Yip Yips

The spaceship has landed, and any fan of late 20th century children’s public television will recognize these lovable aliens.

Crochet them or knit them, use them as holiday stockings, toy storage, kids’ laundry, whatever really!

You should also be prepared to play with ping pong balls and pipe cleaners, and do a little light sewing.

Yip yip yip yip uh-huh uh-huh…

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 25 inches
Height: 14 inches (excluding tentacles & hanging loop)

GAUGE
8 sts/8 rows = 4 inches in single crochet
8 sts/16 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

MATERIALS
Bernat Blanket/Blanket Brights/Baby Blanket [100% polyester; 220yds/201m per 300g skein]; 1 skein in color of your choice; shown in Royal Blue, Pixie Pink, Pow Purple, Baby Teal, Crimson (crochet), and Baby Lilac (knit)
L/8mm crochet hook (also used for attaching tentacles in both crochet and knit versions)
US10.5/6.5mm circular needle, 24 inches long
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle
2 ping pong balls
Black paint pen or permanent marker
2 pipe cleaners, 12 inches long
Awl, ice pick, corn pick (for poking holes in ping pong balls)
Black flannel fabric, 16 inches by 24 inches
Scissors
Sewing needle
Black thread

Get the FREE crochet pattern or knit pattern now on Ravelry!

Brioshi

Introducing my latest knitting pattern, Brioshi! Inspired by the interrupted stripe patterns that emerge from the Arashi technique of Shibori dying, this asymmetrical triangular shawl is completely reversible with a dark side and a light side that are equally attractive. It can easily be made larger or smaller by simply repeating the pattern rows more or fewer times.

This shawl alternates between single-color and bi-color brioche. You will need twice as much yarn of one color as the other, but whether you opt for more light than dark or more dark than light is entirely up to you. I highly recommend you take a gander at Apothefaery's offerings. Her Delightful DK used in the sample was delightful indeed, and many of her colorways are dyed specifically to pair well with each other.

SIZE
Easily adjustable

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Span: 80 inches
Height: 27 inches

GAUGE (after blocking)
14 sts/19 rows = 4 inches in brioche rib

MATERIALS
Apothefaery Fabrications Delightful DK
100% merino; 250yds/228m per 115g skein;
1 skein in Dark Night (DC)
2 skeins in Snowflake (LC)
US #6/4mm circular needle,
24 inches or longer
Tapestry needle

Buy the pattern now on Ravelry!

Miter Might Not & BIRTHDAY SALE

Meet the Miter Might Not cowls, my latest pair of designs that are cut from the same cloth, if you will. It's amazing how different the results can be when all you change is where you do your increases.

Both versions are included in the same pattern, sort of a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing. Each fraternal twin is created by increasing from a single point to form either a triangle or a rectangle. Then another decreasing triangle or rectangle closes the other side of the cowl. Don't worry if that doesn't make much sense - there are lots more words and pictures in the pattern.

SIZE
A [B]

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 30 [38] inches
Height: 15 [9] inches

GAUGE (after blocking)
16 sts/17 rows = 4 inches in brioche rib

MATERIALS
Malabrigo Rios [100% merino; 210yds/192m per 100g skein];
Version A: 1 skein each in Purpuras (DC) and in Archangel (LC)
Version B: 1 skein each in Jupiter (DC) and in Yerba (LC)
US #6/4mm circular needle, 24 inches
3 stitch markers
Removable stitch marker (for br4st dec)
Tapestry needle
Waste yarn

Buy the pattern now on Raverly!

But wait, I'm running a BIRTHDAY SALE from now through 11:59pm (US central time) on Monday, October 8 (my birthday)! Use the code BDAY2018 for 20% OFF all my self-published patterns!

Turnabout

Introducing a new FREE crochet pattern - Turnabout! I got this idea in my head a few weeks back, and I just couldn't stop myself from grabbing a hook and some yarn and getting started immediately! It came together just as I had hoped and in only 2 days!

I've named it Turnabout for a couple reasons. First, the unusual construction method incorporates an about-face where you'll go from steadily increasing to immediately decreasing again - working a flat square followed by a flat triangle, and together they magically form a round object! Secondly, for its versatility in styling. Is it a bandana cowl with a tassel in front? A hood with a tassel in back? You decide!

The basic premise is to start at the point and increase in the center to form a big square. When the distance across the diagonal reaches the circumference you would like for your cowl/hood, or when you've used about 55-60% of your yarn, whichever comes first, you'll join the two opposite corners. Then you'll start decreasing again, in the center and along the edges, to form a triangle and close up the circle. Not making sense? Don't worry! There are plenty more words and pictures in the pattern to walk you through it.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Circumference: 27 inches
Long depth (excluding tassel): 27 inches
Short depth: 13.5 inches

MATERIALS
Universal Yarns Wisdom Yarn Poems Sock [75% wool, 25% nylon; 459yds/420m per 100g skein]; 1 skein in color #955
G/6 or 4.25mm hook
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

GAUGE
14 dc by 8 rows = 4 inches by 4 inches, after blocking

Download the FREE PATTERN now via Ravelry!

Fringe Kiss

I'm pleased to present Fringe Kiss, a completely customizable shawl - any size, any gauge, no counting, no end-weaving, self-fringing, symmetrically faded (or striped)!

That's right! You can use any yarn you like in any amount of yardage. The pattern is written more like a recipe, so it's totally adaptable to your tastes!

This shawl begins at the bottom center point and expands outward. Extra stitches are cast on that will later be unraveled to create the fringe. At the halfway point, the edges are joined but the stitches are also split at what used to be the center, so you’re still working back and forth in rows, rather than in the round. This construction is a little unusual, so I’ve included diagrams at each stage to try to help you visual what you’re doing.

SIZE
Any size

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Roughly twice as wide as it is tall, excluding fringe
Sample: 80 inches wide by 40 inches tall, excluding 6-inch fringe

GAUGE (after blocking)
Any gauge that produces a loose, drapey fabric in the yarn of your choice
Sample: 22 sts/32 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

MATERIALS
Any weight yarn in any amount you like
Sample: A Thing for String Merino Sock 75% merino, 25% nylon; 460yds/421m per 100g skein; 1 skein each in Taiga (A), Galaxy (B), and Eureka (C)
Circular needle in an appropriate size to give a loose, drapey fabric in the yarn of your choice
Sample: US #4/3.5mm circular needle, 32 inches/80cm in length
Small scale for weighing yarn
4 stitch markers
Sharp scissors

NOTE ON GAUGE: Although the entire shawl is worked in garter stitch, a quarter of the fabric is created by purling every stitch rather than knitting every stitch. It is important that your purled garter gauge be relatively close to your knitted garter gauge.

NOTE ON YARN CHOICES: Though this pattern is written for 3 coordinating yarns that fade together well, you could use a single gradient yarn instead and let it do the fading for you. Or use more than 3 yarns and fade more frequently. You could even try stash-busting all your leftover bits as simple stripes in lieu of fading. It’s up to you!
Best to avoid single ply, mohair, and other “grabby” yarns, as these could present a challenge when dropping stitches and laddering down to create the fringe.

Buy the pattern now on Ravelry!

But seriously, any yarn you want, any size you want - and you don't even have to fade it if you don't wanna. What are you waiting for?

Countdown to the Crawl: Road Warrior

It's almost here! The 7th annual DFW Yarn Crawl begins tomorrow! Here's one more new shawl pattern to tide you over until then.

Inspired by Yarnold, the armadillo mascot of the DFW Yarn Crawl, my Road Warrior shawl pattern is a simple, relaxing knit of garter stitch with occasional slipped stitches and basic increases. It’s also easily customized to whatever yummy yarns may follow you home from your local yarn shop. Just use a needle size suitable for your yarn weight and keep knitting until you run out of yarn.

The sample will be on display for the entire crawl (Aug 17-26) at McKinney Knittery, where you'll also find the Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light used in the sample. So feel free to pop by and check it out if you're in the neighborhood.

SIZE
One size, easily adjusted

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Span: 68 inches
Height at center: 19 inches

GAUGE (after blocking)
19 sts/44 rows = 4 inches in garter stitch

MATERIALS
Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light
[100% merino; 420yds/384m per 100g skein];
1 skein each in Scout (A) and Charcoal (B)
US #5/3.75mm circular needle
6 stitch markers
Tapestry needle

Buy the pattern now on Ravelry!

Countdown to the Crawl: Unicornucopia

Only 2 more days until the 7th annual DFW Yarn Crawl, and I still have 2 more new shawl patterns to share with you!

This next one is a bit whimsical. Okay, a lot whimsical. When Logan of Leon Alexander Yarns said he was dyeing an exclusive colorway for Amy at West 7th Wool and asked if I'd design something for it, I knew it had to be something unique, something that showed off the playful side of both Logan and Amy. Enter the Unicornucopia shawl!

This crazy colorful unicorn horn was created using bi-color brioche with a strand of Countess Fingering and a strand of Jester DK Mohair, each in the W7W exclusive colorway "ATTN: UNICORN DEPT" (and yes, you can absolutely substitute a second skein of fingering weight yarn if mohair's not your thing).

If you'll be participating in the DFW Yarn Crawl, you can see this sample in person at the Leon Alexander trunk show, all day Saturday 8/18 at West 7th Wool in Fort Worth. You might even run into yours truly. ;)

SIZE
One size
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Span: 70 inches
Height at center point: 16 inches

GAUGE (after blocking)
28 sts/20 rows = 4 inches in brioche rib

MATERIALS
LC: Leon Alexander Yarns Countess Fingering
[85% merino, 15% nylon; 430yds/423m per 100g skein];
color: ATTN: UNICORN DEPT; 1 skein
DC: Leon Alexander Yarns Jester DK Mohair
[75% mohair, 20% wool, 5% nylon; 240yds/220m per 100g skein];
color: ATTN: UNICORN DEPT; 1 skein
US #5/3.75mm circular needle
Tapestry needle

Buy the pattern now on Ravelry! And if you aren't able to make it to W7W for the exclusive colorway, you can still find lots of other gorgeous yarns at LeonAlexanderYarns.com from the comfort of your own couch.

Countdown to the Crawl: Prickly Pear Pastures

It's the most yarnderful time of the year! The 7th annual DFW Yarn Crawl starts in just 3 days!

From Friday August 17 to Sunday August 26, fiber enthusiasts from far and wide will be gallivanting around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, visiting shop after shop, collecting yarn, notions, prizes, stamps in their yarn crawl passports (which can lead to even more prizes!), and of course, fun memories with their fiber friends. To celebrate, I'll be releasing 3 new shawl patterns this week!

I met Linda from Yarnies of Texas at the Stitches Texas expo last year. After seeing her gorgeous yarns and learning that she's based a stone's throw from my hometown, I knew something inspired by West Texas was in order. Thus, the Prickly Pear Pastures shawl was born.

This shawl begins at the top center with five sections of expanding lace that shoot outward like a patch of prickly pear. Tiny beads knitted into the fabric suggest the succulent's spines (without actually being poky, of course) and also serve to give the shawl some weight, helping it to drape nicely over your shoulders and stay in place.

If you'll be participating in the DFW Yarn Crawl, you can see this sample in person at the Yarnies of Texas trunk show, all day Saturday 8/18 at Georgina Estefania in Fort Worth.

SIZE
One size

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Span: 46 inches
Height at center: 22 inches

GAUGE (after blocking)
24 sts/38 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

MATERIALS
Yarnies of Texas D’Lish Silky
[70% merino, 30% silk; 438yds/400m per 100g skein];
color: Desert Rose; 2 skeins
US #2.5/3mm circular needle
6 stitch markers
80g of size 6/0 Miyuki glass beads in Silverlined Crystal (810 beads)
Tiny crochet hook (1mm or smaller) or beading tool
Tapestry needle

Buy the pattern now on Ravelry, and shop Yarnies of Texas' Etsy store to find the perfect yarn!