Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Fall ’14 Twist Collective is Out

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twist collective fall 14The newest issue of Twist Collective has been released, and it’s full of great projects for fall. There’s a lot of heavy cabling, stranded colorwork, textured stitches and other details that make for fun, warm and striking knitting.

In addition to the patterns there are articles about charity knitting, yarn composition and lace knitting, raising mohair goats, substituting yarn smartly and working stranded colorwork like a pro.

There are lots of patterns to love but some of my favorites include Sandi Rosner’s fun zig-zaggy Hullaballo socks; the pretty hat, cowl and mitten set Kokliko by Barbara Gregory, festooned with bright colorwork flowers; Alison Green’s trim Smarty cardigan, which features cool colorwork diamonds and twists on the surface; the cowl neck vest Ashling by Rusty Baker, with a funky woven and holey look; Marnie MacLean’s Heyday, a bottom up raglan with complex little details at the edges; the pretty beaded wingspan shawl Hausti by Susanna IC; Kate Gilbert’s Paria, a simple looking sweater with shaping provided by panels of twisted rib; and of course the cover sweater Greenery by Hélène Rush with its pretty leaf details.

Patterns from Twist Collective are sold individually as PDFs and run between $6 and $7 each.

See anything you like? I’d love to hear about it.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Looking for Fall patterns to Knit? Check out these Fall knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

 

[Photo via Twist Collective.]

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Free Knitted Crown Pattern for Kids and Adults: A Sweet Handmade Dress-Up Idea

There’s something wonderfully charming about a knitted crown. It’s playful, useful for the dress-up basket, and just the sort of small project that gives a leftover ball of yarn a proper purpose. Much better than letting it roll around the cupboard for another three years.

This free knitted crown pattern for kids and adults combines a simple garter-stitch band with shaped triangular points. The mustard-gold colour gives it that storybook crown look, although pink, purple or woodland green would be equally lovely.

A Manageable Next Step for Beginner Knitters

The construction is the appealing part of this design. Everything is knitted flat, so you won’t need double-pointed needles or experience joining stitches in the round.

You knit the band first, then work each crown point separately over a group of 12 stitches. Paired decreases gradually narrow each triangle, giving you a small, repeatable section to concentrate on.

I’d describe this as a confident beginner knitting project. You’ll need to know how to knit, work two types of decreases, hold unused stitches and sew a simple seam. There are several yarn tails to weave in, so a little patience with finishing will help.

Three Sizes With Room to Personalise

The pattern includes three sizes, with seven, eight or nine crown points. Choose by the wearer’s head measurement rather than age, and check your gauge carefully. Yarn stretch will make a noticeable difference to the fit.

For birthdays, an embroidered initial would be a sweet finishing touch. Contrasting yarn diamonds could suggest little jewels without adding hard embellishments.

What to Know Before Casting On

This is a soft knitted crown, so expect gentle points rather than a rigid costume accessory. A springy wool or wool-blend yarn should give the shaping more support than a very drapey yarn.

The stitch calculations have been checked, but the design has not yet been sample-knitted. The accompanying image is an illustrative mockup, so the finished texture and proportions may vary with your yarn and tension.

For a small handmade birthday accessory or a cheerful addition to the dress-up box, this is an appealing idea. And if an adult needs a matching crown for supervising the royal household, the larger size has that covered too.