Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

KnitBits: New Pattern Collections, Geeky Crochet and More

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stranded knitting magazine and more knitting newsIf you’re looking for something new to knit this weekend, you’re in luck. Knitting Daily has a new free collection of five chunky knitting patterns (must be registered to download, which is free), while Yarnspirations has issued a lookbook full of free (knit and crochet) patterns that are perfect for charity knitting or other gift giving. There are little hats, baby blankets, regular-sized blankets and some hat and mitten sets in this sweet collection.

Stranded magazine is a new digital knitting magazine that has just released its first issue. The magazine includes six patterns, as well as tips on choosing the right size in a knitting pattern. It costs $16 and is available from their website or on Raverly.

And if you’re looking for something special to stitch for a mom in your life (I’ll have more on that soon), check out these project ideas from Red Heart. I love the Laid Back Shawl.

The Classic Silk Faux Cardigan (it’s actually a pullover because it doesn’t have buttons) from Classic Elite Yarns is a great choice for spring knitting, too.

I can’t resist this article about mathematical crochet, because it’s just really cool to me that things that can’t be visualized otherwise can be expressed in yarn. (It works in knitting, too.)

And finally, Vickie Howell, who is everywhere and doing all the things, just launched a knitting and fiber-related podcast this week. Called Crafti-sh, three episodes have been released for the launch, including talks with knitter and novelist Rachael Herron, Knitter’s Review owner and author of the recent book (and New York Times bestseller!) Knitlandia, Clara Parkes, and Stephen Frasier of Spoonflower. So fun.

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

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.

Have you read?

Patchwork Blanket Knitting Patterns

Any time of year is a good time for stash busting, but if you can combine it with knitting a blanket that will keep you warm when it (finally!) gets cooler that’s even better. Let’s take a look at some fun patchwork blanket knitting patterns. 

If you want to keep it super simple, you can just make blocks of garter stitch and sew them together, like the beginner’s patchwork baby blanket from Mini Baa Baa or the color block blanket from Make and Do Crew. Both projects are worked in strips and sew together, with the baby version calling for two strands of DK or light worsted weight yarn held together and the larger one using bulky yarn. 

Add a little more texture with the mixed blocks of the cottage quilt throw from Mama in a Stitch. This one combines garter stitch and seed stitch and uses worsted weight yarn. She used a crochet join to make the chains on top of the blocks, but you can join them however you like. It calls for eight colors but you can use what you have, and there are three size options. 

Get a real sampler style patchwork blanket with this design from Knit Sew Make. It calls for worsted weight yarn and has four size options. All of the patterns just use knit and purl stitches so this one is still pretty easy for beginners. 

If you want a more complex colorwork project that will keep you entertained all season, try the Peace by Piece blanket pattern from Needle and Feather. This one is made up of two color colorwork blocks and calls for worsted weight yarn. You can choose to use just a few of the blocks and repeat them more often, or make multiples of the whole set. 

The knitted patchwork recipe from Martine Ellis (free on Ravelry) uses mitered squares in fingering weight yarn, so it’s perfect for using up all your leftover sock yarn and mini skeins. This one is a tutorial more than a pattern so you can make your blanket as big as you like or keep going until you run out of yarn. 

Susan B. Anderson’s 100 Squares blanket (find it on Ravelry) has a lot of mitered squares, too, but they’re arranged in fun ways and includes some quilt inspired designs as well. This one also is a bit of method more than pattern but it sure looks like a lot of fun for using all the leftovers. 

Of course you can totally improvise a patchwork blanket using the yarn and stitches you like, but I hope these patterns inspire you to look at your leftover yarn in a new way.