Ready for Spring? Here’s the Knit for You

This week is unseasonably warm where I live, so it’s been hard to sit at the computer and share the knitting goodness with you!

But I do have a pattern to share if you’re felling the need for something springy, even if it’s not feeling springlike where you live just yet.

It’s the Kudzu Shawl from Rachel Henry for Classic Elite Yarns. This beauty is worked in a new yarn, Cerro, which is a combo of cotton yarn and alpaca for just a little warmth on those cool spring evenings.

The shawl is started with cables that turn into lacy leaves, and this is one that’s been around for a while so you can see lots of beautiful variations on Ravelry.

Are you knitting for spring yet? I’d love to know what’s on your needles!

[Photo via Classic Elite Yarns.]

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I don’t know if you all know this about me, but I’m a huge fan of the Studio Ghibli movies and the books that inspired them. Calcifer, if you don’t already know, is an important character in the book and the movie Howl’s Moving Castle, which is one of my daughter’s favorites (though she did like the book better thanks to some changes that were made for the movie).

Whether you’ve got a Ghibli (or Diana Wynne Jones) fan in your house or you just want to knit a roaring fire to sit in your fireplace in the off season, the Calcifer Knitted Plushie from Kamila Hernandez Firl is here for you.

This irresistible pattern is super cute even if you aren’t familiar with the story (which I won’t spoil for you, but you should check it out!).

The pattern calls for DK weight yarn in eight different colors, for of which make the colors of the flame, two browns for the log and black and white for details. You’ll also need some black embroidery thread for finishing the details on the face. The project is worked in the round, with the flame and the log worked separately, stuffed and sewn together. The general instructions for the pattern are written, but the color changes (and some shaping on the flames) are shown in chart form, so you should have some familiarity with reading and following charts before you start this one.

It’s well worth learning how to do it if you know someone who loves Calcifer, or even just to make a pretend play “campfire” for your kiddos who aren’t old enough to know who Calcifer is yet. They’ll thank you later.

This pattern is free to download on Ravelry, so go check it out and get ready to stitch up some firey fun.

[Photo: Kamila Hernandez Firl]

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