater, we’ll take a closer look at the Caron Cropped Stripy Sweater. The one I knit from a pattern of my own devising in the mid ’00s was tonal blues, but this one calls for two colorways of Colorama Haze, a fuzzy self-striping worsted weight yarn. 

The pattern comes in six sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 39 to 60 inches (that’s 99 to 152.5 cm). Clearly that’s a lot of ease at the lower sizes, since the smallest size is meant to fit an actual chest measurement from 28-34 inches, or 71-86.5 cm. 

The sweater is a modified drop shoulder worked flat in pieces and seamed. That means the stripes probably won’t match around the body but it’s still a classic look. This one does have ribbing at the neckline, where the original sweater I owned and my re-creation had rolled hems throughout, but you can do it either way depending on your preference. 

Do any of these projects remind you of clothes you might have worn or knit in the past? I’d love to hear about it!