Free Easy Crochet Patterns

Hey Everyone!
 I know I've posted links to free easy crochet patterns in the past, but while I was browsing through ravelry today, I found so many more that I wanted to share! My view of "easy" could be distorted due to the fact I've been crocheting for 14 years now (I feel old!), but I'm quite certain that these are good projects for those who have learned a few basic steps to crocheting.

Simple Crochet Shrug

Floral Cloche

Crochet Necklace

Crocus Scarf

Sunspree One Skein Shawl

Taffy Pull Scarf

Crocheted Mesh Scarf

Perfect Purse

I always wish I had time to make other people's patterns...but I'm too busy trying to get all of my design ideas out of my head and crocheted up! If you do make any of these, let me know! I'd love to see pictures!

Enjoy your free easy crochet patterns!
Chelsea

Free Crochet Basket Patterns

Today, I'm bringing you free crochet basket patterns! I stumbled across these highly detailed instructions for this crochet stash basket from Purl Soho. Here, I'm getting ready to put a loft bed in my extremely small bedroom. I'm so excited to have the extra floor space! The first thing that will happen after the bed is up will be the addition of my "office." Making a few of these baskets might be just the right thing to help organize my stash!

Crocheted Stash Basket

Happy Crocheting!

Just in time for Fall!

Hey Everyone!

For a limited time, Interweave is offering my Orchard Mitt pattern on sale for $3.85!

I originally designed this pattern around Christmas 2008. My mom purchased me some beautiful hand painted yarn and requested that I designed her a pair of fingerless mittens! I had been playing with this stitch pattern for quite some time and thought that it would be absolutely perfect combined with the beautiful coloring of the yarn. 

Now you too can give these mitts for Christmas! Easily made in one evening, the mitts are quite easy on your budget as well, using one skein (or less!) of yarn. 

Happy Crocheting!

Chelsea

Dyeing Silk Hankies

Today I'm having a blast dyeing the silk hankies I bought over the weekend at The Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival! I've spent a lot of time looking for instructions on how to dye silk hankies, with nothing to be found. I thought I'd share how I made mine, to possibly aid those who were in my shoes.

Silk Hankies, in their natural state

Next, I put a few tablespoons of vinegar into hot water. I immersed the hankies into the water/vinegar solution and let them sit for 30 minutes.

While the hankies are soaking, I heated up water in my kettle til it was at a boil. I also mixed my 3 dyes in pint size mason jars. My formulation for deep, rich colors was: 1/4 t. acid dye (I used jacquard and G&K washfast dyes), 1 T. vinegar, and 1/2 c. water. My colors were Jacquard Violet, G&K Turkey Red, and G&K Leaf Green

From here out, I forgot to take pictures as I went, sorry! Right before you take your silk out of the soak water, lay out some plastic wrap, enough to have a few inches left around the width of your hankies. Take your hankies out of the water, wring them out so they are still damp, but not sopping wet. Lay them out on your plastic wrap.

Next comes the fun part! With a Tablespoon, spoon the dye onto your hankie in whatever fashion you like. I used my 3 colors and put them in their own distinct areas, and blended them slightly where they met so as not to have any white area (except in the middle, I left a little bit of white in the middle intentionally).

After you have put the dyes on the silk, add a layer of plastic wrap over the silk, and overlapping with the under layer of wrap. Fold the hankies in 3rds lengthwise, and then roll it up like a tortilla.

Take your roll, and gently submerge it into your hot water bath. Keep the water hot enough that it's steaming. Keep the silk roll in the hot water bath for about 20 minutes.

When 20 minutes is up, you can take your silk roll out and put it into cool water. I suppose you should be patient and let it sit and cool, but I was impatient to see if it actually worked! I unwrapped the hankies out of the plastic wrap and rinsed it in cool water - the dye had taken to the silk and I had clear rinse water. I then wrung it out again and hung it on a hanger to dry.

Ta-Da! Here are my hankies, all ready to spin! I'm looking forward to working on turning them into yarn tonight while I watch Project Runway!

Happy Dyeing!!

p.s. I did this today, I'll do it again in a few days and I'll post pictures for the entire process :)

Make it With Wool!

Hey there friends!! It's been a busy last few months, I've been working nearly full time, took a 2 week vacation, and was busily preparing for my annual trip to the Wisconsin Make it With Wool Contest! 

This year, my outfit consisted of a wool knit sweater--my first knit project ever--and a sewn plaid dress. I completed the look with a skinny brown belt, opaque brown tights and ankle booties. As first place winner in the Senior (ages 17-24) category, I get an all expenses paid trip to Scottsdale, AZ in January of 2012!

Wisconsin MIWW winners, 2012. Adult, Pre-Teen, Senior, and Junior.

Since I was at the wool contest this weekend, I had time to check out the 2 vendor barns that are always filled with so many incredible goodies. There was so much yarn! Hand painted, kettle dyed, naked (un-dyed, natural stuff), hand spun, machine spun, small farmed local stuff, and large company produced yarn. My mom and I found this awesome little booth that was FILLED with beautiful yarns that were priced incredibly well! I got over 2200 yards of beautiful naked fingering weight superwash wool, 1200 yards of the softest alpaca, 3 ounces of silk hankies (I'm posting on this separately. Silk hankies are AMAZING!), and a few ounces of soy silk roving! I'm so excited to get down to business with my new materials!