Needlecrafts - Knit Baby, Boys will be Boys

As the name in the title implies, the adorable free patterns featured in this week's post are definitely with boys in mind. Baby girls are so lucky! There are so many adorable patterns available for that special princess.
Granted, a lot of patterns can be viewed as unisex simply by the color choice you make or by simplifying details in a design. Even though some traditionalists prefer colors such as navy, grey, cream and red for boys, greyed down tones of pink and purple can be striking in a striped design when combined with more traditional neutrals such as grey, cream or taupe.
Denim shades always work, right from the darkest to the lightest blue.
From the top of the head down to the toes, there are patterns that includes hats, booties, classic pullovers and jackets, many of these ideal for the beginning knitter.
Read further for a charming collection of free knitting patterns, ideal for baby boys or girls that are practical, yet beautiful. This collection of garment essentials caters to all your baby's knitwear needs and will be sure to delight every new parent and their baby.

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Needlecrafts - Knit, Contrast Color Capelet

Inspiration images above | Capelet available for purchase at Free People

There's still plenty of time to make quick gifts for the holidays, especially if they are as attractive as this contrast band capelet I spotted at Free People.
Bulky yarn makes it a very quick weekend project and if you have been stuck indoors due to the horrible weather some have experienced, it's a great way to get something knit while watching favourite holiday movies.
Basically a rectangle in an easy knit and purl rice stitch pattern, work two decrease rows, overlap neckband, stitch into place and voila, a capelet.
If you want to make it even easier, instead of two colors, knit the capelet in a bulky tweed or marled yarn.
A gift that will definitely be appreciated and worn with pride.

Read further for free pattern instructions, ideal for introducing knitters to an easy project. Helpful videos explain how to work the rice stitch pattern, decrease stitches easily and change color in the middle of a row.
Finally, to all my sisters-in-law, I want one, maybe in black and grey!

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Needlecrafts - Knit, Fair Isle Hats

Inspiration images above | Pinterest

What is Fair isle Knitting you ask? Well according to a quick Google search,
"Fair Isle is a traditional knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colors. It is named after Fair Isle, a tiny island in the north of Scotland, that forms part of the Shetland islands."
The number and variety of traditional Fair Isle patterns provides a lifetime’s worth of inspiration.
Work them up in the traditional manner or play with color, arrangement, and scale to make them more contemporary or more your own.
Or start from scratch, using graph paper and colored pencils or markers to design your own motifs.
Read further for ideal free patterns for the beginner, more traditional free patterns and vintage patterns to buy and inspire you to knit in a more colorful way!

Maple leaf motif hat pattern | pattern available for purchase here

While hunting for fair isle hat patterns, these lovely bands of maple leaves instantly caught my eye, definitely very Canadian.
Even the beautiful fall colors used in this design were cottage country perfect. So, for all you fellow Canadian knitters, here's a hat that you can make as a stocking cap or shorten the amount of rows into a loose, slouchy style.

Read further for free hat patterns, ideal for introducing knitters to colorwork and more challenging patterns for those who enjoy stranding.
Helpful videos explain different methods of joining color and introductory steps to two color and three color stranding.

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Needlecrafts - Loom, Knit, Crochet, Sew - Slippers

Frosty weather is part of the winter season, whether we like it or not, but that doesn't mean you can't be warm and cosy.
In our house, the temperature is what my husband likes to call a "comfortable" 68 degrees.
His idea is you can always throw on an extra sweater to feel toasty and more importantly, a lower heating bill makes him smile.
My feet are always cold and I love to wear slippers that cover my whole foot, almost like a bootie. There are so many patterns for slippers and a popular past post had a lot of different free patterns and styles. This post is all about all the different ways you can make slipper boots, whether it's looming, knitting, crocheting or recycling old, felted sweaters. For those of you who would like to know more about looming, read further for more information, a video and a link to a wonderful site. Read further for free patterns and tutorials to loom, knit, recycle and crochet your own pair and as gifts for friends and family.

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DIY - Restyle, Initial It

Bark | please read complete tutorial here Leaves | please read complete tutorial here Twigs | please read complete tutorial here Seeds | please read complete tutorial here

When it comes to fancy monograms, I was never a fan of everything from soup to nuts with decals, appliques or over the top engravings.
Antique cutlery with engraved monograms, on the other hand, have achieved a rich patina of time and are not glaringly new.
At the same time I love initials and collecting letters. My frequent visits to flea markets has allowed me add pieces to my growing collection of initial jewelry and wooden printer's blocks.
Modern, spare lettering looks handsome on simple, everyday objects. The projects below inspired me to think about the holidays whether it's welcoming guests with special touches or making and giving gifts. Read further for different ways to initial your home with personality for the holidays and a variety of unique gifts to make for family and friends.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF THE " Entrelac 2" FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY - PAM MCGINTY, you'll be able to make that pin cushion for your mom!

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