Crochet Yourself A Plant Holder

It takes a neighbourhood to make a plant holder! We got these beautiful, fish hook  plants from Willem and Jools which is a wonderful plant and container shop just down the street from us on Roncesvalles Avenue. The chains and findings that hold the plant holders came from our local Home Hardware store. We custom made these hanging plant baskets with a trusty, large size crochet hook and yarn made from recycled jersey fabric found right here at The Knit Cafe.

The best part was embellishing them with tassels and pompoms!

You can make one too. You will need some of this great yarn from Wool and the Gang called Jersey Be Good. It’s available in our webshop HERE or instore.  Gather some pretty yarns for your tassels and pompoms and visit your local hardware store for the findings, then follow the FREE PATTERN that you will find at the bottom of this post.

Here’s How We Made The Fancy Tassels

Make 4 bundles of tassel yarn and fold each in half
Wrap one around another and place as shown in picture 2.
Now you have two connected bundles of tassel yarn.

Take one of the bundles that is wrapped around the other and thread the ends through the loop of the other connected bundle. Do the same with the other connected bundle.
Now all four of the bundles are connected!
Pull them tight to make a pretty knot.

Add a tie to the top with a spare piece of tassel yarn and a darning needle. Thread the yarn from the top down through the knot and then from underneath back up again.
Let all the tassel strings hang down. Use contrasting coloured yarn to wrap around just under the base of the knot, making sure to hide the contrast colour tail as you wrap.

When wrapping is complete tie a knot and use your darning needle again to hide the tail of your wrapping yarn.  You can add more colours if you want.
Trim!
and done

You can find a pompom making tutorial HERE

Get an easy to print PDF of the Plant Holder Pattern HERE

Craftily yours
Kristin

I’m Biased – A Free Knit Café Pattern

 

The Knit Café has a brand new pattern to share with you!

 I’m Biased

I may be biased but I find this scarf really cozy! In construction it is very simple. A wonderfully plain garter stitch gets glamourized when knit on the bias with easy to stitch increases and decreases. The bias fabric has extra drape and is so comfortable to wear. Colour is another essential consideration in this neck garment. One main colour is knit double stranded with several contrasting colours in colour-blocks. The colours are divided so that a bit of each is visible when it is worn wrapped around the neck. A one-ply, fingering weight yarn like Madelinetosh Merino Light won’t allow the scarf to get too heavy despite the doubling up.  Merino Light comes in handy small skeins of 47 meters each, sweetly called “Unicorn Tails”. We made good use of them for this project utilizing two Unicorn Tails for each of the four contrasting colours. This is a great project for a new knitter or a knitter who wants an easy-breezy TV watching project.

Get all the materials for I’m Biased in a Knit Café Knit Kit HERE

Materials: One skein Madelinetosh Merino Light 384m/ 420 yds for MC, eight Madelinetosh Unicorn Tails (47m/ 52 yds each), two of each CC A, B, C, D.
5mm needles, or to obtain gauge.
Finished Dimensions: Length measured tip to tip 135cm/53”, width 23cm/9”
Gauge: 16 sts per 10cm/ 4” in garter stitch

With MC and A held together CO 65 sts
S1 purlwise (leave yarn in back for first row only) K2tog, K to last st, M1, K1.

Bias stitch pattern:
Row 1: S1, K to end
Row 2: S1, K2tog, K to last st M1, K1

Repeat these 2 rows till first contrast colour runs out, aprox 28cm/11” measured along the selvedge on its diagonal. Make sure your last row is a Row 1.
Begin knitting with MC and B together in bias stitch pattern beginning with Row 2. Continue for another 28cm/11”
Repeat with MC and C, and then with MC and D.
Four colour sections knit!

Note: Both sides of the garter stitch look the same. You may find it helpful to place a marker on one side of your knit fabric to indicate the row where you make your increases and decreases.

Finishing: BO
Weave in ends, and block if desired

Abbreviations:
MC: Main Colour
CC: Contrast Colour
St(s): stitch(s)
CO: Cast On
BO: Bind Off
K: Knit
K2tog: Knit two stitches together
S1: Slip One. Insert the stitch as if to purl and transfer it from left to right needle, then bring the yarn into the back of the work between the two needles like you just finished a purl and were about to knit the next stitch. All the S1 are made this way except for the first row of the pattern as described.
M1: Make One. An Elizabeth Zimmerman backward loop make one.  See diagram

Print A PDF of the I’m Biased Pattern HERE

 

A new pattern for a new year!

The Knit Cafe’s first pattern for 2015 is Pantoufles.
My pal David once told me that when he was growing up in Quebec it was common for folks to have a basket of slippers by their front doors.  Visitors were strongly encouraged to doff their messy (probably snowy) footwear and put on a warm and comfy pair of pantoufles.  We named this slipper pattern in homage to this tradition.   These slippers are fast and easy to knit up so in no time you could have a basket full.
Knit partly flat and partly in rounds on double pointed needles there is no need to seam up these slippers.  The colour decoration is an easy chevron pattern; a great one to try for knitters new to fairisle techiques. Of course you could omit the colour patterning and have plain knit slippers that are just as cozy.

Pantoufles

Yarn Berroco Vintage Chunky one of each A 6106, B 6107, C 6121.
Needle 6mm DPN’s and 40cm circular.
Gauge 15sts, 20 rows = 10cm (4”) in stocking stitch, knit flat
Size S, (M, L, XL) to fit US shoe size 5-6, (7-8, 9-10, 11-12)

Leave 30cm tail when making your slipknot. The tail will be used at the end to sew toe seam.
Starting at the toe, using DPN’s, colour A and with cable CO technique CO 12sts spaced out evenly with 3 sts on each of the 4 needles,. Join into round being careful not to twist the CO edge.
Round 1: K
Round 2:
Needle 1 & 3: K till 1 st before end of needle M1, K1
Needle 2 & 4: K1, M1, K to end
Repeat round 2 till 8, (8, 8, 9) sts on each needle 32, (32, 32, 36) sts total.
K 2 rounds even.

Begin fair-isle pattern.
Attach colour B and knit chart 1, once, break colour A.
Attach colour C and knit chart two, 3, (3, 3, 4) times
Knit first 2 rounds of chart 3, break colour B, attach colour A. Knit remaining 2 rounds of chart 3. Break colour C.
Knit one even round with colour A.

Switch from knitting in rounds to knitting flat as follows.

Using colour A and circular needles, K16, turn to face WS, P32 (end of row). K back and forth in stocking stitch till entire slipper is 22, (24, 25, 27) cm/ 8.5,(9.5, 9 ¾, 10.5)” long, ending with knit row.

Divide sts equally between 2 DPN’s. BO using 3-needle BO technique.

3-needle BO

Hold both needles in left hand with RS facing each other.
Hold a third needle in your right hand^, and insert it into 1^st stitch on both left hand needles and knit them together. Knit second stitches on both needles in same way. You should have 2 stitches on the right hand needle. BO as you normally would by bringing the first stitch worked over the second and letting it drop off the needle. Continue in this manner till all stitches are bound off. Fasten off and weave in the end.

Sew toe opening using attached tail, weave in loose ends and make second slipper.

Abbreviations
K knit
P purl
M1 make one st (Elizabeth Zimmermann’s M1 [backward loop increase], or pick up bar between 2 sts and K TBL
CO cast on
BO bind off
WS wrong side
RS right side
TBL through back loop
DPN double pointed needle

Level
Knitters must know how to knit and purl in rounds on double pointed needles, and bind off with a 3 needle bind off, this technique is described in the pattern. Fair Isle colour knitting and following a colour chart are also necessary skills for knitting this pattern.

Print Friendly PDF HERE

Craftily yours
Kristin

Bunting for Beginners and other new patterns!

We are excited to announce that we have 4 new Knit Cafe patterns!

#1 Bunting for Beginners is available right here, right now and for FREE!!

The rest you can download through the Knit Cafe’s Ravelry Page.
#2 Baby Harem
#3 Tremblant Baby Blanket
#4 Tee

Check them out! You might see a theme emerge.  Yes – all these patterns are of the cute variety meant for small people. Comfy-cozy, diaper-fitting pants, a happy, happy baby blanket, and a shirt to ooh and ahh over. More will be mentioned about these in times to come but for now, have a look-see at Bunting For Beginners! It’s ready to gussy up your world!

BUNTING FOR BEGINNERS

A go-to recipe for dressing up a room or preparing for a party – just add bunting! Colourful flags are so cheerful and easy to make too. This pattern combines a little bit of knitting with a little bit of crochet, but you’ll only need the basics for both.

Materials: worsted weight yarn in as many colours as you like (we used 4 flag colours and 1 connecting colour). One 100 gr, 200m/220yd skein makes approximately 30 flags.

4.5mm/US7 straight needles, 4 mm/US6 crochet hook, darning needle, scissors.

Gauge: 20sts per 10cm/4” on 4.5mm/US7 needle

Flag size: W 8cm/3.25”, H 5.5cm/2.25”

To make flag:

CO 3 sts and K 1 row.

Next row: *SL1, M1, K to end of row*, repeat till 15 sts on the needle.

Bind off and weave in ends.

Continue to make flags till desired number is reached.

Connecting flags:
Using crochet hook and connecting colour CH 5, * 1SC into each bound off stitch of a flag, CH 20*, repeat until all the flags are connected, end last repeat with CH5.

Abbreviations:
sts: stitches
K: knit
SL1: slip one
M1: make one
CH: chain (crochet)
SC: single crochet

Level: Knitters must know how to cast on, knit, bind off, how to increase with “make one” and how to both chain and single crochet with a crochet hook.

EASY TO PRINT PATTERN PDF HERE

Craftily yours
Kristin

504 King West

Thank you all TTC Knitalongers! It was so nice to see faces filled with such knit-enthusiasm last Saturday.  What a great way to launch our summer yarn sale!  Thank you too, to the fine folks who organize the knitalong and brought the joy to all those faces, as well as raising some funds for Sistering. It’s Win, Win!

We had a special gift for the Knitalong groups that came through the Knit Cafe.  Iwona designed a pattern to commemorate the TTC Knitalong 2014.  It’s called 504 King West, after the streetcar route that passes by the Knit Cafe.

We’d now like to pass the pattern along to all commuters (and non commuters too -what the heck!).

This asymmetrical garter stitch scarf, is brought to you by the magic of Koigu Yarn.  Find two 50 gram skeins that strike your fancy and mix in some delectable mini skein in a pleasing pallet and you are ready for even the worst rush-hour blues.

A pattern designed for your commute! This asymmetrical neck wrapper is a restful knit meant for sleepy, distracted knitters who like to knit to the rhythm of the metro or the streetcar. Named after the Toronto streetcar route that rumbles by The Knit Café on Roncesvalles Ave, this pattern was originally inspired by the TTC Knitalong. This intrepid group takes over Toronto Transit for an annual knitathon. Amazing!

This garter stitch scarf is shaped with increases and decreases to form a dynamic, obtuse triangular shape. Have fun with the mixing and matching of the colours! Choose two for the body of the scarf and a cute trio of colours for the scarf edge. In our version we took advantage of Koigu Yarn’s sweet, mini skeins, which are 10 metres long each. This is the perfect amount for one stripe in this pattern.

Made with a long circular needle you won’t have to worry about poking the passenger beside you or losing a needle, just throw this project in your bag and climb aboard.

Materials: Koigu KPM 50 grams (160m/175yds) one of each A 2335, B 2354, and Koigu KPM 10m skeinettes one of each C 2403, D 1113, E 1112.
3.5 mm/#4 circular needle 80cm/32” long

Gauge: 20sts and 52 rows per 10cm/ 4 inches in garter st, or needle to obtain gauge.
Finished Dimensions: 140 cm/ 55 inches long, 27 cm/ 10 inches at widest point

Using A CO 4 sts,

Row 1 (WS): K till 2 sts remain, KFB, K1.

Row 2 (RS): YO, K till 2 sts remain, K2TOG.

Repeat both rows till 96sts on the needle, ending with WS row. Break yarn leaving 25cm tail.

At the beginning of next RS row pick up colour B, SL 1, KFB, K till 2 sts remain, K2TOG.

Continue with rows 1 and 2 till 134 sts, ending with row 2.

Bind off loosely and weave in end.

 Edging

Facing RS and using colour C pick up and knit 5sts for every 4 garter ridges (about 170sts), along K2TOG edge.

Row 1 (WS): YO, K till 2 sts remain, K2TOG, break yarn leaving 25cm tail.

Row 2 (RS): using colour D, K till 2 sts remain, KFB, K1.

Row 3: same as row 1.

Row 4: using colour E, K till 2 sts remain, KFB, K1.

Bind off loosely and weave in all ends.

Abreviations:
CO: cast on
sts: stitches
WS: wrong side
RS: right side
K: knit
KFB: knit front and back increase
YO: yarn over
K2TOG: knit two together
SL: slip the stitch purlwise

PATTERN  PDF FOR EASY PRINTING

Craftily yours
Kristin

washing instructions included.

Some presents for my Sweetie, that were really for myself!

Washcloths!

Do people really get excited about washcloths? Well, I ‘ll tell you straight, if they’re handmade, cotton washcloths they sure do.  Knit or crocheted, I’m not fussy these small sections of cloth that are meant for drudgery improve the quality of my life exponentially.

This wash cloth is made up an easy stitch pattern, with a single crocheted edge. The texture is perfect for scrubbing.

Made from Skinny Cotton by Blue Sky Alpaca, these wash cloths last me years – YEARS!!!

We just received an order of Blue Sky Cottons –  Look at all the pretty colours ↑

Cotton Wash Cloth

Materials: Skinny Cotton by Blue Sky Alpaca (137 m/150 yds), 2 skeins make 4 wash cloths
3.5mm knitting needles and crochet hook (depending on your tension you may have to change the size of your crochet hook.  I recommend you crochet one side of the wash cloth and see how your crochet stitches fit with your knitting stitches.  If there is some bunching in the wash cloth , you are too tight, so pick a bigger hook. If the crochet stitches fan out and ruffle, then you’re too loose, go for a smaller hook.) I used a 3mm hook.
Finished Dimensions: aprox 20cm square

CO 30 sts

note: you may slip the first stitch of every row, by passing the stitch from the left needle to the right to get an edge that is easy to crochet, but this is optional

Row 1 and 2: (K2, P2) repeat to end
Row 3 and 4: (P2, K2) repeat to end

Repeat these four rows till your wash cloth is square.  I verify this by folding my wash cloth diagonally from corner to corner. If all your edges meet up – it is a square!

With your crochet hook and your contrast colour single crochet along all edges of the washcloth. A picot crochet stitch is also nice here if you’re familiar with it.

Weave in ends, and make more!!

Craftily yours
Kristin

I’m with the band! A knitted headband story.

This is a super easy project.  I made it in a few hours – really! It took me much longer to photograph the process then it did to knit it.
This project was inspired by a knit cafe student.  Kat attended out Knit 101 class, and by the 4th class she came in with this little number that she invented herself.  I was so impressed by her cleverness for figuring!
The project seemed like a great thing to teach a beginner.  Fast to do with really only a few basics and not very many stitches to keep track of.  I asked her if I could reinvent her pattern for our blog and spread the knit-joy! She agreed! Thank you Kat!
Kat figured out how to add the pretty cable twist into this pattern on her own gumption, but I have included a step-by-step here so you won’t have to go to the trouble.  Knitter’s secret – cables are really easy! You’ll see!

Thanks to Edie for modelling!

Knit 101 Headband

Finished Dimensions: Width 10cm (4″), Circumference unstretched: 44cm (17″)

10mm needles, cable needle

1 skein Madelinetosh Tosh Chunky held two strands together.
Tosh Chunky is 100% Superwash Merino, 151m (165yds), 14-16sts/10cm (4″)
For my version I used exactly half the ball.
When you wind your ball, make sure you get a center pull so you can hold two yarn ends together to knit this project.  Alternatively you can wind two separate balls.

Gauge in garter stitch – 13 sts/10cm (4″)
This is the tension that the project is knit to.

Gauge in stocking stitch – 12 sts/10cm (4″)
This will help you make substitutions, as all yarn labels have gauge knit with stocking stitch.   If you find a yarn that knits 12 sts over 10cm it will be the right weight for this project without double stranding it.

Note: I made a slipped edge which is easy to do, but the headband will still look wonderful without this detail.  If you feel like you’re inclined to try this kind of edge you can add it on like this:
The  first stitch of every row, slip from one needle to the other, inserting your needle through the stitch like you would if you were purling.  For those who have not purled this means insert the needle from right to left through the stitch and transfer it to the other needle.  Before you knit your next stitch bring your yarn between the two needles so it sits behind your work.  Repeat this on the first stitch of every row!

Cast on 12 stitches

Knit 23 cm (9″ ) or to fit half way around your head when stretched out some

To make Cable Twist:

Knit 1, Slip the next 5 stitches on a cable needle and hold behind the rest of your stitches

Knit the next 5 stitches from your original needles (not the ones on the cable)

Knit the 5 stitches from the cable needle

Knit the last stitch from your original needle.

Knit another 23cm (9″) or to fit half way around your head when stretched out.

Cast off. leaving a long tail for seaming and seam ends together.

Congratulate yourself on your sweet new headband!

For another version of this headband pattern called
Knit 101 Headband Too, check it out HERE

Cabling Tutorial for Headband

Knit one.

,

,

,

.

Slip the next 5 stitches on a cable needle and hold behind the rest of your stitches

.

.
.

Knit the next 5 stitches

,

.

.

.

Like so!

.

.

.

.

Knit the 5 stitches from the cable needle (starting with what would have been your 2nd stitch, the first one you slipped)

.

.
.

Knit the last stitch

.

.

.

.

.

Voila!

.

.

.

.

et volila!

.

.

.
.

I tried a few different ways of seaming the headband together.  One left a seamless join, but a bulky underside.  The other is a little less perfect, but lies flat.  I chose the latter for my headband.  Here’s both versions – you can choose the way you like best!

Seaming
Seamless join with bulky underside:

The pink triangles highlight the stitches.  Insert your needle under a stitch on one side of your headband.  This picture shows the cast off side. Make sure you get both sides of the triangle.  Let the orange arrow be your guide!

This is the cast on side.  Again- insert your needle through the full stitch (both sides of the triangle.

Move back and forth across the two sides- from cast off to cast on! See how the stitches you are making resemble the “V” shapes of your knit stitches!

When you pull it tight the stitches disappear. Even this bright red melts away! …ooooooh!

This is the back side.  It is nice and neat but a bit bulky with such thick yarn.

Running Stitch Join, lies flatter but not as neat:

Insert needle through the cast on edge and the cast off edge straight through.

Pull through both, and change the direction of your needle to connect cast off to cast on. Keep weaving back and forth till you have connected all the stitches.

The result looks like this on your working side.

It looks a little bit better on the back side. Both sides sit flat.

Choose which method you prefer, or try both and compare your results.  It doesn’t take too long with only 12 stitches.

The finished goods!

Craftily yours
Kristin

Polar Bear

Some of you have been very patiently waiting for our Polar Bear Pattern to be ready to share.  Today is the day your patience pays off.

This is the full array of polar bears that have been decorating our window this season.

Each one is a bit different.

Once you add the eyes and ears and noses they really come into their own.

The pattern comes with the directions to make a small and larger version of the bear, but you can widen the differential with your yarn and needle choice.

The bears are so easy and fast to make you could have a whole bunch ready for Christmas.  Small ones would make great ornaments or present toppers, big ones are good for cuddles.
If you feel like you need a helping hand while making your bear – join a class! This 2.5 hour workshop is available Monday December 9th, 10am-12:30pm, or on Thursday December 12, 6:30-9pm.  Call to register 416 533 5648.

these pics came from our new instagram account!

Polar Bear Pattern
by Maurie Todd for The Knit Cafe

This is an easy knit project! The bear is knit in garter stitch (that is knit every row). It is knit flat on regular old straight needles and then seamed up.  Ears and eyes and noses are added once stuffed.  Gauge is not very important for this bear, just make sure you knit tight so that the stuffing won’t show through.  Different sized bears can be made by varying the weight of yarn and the needle size.  If your tension is average, then we suggest that you choose a needle size a half size smaller than the recommended needle size on the yarn label.

Size: Small (Large)

Materials:
We used 100 grams worsted weight yarn and 3.5mm needles for a bear with finished dimensions of approximately 10 (20) cm from nose to tail.
small amount of black embroidery thread for eyes and nose
stuffing
row counter (optional)

To Make:
Back Legs: CO 20 (40) sts and knit 10 (20) rows.
Next Row: Bind off the first 5 (10) sts at the beginning of the row, knit across.
Next Row: Bind off the first 5 (10) sts, knit to the end of the row.  10 (20) sts.

Body: Knit 9 (18) rows

Front Legs: Next Row:  CO 5 (10) sts at the beginning of the row and knit across
Next Row: CO 5 (10) sts at the beginning of the row and knit across 20 (40) sts
Knit 10 (20) rows
Next Row: bind off the first 5 (10) sts of the row and knit across
Next Row: bind off the first 5 (10) sts of the row and knit across 10 (20) sts

Start of Head: Knit the next 1 (2) rows
Next Row: K2tog at the beginning and the end of the row 8 (18) sts
Next Row: knit
Repeat these 2 rows until 4 stitches remain
Cast off.

Ears: (make 2)
small : CO 4 stitches, bind off
large: CO 7 stitches.  Knit one row. Bind off.
Both sizes: Fold ear in half and attach to head.

To Make up: see diagram

Seam legs first
Fold A to A and sew around. Repeat with B to B, C to C, D to D. These 4 wee pockets are the legs, Stuff all 4.

Fold bear in half along fold line and sew together. Stuff as you sew.

Attach ears.

French knots work well for eyes. Satin Stitch can be used for the nose.

Click HERE for an Easy to Print PDF

Craftily yours
Kristin

Triangulate this!

I finished these mittens this week.

Designed by me, on account of this scarf ↓.  I needed a go-with for it.
I decided I wanted to pick up on the triangle motif without directly copying it.  The yarn came from left-overs.  Odds and sods of soft Manos del Uruguay Maxima and Malabrigo Worsted, both are 1 ply merino wool, and the very same yarn that comes in all those fun, neon colours I spoke of last time.

A ribbed cuff followed by the easy fairisle pattern does the trick for keeping the chilly winds out.  There were a lot of ends to darn in which I seemed to do gladly, but you can minimize this by choosing 2 colours only.  Yes- I am giving you the pattern.  Right here! Right now! Here we go…..

Good news is fit for sharing!

I have some very exciting news to share.
The Knit Cafe is adding a new member to the team, and you will all love her.
Please give warm wooly welcomes to Natalie Selles when you meet her.
Natalie is a very accomplished knitter and we are very lucky to have her.  She will be an excellent resource for all of us. I am looking forward to picking her brain on a topic or two. She is a self proclaimed Knitter with a capital K ! Natalie is a knitwear designer and you can peruse her patterns on ravelry here.  Natalie is also a blogger and you can follow her blog here.

I would also like to share with you the pattern for these knit Matroyska Dolls.
They were the stars of the Knit Cafe’s Nuit Blanche exhibition this past Saturday/Sunday.
They are pretty fun to make and easy to make them your own.  This is evident by all the unique characters that grace our current window display.
Here are a few↓

Inspired? Time to make your own version.  The pattern is after the jump.
Craftily yours
Kristin