Fingerless Gloves Worked Flat

If you've read some of the posts from this blog you know that I like constructions a bit out of the ordinary - especially when knitting fingerless gloves.

In this blogpost I've compiled a list of fingerless gloves that are worked flat, which means that they don't have the loom construction of other fingerless gloves.

The photos above only show patterns from my blog, but further below I have listed quite a few other interesting patterns that I found on Ravelry and that I liked. Here are the (free!) patterns shown above:

1. Helix Mitts: Fingerless gloves knitted in a ten-stitch wide strip that winds around the hand.
2. Starburst Mitts: These mitts use short rows to form a circle around the thumb.
3. Xmas Star: Similar construction as the Starburst Mitts, but in two colors with an intarsia pattern to form a star around the thumb.
4. Serpentina Mitts: Knitted sideways in simple stockinette stitch, these mitts are decorated with random surface crochet
5. Sparkler Mitts: The same construction as the Starburst Mitts, but in crochet.
6. Inclination Wrist Warmers: Knitted slanted - all in garter stitch. 
7. Double Helix Mitts: Similar to the Helix Mitts, but knitted in two 8-stitch wide strips.
8. Color Explosion Mitts: The opposite construction to my Starburst Mitts, i.e. the short rows don't focus around the thumb but around a point close to the outer wrist.

Other patterns that use interesting techniques and can be found on Ravelry are the following (patterns not pictured above). I have not tried to knit or crochet any of them, but I did like the design when I saw them on Ravelry:

• Spritz (by Lilli Boscaino): Knitted sideways and in mosaic technique. 
• ZigZag Fingerless Gloves (by Whole Earth Education): Knitted sideways in two colors with a zigzag pattern. 
• Plain Sideways Cozy Fingerless Gloves (by Denton Foreman): Knitted sideways and in garter stitch. 
• Kerfuffle (by Lynne Vogel): Knitted flat and seamed later, but with a lovely ruffle.
• Tulips on Hands: A crochet pattern worked flat and with short rows.
• No list of fingerless gloves worked flat would be complete without the gorgeous horizontal cable patterns of Tanja Oswald (link to her designer page on Ravelry). Most of these are in crochet and paid patterns (and I have not read them), but I love (!) the finished objects:
• Elementary Mittens: crochet and with horizontal cables
• Mohnteilchen --- knitted: one of her few knitted patterns, also with horizontal cables.
• Skew To: a nice way to show off variegated yarn - knitted in a rhomboid and sewn in the end, plus a cuff knitted in the round

And if that's not enough, here's a list of all fingerless gloves patterns that have the "knitted flat" attribute (free and paid) - you must be logged in to Ravelry for access.

Knitting vs. Crochet - Part II

As readers of this blog may know, I like designs that are a bit complicated :) But once they work, I like to use the idea more than once. An easy way to re-use a design idea is to use it both for knitting and for crochet.

About two years ago, I published a blog post with four designs for fingerless gloves - and all of them with both a knitting and a crochet version. Here are three more designs - with a knitting and a crochet version; two of them for fingerless gloves and one for a scarf. All the patterns linked here are free.


Helgoland Mitts & La Chocolatière Mitts
Started around the thumb these mitts are worked flat with a wave pattern and in two colors. One mitt is knitted in one piece which minimizes the number of ends to weave in :)
The knitted version is mainly worked in garter stitch and the crochet version with single crochet through the back loop which gives them more texture.

Helgoland Mitts (knitting version) 
La Chocolatière Mitts (crochet version)




Triangulation Wrist Warmers & Sankaku Wrist Warmers
These fingerless gloves are also worked in one piece, but they are started as a triangle that grows from the outside of the wrist, then worked on a bias and finished at the thumb. Both are nice to showcase your variegated yarn.

Triangulation Wrist Warmers (knitting version)
Sankaku Wrist Warmers (crochet version)

Little Rectangles Scarf & Rettangolini Scarf 
Modular and worked in layers that consist of five rectangles each, this scarf is also a fun way to use your variegated yarn to great effect.
The knitted version is worked all in garter stitch, but you need to be able to do a knitted cast on, a backwards loop cast on and to pick up and knit stitches from the selvedge.
The crochet version is worked in double crochets, and you need to be able to do a chainless double foundation stitch.

Little Rectangles Scarf (knitting version)
Rettangolini Scarf (crochet version)

Edelweiss - Flower Ornament

Where I live, carnival is quite important. I usually don't go to carnival events, but this season a friend had bought quite a few tickets and asked me whether I wanted to come and bring my mom. Only after I'd accepted I learned that I had to wear fancy dress for it :/
Since I already had a fancy dress dirndl, I decided to go for an "Alpine" look, by trying to create something like an edelweiss and wear it in my hair.
So, I crocheted several of these little edelweiss flowers and glued them onto small jaw clips. Of course, they can be used to decorate other objects as well ...
The pattern is given in written form and as a chart.

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.






Materials

• I used DK weight cotton
• 3mm crochet hook
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

When I put 8 of these flowers on my kitchen scales, they showed about 10 grams. So, I guess 1 flower weighs about 1.5 grams, but since these scales are not exact with such a small weight, I cannot be exact.

Techniques
Besides, chain stitches, single crochets and slip stitches, you need to be able to do a magic ring. Here's a YouTube video by MJ Carlos that shows how to do it. If you don't want to do a magic loop, you can alternatively start with a ring of 6 chains, work rounds 2 and 3 and afterwards sew the little ring closed with your yarn tail.


Chart

On the right hand side you can see a chart of the pattern (click to enlarge).

Round 1 is a magic ring.
Round 2 consists of petals that are worked into the back loops of the sc's of the magic ring.
Round 3 consists of petals that are worked into the front loops of the same sc's.
Since rounds 2 and 3 are basically worked on top of each other, there are charts for each round, the rounds that have already been worked are depicted in light grey.

Instructions

Round 1: Do a magic ring, and work 6 sc into the ring (your piece should now look like illustration 1), close the ring with a slip stitch and draw the loop closed

Round 2 (outer, bigger petals): sl st into the back loop of the first sc, do five chain sts (4 chains and 1 turning chain, see illustration 2), do 4 sc's into the chains and connect to ring by doing a slip st into the back loop of the next sc - this loop is marked pink in illustration 2. Now your piece should look similar to illustration 3.
Repeat 4 more times, the back loops into which to place the slip stitches are marked pink in illustration 4.
For the sixth petal do 5 chains and 4 sc's into the chains and connect the last petal with a slip stitch into the front loop of the first sc of the ring.

Round 3 (inner, smaller petals): do 3 chain sts (2 chains and 1 turning chain), do 2 sc's into the chains and connect to ring with a slip stitch into the front loop of the next sc of the ring.
Repeat 4 more times.
For the sixth petal, do 3 chains and 2 sc's into the chains and connect to the ring with a slip stitch into the front loop of the first sc of the ring

Fasten off and weave in ends.

La Chocolatière Mitts

Shortly after finishing my knitted Helgoland Mitts, I thought that it might be a good idea to pursue the same concept in crochet ... and it actually worked better than I had hoped. As with the Helgoland Mitts, it took me quite a while to write up the pattern, given that I finished them in March. But - finally - here it is.

These mitts are crocheted flat and each in one piece. They are started at the thumb, which is worked flat and joined into a tube. Afterwards, the main part starts with an additional chain, and then is worked back and forth around the thumb. Working through the back loop only gives them an interesting texture.

As to the name, the finished pieces reminded me of creamy, wavy layers of a rich chocolate cake.

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




Materials

• a total of about 40 to 45 grams of fingering weight yarn in two colors (called C1 and C2) - I used beige and dark (chocolate) brown
• 3mm crochet hook
• 2 removable stitch markers (e.g. safety pins)
• tapestry needle to weave in ends 

Size
The finished mitts - as knitted by me - are about 19 cm long. The width is adjustable - in part 3 of the pattern.


Stitches and Abbreviations

• ch: chain 
• sc: single crochet (American notation)
• sctbl: single crochet through back loop: http://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/tp/back-loops-only-or-blo.htm
• sl st: slip stitch: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-crochet-the-slip-stitch.html
• inc: increase by working 2 single crochet stitches into 1 sc below (in case of this pattern, it's 2 sctbl into the sctbl below): http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-increase-with-single-crochet.html
• dec or sctog: decrease by working 2 single crochet stitches together: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-decrease-single-crochet.html 
• join or connect: joining pieces with crochet: in order to join to pieces (or, in case of this pattern, the two sides of one piece) hold the pieces together with wrong sides on the outside and insert the crochet hook into both pieces at the same time, a foto tutorial can be found here (scroll down to “Joining with Crochet” http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter08/FEATwin08TT.php)
• [y]*x: repeat the sequence y (within the square brackets) x times
• [y] to x sts before marker: repeat the sequence y until there are x stitches before you reach the marker
• In the pattern, there will also be abbreviations for the wave sequences in parts 2 and 3, namely:
• A = inc, sctbl3, dec, dec, sctbl3, inc
• B = dec, sctbl3, inc, inc, sctbl3, dec

General Construction

• Part 1 is the thumb - worked flat and ends with joining the sides to get a little tube. 
• Part 2 starts with a chain of 36 sts and is worked flat (back and forth) around the thumb - the rows consist of the wave sequences (at the beginning and end of a row) and the increases in round sequences (in the middle of the row, around the thumb). The increases around the thumb are calculated to form a part of a flat circle. (The general idea how to crochet a flat circle is explained in this blogpost, i.e. the Kreisel Mitts crochet pattern).
• Part 3 is also worked flat, it widens the mitt to fit your hands and ends by crocheting the edges together.

Instructions

NOTE 1: all increase and decrease stitches in this part are crocheted through the back loop of the underlying stitch only.

NOTE 2: Please note that the sequences in brackets don't always match the number of stitches left (e.g. it might say [dec, sctbl 5], but there are only 4 stitches left) - that's OK. Just continue with the sequence until the condition is met and then stop (in case of the example above, just make one decrease and sctbl the 3 stitches to the end)

NOTE 3: Whenever you encounter a marker, work that stitch and replace the marker up to the current row - unless indicated otherwise.

First mitt

Part 1 (Thumb)
With C1
Row 0: ch 10 and 1 turning-chain
Row 1: sc 10; 1 turning-chain
Row 2: sctbl 10; 1 turning-chain
Row 3: sctbl 8, dec; 1 turning-chain
Row 4: sctbl 9; 1 turning-chain
Row 5: sctbl 7, dec; 1 turning-chain
Row 6: sctbl 8; 1 turning-chain
Row 7: sctbl 6, dec; 1 turning-chain

(Your piece should now be as high as half of your thumb circumference. If it's too small for that you can add an even number of "sctbl all, 1 turning-chain"-rounds.)

Row 8: sctbl 7; 1 turning-chain
Row 9: sctbl 6, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 10: sctbl 8; 1 turning-chain
Row 11: sctbl 7, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 12: stbl 9; 1 turning-chain
Row 13: sctbl 8, inc; 1 turning-chain
Row 14: sctbl 10; 1 turning-chain

Now your piece should look like in illustration 1.

Fold the edges together (chain edge and your last row) and connect.

Illustrations

Part 2

Row 0 (C1): chain 36 + 1 turning chain - now your piece looks similar to illustration 2
Row 1 (WS, C1): [A]*3, place marker, sc around the rim of the thumb (from the inside, I picked up 24 sts, if you added a few rows between row 7 and 8 of part 1, you will have a different stitch count), place marker [B]*3
Row 2 (RS, C2): [B]*3, dec, [sctbl2, inc] to 2 before marker, dec, [A]*3
Row 3 (WS, C2): [A]*3, sctbl1, dec [sctbl1, inc, sctbl2] to 3 bef marker, sctbl1, dec, [B]*3
Row 4 (RS, C1): [B]*3, dec, sctbl2, [sctbl2, inc, sctbl2] to 4 bef marker sctbl2, dec , [A]*3
Row 5 (WS, C1): [A]*3, dec, sctbl3, [sctbl3, inc, sctbl2] to 5 bef marker, sctbl3, dec , [B]*3
(Now your piece should look similar to illustration 3.)

Row 6 (RS, C2): [B]*3, dec, sctbl3, inc, [sctbl1, inc, sctbl5] to 6 bef marker, dec, sctbl3, inc, [A]*3
Row 7 (WS, C2): [A]*3, inc, sctbl3, dec, sctbl1, [sctbl1, inc, sctbl6] to 7 bef marker sctbl1, inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*3
Row 8 (RS, C1): [B]*3, dec, sctbl3, inc, [sctbl4, inc, sctbl4] to 6 bef marker, dec, sctbl3, inc, [A]*3
Row 9 (WS, C1): [A]*3, inc, sctbl3, dec, [inc, sctbl9] to 6 bef marker inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*3
Row 10 (RS, C2): [B]*4, [sctbl2, inc, sctbl8] to marker sctbl2, [A]*4
Row 11 (WS, C2): [A]*4, [sctbl4, inc, sctbl7] to  marker, [B]*4
Row 12 (RS, C1): [B]*4, [sctbl8, inc, sctbl4]] to marker, [A]*4
Row 13 (WS, C1): [A]*4, [inc, sctbl13] to marker, [B]*4
Row 14 (RS, C2): [B]*4, dec, sctbl3, inc, [sctbl2, inc, sctbl1] to 6 bef marker, dec, sctbl3, inc, [A]*4
Row 15 (WS, C2): [A]*4, inc, sctbl3, dec, [sctbl2, inc, sctbl12] to 6 bef marker inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*

Part 3
Row 1 (RS, C1): [B]*4, dec, sctbl3, inc, 1 turning chain
Row 2 (WS, C1):  inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*4, 1 turning chain
Row 3 (RS, C2): [B]*4, dec, sctbl3, inc, 1 turning chain
Row 4 (WS, C2):  inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*4, 1 turning chain
Row 5 (RS, C1): [B]*4, dec, sctbl3, inc, 1 turning chain
Row 6 (WS, C1):  inc, sctbl3, dec, [B]*4, 1 turning chain
Try or measure whether the piece fits your hands. If it is not wide enough, repeat rows 3 to 6.
Your piece should look similar to illustration 4.

Hold right sides together (aligning at the lower edge) and connect both sides.

Cut yarns and weave in ends.

Second Mitt
If you want one mitt to be the mirror image of the other, you need to exchange the wave sequences, i.e. every time the pattern for mitt 1 says "A", you need to crochet sequence B and vice versa. The increases around the thumb are the same for both mitts.
I also switched the colors, i.e. whenever I used C1 for mitt 1, I used C2 for mitt 2 - and vice versa.

This post was featured on Oombawka Design's Wednesday Link Party #226 . Thank you!

Sankaku Wrist Warmers in Crochet

Currently, there are roughly 100 knitting patterns available on my blog. Some of them have been quite successful, but others haven't ... and there are even some that I had nearly forgotten. One of these is the Triangulation Wrist Warmers knitting pattern that I published about four years ago.

So I was really surprised when I received an e-mail from a German knitter who had tried to translate it and had stumbled upon some blatant mistakes that I made when I wrote the pattern. However, she was so nice as to put them into very diplomatic questions. 

That made me review the whole pattern and correct a lot of the mistakes. ... And this activity made me think of the pattern again and gave the idea of doing something similar in crochet. Et volià - here it is. 

These wrist warmers are one in one piece - starting from the outside of the wrist and finished at the thumb. Like their knitted cousins, they are nice to showcase your variegated yarn.
I made these with fingering weight yarn. However, most of the pattern is written in a way that you can adapt it to other yarn weights as well. 

As to the name, Sankaku (三角) is the Japanese word for triangle.


This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.






Materials

• about 45 grams of fingering weight yarn (I used Lang Jawoll Magic, because I like the effect of the color variations)
• a 3mm crochet hook
• three removable stitch markers - one different from the others (safety pins work as well)
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Gauge or What to Measure
If you're knitting for your own hands, you just have to try it on a few times before finishing. If you're knitting for somebody else, you'll need the following measurements:

• hand circumference at wrist height or a bit lower - depending on how long you want your wrist warmers
• total height of the wrist warmers - from the point where you measured the lower circumference to just below your hand knuckles
• hand circumference just below knuckle height
• thumb circumference

As with many of my patterns, it is written in a way that you can adjust it to your hand size and won't include exact stitch counts but rather you'd be asked to continue until something is wide enough to fit around your hands or similar. If you're uncomfortable with instructions like that, the pattern might not be for you.

However, I will give you an example of the wrist warmers I crocheted in purple.

The wrist warmers I made measured 17 cm in height and had about 19 cm circumference at the lower edge.

Abbreviations and Stitches

• ch: chain 
• sc: single crochet (American notation)
• sctbl: single crochet through back loop: http://crochet.about.com/od/crochetterms/tp/back-loops-only-or-blo.htm
• sl st: slip stitch: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-crochet-the-slip-stitch.html
• inc: increase by working 2 single crochet stitches into 1 sc below (in case of this pattern, it's 2 sctbl into the sctbl below): http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-increase-with-single-crochet.html
• dec or sctog: decrease by working 2 single crochet stitches 
• tc: turning chain

Construction

Construction

One mitt is worked in one piece - and in five parts as shown in the picture on the right.
Part 1 is started with two stitches only and worked back and forth with increases in the middle and on the sides to make up a triangle.
Part 2 is worked in the round - BUT, you will be changing directions after every row, i.e. one row is worked from the outside and the next from the inside of the piece. There are increases at the outer edge and decreases at the inner edge of the mitt.
Part 3 is worked back and forth around the inner edge of the hand and creating an open edging at the top.
Part 4 is started with a chain above the thumb and then worked in the round - but again changing directions after each round. The stitch count is decreased to fit snugly around your thumb.
Part 5 (the thumb) is the only part that is truely worked in the round without altering the crocheting direction.


Instructions

NOTE 1: all increase and decrease stitches in this part are crocheted through the back loop of the underlying stitch only.

Part I - Worked Flat
Row 1: ch2, 1 tc
Row 2: inc, inc, 1 tc
Row 3: inc, inc, place marker (will be called top marker), inc, inc, 1 tc

Row 4: inc, sctbl to top marker, inc, inc, sctbl to 1 bef end, inc, 1 tc
Repeat row 4 until the lower edge of the triangle is wide enough to fit around your wrist. Don't work the last turning chain. Your piece will now look similar to illustration 1.

For me the piece was wide enough after row 16, that means that I had a total of 64 stitches - or 32 per slope of the triangle.

NOTE 2: As to the handling of the stitch markers for increases around a point: in crochet, it's difficult to place a stitch marker between two stitches, so I'd do as follows: when I reached the point where the two increases were to be worked, I removed the marker, did the two increases and afterwards place the marker into the first stitch of the second increase. That way, after turning my work, the stitch marker would mark the first stitch into which I had to increase in the next row.

NOTE 3: During part I, your stitch count will increase by 4 sts in each row - or by 2 sts per slope of the triangle. I.e. the number of sctbls between in increases also increases by 2 sts per row (on each slope). So, if you prefer not to use stitch markers, you can count your sctbl stitches from beginning increase to middle increase. In row 4, there are 2 sts, in row 5 4 sts, in row 6 6 sts, in row 7 8 sts and so on.

Part II
Fold the piece around the middle (see illustration 2) and attach the two lower tips of the triangle to each other with a slip stitch. Place a marker here (will be called lower marker). Work a turning chain and turn work.
Row 1 (inside): dec, sctbl to top marker, inc, inc, sctbl to 2 bef lower marker, dec, connect to first dec of the row with slip stitch, tc and turn
Row 2 (outside): dec, sctbl to top marker, inc, inc, sctbl to 2 bef lower marker, dec, connect to first dec of the row with slip stitch, tc and turn
Repeat rows 1 and 2 until the edge of the top marker (i.e. the longer side edge) is as high as you want the mitt to be. DON'T TURN after the last row.

For me this was the case after 9 repeats or 18 rows.

NOTE 4: The change of direction after each row is done to keep the texture of the sctbl-rows.

NOTE 5: Stitch marker handling for the decreases ...

NOTE 6: During part II, each row has the same number of increases than decreases. That means that your stitch count stays the same.

Illustrations (click to enlarge)

Part III
From now on the working direction will change, from around the top marker, to around the lower marker. To keep the texture of the piece, the next row should be started at the top marker - however, the working yarn currently is at the lower marker.
If you're not averse to cutting yarn in the middle of a project, cut your yarn and attach it at the upper marker for row 1 of part III. If you're like me (and want to avoid weaving in more ends at any cost), you can cheat a bit and do slip stitches on the inside (or just through the back loop of the current row) to the top. Once you crochet back tbl from the inside, these slip stitches will be hidden. When you've reached the top marker turn with a turning chain.

Row 1 (inside): dec, sctbl. to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef top marker, dec, tc
Row 2 (outside): dec, sctbl. to 2 bef end, dec, tc

Remove the top marker after these rows.
After row 1 your piece should look similar to illustration 3.

Row 3 (inside): dec, sctbl. to 2 bef end, dec, tc
Row 4 (outside): dec, sctbl. to 2 bef end, dec, tc

NOTE 7: Rows 2 to 3 don't have decrases around the lower marker, i.e. the wrist warmers will get wider at this point. This widening makes a sort of thumb gusset. If you feel - while working part III - that you need more room to accomodate the widening of your hands, you can always do another row 3 or 4 instead of a row 5 or 6.

Row 5 (inside): dec, sctbl. to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 2 bef end, dec, tc
Row 6 (outside): dec, sctbl. to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 2 bef end, dec, tc

Repeat rows 5 and 6 until the upper edge covers about 75% of the hand circumference just below your knuckles.

For me this was the case after 12 rows.


Part IV 
Now the opening above the thumb needs to be closed. This is done by crocheting a chain from one of the upper edges to the other. (See illustrations 4 and 5).

Chain: place a marker (called marker 1) chain 10 and connect this chain to the other edge with a slip stitch, tc and turn, place a marker here as well (called end marker, since it marks the end of a round)
Try on the wrist warmer to see whether it fits or measure whether the total upper circumference is equal to the measurement you took. It should fit comfortably. If it's too tight or too wide, adjust the number of chain stitches accordingly.

Round 1 (inside): sc to 2 bef marker 1, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 2 bef end marker, dec, connect to first stitch of that round with slip stitch, tc and turn
Round 2 (outside): dec, sctbl to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef marker 1, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef end marker, dec, connect to first stitch of that round with slip stitch, tc and turn

After these rounds your piece should look similar to illustration 6.
Round 3 (inside): dec, sctbl to 2 bef marker 1, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 2 bef end marker, dec, connect to first stitch of that round with slip stitch, tc and turn
Round 4 (outside): dec, sctbl to 1 bef lower marker, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef marker 1, dec, dec, sctbl to 1 bef end marker, dec, connect to first stitch of that round with slip stitch, tc and turn

Try it on to check whether the opening fits snugly around your thumb. If it's still too wide, work another round. Repeat.

If you ended on an inside round, turn your work before moving on to part V. If your last round was an outside round, don't turn, but go on working in the same direction. Part V will only be worked from the outside.

Part V
Now the opening is just wide enough to fit snugly around your thumb. Remove all markers except end marker.
Round 1: sctbl to end marker
Round 2: sc to end marker
Repeat round 2 three more times (or until the thumb is as long as you'd like it).
End with a slip stitch into the next stitch.

Weave in ends.
Make two.

Unfinished Business

I haven't posted much lately ... this is partly due to the fact that I have started a new job (in real life and totally unrelated to knitting), but partly my own fault ... Even though I have knitted a lot in the last few weeks (see pictures below), I haven't felt up to the task to finish writing up a pattern.

Here's an overview of some of my current unfinished projects (roughly from left to right on the picture above):

• The huge purple thing in the upper left corner is supposed to be a poncho scarf combination (here's a picture of it on Instagram). It's made from bulky yarn which is something I don't usually knit with and I don't like how the lacy edging curls in. I guess it will be frogged - and I might pursue the general idea, but with a different edging and different (lighter weight) yarn.
• The orange-pink piece with holdes in the lower left hand corner is supposed to be a light summer scarf. It is constructed with short rows and BO/CO-holes and made with Wollmeise Pure yarn. If you want to see a close up (with a better view of the colors) it's here on my Instagram.
• The small half-moon shaped piece in pale mint (lying on top of the purple poncho) is a small swatch for a scarf/shrug combination. I will design a lower edging that does not curl in, but I guess it will work.
• The dark blue lacy piece is supposed to be a short row scarf, with lacy short rows. It somehow worked with the small swatches I knitted, but when kinitting a bigger piece the inner edge started to curl. That's why I added a garter stitch edge that is five stitches wide ... but I really don't like how it looks. Furthermore, the main idea (short rows in a lace pattern) is not visible at all. So I guess this piece will be frogged .
• The green trapezoid shaped piece is going to be another Waterfall Tunic, but with some fancy stitches at the side. The back piece is already finished. 
• Finally, the small crocheted piece in colors from pink to orange on the right is a crochet version of my Helix Mitts. Somebody on Ravelry asked whether I could do them in crochet and I am determined to finish them - including a written pattern - for autumn this year.

On the plus side, I have managed to finish some pieces - and quite a few of them will be made into patterns.

• On the upper part of the picture above there is a new knitted scarf. It is knitted from side to side with CO increases and decreases which gives it a staircase look. It is made from one skein of my new Wollmeise yarn, that I purchased a few weeks ago when I visited a friend in Bavaria. I have written a part of the pattern and (hopefully) I'll finish it over the weekend. I
• The black and white piece on the left hand side is going to be a cowl. It is knitted in intarsia technique with short rows. I've finished the written part of the pattern, but I still need to finish the chart (and maybe a helpful "shorthand" version). I also need to get some nice photos for it.
• The blue/white pair of fingerless gloves was finished earlier this year, and I really love the look and texture of them. I have started writing the pattern and some of the explanatory schematics have been drawn ... 
• The brown/beige pair is basically the same idea - only in crochet. And the pattern is half-written, half-illustrated, too.

If you know of any techniques that make me actually finish the things I started, please let me know. In real life deadlines work fine for me. But there aren't any deadlines for my blog and my knitting patterns ... (which is actually a good thing :)

Translations of My Patterns

During the last years, quite a few people have volunteered to translate one (or quite a few) of my patterns. Thank you all for your work! Currently, there are translations to German, Danish, Dutch, Italian, Russian and Czech.

 

Here's a list of the translated patterns sorted by language:

Deutsch / German

• Inbetween Mitts: Überersetzung (und Fehlerkorrektur) von Bernadette von Törtchens Blog
• Sparkler Mitts: Übersetzung durch Heikeshaekellust - (eifelgirl1 auf Ravelry)
• Zoom Out Fingerless Gloves: Übersetzung durch Mykoya (Ravelry Mame)
• Pieces of Eight Mitts: Übersetzung von Renate Schattschneider (wwmaid auf Ravelry)
• Zimtsterne Fingerless Gloves: Übersetzung von Bernadette von „Törtchens Blog“  (In diesem Blogbeitrag hat sie ihre Erfahrungen beschrieben).
• Circle Mitts: Übersetzung von Liesl24 (Ravelry-Name)
• U-Turn Mitts: eine deutschsprachige Anleitung, die auf der Idee der U-Turn Mitts basiert gibt es unter dem Namen Kehrtwende bei Ravelry (translation by stebo (Ravelry-Name))
• U-Turn Hat - auf Deutsch Wendepunkt Mütze genannt
• Triangulation Pulswärmer: erstellt von Bernadette von Törtchens Blog
• Burgdorf Cowl
• Bauklötze Schal
• Kleine Rechtecke Schal 
• Through Thick and Thin Schal
• Wellengang Schal 
• Streifen, Streifen und Streifen Schal 
• Narrenkappe
• I ♥ Intarsia (Topflappen)
• Dreieck (Untersetzer)
• Ostereier
• Tipsy Toe Socken

Nederlands / Dutch

• Crochet U-Turn Mitts: translation by sannemethorst (Ravelry name)
• Pieces of Eight Mitts: translation by mijikke (Ravelry name)

Italiano / Italian

• Octavo Fingerless Gloves: translation by Vera Piglialepre.
• Ojos de Bruja Scarf: translation by fellow raveler mariarosaknits (from Fili & Colori - The Knitting Room). She also made a YouTube video to explain the techniques (with "subtitles" both in english and italian) - here on YouTube. 
• Circle Mitts: translation by Maria Rosa Spighetti (mariarosa72 on Ravelry). 

Dansk / Danish

• Chevrons All Round Cowl: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Helgoland Mitts: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Hexagon Mitts: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Papagena Scarf: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Pieces of Eight Mitts: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Mixed Wave Mitts: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Mixed Wave Cowl: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Queen of Diamonds Scarf: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Zimtsterne Fingerless Gloves: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Knit-Only Slouch Hat: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Summertime Garter Stitch Top: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• No-Assembly Required Top: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• All Fingers and Thumbs Gloves: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name) 
• Ojos de Bruja Scarf: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Seifenblasen Lace Scarf: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Inbetween Mitts: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)
• Garter Stitch Haramaki: translation by MarianneHo (Ravelry name)

Français / French

• Sparkler Mitts: translation by Sophie Gelfi from Easy Crochet.

русский  / Russian

• Papagena Scarf: Available as a video tutorial  by lutik (Ravelry name)
• Circle Mitts: translation by purke (Ravelry name) 
• Random Bubbles Lace Scarf: Available as a video tutorial by lutik (Ravelry name)
• U-Turn Mitts: translation by horoshogromko (Ravelry name)

Česky / Czech 

• Almendra Cowl: translation by Nemravka (Ravelry name)

Japanese / 日本語::

• Starburst Mitts: video tutorial Kabosu (かぼすの手しごと) on YouTube. You can find it here (part 1).and here (part 2).¨
• Pieces of Eight Mitts: A video tutorial in japanese has been provided by Kabosu (かぼすの手しごと). It can be found on YouTube here: Part 1, Part 2

Arabic

• Water Lily: translation by Ma_Yarns (Instagram name)

Octavo Fingerless Gloves - Modello di lavoro all'uncinetto

Now available: an Italian translation of the Octavo Fingerless Gloves. Mille grazie to Vera Piglialepre for this translation.

(Edit: 26.09.2021: updated PDF pattern link - somehow google seems to have changed the links on GoogleDrive so the old links weren't working anymore)

The original english version of this pattern is available in this blogpost.

Buon divertimento!

Sparkler Mitts auf Deutsch

Heike von Heikeshaekellust (eifelgirl1 auf Ravelry) hat sich die Mühe gemacht, die Häkel-Anleitung für die Sparkler Mitts ins Deutsche zu übersetzen. Vielen lieben Dank dafür!
(Edit 03.10.2021: Update des Links auf die PDF-Datei, da sich offenbar die Links auf GoogleDrive geändert hatten.)

Die Anleitung findet sich hier als PDF-Datei.

The original english version of this free crochet pattern is available in this blogpost.

Where to Share Your Free Knitting And Crochet Patterns

When I started to design knitting patterns, I wasn't interested in hit rates and traffic to my blog. Over the years I have wanted to increase my traffic. There are a lot of general posts around that give really good advice on how and where to share your posts - these deal with Search Engine Optimization (SEO), commenting on other peoples' blogs, shareable photos, best times to share your posts on social media etc.

I have followed some of this advice in the past and it has helped a lot to drive more readers to my blog (especially SEO is important - since it will make search engines find your content). However, as a knitting blogger, I would also have liked to get more specific links, i.e. a compilation sites that useful for knitting (and crochet) bloggers to promote their content.

Since I haven't found any such list yet, this post specifically lists sites, directories, social media groups etc. for knitting and crochet patterns. It may be useful both for designers that are trying to get more traffc to their blogs as well as crafters trying to find free resources.

So, which sites do you use? Do you have any other recommendations to share or find free patterns? Let me know in the comments.

Pattern Directories and Pattern Sharing Sites

• allfreeknitting.com / allfreecrochet.com: Huge directory of knitting and crochet patterns where you can submit your patterns using a standard web form. You need to create an account to submit your projects - but they might link to your pattern in one of their newsletters which usually provides a spike in my webside traffic.
• craftgawker.com: A curated photo gallery to showcase the works of craft bloggers. You have to create an account and use a web form to submit your work. They also review the submissions in order to make sure that the photos match their standards.
• shareapattern.com: Links to a new free knitting, crochet and sewing pattern each day. You have to register to submit a pattern.
• knittinghelp.com: A site with videos to help knitters learn new techniques that also lists free patterns by category. You can submit a pattern using this web form.
• CraftGossip.com: According to their about page "CraftGossip covers news written by craft people telling you about all the good stuff". To submit your pattern for being linked to, you have to fill in a form. 
• 365crochet.com - crochet patterns only - there is a web form to submit a free pattern to be listed
• knittingpatternsgalore.com / crochetpatternsgalore.com 
• craftroulette.com

Social Media for Knitters and Crocheters

Ravelry

Ravelry is THE site to share and find knitting and crochet patterns - both free and paid. You have to create an account to search their huge pattern directory, but it is well worth it. The search function is excellent. As a designer you can showcase your pattern there - and you also have the fun of seeing other people's projects from your patterns. Over the years Ravelry has provided more than 20% of the traffic to my blog.

Facebook Groups

On Facebook there are a lot of groups for knitters and crocheters - on some of them you can also share your free patterns. Just search for "knitting" or "crochet" and apply for membership.
Groups that are specifically made to post free patterns are  for example (links only work if your are logged in to Facebooks) Ravelry Free Pattern Alerts, Ravelry Free Pattern Alerts (Knit Only), Free Crochet and Knitting Patterns. Other great knitting and crochet groups are Knitting, Love Knitting and Crocheting, CROCHET ADDICT and (if you can read German) nadelspiel ... Whichever group you post your patterns to, make sure to read the group's rules and comply to them and don't spam!

Google+ Groups

On Google+ there are al so a lot of groups for knitters and crocheters - many of them also allow to post links to your free patterns (but as always, read the group rules and comply to them - and don't spam). Just search for knitting/crochet groups and ask to be admitted. Groups that I post my patterns to include: Knitting, Knitting Bloggers, Knit Along on Google+, Knitters Support Group and Some Crochet Too, The Crochet Lounge, Free Crochet Patterns, The Crochet Café and many more ...

Pinterest and Pinterest Group Boards

Pinterest calls itself as "the world’s catalogue of ideas". You can certainly find a lot of inspiration there - not only in the yarny arts but also in recipes, home decor, life hacks etc.
Pinterest is great to store good ideas (by pinning them to your boards), but also to promote your own projects and blog posts, You can do this by pinning to your own boards and using appropriated hash tags. You can encorage others to pin your posts by using Pinterest friendly photos and adding a Pin-It-Button using Pinterest's widget builder.

Group Boards: If you want to find a suitable group board, go to PinGroupie.com, browse the groups and ask to be added as a contributor as indicated (this process may be different for different boards).
If you have created a group board yourself, you can list it at a Group Board Directory.

Group Boards that I post to are: Let's Knit and Crochet, Knitting Knitting Knitting PIN for ALL, Fiber Arts Community Board {P2P}, Yarn Love Community Pinboard, my knit affair ¦ pin here, The WHOot Best Crochet and Knitting, etc. (And no, I'm not the owner of any of these boards so I cannot add you to the list of contributors - you have to ask the owner's permission (politely!) - and it's their decision to accept you or not.) Also, all of these boards have a set of rules to comply to.

Yarny and Crafty Link Parties

If you are featured at a link party, it might create a spike in your blog's hit rate - especially if it's a popular link party and the hosts share the features on their social media channels. Here's a list of link parties that specialise in "yarny" stuff:

• Fiber Tuesdays by Oui Crochet and The Quilting Room with Mel (Tuesday - every week)
• Hookin on Hump Day by MooglyBlog and Petals to Picots (Wednesday - every other week)
• Link and Share Wednesday by OombawkaDesign (Wednesday - every week)
• Link Your Stuff by meertje (Wednesday - every week)
• Yarnalong by Small Things (Wednesday - every week)
• Crafting along by mazkow.com (Saturday - every week)
• Link Your Stuff by annemaries haakblog (Saturday - every week)
• KnittingLove Link Party by the Underground Crafter and Jessie at Home (monthly)

More link parties (not yarn specific) that I regularly frequent can be found here.
Other peoples (crafty) link party lists are for example here and here. One general link party directory can be found here.

Forums etc.

• Knitting Paradise is a forum for knitters to share free resources (especially the Links and Resources Board), to show off their projects to ask for advice and to generally chat about knitting. You have to create an account to post there and you have to be a "regular" to post your own patterns. The boards have rules - read them before posting!
• CrochetVille Community
• Crochet.Community

So, these are my favorite places to promote my patterns. I hope this list was helpful to you and I would love to add more recommendations to my list.

Rettangolini Scarf

Crochet yourself a fun summer accessory with this breezy scarf. It's constructed of rectangular modules that are connected as you go.

This scarf is the crochet version of my (knitted) Little Rectangles Summer Scarf.

This work by Knitting and so on is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Abbreviations and Special Techniques:

• DC = double crochet (US terminology) - as shown in this YouTube video by HappyBerry Crochet 
• Chainless Double Crochet Foundation Stitch (CDCF): A way of starting with double crochet stitches without doing chain stitches first. It is shown in this YouTube video by Gleeful Things.  
• Connected Chainless Double Crochet Foundation Stitch (cCDCF): Yarn over and insert your hook into the bottom of the last CDCF (see picture 1 below), yarn over and pull the yarn through once (see picture 2), then insert the hook of the edge of the next rectangle of the layer below (see picture 3), yarn over and pull through two loops (the one picked up from the next rectangle and the next on your hook (see picture 4), then finish like a normal DC.

How to do a Connected Chainless Double Crochet Foundation Stitch (click on image to enlarge)

Materials
Since gauge doesn't matter here, you can basically use any yarn weight to crochet this scarf. I used the following

• about 120 grams of fingering weight yarn
• a 3.5 mm crochet hook
• a tapestry needle to weave in ends

Construction

This scarf is constructed in layers of DC rectangles (12 DCs wide and 4 rows high). Each layer consists of 5 rectangles one on top of the last one but with an offset of 8 stitches. The layers are at right angles to the layer below - at bit like entrelac, but with spaces inbetween.
The first rectangle of one layer connects with the fifth or last rectangle of the layer below, the second with the fourth rectangle, the third with the third of the row below, the fourth with the second and the fifth with the first from the row below. This construction is shown in the picture below.

If you like your patterns charted, here's a chart of the whole pattern. If you rather like written instructions see below.

Chart (click on image to enlarge)

Instructions

First Layer

First rectangle
Row 1: ch 4, do a double crochet into the first chain, do 10 CDFCs, turn
Row 2: ch3, do 11 DCs (one into each double crochet in the row below), turn
Row 3 = Row 2
Row 4 = Row 2

Second to fifth rectangle
Row 1: starting with the 2nd DC in the row below, do 8 slip stitches, chain 3, do 3 DCs into the remaining DCs of the row below, do 8 CDFCs, turn
Row 2: ch3, do 11 DC (one into each double crochet in the row below), turn
Row 3 = Row 2
Row 4 = Row 2

Second Layer (and all subsequent layers)

First rectangle
Row 0: ch 7 (see illustration A1)
Row 1: ch 3, do 7 DCs (one into each ch of row 0). do 4 DCs into the side of rectangle 5 of the layer below, turn  (see illustration A2)
Row 2: ch3, do 11 DCs (one into each double crochet in the row below), turn
Row 3 = Row 2
Row 4 = Row 2 (see illustration A3)

First rectangle of layers 2 and following (click on image to enlarge)

Second to fifth rectangle
Row 1: starting with the 2nd DC in the row below, do 8 slip stitches, chain 3, do 3 DCs into the remaining DCs of the row below (see illustration B1), do 3 CDFCs, 1cCDFC (connecting it to the corner of the next rectangle in the layer below, see illustration B2), do 4 DCs into the side of this rectangle (see illustration B3), turn
Row 2: ch3, do 11 DCs (one into each double crochet in the row below),
Row 3 = Row 2
Row 4 = Row 2

Second to fifth rectangle of layers 2 and following (click on image to enlarge)

Repeat this layer until the scarf is as long as you want it to be.

Weave in ends and block gently.

This post was featured at Fiber Tuesday Link Party #77 at OuiCrochet. Thank you!