Free knitting and crochet patterns

Daisy Blanket

I really wanted to make my crochet and knitting patterns available at low prices for people, but now I see why the pattern prices start so high. 

It costs 20c per listing plus 3.5% of total sale to list an item on Etsy. It also costs 30c per transaction and 2.9% of the transaction amount if your customer pays by PayPal. There is also a similar fee if the customer pays directly. So before you even start you need to charge at least 55c and that will only pay the fees. I was hoping to list all my patterns for less than $1 and had listed some at first for less than I was paying in fees and share the love - and my time and effort - without much cost and definitely without fattening the profits Etsy and Paypal unnecessarily. 

So here are some of the patterns that everyone can have, without fattening the wallets of anyone. Just right lick on the image and "Save As"

Enjoy and keep an eye out for more

Ruffled Baby Blanket

Cable Knit Vest

Irish Lace Afghan

Crochet Christmas Gifts for Everyone!!

I want to make a slouchy hat for my brother in law for Christmas - yes all my extended family are getting crocheted goods this year... - and this one seems quite simple, if I'm going to make a beanie for a guy I think it should be simple. I don't think he needs the diamond brooch

"Made on Main: Spin-A-Yarn | Crochet Beanie Tutorial"

I'm thinking of making string baskets for others... 

A string basket in the making, I'm keeping this one for my yarn!

I've just made this up, just crocheted a square and then stopped increasing once it is the desired width. could do round, hexagon or anything really. 

I plan on blogging the whole process, so keep an eye out for that. 

No tutorial as it's from Etsy

and maybe some string wine bottle carriers... 

I cannot find a pattern like this for free, but I'm sure I can figure something out. I'm sure there's a wine bottle about to use as a size guide...

Cotton String is great, a bit harder to work with but a great result. It's cheap and clean.

This cover is a bit simpler, it would be easier to figure out.

Any bag would work really, and I guess cotton would stain easy and not wash well. But it would look good at first ;)  !!

Would you be happy receiving these gifts?

Any other suggestions for modern crochet gifts?

"Made on Main: Spin-A-Yarn | Crochet Beanie Tutorial"

I like trying chocolate cake recipes that are a bit different

I find myself very torn when it comes to chocolate cakes... I really love chocolate, and I really am just not fussed with cake. I do not like the texture and it seems such a waste of good chocolate... But still I persist, and occasionally I come across a rich decadent chocolate cake that, well, takes the cake!

I like trying chocolate cake recipes that are a bit different. I think I'll give this one a go this weekend as the chocolate cake I promised to make for our Stitch n Bitch - See previous post.

 Your guide to the nasty ingredients in your beauty products and Beetroot Chocolate Cake Recipe

My Mum will be up on the weekend to help facilitate the Stitch n Bitch, so keep an eye out for updates on an extended family version of chocolate cake baking.

This blog which is by one of my Mothers group friends, also includes great tips on running a chemical free household too. I am definitely going to try the vinegar as fabric softener one, especially as hubby objects so much to the purchasing of the store bought ones.


 "The odour from the vinegar disappears in the final rinse cycle and once the washing is dry.  It is non toxic and a very cost effective fabric softener."


In other news, I seem to have "google plus shared" a blog and it has resulted in a blog entry on my behalf... I likes it!! And must try it out some more, I love sharing good ideas.

Dropped Stitch in the 'Loo

A dropped stitch in life's rich tapestry. Because we all drop a stitch every now and then in this tapestry called life.

We will be knitting and crocheting beanies, gloves, blankets and anything else we can think of and our efforts from our first meetup will go the homeless people around the Loo. 

"People with mental illnesses and drug problems who are also homeless deserve better than sleeping rough on our streets." Clover Moore

You do not need to know how to knit or crochet as there will be lots of help. Come along, learn a new skill or pattern, have a cup of tea or a glass of *insert favourite beverage here* and a good ol Stitch n Bitch!

Please bring along a ball of yarn or two if you can get your hands on them and knitting needles or crocheting hooks if you have them. We will bring along plenty of spares.

Needle sizes = 4 to 5mm
Crochet hook = 4 to 5mm

Vicki Saunders - Self Taught Crochet Master
Lesley Gruit - Dropped Stitch consultant/Crochet Student Demonstrator
Maureen Tuck-Lee - Knitting Extraordinaire

Project: Beanies
Where: East Sydney Hotel, cnr Crown and Cathedral Sts Woolloomooloo
When: Sunday 3rd August 2014, 2.30pm onwards
For more information contact lesley.gruit@gmail.com or myself

"a City of Sydney homelessness count found about 118 people were sleeping out in the Woolloomooloo area, a rise of almost 40 per cent on last year."
Read more: www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life/bold approach to homelessness will take 70 most vulnerable off streets

Yarn Bombing

This could be interesting...

how-to-yarn-bomb

Apparently I've missed International yarn Bombing day... But I think I should give this a try anyway and be ready for next June!

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqfG_BlLujAj4e4awsjhfl-4Th-hcOzexkY9_nRksBToe9y8Be09g40xs0SXmFm606o-fyigIhdPwAM4SNIfE17ZFEvS8q23L-TjcFlzRfSLhyphenhyphenh2vHrFaBivAQ3AW5EIkIoN7WEZmtZAk/s350/granny.jpg

EDIT

no scrap this, it looks pretty which is nice, but seems a bit of a waste. a friend and I have decided to start a stitch and bitch group to knit for those who are a bit down in life

Loving the Vintage!

My Dad

Well, my Aunty has moved full time into a nursing home, its very nice and she is happy there but it's sad to see her house being sold. We spent many a memorable Christmas there, with all 30 something cousins, lots of presents, the race to find the sixpence in the pudding and the obligatory paper fight at the end where my Dad would walk around with a big garbage bag picking up the paper and pretending to be cross and not notice the big hole we had ripped in the bag...

Vintage Childrens Jumpers

We went over there on the weekend and to pick up a couple of pieces of memorabilia, only to come home with a car full of stuff that we could not bare to throw out. My Aunty is a self confessed hoarder, and there was two or three of just about anything you could imagine in her house!

But the one thing I came home and poured through and lovingly caress were the stack of old crochet and knitting patterns....

Crochet Summer Top

They are just lovely, crocheted vests and jumpers, motif and berets! Books and magazine offering to help me be fashionable and modern by crocheting outfits!! So I obviously had to share these treasures with the world of Etsy. To me they are priceless and I would never let go of the originals, but sharing them, whilst a little time consuming at first, cost me little. 

chunky knits cable

So please, go have a look, I've put up free instructions and how to's as well, cos everyone should know the joy of crochet!! 

Anywho, gotta go, I've gotta get to spotlight, I'm under instructions to buy more yarn for my Aunty, she's edging hankies :)

The Cushions Ban

I love cushions! but I'm not allowed to buy any more...

so I've been making my own. I've made a heart shaped cushion out of a brightly coloured stripy fabric remnant for Lexi 


and a nice rectangle one out of a lovely teal remnant, for me!

crochet and upcycled

I also turned what was going to be a crocheted blanket for Lexi that I never finished into a cushion that even hubby agreed was actually a lot nicer then the one I covered.


I've been fascinated by the idea of turning old jumpers into "knitted" cushions and have finally made two, both of which hubby liked and one he "really quite liked". I'm loving the upcycled factor as well as the shabby chic/vintage look, and now I'm thinking the plainer one could do with some crocheted flowers...


I received a "suggestion" from my Mum that I make a very Mum looking cushion with crocheted flowers on it, so guess what she got for Mothers day?! You guessed, some crocheted flowers, and a suggested layout! Lucky lady. 

Cushion topper layout suggestion

I think I'm on a winner here, I can make as many cushion covers as I like, as long as I'm covering existing cushions or giving them away! Do you think he would notice if I snuck in a few new cushion inserts..?


next...