I don’t know about you but I’ve been seeing checkers everywhere this season! On shirts, shoes, hats, rugs, bags and of course, blankets!! I wanted to put my own spin on the trend and came up with The Check You Later Throw!
After testing out different ways to make a checkered design I finally settled on working it up in strips. I know doing separate squares is more time consuming and can be intimidating so I got rid of that idea. I swatched a bit with C2C but ultimately decided that there would be too many skeins of yarn going at once for the amount of squares I wanted. I also thought about working in rows but that would still require too many balls of yarn at once for me. I wanted something a bit easier for a beginner to do! After I did a test working it from the bottom up in separate strips I knew I found the winner!!
There are 2 separate strip patterns, Panel A and Panel B. You will be making 5 Panel A and 4 of Panel B. They are made from the bottom up. You will have to cut and join yarn each time you change colors for the squares but don’t worry! Tie the tails together in a secure knot. Then, you can crochet over the tails for less ends to weave. I only did this when changing from color B to Color A. I would work my Dc stitches over half the tail. Then after I was done I weaved them back the other way to make it extra secure. I did not crochet over the tails when making the Color B square. I found that because of the stitch I used it didn’t hide the tails well enough and you could see it peaking through. I save those to weave in at the end.
When I made my strips, I kept my colors in order as they came. I did not do any special cutting and rearranging of yarn colors. I worked my panels from let to right starting with the first Panel A and picked up each skein where I left off in the previous square. That does not mean you have to do the same though! You can join in your colors from the Mandala however you would like.
The girls have been begging for me to crochet them something with lots of bright, rainbow colors. Of course i’m going to oblige! I already knew a matching headband and fingerless mitt set would be super cute but I still had to hunt down the perfect yarn!
I decided to go to JOANN and check out the yarn because I knew it was currently the Yarnormous sale! Unless you are brand new to the yarn life, than you already know the Yarnormous sale that happens every year is THE best time to stock up on yarn!
I found a really pretty Mandala Sparkle yarn by Lion Brand and knew it would be perfect for this project! The color I picked was Serpents but they had a ton of different color combos to chose from. I absolutely had to get this color because it reminded me of Lisa Frank! Don’t you agree? I had so many Lisa Frank folders, stickers and pencils back in the day with fun crazy colors like this! I had to go with the name Frankie for this design! Haha
The best part about this project is using up the different colors in the cakes however you want. You can cut and join to arrange colors to your liking! I ended up with a purple and pink headband with matching green and blue mitts! I added some trim on to both the mitts and headband to give it even more color.
Make sure you head to YouTube for the full video tutorials! I have one available for the headband and one available for the fingerless mitts if you need some extra help!
You might recognize this stitch as the same one I used in The Kiah Cardigan and The Winter Moonlight Set! If you want adult size mittens, beanie and cardigan then be sure to check them out!
What’s better to kick off the new year than a brand new crochet cardigan?! The Kiah Cardigan is definitely in the top 5 of my favorite patterns. I hope you guys love it just as much as I do!
I used Heartland yarn for The Kiah cardigan. I love this yarn so much I try to design at least one awesome cardigan with it each year! This time I’m using the color Wolf Trap. I actually ordered this yarn a while back to make something completely different with it. When it came in the mail it had a pinker hue than what I was expecting and it didn’t go with the other colors on my project. It was absolutely beautiful though, so I shelved it for a later date. I’m so glad I kept it because I think it’s perfect for this design.
The Kiah Cardigan is worked from the bottom up in separate panels. You can easily make your cardigan longer or shorter by adding or removing as many rows as you want on the back and front panels. I think a cropped version would be super cute too! You might recognize the stitch used as the same one in my Winter Moonlight Set! I fell in love with the texture of it and knew that I had to make a cardigan!
I have a full video tutorial available if you are a beginner and need a little extra help! Be sure to check it out and subscribe so I can bring you guys more free tutorials and content!
I have to crochet a beanie and mitt/scarf set at least once a year. Making these cute little sets is definitely one of my favorite things to crochet! This year I decided to go with something solid and neutral colored. The Winter Moonlight Set has to be my new fave so far!
I new exactly what stitch I wanted to use for this set from the get go. I’ve only ever worked this stitch in rows so it was fun to design with it in the round and a bit of a challenge to figure out how I wanted to decrease it since technically there is no easy way to do that with this stitch repeat. I think it worked out beautifully though and I’m happy with the result. Both the mittens and the beanie are worked from the bottom up. You will begin with the ribbing before moving onto the main body of the pattern. Once you get past the ribbing you will be working the rounds in turned rounds. SO join with a Sl St, Ch 1 and don’t forget to TURN! Very important to the integrity of the stitch!
I used Lion Brand Color Theory yarn. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should! Lots of pretty colors and the texture is nice and soft. I used the color Moonbeam for mine but there are a bunch to chose from! You can check them out here. The Winter Moonlight Set is available as a kit with Lion Brand as well. You get all the yarn you need plus a free copy of the PDF digital download. Be sure to grab one for the best deal!
Which do you prefer… Teatime? Or Ski Time? The Ski Time Pullover is the sister design to The Teatime Cardigan! I decided to go with my same stitch pattern but wanted to make this one a solid color for a more subtle look! But…I do reallllly want to see someone make this one with different color stripes! I think it would be so cute!!
I used Heartland yarn for this design which is one of my favorite soft and cozy yarns. It’s the same yarn I used for The Stony Shore Cardigan and The Pemberly Pullover! Be sure to check them out if you want more heartland design! There are a ton of colors in Heartland to chose from and it’s really easy to work with. No snagging or catching on your hook and the sheen is beautiful! If you want a free copy of this PDF pattern and want to use Heartland yarn, then be sure to purchase my kit for the best deal!
The Ski Time Pullover is worked from the bottom up in separate panels. You can easily add more rows if you want a longer sweater! Just add as many rows as you want before the neckline shaping on the front panel, then add the same amount to the back! It’s also written with several inches of positive ease, so no need to size up. I’m wearing a size small in the photos!
I might have a little obsession with hoodies. Especially cozy ones. And this one might be the coziest one yet. Meet The Hawthorn Hoodie!
This Hoodie uses a super soft yarn from Lion Brand called Let’s Get Cozy: Chenille Appeal! I loved working with this yarn and think the finished texture of The Hawthorn Hoodie is amazing! There are lots of pretty colors to pick from as well.
If you want your hoodie to be longer or shorter, you can easily add or remove rows on the front panel before shaping the neckline. Just make sure you add or remove the same amount of rows to the back panel as well. Don’t forget this will alter the amount of yarn required. You can also leave the pocket off the front as well although I think it ties this design together perfectly! My favorite part of The Hawthorn Hoodie is the oversized cozy hood.
You’ll be using Hdc stitch for most of this design so the panels work up quickly! This yarn has a fluffy texture but overall I found it easy to work with! I have 2 other hoodie patterns available that you might enjoy if you like this one. The Happy At Home Hoodie and The Bonfire Beach Hoodie. Be sure to check those out as well!
As many of you know I’m a part of the crochet along group- Stitch Together Official! This year we are doing one giant Stitch-A-Thon and making a blanket together! Stitch-A-Thon 2022! It’s been such a blast making and seeing all of the designers squares so far!
Let me explain a bit, all 7 of us Stitch Together designers are each designing and releasing 2 squares this year. Each time we release a square you need to make 4 of them. Each square will be available on the individual designers blog. At the end of the year you will have 56 squares, enough squares to make 1 giant blanket! You can find even more info and a full schedule with links to all the squares over at stitchtogetherofficial.com
Be sure to join us on our facebook group so you can follow along with us, work on your squares, and share photos! It’s so fun to do it as a group and see everyones colors and work! If you’d like you can find a PDF version of the Stitch-A-Thon that will be updated with each new square from the WeCrochet website. All team members are using WeCrochet worsted weight yarns for their blankets. They have so many beautiful yarns and colors to choose from. There’s something for everyone!
It’s Teatime! So obviously that means you need The Teatime Cardigan crochet pattern! This cardigan pattern gives all the cozy vibes. The Teatime cardigan features fun stripes using a unique blend of stitches, giving it a collegiate look. It has a slightly oversized fit with balloon style sleeves. There are so many color options to fit your style!
The construction of this cardigan is pretty beginner friendly. I do use a few different stitches for the stripes that you may have not used before but don’t be afraid! I have a full video tutorial on how to do these stitches if you need a little bit of extra help. They really are very simple to do once you get them down. The same stitch repeat is used on all of the panels.
One of the fun things about this cardigan is picking out the color combo that you want! There are so many options to do and I can’t wait to see what everyone picks! I used Color Theory yarn for my cardigan and I do have a kit available! You can customize the yarn colors if you purchase the kit. I have a couple of tips when working with stripes. When you change colors at the end of each row, you can crochet the next row directly over the tails of yarn for less ends to weave in! You can also crochet your trim directly over the tails of yarn. I like to tie my tails in a knot first before doing so.
Another great thing about The Teatime cardigan is the length is easy to adjust! You can simply add more rows to both the back and front panels if you want your cardigan longer. If you want it cropped, just remove rows. Do the same amount of rows to all 3 panels before fastening off.
I know I’m not the only mushroom fan around here. If you’ve been to literally any store in the past year I’m sure you’ve seen cute little mushrooms on mugs, wall decor, pillows… I could go on and on! Who doesn’t love a cute whimsical mushroom?! The Mushroom Medley Throw is perfect to add to your mushroom collection or give to a mushroom fan! (how many times can I say mushroom haha)
If you guys have been following me for a while you know that I am a C2C crochet fan. I like to make at least 2 c2c crochet blankets every year. The Mushroom Medley Throw is my third this year! I designed The Daisy Day, The Squeeze The Day and now The Mushroom Medley! Be sure to check out all my other c2c patterns if you’re a fan too!
If you are new to C2C I recommend practicing with a smaller swatch before beginning a blanket! Once you understand how to make the basic squares it really is easy! You just repeat squares to grow your blanket, and decrease when you reach the corners!
Have you tried out the new For The Home Cording by Lion Brand? I saw it and immediately knew I had to create some sort of bag with it. The Betty Backpack was the perfect outcome!
The Betty Backpack is worked flat and all in one piece! If you’ve made my Aspen Loop Bag, then you will be familiar with this construction. Once you get the main body of the backpack done, you fold it together and join on both sides. After that, you will add the upper trim in the round (don’t forget to join and turn!) and add the flap! Finally, the straps, drawstring and handle are added last.
The stitches used in this backpack are so simple but they create such a beautiful texture! You will use a combination of Hdc stitches throughout and alternating Tr/Sc stitches! Doesn’t it look like tiny puffs or bobbles? Well they aren’t! It’s just the Tr St being pushed to the front of your work! So simple and so cute.
I highly recommend using the yarn I used for this pattern or something similar. This is a cording yarn so it is very sturdy and has no stretch. It might feel a little strange and stiff to work with at first but I promise it’s worth it! If you don’t want to use a cording yarn then make sure you get a sturdy cotton or something with no stretch. The cording helps keep the shape of the backpack and is more secure for heavier weight.
