http://tlc.howstuffworks.com/home/free-knitting-patterns-for-beginners5.htm

Free Lace Hand Towel Knitting Pattern

Add simple knitted lace edging to everyday hand towels, and smile as guests admire your handiwork. These edgings are worked sideways after casting on a few stitches. Work the lace in any length, and apply to pillowcases, afghans, scarves, and more.

Techniques

Binding off -- BO

Blocking

Casting on - CO

Knit in front and back of same stitch - k1f&b

Knit 2 together -- k2tog

Purl 2 together -- p2tog

Slip slip knit decrease -- ssk

Weaving in yarn tails

Yarn over -- yo

Gauge

Natural edging on sage towel: 24 stitches/36 rows=4" (10cm) in pattern

Natural edging on natural towel: 24 stitches/38 rows=4" (10cm) in pattern

Sage edging on natural towel: 24 stitches/32 rows=4" (10cm) in pattern

What You'll Need

Yarn: 50 yards (46m) sport weight 100% cotton (natural edging on sage towel); 70 yards (63.7m) sport weight 100% cotton (natural edging on natural towel); 70 yards (63.7m) sport weight 100% cotton (sage edging on natural towel)

We used: Needful Yarns Lana Gatto Skipper (100% cotton): #124 natural, 1 ball each for natural edging on natural towel and natural edging on sage towel; #123 sage, 1 ball

Needles: US size 2 (2.75mm)

Notions: Tapestry needle; long pins with large heads; sewing needle and thread to match

Miscellaneous: 16x24 inches (40.5X61cm) hand towel, or desired size

Natural-color Edging on Sage Towel

Cast on 8 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 3. (9 stitches)

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10: Knit.

Row 3: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 4. (10 stitches)

Row 5: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 5. (11 stitches)

Row 7: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 6. (12 stitches)

Row 9: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 7. (13 stitches)

Row 11: Knit 3, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 8. (14 stitches)

Row 12: Bind off 6 stitches, knit to the end of the row. (8 stitches)

Repeat rows 1-12 for pattern. Continue in pattern until the edging, when slightly stretched, fits across bottom edge of towel. Complete edging, binding off all stitches at row 12.

Natural-color Edging on Natural Towel

Cast on 12 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 4, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 2, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2. (13 stitches)

Row 2: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 11.

Row 3: Knit 3, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 2, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2. (14 stitches)

Row 4: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 12.

Row 5: Knit 4, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 2, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2. (15 stitches)

Row 6: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 13.

Row 7: Knit 3, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 3 times, knit 2, yarn over, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2. (16 stitches)

Row 8: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 14.

Row 9: Knit 3, [knit 2 together, yarn over] 2 times, knit 2, knit 2 together, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 1. (15 stitches)

Row 10: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 13.

Row 11: Knit 2, [knit 2 together, yarn over] 2 times, knit 2, knit 2 together, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 1. (14 stitches)

Row 12: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 12.

Row 13: Knit 3, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2, knit 2 together, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 1. (13 stitches)

Row 14: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 11.

Row 15: Knit 2, knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2, knit 2 together, [yarn over, knit 2 together] 2 times, knit 1. (12 stitches)

Row 16: Yarn over, knit 2 together, knit 10.

Repeat rows 1-16 for pattern. Continue in pattern until the piece, when slightly stretched, fits across bottom edge of towel.

Complete edging, working row 16 of pattern repeat as follows: Yarn over, knit 2 together, bind off 1 stitch (this will be the yarn over the stitch remaining from the decrease), *knit 1, bind off 1 stitch**. Repeat from * to ** to end of row. See Finishing, below.

Sage-color Edging on Sage Towel

Cast on 8 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 5, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 2. (10 stitches)

Row 2: Purl 6, increase in next stitch by knitting into front and back loops, knit 3. (11 stitches)

Row 3: Knit 4, purl 1, knit 2, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 3. (13 stitches)

Row 4: Purl 8, knit 1 front and back, knit 4. (14 stitches)

Row 5: Knit 4, purl 2, knit 3, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 4. (16 stitches)

Row 6: Purl 10, knit 1 front and back, knit 5. (17 stitches)

Row 7: Knit 4, purl 3, knit 4, yarn over, knit 1, yarn over, knit 5. (19 stitches)

Row 8: Purl 12, knit 1 front and back, knit 6. (20 stitches)

Row 9: Knit 4, purl 4, slip slip knit, knit 7, knit 2 together, knit 1. (18 stitches)

Row 10: Purl 10, knit 1 front and back, knit 7. (19 stitches)

Row 11: Knit 4, purl 5, slip slip knit, knit 5, knit 2 together, knit 1. (17 stitches)

Row 12: Purl 8, knit 1 front and back, knit 2, purl 1, knit 5. (18 stitches)

Row 13: Knit 4, purl 1, knit 1, purl 4, slip slip knit, knit 3, knit 2 together, knit 1. (16 stitches)

Row 14: Purl 6, knit 1 front and back, knit 3, purl 1, knit 5. (17 stitches)

Row 15: Knit 4, purl 1, knit 1, purl 5, slip slip knit, knit 1, knit 2 together, knit 1. (15 stitches)

Row 16: Purl 4, knit 1 front and back, knit 4, purl 1, knit 5. (16 stitches)

Row 17: Knit 4, purl 1, knit 1, purl 6, slip 1 knitwise, knit 2 together, pass slipped stitch over, knit 1. (14 stitches)

Row 18: Purl 2 together, bind off 5 stitches, purl 3, knit 4. (8 stitches)

Repeat row 1-18 for pattern. Work in pattern until the piece, when slightly stretched, fits across bottom edge of towel. Complete edging, binding off all stitches in pattern at row 18. See Finishing, below.

Finishing the Towels

Weave in all yarn tails to wrong side of work. Block. Pin edging to 1 end of towel; thread sewing needle with matching thread, and attach edging to towel with overcast stitch. Remove all pins.

Go to the next page for another style of towels that you can easily learn to knit: Designer dishtowels.

http://www.chocolatemintsinajar.com/craft/2012/02/bunnies-free-pattern/

Bunnies {free pattern}

I am obsessed with trying to find ways to use up scraps of yarn and leftover partial skeins. If you don’t believe me or haven’t been following long enough you can check these out: Pencil Sleeves, Curvy Pouch, Picture Frames, Pencil Toppers andCoasters.

I have been wanting to make bunnies for a long time and yesterday the idea just popped in my head and I made a bunny.

And because bunnies need friends, I made another one.

I even caught them telling each other secrets.

So do you want to make a bunny

Pattern

Materials

DK weight yarn (You can use any weight of yarn, just use needles two sizes smaller than the ball band suggests, so the stuffing doesn’t show)

Size US 2 DPNS

Tapestry needle

Microfilling (or anything you would like to use for stuffing)

Scrap embroidery floss or yarn for embroidering the eyes and nose.

Abreviations

Kfb Knit front and back in the same stitch

K2tog Knit two stitches together.

* … * repeat stitches between the asterisks

Instructions for the body

Cast on 6 stitches, arrange on 3 needles, join in the round and mark the first stitch.

Round 1: Kfb all stitches (12 stitches)

Round 2: *Kfb, K1* (18 stitches)

Round 3: *Kfb, K2* (24 stitches)

Round 4: *Kfb, K3* (30 stitches)

Round 5: *Kfb, K4* (36 stitches)

Round 6: *Kfb, K5* (42 stitches)

Round 7: *Kfb, K6* (48 stitches)

Round 8: *Kfb, K7* (54 stitches)

Round 9: *Kfb, K8* (60 stitches)

Round 10: *Kfb, K9* (66 stitches)

Round 11 – 21 : Knit all stitches around. (66 stitches)

Round 22:*K2tog, K 9* (60 stitches)

Round 23:*K2tog, K 8* (54 stitches)

Round 24:*K2tog, K 7* (48 stitches)

Round 25:*K2tog, K 6* (42 stitches)

Now would be a good time to embroider the face and stuff the bunny half full.

Round 26:*K2tog, K 5* (36 stitches)

Round 27:*K2tog, K 4* (30 stitches)

Add some more stuffing

Round 28:*K2tog, K 3* (24 stitches)

Round 29:*K2tog, K 2* (18 stitches)

Add some more stuffing

Round 30:*K2tog, K 1* (12 stitches)

Round 31:*K2tog* ( 6stitches)

Add more stuffing if you can.

Cut off a long tail and using a tapestry needle thread through the remaining stitches, pull tight and weave in ends.

Instructions for the ears [Make 2]

Cast on 6 stitches, arrange on 3 needles, join in the round and mark the first stitch.

Round 1: Kfb all stitches (12 stitches)

Round 2: *Kfb, K3* (15 stitches)

Round 3: *Kfb, K4* (18 stitches)

Round 4: *Kfb, K5* (21 stitches)

Round 5: *Kfb, K6* (24 stitches)

Round 6 – 16 : Knit all stitches around

Round 17: *K2tog, k6* (21 stitches )

Round 18: *K2tog, k5* (18 stitches )

Round 19: *K2tog, k4* (15 stitches )

Round 20: *K2tog, k3* (12 stitches )

Round 21: *K2tog, k2* (9 stitches )

Bind off, leaving a long tail.

Finishing

Sew the ears on the bunny and weave in any remaining ends.

Make a pompom and sew it on as a tail.

http://www.chocolatemintsinajar.com/craft/2011/10/curvy-pouch-free-knitting-pattern/

Curvy Pouch {a free knitting pattern}

I hate those half skein leftovers.  They take up valuable space that could house full skeins.  Yes I have lots of those half skeins or less.  So, last night I decided to find a use for them and since my husband was out for the evening I made 2 in a couple of hours.  They take around 50 m /60 yards of yarn and are seamless, knit from the top down.

They would make great gifts or stocking stuffers. I made mine on the smallish side (6.5 inches across and 4 inches high) but the pattern includes information on how to make the size you want.
I am using it to carry my knitting notions.

And yes those are cable needles, I got them a couple of weeks ago because I have been eyeing those pretty cables for a while now and I think I am ready to learn cabling.

If you want to make one, just click on the image below to get the pattern.
**Edited to add: the pattern is in pdf format, you need to click the image below to get it, if you are having difficulty getting it leave a comment or email me [ jessyz [at] chocolatemintsinajar [dot] com] and I’ll send it to you. The reason it is in PDF form is so you can download it and print it easily or store it on your smart phone and use it from there without needing to print it at all **

I also have a tutorial for adding zippered linings to your finished items which you can find by clicking the image below

Can’t get any easier than this, the 15-minute circular needle holder.

Nothing against sewing, I do have plans to make a placemat dpn holder ala the Grumperina method but I like this one for something a little different. Circular needles are inserted through the center holes in craft supply wooden spools and dangle by their cords.
Stuff you need
Wooden spools (mine were Large Barrel, 3/16″ x 7/8″; 1/4″ hole, 20 pcs from a craft store- the larger the hole the better)
Approx 1 1/2 – 2 yards floral wire (I believe mine was 28 gauge)
Permanent markers (I used a silver paint pen and a sharpie)
Scraps of yarn or fabric
Glue (hot glue gun was weapon of choice for me)
Note on the spools – mine have 1/4″ hole which fits up to a US size 10 needle. This was adequate for me, but if you require ones for larger sizes you can drill or use a needle file to enlarge the opening, or look for a larger diameter spool.
What to do with it
First, label all your spools with the appropriate needle size. For my end spools I wound a piece of scrap yarn around the spool and secured it with a dot of glue. A piece of fabric cut to size would also look nice. You could obviously embellish these however you like. I went with simplicity (also known as “easy”). Next cut a length of wire about 1 1/2 – 2 yards long, I just kinda eyeballed it. Thread wire though first spool and hold in half so both lengths of wire are equal. Following the diagram below, weave the wire in and out of each spool.

Then, once the last spool is wired on, twist the remaining two wire lengths around each other and fold into a hook shape. Trim ends and load up with all those unruly needles.

Our family had to take a long drive the other day down to New Jersey and I kept happily busy with this lil' pattern. Easy to design and easy to knit. It was finished in a few hours.

Pattern: Posey 

Needles: US Size #6, 4.0mm double pointed needles

Yarn: I used Lily's Sugar'n Cream
but any worsted weight yarn will work.

Materials: Fiber fill or scrap yarn for stuffing,
Tapestry Needle
Stitch marker
Extra yarn for sewing.
Button
Scissor

Finished Measurements : Approx. 3"width 3½" height

Pattern:
Bottom Flower

CO 6sts arranging 2 on each needle. Join for knitting in the round and place stitch marker being careful not to twist sts.
K 1 rnd

Round 1: kfb all sts (12)
Round 2: k all sts
Round 3: kfb all sts (24)
Round 4: k all sts
Round 5: k1, kfb for entire round (36)
Round 6: k all sts
Round 7: k3, kfb for entire round (45)

Rounds 8 - 18: k all sts

Round 19: k3, k2tog for entire round (36)
Round 20: k all sts
Round 21: k1, k2tog for entire round (24)
Round 22: k all sts
Round 23: k2tog for entire round (12)
Round 24: k all sts
Round 25: k2tog for entire round (6)
Round 26: k all sts.

Break yarn leaving at least 8" and thread with tapestry needle through all 6 sts. Remove double pointed needles but do not pull closed.

Middle Flower

CO 6sts arranging 2 on each needle. Join for knitting in the round and place stitch marker being careful not to twist sts.
K 1 rnd

Round 1: kfb all sts (12)
Round 2: k all sts
Round 3: kfb all sts (24)
Round 4: k all sts
Round 5: k1, kfb for entire round (36)

Round 6- 14: k all sts

Round 15: k1, k2tog for entire round (24)
Round 16: k all sts
Round 17: k2tog for entire round (12)
Round 18: k all sts
Round 19: k2tog for entire round (6)
Round 20: k all sts.

Break yarn leaving at least 8" and thread with tapestry needle through all 6 sts. Remove double pointed needles but do not pull closed.


Top Flower

CO 6sts arranging 2 on each needle. Join for knitting in the round and place stitch marker being careful not to twist sts.
K 1 rnd

Round 1: kfb all sts (12)
Round 2: k all sts
Round 3: kfb all sts (24)

Round 4- 12: k all sts

Round 13: k2tog for entire round (12)
Round 14: k all sts
Round 15: k2tog for entire round (6)
Round 16: k all sts.

Break yarn leaving at least 8" and thread with tapestry needle through all 6 sts. Remove double pointed needles but do not pull closed.

Finishing
Repeat for all three sizes:

Stuff each layer with scrap yarn or fiberfill and shape into a flattened ball pulling thread so that the top is closed.
Measure out two 12" strands of yarn in a contrasting color.
Thread the tapestry needle with the yarn down the middle of the ball and back up around the side.
Continue going down through the middle and around the side to the top a total of six times pulling tightly to create the flower shape.
Tie a knot around a strand at the top to secure.

Stitch layers to each other and secure yarn. Add a button with some yarn for detail and your done!

If you have any questions about this design or need help you can leave a comment or an email at kris@krisknits.com or on Ravelry via KristenKnits. I will try and help as best I can.
Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Helloooooo!!!!!

Welcome to our spot today!  It’s a grey and rainy day in Wellington today, quite horrible in fact, so today is the perfect day for me to post my latest FO, as well as do a nice, long and involved tutorial for it in case you want to make one too, and get myself immersed in colourful woolly goodness!

Raymond is sleeping his unhappiness off right now, wrapped in his blanket… he was out last night, doing “fur patrol” around the neighbourhood, but during the night it started to rain, very hard, and he came in this morning wet and angry…. KB is having a nap too actually, on the day bed, surrounded by beautiful crochet cushions which she is not allowed to put her head on because she’ll wear them out, (oh God, I’m a tyrant!) so right now, I’m the only one in the family being productive!

OK, enough babbling from me….. shall I show you the “Spring Explosion” tea cozy?  (Named by KB who LOVES it…. *joy* because she doesn’t like woolly flowers and right now cannot understand why our tea pot needs more than one cozy…. it’s ART darling!)

Ta Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!

This is what gardens all over the place look like right now… beautiful colourful goodness!  I’ve been seeing pictures on Northern Hemisphere blogs lately and wow, it’s foggy and dark and frosty and also quite cozy!  I’ve said it before, I love seeing what the other side of the world looks like right now, my first change of season as a blogger!  I hope you’re all having fun wearing all of your knitted and crocheted happiness and keeping cozy under your blankets, next to the fire!

While the idea for this cozy is hardly original…. flowers on top and all that, I’m quite in love with it, as I am with most of my creations!  I’ve been so deeply inspired by tea cozies around the place (Oh Penelope, I would just die to have one of your little birds adorning mine, but they are just beyond me!!!) and have in fact, posted one I made a loooooooong time ago, my first real knitting creation in fact, which was covered in knitted roses.  I’ve been wanting to make a better one now that I’ve got the crochet flowers happening, and here it is!  It took about three days to make and by last night, I had had enough!  I had decided I just didn’t like it, and it wasn’t as nice as I wanted it to be, and it didn’t match the vision in my head, but when I got up this morning and found it sitting next to my chair, I decided that it was in fact, perfect and I loved it deeply.

So as I made it, I wrote out a pattern.  I had fun with it, and deem it a perfect project for a beginner knitter like myself, as it is knitted on two needles, not in the round, it is just plain old stocking stitch, no fancy business, and it means you get to have fun putting stitches on stitch holders and then back on the needles.  It’s a very satisfying project and I promise those of you who are beginner knitters, if I can do it, so can you!!!  (Don’t be fooled by the Harvey Kimono, remember I had Mum help me with the hardest bits!)

The only problem is…. I’m POSITIVE that the pattern works for righty’s as well as lefty’s like myself, but I wonder if there is a righty knitter out there who can knit this up quick smart, just to make sure that it makes sense for the majority of the population!  I’ve sat there, trying to imagine it being knitted the opposite way, but here is what happens to my brain when I try doing that……