Free Pattern Friday: Annis

Did you get the Knitty Surprise email yesterday? Both patterns are lovely, but I went a little crazy for Annis, the crescent-shaped shawlette with nupps. Perhaps it's because Nancy Bush's Knitted Lace of Estonia is one of the newer books in my collection or because The Haapsalu Shawl is on my mental wish list.  I've already queued it up, despite a long list of pattern ideas I want to work on (never mind all the actual work on my plate), and plan to use some Malabrigo Lace for mine. [Pattern | Ravelry]

Frank Austen's fringe

Apparently, when Jane Austen's brother was home on leave, he would work fringe. [link]

(I don't want to lose this link - some day all will be clear.)

Free Pattern Friday: Cabled Beret (there's a contest, too)

The talented Veronik Avery's new book Knitting 24/7 is out now, and there's a pretty little beret pattern to celebrate. Be sure to check out Twist Collective's page for details on entering the contest. [Twist blog | PDF]

Free Pattern Friday: Raspberry Bed Socks

Mother's Day is just a couple of days away. If you're quick, you could knit mom a pair of Mel Clark's Raspberry Bed Socks with pretty little bobbles and i-cord drawstrings. [Ravelry link | Pattern link]

And my face is finally calming down from the horrible allergies (apparently, I rub my eyes in my sleep, and it looked like I'd been in a brawl or something), so there should be an Aphros photo shoot soon, followed by a pattern release!

Free Pattern Friday: Kiddie Cadet

Now that Spring has sprung and we are into the baseball season, consider making a Kiddie Cadet for your kiddo. I particularly love this one that looks like a baseball. Knit in worsted-weight yarn and sized for baby, toddler, and child, surely there's a small fry in your life in need of a new hat for spring. [Ravelry | Blog | PDF] And the designer Alice Schnebly also has an adult version called Hawkeye available for $5. [Ravelry | Blog]

And I know it's Saturday, so your free pattern is a day late, but we've been running full-tilt this week chez Purly. I've been working on some graphic design projects, knitting up a new pattern, figuring out how I want to knit another new pattern (charts are my friend), digging out the summer clothes for the recent heat wave, battling the evil pollen of NYC without retreating to a sealed room with an air purifier, and all the usual parenting/housework stuff. Whew! I didn't realize how much I'd been up to until I wrote that.

And here's a sneak peek at my next pattern. This was an in-progress shot. The item is now finished and blocked, pattern written and charted, but the original was knit for my sister (the one in the photo is for me). Once it arrives in Germany, I'll share the whole thing with you. Suffice it to say it's my new favorite knit. The yarn is fingering-weight from Laughing Rat Studio in the colorway Pacific that has been marinating in the stash since summer 2007. I'd say it had aged "just right".

Free Pattern Friday: Eierbaretjes (Egg Tams)

I wanted to find a pattern for an egg cozy for this Friday's pattern because it was the first thing I learned to knit long ago. My maternal grandmother taught me to knit with bright yellow acrylic yarn. I can still see her front porch where I seem to remember my knitting lesson taking place and the tulip tree blooming in the yard. It was a little garter-stitch pocket (I imagine she sewed up the seams) that could hold a hard-boiled egg, decoratively, and somehow looking like a little chicken.

Sadly, for me, knitting didn't take back then, and it wasn't until after my grandmother was gone that I took up a pair of needles again. But now I can't put them down!

And you should pick yours up to make at least one of these adorable egg tams, pattern courtesy of José Gralike. Come on, berets for your boiled eggs! Could anything be more wonderful? Well, I love them anyway. [Ravelry link | Blog link | PDF link]

Happy Easter for those of you celebrating that one. Blessed Passover for those of you celebrating that one. And, yay, Spring for everyone in the Northern Hemisphere!

Free Pattern Friday: Elisa Nest Tote

Spring has sprung/The grass is ris... And the farmer's markets are starting back up. Are you still buying your ramps in plastic bags from your farmers? It's time to work down your stash and work up some market bags. I've checked out a bunch of them and really like the looks of this one, particularly the i-cord handle. Great tutorial from the Purl Bee. The farmer's market awaits! [Ravelry link | Blog link | PDF link]

P.S. Be sure to check out the blog link for the great picture of, presumably, Elisa with her tote and a bun in the oven.
P.P.S. Apologies for not posting a free pattern link last Friday, Penelope had Roseola while we were in Chicago. All better now!

Free Pattern Friday: Shamrocks (twofer)

Time to get your Irish on, if you're that sort. Two little shamrock patterns, one from Vickie Howell's blog for Mitered Leaf Shamrocks (also some bedazzlement, if you're so inclined), and another from Laura Brown called Cloverly, originally published in MagKnits. Happy St. Patrick's Day (early) from this Irish lassie! [Mitered Leaf Shamrocks: Ravelry link / blog link; Cloverly: Ravelry link]

Free Pattern Friday: Deirdre

I knew when I saw this one in the new patterns on Ravelry earlier this week that it would be today's FPF. Deirdre is another one of those great little sock yarn shawlettes - this one from Linden Heflin. Much as a love complicated lace, sometimes something a little sparer works too. Check your sock yarn stash! [Ravelry link / Blog link]

Free Pattern Friday: Vinterblomster

Yes, it is Saturday, but I was working on something else (freelance projects, teething 18-month-old, world's greatest knitting book idea), so you had to wait until this morning. I know you've been waiting...

And I'm waiting for Spring, so these pretty Vinterblomster mittens seem perfect. Heidi Mork came up with a lovely, modern, stranded knitting pattern that will have you raiding your fingering-weight yarn stash for pretty Spring colors or whatever else strikes your fancy (lots of color combos on Ravelry, if you're looking for inspiration). I love the almost hand-drawn feeling of the flowers. Go on, you know we have more winter to wade through, and if you have a pair of Vinterblomsters, you'll look forward to the next snow storm. [Ravelry link / Heidi Mork's blog link / PDF link]

Free Pattern Friday: Tempest (and Knitting Olympics insanity)

If you haven't knit a Tempest yet, what are you waiting for? I mean, you have delectable sock yarn that you're "saving" for the right project, right? This is it! A lightweight cardi knit out of two skeins (well, four if you're using Koigu or Claudia Handpaint's or something that is, like, one skein per sock) of sock yarn. I lovelovelove my Tempest. And since it's written by Ann Weaver and published by the lovely Knitty people, you know it's a good one. And you work it on larger-than-usual-for-sock-yarn needles, so it does not drag on forever. Wait, did I tell you that I love mine? I'm wearing it tomorrow. [Pattern link / Ravelry link]

The other reason I'm recommending Tempest this week is because I'm insane. I've decided to enter the Knitting Olympics to knit up a sweater of my own design in the next 17 days in Madeline Tosh merino light, a lovely fingering-weight single (that's a skinny sock yarn with only one ply for you non-knitters reading this on Facebook - I know who you are, people!), so I've been checking out other fingering-weight sweater patterns on Ravelry. I have various plans, and I have swatched this yarn (on US5s, so it's not complete insanity, not like deciding to do a Bohus for the Olympics or something, so this should be a doable but challenging challenge, which is the point of the Knitting Olympics. Wish me luck. I so want that medal!

And I forgot to mention in my last post that I also knit up a pair of Amy March's Slippers in my little fit of knitting little things, since the pair I worked for myself some time ago resides in Maine, while I'm in New York in a blizzard. My feet are much happier now, though I may re-knit them, double-stranding the yarn. I used Sheep Shop Sheep 1 in a pale blue (shocker, I know), which is an aran weight yarn, and it's a little thin (the pattern calls for bulky). Yes, as I'm typing this I'm realizing that I really should reknit, holding the yarn double, to make them perfect.

Apologies for the lateness of this post, but I've been working my derriere off on a work project. Working from home is amazing, but I am a tough lady to work for! My standards are very high, and I've been slacking off for too long, so I have to whip myself back into shape. InDesign4 is a whole different kettle of fish from my "old" days at Course Technology.

Free Pattern Friday: Little Hearts

Time is running out for a little knitted love this Valentine's Day, so how about these Little Hearts? Just a little bit of worsted yarn can show someone you care. Plus, you'll get to practice your figure-eight cast-on. [Ravelry link]

Free Pattern Friday: Mom Tattoo

Valentine's Day is coming up fast. Why not show your first love just how much you love her with this little winged heart tattoo pillow? [Ravelry]

(NOT) Free Pattern Friday: Go Buy a Pattern for Haiti

As you may know I will be donating 50% of all pattern sales to Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontiers at the end of January on Ravelry and on Etsy. You don't have to buy one of my patterns, but please consider buying a pattern (or ten) on Ravelry from one of the many designers who have pledged to donate to a relief organization. [Ravelry link]

We'll return to our erratic, regular Free Pattern Friday feature next week.

And I'm working on a post about the problems of knitting magazines in this day and age, but it's taking more time than I thought, and I now have freelance work to keep me busy (yay!), and so you'll have to wait. You'll survive, I imagine. Sorry and happy weekend!

Free Pattern Friday: Aviatrix Baby Hat

Someone I know just had a baby, and I think the little miss could use her own Aviatrix hat. How cute is it?! Lots of Ravelers think so, too, as more than 750 projects are up there, and it's in over 1500 queues. I may work it in Worsted rather than the DK called for, as my dear friends are super smart and have ... super noggins. Time to examine the stash and see what might work. [Ravelry link]

I had so much fun doing the Falala Free Patterns for, well, I guess it was Advent (my Catholic upbringing can't be escaped, I guess) that I've decided to continue highlighting free patterns every Friday. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I do.

Falala Free Pattern #25: Treeline Striped Cardigan

I'm sure you were very good this year and received a bag of yummy Manos del Uruguay or other Aran/Worsted yarn of your choice. Now it's time to make something for yourself. I'm thinking of the Treeline Striped Cardigan, with Malabrigo Merino Worsted and some Kidsilk Haze. [Ravelry link / Pattern link]

Falala Free Pattern #24: Stocking Ornament

You've still got sock yarn nuggets, don't you. How about a few last-minute mini stockings for your tree? Everlasting Liz comes through again with these cuties. [Ravelry link / Pattern link]

Falala Free Pattern #23: Gifted Mittens

I bet you need a pair of mittens for snowball fights right about now or know someone who would appreciate them this Christmas, and these go very quickly with bulky yarn (or doubled worsted weight) on two needles. The seaming up is pretty quick. Kate Gilbert is a lovely knitwear designer, and it's very kind of her to share this pattern. [Ravelry link / Pattern link / PDF link]

Falala Free Pattern #22: Sweater Ornaments

Surely you have a little nugget of sock yarn in your oddballs stash. A few last-minute sweater ornaments would be perfect for the tree or to decorate a gift. I've included two today; one is top-down and the other bottom-up, so you can go with whichever is easier for you (or try the other for a light challenge in miniature).  [Bottom-up: Ravelry link /  Pattern link; Top-down: Ravelry link / Pattern link]

Falala Free Pattern #21: EZ as Pi Lace Beret

Lacy, pretty, quick. What more could you want? You are running out of time for Christmas gifts, Hannukah is over, and today is the Solstice (yay, turning towards the light!). This one does go quickly, though you need to leave time for blocking -- I do mine over a cake stand and run a strand of thread through the YOs closest to the ribbing and tie it tight around the base of the stand to open up the lace and keep the brim snug (at least to start, as we all know wear will stretch out that ribbing). [Ravelry link]