I've been working on this quilt off and on for months. I fought the urge to completely scrap it and start over a couple times, and I'm glad I did. Below is how I made it. It's more of guidelines rather than a pattern, so feel free to ask if you have questions.

Finished size

44.5" x 52" - I tend to make baby quilts larger than crib size, since the babies are only crib size for less than two years. I like to give them things they'll be staining for years.

Supplies

Piecing

• Six fat quarters - I used batiks in red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet
• 1 yard sashing fabric (white). You might want to get a little extra, to be safe.
• 1/3rd yard border fabric (red)
• Thread and other common quilting notions

Finishing

• 1/2 yard  - Binding - I used the same fabric as the backing.
• 1.5 yards 56" fabric - Backing - I used a solid red.
• 48" x 56" Batting

Cutting

Cut each of the fat quarts into strips that vary between 1" and 2.5" at their thickest and thinnest.

Divide each color into thirds. Sew the strips back together, alternating one third with the color prior in the spectrum, one third with the color after, and one third with itself. Continue to sew them together, pressing the seams open, until you have one long strip of fabric.

• Cut this reconstructed piece of fabric into 5" strips, cutting the same directions as the seams.
• Cut each of those strips into pieces that are 2.5"x5"
• From those, select 22 and cut them in half to make 44 2.5" squares - C1
• You will need 60 5" x 2.5" blocks. You should have extras. - C2

From the sashing fabric, cut

• 40 - 1.5" x 2.5" - S1
• 55 - 1.5" x 5" - S2
• 8 - 1.75" x 2.5" - S3
• 10 - 2" x 35.5" - S4
• 2 - 2" x 46" (if you use standard 42" width fabric, you'll need to piece these) - S5

From border fabric, cut

• 2 - 3.5" x 38.5"
• 2 - 3.5" x 40.5"
• 2 - 3.5" x 12.5"

Piecing

Finishing

Create 4 short rows and 5 tall rows, pressing the seams.

Short row (SR):

S3 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S1 - C1 - S3

Long row (LR):

C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2 - S2 - C2

 

Alternate color rows and sashing as follows. Press seams.

• S4
• LR
• S4
• SR
• S4
• LR
• S4
• SR
• S4
• LR
• S4
• SR
• S4
• LR
• S4
• SR
• S4
• LR
• S4

Sew the S5 pieces to the side.

Sew short border to the top and bottom. Press seams. Sew remaining border pieces to the left and right. Press seams.

Quilt and bind.

As it gets colder, I'm discovering that normal socks are no match for the coldness of my hardwood floors. Not being much of a slipper person, I made these worsted weight socks. They are too thick to wear with shoes, but they are perfect for keeping my toes warm around the house.

These socks are knit toe up with a short row heel using the magic loop method. They are a very fast knit - I'm a slow knitter and completed them in less than a week. The pattern includes charted and written instructions.

Thanks to karinamaza, moilulu and LiveIIKnit on Ravelry for helping test.

Size

Adult women's

Gauge

2"x2" in stockinette st = 9.5 sts x 12 rows - it is not necessary to get row gauge.

Materials

• US size 5 (3.75 mm) 40" circular needles
• 90 gr Cascade 220 worsted
• Cable needle
• Tapestry needle

Notes

• W&T - Wrap and turn - slip the stitch to the right needle, bring yarn to front, slip stitch to left needle.
• CF - Cable front - Slip 3 sts to cable needle, hold to front, k3, k3 from cable needle
• CB - Cable back - Slip 3 sts to cable needle, hold to back, k3, k3 from cable needle
• YO - yarn over
• SSK - Slip slip knit
• K2tog - Knit two sts together

Chart

• Row 1 - P5 k6 p1 k6 p5
• Row 2 - P5 k6 p1 k6 p5
• Row 3 - P5 CB p1 CF p5
• Row 4 - P5 k6 p1 k6 p5
• Row 5 - P4 k2tog k5 YO p1 YO k5 SSK p4
• Row 6 - P4 k7 p1 k7 p4
• Row 7 - P3 k2tog k6 YO p1 YO k6 SSK p3
• Row 8 - P3 k8 p1 k8 p3
• Row 9 - P2 k2tog k7 YO p1 YO k7 SSK p2
• Row 10 - P2 k9 p1 k9 p2
• Row 11 - P1 k2tog k8 YO p1 YO k8 SSK p1
• Row 12 - P1 k10 p1 k10 p1

Toe

Create a slip knot. Cast on 24 sts in addition to the slip knot (12 on needle, 12 on cable) using Figure 8 cast on.
Knit even one round. Do not knit the slip stitch. When you come to it, just drop it off and pull the slip knot out.

• Increase row: K1, m1, k until one st remains on needle, m1, k1. Repeat on other needle.
• Even row: K all stitches.

Alternate increase row and even row until you have 44 sts total, 22 on each needle.

• First needle - K21, m1, k1 (23 sts)
• Second needle - K1, m1, k until one st remains on needle, m1, k1. (24 sts; 47 stitches total)

K one round.

Foot

Work chart on first needle, k second needle.

Continue until sock measures 2.5" less than the length of the foot (approximately 3 repeats), stopping at the beginning of needle 2. Remember to note the last row worked.

Final row of chart worked: _____

Heel

The heel is a short row heel worked across the 24 stitches on the second needle.

• Row 1 – Knit to last stitch. W&T
• Row 2 - Purl to last stitch. W&T
• Row 3 – K to one stitch before the wrapped stitch. W&T
• Row 4 - P to one stitch before the wrapped stitch. W&T

Repeat rows three and four 5 more times. There will be 7 wrapped stitches on each end.
Now we need to pick up the wrapped stitches.

• Row 1 – K to the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the stitch, place it on the left needle, and knit the wrap and the stitch together. Turn. Twisting the wrap will keep it tight and neat.
• Row 2 – P to the first wrapped stitch. Pick up the wrap around the stitch, place it on the left needle, and knit the wrap and the stitch together. Turn.

Repeat until all the wrapped stitches have been worked.

Leg

• Needle 1 - Continue working chart from the row you noted above
• Needle 2 - P1 [k2 p2] 5 times, k2 p1

Continue working chart on needle 1 and ribbing on needle 2 until there are six repeats of the chart.

Ribbing

• Needle 1 - P1 [k2 p2 k2 p2 k2 p1] 2 times
• Needle 2 - P1 [k2 p2] 5 times, k2 p1

Repeat until ribbing measures one inch.

Loosely cast-off and weave in ends.

I made another cozy while toying around with stitch patterns for a pair of mittens I'm going to design using the latest skein of yarn StitchnPretty sent me. I love the little bits of silver the yarn has in it. Gussies it up, but isn't harsh on the hands when knitting. This one is going to a co-worker to protect her blackberry.

Notes

m1 - Make one - purl into the thread that runs between the stitch just worked and the next one on the needle

sl1 - Slip one - slip stitch to the right needle as if to knit

psso - Pass slipped stitch over - bring the slipped stitch off the left needle so that it wraps around the stitches worked since slipping it. This is a decrease.

Pattern

Figure 8 cast on 48 sts (24 on needle, 24 on cable)

Rounds 1 & 2 - P3 k1 - Repeat 11 more times

Round 3 - P3 sl1 k4 psso - Repeat 5 more times

Round 4 - P3 k1 p1 m1 p1 k1 - Repeat 5 more times

Round  5- P3 k1 - Repeat 11 more times

Round  6- *P3 k1  Repeat from * 10 more times p3

Round 7: Using the last unworked st from row 6, *sl1 k4 psso p3 Repeat from * 5 more times k1

Round 8: P1 m1 p1 k1 p3 k1 - Repeat 5 more times

Repeat rounds 1-8 six more times, for a total of seven.

Work 12 rounds 1x1 ribbing (k1 p1)

Cast off loosly and weave in ends

I think this cable looks like little bowed cowboy legs. Easy as pie cloth. It's a great pattern for someone just learning how to cable.

Materials

A ball Peaches and Cream yarn.
Size 8 knitting needles
Darning needle
Cable needle

Notes

• No gauge. It's a washcloth. Walk on the wild side.
• CF - Cable front - Slip one to cable needle, hold to front, k1, k1 from cable needle
• CB - Cable back - Slip one to cable needle, hold to back, k1, k1 from cable needle

Pattern

Cast-on 42 sts

K four rows

Row 1: K3 p1 *k4 p1 Repeat from * seven times k3

Rows 2 and 4: K4 *p4 k1 Repeat from * seven times k3

Row 3: K3 p1 *CF CB p1 CB CF p1 Repeat from * three times CF CB p1 k3

Repeat rows 1 - 4 ten times.

K four rows.

Bind off, weave in ends, do dishes.

Super easy to make. Finished size is about 9" or 10" square.

No gauge. It's a washcloth. Live free.

Materials

• A ball Peaches and Cream yarn.
• Size 8 knitting needles
• Darning needle

Pattern

Cast-on 38 sts
K four rows
Rows 1 & 2: k3 *p2 k2 Repeat from * 8 times k3
Rows 3 & 4: k3 *k2 p2 Repeat from * 8 times k3
Repeat rows 1 -4 until it's the length you want.
K four rows.
Bind off, weave in ends, be clean.

This quilt was inspired by one I saw at the International Quilt Study Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. Mom, my aunt, my grandparents and I went when I was home for Thanksgiving.

This version is for the newest little one in my life, Rowan. It's 40" square

I'm not going to write up instructions, but here's the Excel spreadsheet that shows construction and has some notes. If you have questions, feel free to drop me a line and I'll answer it here. Close up of the fabric is here.

Download Excel spreadsheet of pattern.

Supplies

• Main color (MC), white - 1 yard
• Color 1 (C1), green - 1/4 yard
• Color 2 (C2), blue - 1/4 yard*
• Color 3 (C3), yellow - 1/3 yard*
• Color 4 (C4), red - 1/2 yard
• Binding fabric - 1/3 yard (2.5" binding)

*You will need exactly this amount of cut fabric, so you might consider buying a little extra to be safe.

 

I made this cozy for my Google phone, but it fits the iPhone, iPod Touch, and my digital camera. The cozy is about an inch longer than my phone, so the ribbing pulls closed near the top and keeps the phone from falling out without a closure. If you wanted the cozy to be the same size as your phone, removing four rows from the beginning and end should do it.

The pattern is worked in the round on DPNs, and the cables are beginner level.

Download PDF

Materials

• Size 5 dpns or size needed for gauge
• 15 grams (.5 ounces) worsted weight yarn, approximately 35 yards. I used Cascade 220
• Cable needle
• Buttons for decoration

Pattern Notes

• Gauge: 4 inches = 22 sts x 30 rows in stockinette stitch
• CF - Cable Front - Sl 1 to cable needle hold to front, k1, k1 from cable needle

• CB - Cable Back - Sl 1 to cable needle hold to back, k1, k1 from cable needle
• CPF - Cable Purl Front - Sl 1 to cable needle hold to front, p1, k1 from cable needle

• CPB - Cable Purl Back - Sl 1 to cable needle hold to back, k1, p1 from cable needle

Instructions

Cast on 32 sts using the method of your choice.

The cast-on edge serves as the seam at the bottom of the cozy. Alternate slipping sts between two needles until there are 8 on each needle. Slip the remaining 16 sts onto 2 additonal DPNs in the same fashion so you have 8 sts on 4 needles.

• Row 1: K1 *p2 k2 repeat from * 3 times p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 2 and all even rows: Work sts as they lie
• Row 3: K1 p2 k2 p2 CF p2 k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Rows 5 - 11: Repeat rows 1 - 3
• Row 13: K1 p2 k2 p1 CPB CPF p1 k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 15: K1 p2 k2 CPB p2 CPF k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 17: K1 p2 k1 CPB p4 CPF k1 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 19: K1 p2 CPB p6 CPF p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 21: K1 p1 CPB p8 CPF p1 k1 - Work twice
• Row 23: K1 CPB p10 CPF k1 - Work twice
• Row 25: CPB p12 CPF - Work twice
• Row 27: k1 *p14 CF repeat from *  The second CF will overlap the first stitch of the 28th row.
• Row 29: CF p12 CB - Work twice
• Row 31: K1 CPF p 10 CPB k1 - Work twice
• Row 33: K1 p1 CPF p9 CPB p1 k1 - Work twice
• Row 35: K1 p2 CF p6 CB p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 37: K1 p2 k1 CF p4 CB k1 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 39: K1 p2 k1 CPF p2 CPB k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Row 41: K1 p2 k2 p1 CPF CPB p1 k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Rows 43: K1 p2 k2 p2 CF p2 k2 p2 k1 - Work twice
• Rows 45 - 51: Repeat rows 1 - 8
• Bind off and weave in ends.

 

This pattern is child size. The small will fit a young toddler. The pattern could be modified for an adult. I'd work from the small pattern and do five repeats instead of four (the pattern below is written for four repeats, not five). I haven't test knit this pattern yet, so please let me know if you come across anything odd.

The crochet version of these booties were such a hit that I wrote a pattern for knitting. These booties will fit 0-3 months on a small baby. They are pretty small, so you might want to use larger needles than I did.

This was a quilt made for a friend's first born.

Knitted version

These booties are really quick and easy to crochet. I made this out of yarn in the stash. They don't take much yarn. You could also make them out of green or other great monster colors.

These booties will fit 0-3 months on a small baby. They are pretty small, so you might want to use larger hook than I did.

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