pickles

I tried out a pattern via pinterest from pickles — small and clever baby set (free pattern). The bonnet is very sweet and a pleasure to knit. It fits a little small, so I added in a few extra rows. 

But midway through the booties from the set I ran out of yarn, and I couldn't find any more from the original dye lot (which was mission falls superwash merino). 

Chinook's Scarf (free pattern)

A simple lace scarf for beginners (PDF link). This project is inspired by Chinook’s mauve scarf in Snowy & Chinook and the flower they find in the snow.

This lace stitch used in this scarf, called the four-spot, came from the book The Essential Stitch Collection by Leslie Stanfield and Melody Griffiths

This pattern is sized for small children: 5 × 36 inches (125 × 915 mm). You can easily size it up for older children or adults. Just be sure that any additional stitches you add in are the right multiple for the pattern: 6 + 9 (see pattern notes for details). You may download the pattern for free here (PDF link)

I am not crazy about knitting lace in general. I liked this one because it reminds me of eyelet. Also, the pattern is simple enough that once you have done a few rows you don't have to concentrate on it too, too much. Also, one really nice feature of lace is that it knits up very quickly because of the holes as they open up.

To do this pattern, you will need to know how to:

yo (you can find a continental version at the same site)
skpo / skp
s2kpo

One suggestion I have is that you do a little test with one or two pattern repeats before casting on the whole scarf. The lace stitch is really easy, but I was making one mistake which took me a few tries to figure out, and it was easier to solve it when I did a little test. I used the test as a scarf for someone's doll when I was done. By the way, this scarf curls. I find that quite cuddly myself, but just so you know, it will curl.

Windy's Spring scarf

This is a Windy-inspiredproject. As always, Windy is © Judith Steedman and me.

I've been working on some simple children's scarf patterns, loosely inspired by the windy books (since they all wear scarves). This one is a light, cotton scarf (unisex), inspired by Windy's red scarf. It is very simple and quick to knit and a great first project for anyone wanting to try knitting for the first time. It's also a nice project to knit over the summer and wear in September. The pattern also has a cozier muffler-length version for winter.

Here it is: Windy's Spring Scarf. If you are a member of ravelry, you can find it there, too. This is a free pattern.





I used Blue Sky worsted cotton. You can find it online, but check with your local yarn shop, too. Staff at a yarn store are often happy to help customers cast on and get themselves generally figured out!

If you would like to make something for an adult, you can always try the Lonely Doll Scarf.

Patterns

Spud & Chloe Sweater yarn in "Lake"; Blue Sky Cotton in "Tomato" and Manos Serena in "Boysenberry".

Spud & Chloe have some nice free patterns on their web site. If you would like to knit a hat, or a pear, for example!

The Lonely Doll scarf

Here is a very simple project for beginners: a unisex scarf, sized for adults. This is designed to be a good length to wear Parisian style (when you fold the scarf in half lengthwise, place around neck and pull the loose ends through the centre and pull to tighten). If you would like a muffler length scarf, then you may add length, as indicated in the pattern.

This is inspired by the garter stitch scarf The Lonely Doll knits. (There are less stripes and it is not as long, to make it easier).

(I used Cascades Heathers 220 yarn in Walnut & Smoke to make this. However, any worsted or aran weight yarn will be fine.)

Mouse

Mouse
Little Mouse in gray velvet,
Have you had a cheese-breakfast?
There are no crumbs on your coat,
Did you use a napkin?
I wonder what you had to eat,
And who dresses you in gray velvet?
—Hilda Conkling
Poems by a Little Girl, 1920

Other books by Hilda Conkling:
Shoes of the Wind, 1922
Silverhorn, 1924
Silver Pennies (Anthology), 1925
Sing a Song of Popcorn (Anthology), 1988

(Mouse knit from a pattern by Ysolda Teague.)