Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

Okay, I’ve got a cute one for you today. I’ve been putting out some sneak peeks on Twitter and Facebook yesterday (please join me on both - see the top of the blog sidebar for links). The response was huge! I didn’t know everyone needed a Flamingo but now I do. What a fun and fast knit. The Hi-Bounce Pinky Ball inside the body makes for a great shape and a great bounce. My daughter could not stop with the bouncing flamingo yesterday. You can bounce this one standing up and it will bounce high enough that you can catch it.

Here is some information you might like to know:

Finished Measurements:

3 inches wide (including the wings) by 5 inches tall (with the head curved over)

Yarn:

Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45 % organic cotton; 160 yards/100 grams), 1 skein each in Watermelon #7512, Ice Cream #7500 and Popsicle #7501

Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Cotton (100% organically grown cotton; 150 yards/100 grams), 1 skein in Ink #613

Tools:

US size 5 double pointed needles, set of 4 or size to obtain gauge

Yarn needle

Scissors

Tape measure or ruler

Polyester fiber-fill

Pinky Hi-Bounce Ball  (optional if you prefer to stuff the body with fiberfill)

Black embroidery floss

Stitch marker

2 pipe cleaners

Gauge:

6 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

The wings and tail use a simple picot edging bind off. I have a video tutorial available on how to do this technique if you are interested.

Click here for the video tutorial!

The legs and tail help to balance the body so it can sit up nicely. Play around with the placement of these pieces so your Flamingo can sit up on its own.

The reason the Hi-Bounce Pinky has an optional after it on the pattern is because you could also just stuff the flamingo with fiberfill if you don’t want the ball inside. That works fine, too. The Hi-Bounce Pinky Balls can be found at many local toy shops but they are also available for online order on Amazon.

Click here for the Hi-Bounce Pinky Ball link to Amazon!

Click here for the downloadable pdf pattern for Flamingo!

Click here for the Ravelry page for Flamingo!

Have fun with your Flamingo knitting. Enjoy.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I have some tiny butterflies to share with you today. My daughter is in love with this sweet project. The butterfly on the right above is made out of Sweater and the butterfly on the left is made out of Fine. Knitting a butterfly is the perfect tiny summer project to give you a bit of a quick boost. The butterflies I made are placed on I-cord rings but you could stitch a butterfly on a sweater, on a hair-tie or barrette or on a scarf or the cuff of a mitten or kids’ sock. The possibilities are endless. It is a great little user-upper of odds and ends, too.

You only need tiny amounts of yarn in any of our cheerful colorways so just pick and choose as you see fit.

Yarn: Small amounts of Sweater (our worsted) or Fine (our fingering weight)

Finished measurement: 1-inch for the Sweater butterfly, 3/4- inch for the Fine

Needles:

For the Sweater butterfly: US size 5, set of 2 double-pointed needles

For the Fine butterfly: US size 2, set of 2 double-pointed needles

Exact gauge is not important.

Materials:

Ruler, yarn needle, scissors

Body:

With the center body color cast on 3 stitches. Work in I-cord for 1-inch for the Sweater and 3/4 inch for the Fine.

Next row: slip 1, k2tog, pass the slip stitch over the second stitch and off the needle (1 st remains)

Cut the yarn and pull through the remaining stitch.

Wing:

With the selected wing color pick up 5 stitches along one side of the I-cord body.

Row 1: knit

Row 2: kfb, k3, kfb (7 sts)

Row 3: knit

Row 4: k3, bind off 1 stitch, k2

Row 5: k2tog, k1, pass the first stitch over the second stitch and off the needle. Cut the yarn.

Reattach the yarn at the center and continue on with the remaining stitches as follows:

k2tog, k1, pass the first stitch over the second stitch and off the needle. Cut the yarn.

Weave in all ends to the back side of the butterfly and trim.

Repeat the wing on the other side.

Ring:

Cast on 2 stitches in the selected ring color. Ideally, measure the finger of the person wearing the butterfly ring. If not, the rings I made are 2 1/2 inches long.

Next row: k2tog (1 st remains)

Cut the yarn and pull through the remaining stitch. Using a yarn needle, stitch the ends of the I-cord together to form a ring.

Using the same end on a yarn needle take a few stitches to attach the butterfly to the ring. Weave in all ends on the back side of the butterfly and trim.

That’s it! Have fun with your tiny butterflies!

Click here for the Ravelry pattern page for Butterflies!

I bound off the body on the Grape Jelly Top Down Raglan! Will share soon!

Now the sleeves!!!

One more quick thing, I was interviewed on the Math 4 Knitters Crafty Living podcast show #30 and talked a bit about Spud & Chloë if you are interested in listening. Click here to listen or you can download from itunes as well.

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I have a new free pattern for you today. I love throw pillows on my couches. I like them to have a variety of textures and colors. I especially like it when the pillows are handmade. I created Cush to fill my handknit throw pillow needs. I’d love to have a bunch of these in a variety of the Outer colors. There is a stitch pattern that creates a striping effect and color changes to go with the stitch pattern would be fantastic. You could use up your Outer leftovers this way. Don’t you love handknit home accessories? The. Best.

The knit pillow case is meant to have a snug fit. When I have throw pillows on my couches they get heavily used and after awhile the form flattens out a bit and the knit fabric stretches a bit. I purposely started this new knit pillow out to be a plump and snug fitting casing for the pillow form. It feels like heaven.

I also added the buttons so you could take the form out and wash the pillow case without any troubles. That’s the whole point of Spud & Chloë, no worries knitting. If someone spills it’s an easy machine wash.

If you’d like a smooth pillow you could knit the whole thing in stockinette stitch. I might do one of these for my girls to use as a sleepover pillow to bring along places. My kids like to nap on our couches, too, and I think this would make the perfect little pillow to rest your head on. I may have to make a couple more stockinette versions of Cush. The texture adds interest so maybe some of each would be good.

The buttons I used are 1-inch and they are many, many years old. I have no idea what brand they are or where I got them. Any washable 1-inch buttons will do fine!

Here is some information you might like to know about Cush:

Finished measurement: 12-inches by 16-inches for the knit pillow case

Yarn: Outer (65% superwash wool, 35% organic cotton; 100 grams/60 yards), 2 skeins in Hedge #7210 or selected color

Needles:

US size 15 sixteen-inch circular needles or size to obtain gauge

One spare needle or circular needles in a similar or the same size to hold stitches for the kitchener stitch

Gauge: 2 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch and 3 rounds per inch in stockinette stitch

Materials:

One 12 by 15-inch pillow form (I bought mine at Jo Ann’s)

Three 1-inch buttons

Matching thread and sewing needle

Scissors

Yarn needle

The pattern could be adapted easily to any size pillow form. All you need is a multiple of 4 stitches to cast on to make it any width you’d like. Your buttonhole placement will vary if you alter the width of Cush. The other thing is you can stop at any length so if you’d prefer a square pillow at 12 by 12 inches just stop a few inches short before the buttonhole round and edging!

Have fun Spud & Choë pillow makers!

Click here to download the free pattern for Cush!

Click here for the Ravelry page for Cush!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I finished this Fine hat using the brand new colors Shitake and Red Hot. It is a winner! I want a few more of this one around my house. While I was waiting for the giveaway to wind down I posted about this hat on my other blog and asked if anyone had any name suggestions for the hat. One kind knitter suggested Chili Pepper and I loved this idea, so it is.

The hat is very versatile. It could be for a baby, child, woman or man. There are so many great color combinations you could use in Fine that the sky is the limit. After you are done with one colorway you can reverse the colors and make another hat to use up the leftovers. The hat is light as air on your head and the brim can be worn turned up or left down.

Here is some information you might like to know (please note the sizing information):

Size: Baby (small child, large child, woman, man)

Note: The hat is very stretchy and can fit a head that is several inches larger in circumference than the hat measurement. My head is 22-inches around and the 19-inch women’s size hat fits my head comfortably. My daughter’s head measures 21 ½ inches in circumference. The sample is knit in the 19-inch women’s size.

Circumference of the hat in approximate inches (the following measurements have been rounded): 14 (16, 18, 19, 20) inches

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Fine (80% superwash wool, 20% silk, 65 grams/248 yards);

1 skein each in Shitake #7814 and Red Hot #7815

Needles: US size 3 sixteen-inch circular needles and a set of 4 double-pointed needles OR size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 7 sts per inch in stockinette stitch

Some other color combinations in Fine you might like to try are:

Tutu and Sassafras

Glow Worm and Lizard

Calypso and Anemone

Dachshund and Clementine

Popcorn and any of the colors

Chili Pepper is the perfect summer project because it is small, light, portable, simple and plain fun! Just like summer should be.

Have fun with your Chili Pepper hats. Keep me posted.

Click here to download the free pattern for Chili Pepper!

Click here for the Ravelry page for Chili Pepper!

Please note that the US shoe size estimation in inches should be corrected as follow:

US size 6 - 9 inches

US size 7.5 - 9 1/4 inches

US size 8 - 9 1/2 inches

US size 8.5 - 9 3/4 inches

US size 9 - 10 inches

US size 9.5- 10 1/4 inches

US size 10 - 10 1/2 inches

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

Today I have the pattern for the two versions of the Ribbed Socks for Bigger Feet for you! I can’t wait to cast on a pair for myself to keep. I hope you’ll join me in making these practical, fun and simple socks. I tried to add extra tips and instruction notes along the way in the pattern for those of you who are new to sock knitting. It is a fun project for experienced and beginner sock knitters.

One interesting thing I’ve been hearing is that first time (and nervous) sock knitters have been starting out with the Jelly Bean Baby Socks free Spud & Chloë pattern. Then after seeing how do-able and simple it is they are moving on to adult sized socks. What a great idea.

Please note that my 10-year-old daughter’s feet are now a women’s size 7!

Here is some information you might like to know about the Ribbed Socks for Bigger Feet:

Size: Made to fit an average woman’s foot. The length can be varied to fit any size.

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Fine (80% superwash wool, 20% silk, 65 grams/248 yards);

Solid socks: 2 skeins of the selected color (sample made in Sassafras #7808)

Striped cuff socks: 2 skeins of the main color, 1 skein of the stripe color (sample made in Calypso #7806 and Cricket #7804)

Needles: US size 2, set of 4 double-pointed needles OR size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 7 sts per inch in stockinette stitch

Materials:

Yarn needle

Stitch marker

Scissors

Ruler

Click here to download the free pdf pattern for Ribbed Socks for Bigger Feet!

Click here for the Ravelry page link for the Ribbed Socks for Bigger Feet!

Have fun knitters with the perfect summer project. Socks! I always carry a sock on the needles around with me all summer long to the pool and other outdoor events. It is a small and simple project which makes it perfect for summertime knitting.

A side note, I have so many projects going for the free patterns for Spud says! I couldn’t wait to cast on for a hat in the Fine colors of Shitake and Red Hot. It is like heaven those two colors together. I’ll post a tease on that new hat project soon. I also have a couple of fun toys in the works!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

This is the final project using the leftovers from the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket Sweater yarn. The finale pattern is for the sweetest and easiest teeny-tiny baby mittens, the thumbless sort. Be sure to check out the blanket and hat that along with the mitts complete this super-duper baby set:

Dream Catcher Baby Blanket

Dream Catcher Hat

There will plenty of yarn leftover to also make the Jelly Bean Baby Socks if you’d like.

I made them mix and match. I love all sorts of items like socks and mittens that go together but aren’t exactly the same. You can make the pair matching or not. It’s up to you! Here is some information you might like to know about this pattern:

Size: 0-6 months

Note: The mittens can be made larger by increasing the number of stitches by increments of 4 stitches and then adding length as needed.

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45% organic cotton; 100 grams/160 yards), small amounts in Pollen #7508, Grass #7502, Splash #7510, Firefly #7505 and Watermelon #7512

Needles: US size 7 double-pointed needles set of 4 or the size needed to obtain the gauge

Gauge: 5 stitches per inch

I always had these little thumbless mitts on my babies when they were tiny but my version always had a string to attach them. I would run the string through the sleeves of their sweater or jacket. Nowadays I am not sure if this is considered safe so I didn’t add a string to the pattern. Mittens on a string sure are cute though.

The Baby Mitts can be made in no time at all. This is an awesome go-to gift item when you need something sweet and handmade but don’t have lots of time to get it done.

Sometimes I look at the string and sticks in front of me and I can’t believe all of the cool stuff that can be made from such simple materials. That’s what makes knitting so extraordinary. The sky is the limit.

Have fun with your tiny Baby Mitts, Knitters.

Click here to download the free pattern for Baby Mitts!

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the Baby Mitts!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I’ve got the pattern for the Dream Catcher Hat ready for you. Remember that this hat is intended to use up some of the left over yarn from the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket. Both the hat and blanket together will be a spectacular baby gift. If you’d like to knit the hat in only one color of Sweater one skein will be plenty. You could use up your odds and ends from other Spud & Chloë Sweater projects as well.

Here is some information you might like to know:

Size: 0-6 months (6-12 months)

Note: The stitch pattern used in the hat is repeated over 4 stitches. The size of the hat can be made larger by adding stitches in increments of 4 stitches. Additional length will be needed when making the hat larger.

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45% organic cotton; 100 grams/160 yards), 1 skein each in Pollen #7508, Grass #7502, Splash #7510, Firefly #7505 and Watermelon #7512

Note about yarn requirements: This hat was designed to use up some of the leftover yarn from the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket. Only a small amount of each color is needed.

Needles: US size 7 sixteen-inch circular needles or the size needed to obtain the gauge

Additional needle for the 3-needle bind off is needed. I used and suggest US size 7 twenty four-inch circular needles for the 3-needle bind off.

Gauge: 5 stitches per inch

The double pom-pom style hat is one of my favorite hats. I always love the two corners sticking up on little ones. It is a winner every time.

Have fun, Knitters!

Click here to download the free pattern for the Dream Catcher Hat!

Click here for the Ravelry page for the Dream Catcher Hat!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I am excited that the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket free pattern is now available. It is yummy! Here is some information you might like to know about the blanket:

Finished Measurements: 29 inches by 32 ½ inches

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45% organic cotton; 100 grams/160 yards), 2 skeins each in Pollen #7508, Grass #7502, Splash #7510, Firefly #7505 and Watermelon #7512

Needles: US size 7 needles or the size needed to obtain the gauge (I used a 24-inch circular to work back and forth for the squares and edging.)

Gauge: 5 stitches per inch

The Dream Catcher looks great on the back of my couch, across the laps of my kids, on the back of a comfy chair….

… and if I had a baby to wrap up, that would be the cutest use of all. The Sweater yarn is washable so there are no worries about the care of this project. This makes it perfect to give as a gift, too.

Here is the  frontside or the right side of the blanket.

Here is the backside or wrong side of the blanket. I think the wrong side looks just as good as the right side. I love all of those seam ridges. I always weave in my ends as I go so when I am done the back looks as good as the front. It’s all neat and tidy and best of all, it’s finished when I finish!

Have fun and keep me posted if you make your own Dream Catcher.

Click here for three video tutorials on seaming the squares for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket!

Click here for a fun fast-speed 3 minute video set to music of me stitching all of the squares together over several days!

Click here for the Ravelry project page for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket!

Click here to download the free pattern for the Dream Catcher Baby Blanket!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I wanted to be sure to get this pattern up in time for you to whip up a few before Easter and the spring season in general. I originally designed the Duck to Bunny toy as a teaching project for a few classes I was holding on my last book tour. It is a very small toy, measuring about 3 inches high, yet the project packs in every skill you need to make all of the toys in my book. It’s the perfect project for anyone interested in tackling some fun toy knitting projects. If you are already familiar with toy knitting techniques, you are set to make a super-fast and cute reversible toy. Now that my tour is over and my teaching is over for a long time I want to share this fun mini-reversible toy with all of you.

The Duck to Bunny is knit up in Spud & Chloë Sweater and will literally take you a couple of short hours to make.

Here is some information you may like to know about the pattern:

Finished measurements: 3 inches tall by 2 inches wide

Yarn:

Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45% organic cotton; 100 grams/160 yards) 1 skein each of Ice Cream #7500, Firefly #7505 and a small amount of Pollen #7508

Needles: US size 6 double-pointed needles, set of 4 or size to obtain gauge

Materials:

Small amount of fiberfill

Scissors

Ruler or tape measure

Yarn needle

Black embroidery floss

Everyone loves these little friends. This toy makes the perfect baby, child, or even adult gift this spring. It uses a small amount of yarn so you can use up you leftover Spud & Chloë Sweater. Have fun with this little set of spring time friends.

Isn’t that a happy little face? Proof is in the pudding!

Click here for the link to the Ravelry page for the Mini-Reversible Duck to Bunny!

Click here to download the free pattern for the Mini-Reversible Duck to Bunny!

Hi Spud & Chloë Friends,

I am so excited to finally bring you the free pattern for Tuck! He’s an adorable little turtle that does a slick trick. You can tuck in his feet, tail and head under his shell! I love toys that actually do something fun, don’t you?

Above you can see Tuck all tucked in. The bottom of the shell and the top of the shell are knitted in one piece. Then the head, legs and tail are all picked up and knit right on.

Then a separate bottom layer is knit up and whipstitched on leaving gaps to tuck in the head, feet and tail.

He is a wonderful little masterpiece and you can easily make one (or two, or even three), too! Here is some information you might like to know about Tuck the Turtle:

Finished measurements: Shell only, 3 inches long, 2 inches high

Yarn: Spud & Chloë Sweater (55% superwash wool, 45% organic cotton; 100 grams/160 yards), 1 skein each of Grass #7502 and Turtle #7514

Needles: US size 6 double-pointed needles, set of 4 or size to obtain gauge

Gauge: 5 ½ stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Materials:

Ruler or tape measure

Yarn needle

Scissors

Stitch marker

Small amount of fiberfill

Optional: small amount of poly-pellets (Can be a choking hazard for babies and toddlers if not enclosed in a bag before putting inside the toy.)

Black embroidery floss

I added some sweet and quick embroidery on the top of the shell. It is such a good finishing touch but it is optional. Maybe your turtle will have a stripey shell or a polka dot shell or a multi-color shell! Who knows? The sky is the limit.

Have fun! I’ll be back very soon with lots more fun stuff.

Happy spring, everyone.

Here is the link for the Ravelry page for Tuck!

Click here to download the free pattern for Tuck!