Have you ever had a really great circle of friends? You know, the kind of people you can get together with and know you’ll have a great time, even if it’s been years since you last saw each other?

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!

Have you ever gotten your hands on a really gorgeous skein of super long transitional color self-striping yarn and you just weren’t quite sure what to do with it? Nah, I didn’t think so!

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 ...

You really can’t go wrong with a few skeins of an ombre yarn, can you? Especially if that yarn is inspired by none other than Vincent Van Gogh and his infamous Starry Night painting! I wanted to explore something different with this design, though, in a way that didn’t compete with the colorway.

This deliciously rustic hat features simple stitches that create a playground for your favorite textured yarns OR you can skip the marling and use a worsted weight yarn! But that doesn’t mean you have to give up the texture. Thick and thin yarns, handspun, tweed—whatever you choose, get creative and have fun!

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.

This design resulted from a truly fabulous year long yarn club exploring color theory. Each month I received one full skein of yarn and two mini skeins. The colors were monochromatic, triadic, analogous, and sometimes split-complements (that one was my favorite!) and Rachel did a truly outstanding job exploring these color schemes. I looked for...

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.

Imagine walking through an exquisite garden, surrounded by opulent and delicately fragrant blooms. Imagine closing your eyes and breathing in the aura that surrounds you. Would it be peace and calm? Or exciting and invigorating?

A V shaped wrap worked from point to wingtip, this piece was inspired by the Herring Gull, a surprisingly beautiful bird, with feathers that transition from white to dove gray to black. The stitch pattern begins with a modification of the linen stitch using double crochet stitches on every other row that creates a wonderful drape and works equa...

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 wrap is worked from the center outwards, lengthwise, with alternating rows of graduated stitches to create a striped parallelogram that flares out on opposite corners. As written, the color changes and stripes are meant to evoke the flow of a river, from the silvery, reflective surface to the deepest blue on a clear day, moving across sand...

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...

Inspired by the myriad of forks, also called bifurcations, that grow along the canes and branches of autumn sage plants, this hat is worked in a spiral without joining rounds through the body and in joined rounds for the brim.

2020 Carolina FiberFest Craft-Along Crochet Pattern!

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.

This is one of those suprise designs that wasn’t on my radar until the pattern was practically already written. I had a student come in one day wanting to make a granny square shawl and on my way out the door after class, I picked up a skein of yarn from a local indie dyer to make one myself because we more or less wrote the pattern in class! I...

This shawl was originally designed as a submission for an event held in North Carolina and so “Sweet Carolina Shawl” was my working title. When it wasn’t accepted, I started thinking about a new name, but then Hurricane Florence came along, threatening us here in Virginia and wreaking absolute havoc on our neighbors in the Carolinas - and I sti...

Are you mad about marling!? I sure am! In fact, after making this piece, I wanted to marl ALL THE THINGS!

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.

Worked from brim to crown, this hat is designed specifically for mini skeins. Basketweave texture allows the colors to fade and pop whimsically from one color to the next with colorwork that looks more complicated than it actually is!

Soulfire is a simple summer top made with simple stitches and zero shaping (unless you want to add some during blocking), which makes it quick to crochet and easy to customize for a perfect fit. This design is versatile enough to wear as originally designed, with zero ease, or with LOTS of ease as a boxy top with lots of drape!

Errata: Rnd 42: ch 3, asterisk (ch 2, sk next 2 dc, dc in next) 3x, ch 2, sk ch 2 sp, dc in next dc. Repeat from asterisk around to last 11 st. (ch 2, sk next 2 dc, dc in next) 3x, ch 2, sk ch 2 sp, join with sl st to 1st dc.

Worked flat from end to end and then seamed together before edging with treble crochet shells, this cowl has subtly textured and almost, but not quite lacy panels that change colors in a sequence that is based on the seven visible phases of the moon. Visit my blog to read more about the inspiration behind this design!

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!

Made of mostly post stitches, this quirky little scarf is pretty dense, but that also means it’s delightfully warm!

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...

Subtle texture created by working into the third loop of half double crochet rows and a bit of surface crochet along with angled edges make this piece just different enough to be interesting without being difficult to make. Add a few bold buttons and you have a quick and easy statement piece to dress up your fall wardrobe!

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!

This pattern was my first sit-down-and-scratch-your-head-for-hours design. Hours and hours! I had this idea in my head, though, and I had to try and get it out. I began with charts and lots of swatches, finally deciding on something I liked, but it was two years later before I worked up the courage to tackle written instructions. And oh boy did...

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