When was the last time you picked up a gorgeous skein of brightly colored, heavily speckled yarn and just fell into it like a pool of wonder and beauty? You know those skeins that look like galaxies bursting or fields upon fields of wildflowers exploding with life and joy!

Are you looking for a quick little crochet adventure that’s like a journey back to fun? Then this is the project for you!

Do you love the look of full sized triangle shawls draped in front, but… not so much the bulk? Especially if you’re trying to wear a jacket on top? Then you need yourself a triangle cowl! Handkerchief cowl? Or maybe a bandana cowl! Whatever you call them, it’s a great solution because you get the ease of a cowl that you can just toss on and go ...

Close your eyes and imagine walking through the woods, feeling the autumn leaves crunching under your boots, a gentle breeze rustling through the pines as you tuck your chin into a warm, rustic cowl that was made to fit you perfectly, keeping your neck nice and warm while also fitting easily under your jacket.

For this design, I wanted to highlight stitches that are meant to be viewed with the Wrong Side facing as a way to shift our viewpoint. Tiny popcorn like stitches made with trebles sandwiched between single crochets create delicious little bobbles of texture. The lines of crossed double crochets are often more striking on the back side and so I...

Sometimes we see something, like a piece of art, that strikes us and we can’t quite figure out why. Maybe it’s the colors. Maybe it’s the detail, or lack thereof. Maybe it’s something we can’t define at all. But it piques our curiosity and leaves us wondering still, even after close and careful consideration.

Photos are included in the pattern to further illustrate the puff stitch, working into the 3rd loop, and transitioning from two strands of yarn to one. Size chart can also be used to estimate finished size with yarn substitutions, including a single strand of lighter weight yarn - simply continue increase rounds at the same rate until the flat ...

Worked from one corner outwards with two alternating stitch pattern Sections, this piece was designed with versatility in mind. The modified linen stitch style creates a beautiful, sometimes pixelated fabric with a wonderful drape and an almost woven look that is easy to work, even for beginners, because the majority of the stitches are worked ...

This design is a celebration of simplicity paired with a touch of elegance. When spring is just beginning, the dandelion is often the first flower I see bloom. Most consider it just a weed, but if you look closely, it’s actually quite pretty! To me, pairing an easy mesh pattern with a light sprinkling of beads and a picot edging perfectly embod...

Are you looking for a simple, meditative project to showcase a fabulous set of minis? Then look no further than the linen stitch! This cowl is worked in a spiral with organic color changes, making it a relaxing piece to work on and a great way to use minis, variegated yarns, or even for stashbusting those leftover bits and bobs from last year’s...

Made with simple but strong stitches, this bag works up quickly and easily, making it ideal for beginners. Although this was originally designed as a library bag for my son (it’s made to hold four or five children’s books), this could also be a quick trip market bag or even your reusable fruit and veggie bag!

Worked flat from the bottom up in linen stitch with three colors that are alternated at the end of each row for nearly effortless, pixelated stripes, these fun little legwarmers are a treat to make! Post stitches add a little extra texture at the top and bottom edges and they can be closed with tons of buttons or a simple seam if you prefer.

UPDATE: there is now a new version of this cowl available that uses six mini skeins instead of just five! Both files will be available for download upon purchase.

This cowl is the piece representing the final chapter in the story of Tristan and Isolde. The Rose of Ireland and the Briar of Cornwall, Together at the Last. Forever. sigh It is the very embodiment of tragic love! The fabric itself is deeply, darkly beautiful and poignant. But it doesn’t have to be!

There’s no denying that the granny square is a traditional crochet technique, and I wanted to make a classic, beginner friendly pattern with simple assembly for a holiday project, so when I thought about old timey Christmas, a granny square stocking seemed like the perfect solution! It’s a bit bigger than I envisioned, but not unreasonably larg...

These fingerless gloves weren’t actually planned. They sort of… insisted on being made! They are made to match the Moroldian Skull Cowl, which was inspired by yarn from the Tristan and Isolde Yarn Club from Round Table Yarns and, of course, the accompanying story. The cabling is based on Celtic knots and is worked to fit with filet crochet so y...

This deliciously sinister cowl was inspired not only by the character it is named for, but also by the yarn of the same name from Karen Robinson’s Tristan and Isolde Yarn Club.

I never planned on writing an actual pattern using the planned color pooling technique because there are just so many variables to consider. But this yarn demanded it!

A scarf inspired wholly by the gorgeous yarn from Round Table Yarns that it’s worked in, it’s perfect to wrap a couple times around your neck and secure with a fun shawl pin to show off the petaled edges. Longer petals are worked by adding chains or foundation single crochet stitches and as the petals get shorter again, we simply don’t work int...

Simple stitches paired with a gorgeous gradient yarn take this project from an exercise in crochet fundamentals to an artistic piece that you can be proud to wear, even as a beginner! Using four different crochet hooks with four different stitches may sound like a bit of a hassle, but it is an excellent way to test out and determine your natura...

Take the messy bun hat craze to the extreme with some chunky yarn and an oversized crochet hook! Worked flat with just one row of decreases to pull in the top, this is one of the easiest hats you’ll ever make. Lace it up with some leather cording and you’re done!

Chunky crochet is in. And no wonder! You can work up this pair of fingerless gloves in no time at all and finishing them off with the leather accent means no seaming, which makes them even faster!

Jump on the Caron Cakes bandwagon with me and play with COLOR! This blanket is a simple modification of the traditional granny square but it lends itself really well to experimenting with higher contrast colors since the rounds are weighted differently. And because it’s worked in the round, you can simply keep adding rounds until the blanket re...

This scarf was designed with my beginner crochet students in mind as an exercise in working with different hook placement. By alternating working into both loops, just the front loop, and just the back loop of stitches, we not only get to practice the often mundane single crochet, but also learn to better understand the different parts of this ...

I found a squishy little mini hank of hand dyed goodness during a yarn crawl and just had to turn it into a hat for my baby!

Basic scarf patterns for beginner crocheters tend to be a bit boring. Single crochet in each stitch across for a hundred and fifty-eleven rows. Or double crochet in each stitch across. Maybe even alternate rows of the stitches you’ve learned if you’re feeling frisky. But how about for those of us who like just a tiny bit of a challenge? Well, t...

The beauty in this fabulous little one skein scarf comes entirely from the yarn! The long variegation results in some unusual striping that makes each scarf unique and often looks like two different scarves entirely on opposite ends. The linen stitch works up quickly and there are some great colorways to choose from, so have fun!

I am delighted to announce that this pattern has been freshly updated and has now been tech edited as well!

Looking for a last minute gift for a special little girl? Whip up a couple of these in about an hour!

I used #20 (about 2mm) hemp cord for this bear accessory because I wanted it to have structure without needing to starch it and I also wanted it to have an open, straw hat type of look. Raffia ribbon would also probably work well and be a little less rough to crochet with. Hat measures approximately 4.75” across.

This pattern is also available for free on my website! You can find more free patterns here: http://www.crochetcetera.com/free-patterns