Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Get Inspired by Amazing Colorwork Creations

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colorwork creations

Dot is the winner.

This week I want to get you excited about color knitting. The giveaway this week is Colorwork Creations: Knit Woodland Inspired Hats, Mittens and Gloves.

True to the title, this book includes more than two-dozen patterns (check them out on Ravelry) for warm accessories featuring birds, butterflies, flowers, reindeer and more. The patterns are worked from basic patterns with the colorwork charts of your choice subbed in.

From the book cover:

The gorgeous and cozy projects in Colorwork Creations simply beg to be knit. Choose from more than 30 hats, mittens and gloves that pair traditional Sanquhar knitting motifs with birds and beast of the woodlands. Small enough for a quick-knitted gift, but precious enough to cherish forever, these pieces will delight and inspire for years to come.

If you’d like a chance at this fun book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, July 2. I’m a little in denial that it’s almost July! Eek! Tell me your favorite thing you’ve knit this year. Mine is finally finishing a couple of sweaters that have been on the needles for a long time.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

 

Comments

  1. I haven’t actually finished anything this year yet. I have several baby blankets in the works, the primary one being a cross-stitch blanket I’m doing for my 2nd due at the end of July that I’ve been trying to push to finish. Then I have a backlog of knit baby blankets for close friends and family.

  2. My favorite knitting project this year are wool fair isle mittens. Would love this book for inspiration .

  3. I love that bird on the book cover! My favorite project this year is a simple colorwork hat which I used to learn invisible stranding. I am a convert; invisible stranding is fiddly, but totally worth it.

  5. Looks like a great book! My sister was here this past weekend and specifically requested something in color work. Thanks for the opportunity!

  6. Yeah. I seem to be having some difficulty getting protects off the needles myself. Luckily the one I did finish was a layette for a bestie’s new baby before she outgrew it.

  8. A lovely chunky cabled hotwater bottle cover ready for the winter in my cold stone cottage!

  9. Every item is my favorite until I move
    on to the next project. I’m currently
    knitting a lace shawl. My favorite 🙂

  10. I’ve made a few shawls that I’m really proud of this year. This book looks amazing. Thanks for this great giveaway!

  11. I love this picturess type knitting! I finished a pair of fingerless gloves & had a enough yarn left over to make a headband ear warmer.

  14. I am so excited to try fair isle knitting. I don’t know which project was my favorite, maybe my grandaughter’s poncho. Always on to the next project.

  16. I’m usually a sweater or blanket knitter, working on one big project at a time. This year has been mostly about quick knits to use up a bit of yarn in a hurry, and I can’t say I have a real favorite of the items I’ve made. I guess the stashbusting itself is the project I like best, and it’s working so I’ll keep going with it for a while.

  17. My daughter an I Love the woodland theme I would have a hard time choosing which one to knit.

Have you read?

Totoro Knitting Patterns

We’re a big Studio Ghibli household, and while they are sometimes very protective of their copyrights (as evidenced by the number of patterns on Ravelry that were removed from the service when it received a takedown notice back in 2021), there are still a fair number of Totoro knitting patterns (as well as other designs I’m sure we’ll get to someday). Let’s check them out!

Yaya Labs has a cute plush Totoro that looks like it might stand up on its own. The pattern is available on LoveCrafts, and it calls for DK or light worsted weight yarn in four colors. The pattern is considered advanced but it does include a photo tutorial. It stands 10.6 inches or 27 cm tall.

A similar pattern can be found a Shino Craft, which doesn’t have the leaf hat but does include little hands, and the legs aren’t as separate from the body. This one calls for sport weight yarn and is knit flat on two needles. 

All Made Here has a Totoro pouch that is super cute and looks pretty easy to knit. It measures 14 by 18 cm and is rated for advanced beginners. You can get the pattern when you subscribe to updates or follow the designer on Instagram. 

Stitch Totoro on a sweater with the Totorogenseren sweater from Anna-Sofia Vintersol. This free download on Ravelry uses worsted/aran weight yarn in two or three colors. The pattern comes in nine sizes, with a chest measurement ranging from 77 to 149 cm. 

The Forest Spirit Fair Isle Jumper from Kraft with Kindrex features a row of Totoros on the circular yoke, along with other little colorwork designs. The design includes three sizes, with chest measurements ranging from 91 to 101 cm. It calls for 4 ply (that’s fingering/sock weight in other parts of the world). 

Or you can stitch Totoro as part of a project with more Ghibli characters, as on the Magical Anime Knit Sweater (a longtime bucket list item for me) from The Bearded Sewist. This on has a circular yoke and rows of different characters including Totoro, Ponyo, soot sprites, Calcifer and more. The pattern comes in four sizes and is rated intermediate/advanced. It calls for DK weight yarn and you can grab a copy on Ravelry. 

Or try Katharina Kuntz’s Anime Scarf, also on Ravelry. This one is a double knit scarf worked in fingering weight yarn in two colors, with allover designs from Studio Ghibli movies. She started by knitting the movies in chronological order but gave that up after she realized all her favorites would be in the middle and therefore not visible when worn. You can probably rearrange the motifs further somewhat if you want to showcase your favorites.