Just Around the Corner

This past week I looked at the calendar and said, “Eek!”  I had just realized that I had less than a week before September was here.  That means that I have a bunch of birthdays coming up in the next 6 weeks and after that Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas festivities with all my loved ones.

Most of all this means those gifts that I had planned to get crocheted for “next year” are coming up quite quickly. I know I am very likely not alone in this quandary. So today I wanted to share a round-up of links to patterns from some of my blogging designer friends. Some of these patterns are free (just requiring a visit to their blog) and others are available for sale thru their Ravelry shops.

All of these pattern suggestions are for projects that are fairly portable, so you can get a few stitches in whenever you have a spare minute.

Scarves

I wear a lot of scarves and with the cold weather season coming along I like making them as gifts. There is such a wide variety of scarf patterns out there, from the super simple to the superbly sophisticated.

For those living in warmer climates, or that tend to run on the warmer side the Artfully Simple Angled Scarf designed by Tamara Kelly of Mooglyblog.com is great. This is a wonderful project to use some luxury yarn to create a statement piece for the fashionista on your gift list. This free pattern also has video tutorials and a stitch diagram to get you crocheting along without a hitch.

This scarf pattern from Elena Hunt at Beatrice Ryan Designs looks like a lot of fun to make, and I love the name: Sands of Time Scarf. It is a lovely scarf to showcase those long color change yarns that are so fun to work with. With dressy tassels and beads on the ends it’s a scarf that can be worn for warmth and fashion.

 

Infinity Scarves

These projects are always interesting to me. They are usually relatively narrow so like a scarf, but because they are a long loop they are generally worn like a cowl. I decided for today’s purposes they get their own category.

 

Rolling in the Deep Infinity Scarf from Lorene at Cre8tion Crochet is a scarf and it’s a big loop, so it can be worn a number of ways. Contrasting colors worked with ripples make this scarf a relaxing project to work and an exciting one to wear. This pattern is available for sale thru her Ravelry shop for $4.95.

 

Melting Snow Infinity Scarf from Tamara Kelly is a pretty and simple infinity scarf that you “just keep crocheting until you run out of yarn, then sew the ends together”. No muss, no fuss and another gift project is finished up. Available thru her Ravelry shop for $2.

 

Cowls

For me a cowl is a scarf with some hutzpah. Cowls can be wide or narrow, long or short. Just really depends on the tastes of your giftee, or how much time you have to commit to crocheting up the project.

 

Kathy Lashley of Elk Studio knows all about the rush to get gifts ready for the Christmas holidays, so she has a couple of CALs going this fall that you can join at any time. I love this textured take on a cowl.  This is the first pattern in her Christmas Present Crochet-a-longs series and it is a lovely quick project for the crocheter that likes to work with texture using post stitches.

 

The Chloe V Puff Stitch Cowl from Lorene at Cre8tion Crochet is another fun project for those wanting a gift with texture and pizazz. The puffy stitches are great for a cushy fabric that your friends and family will love to snuggle into when the winds are blowing cold. You can find this free pattern on her Cre8tion Crochet blog.

 

Check out the free pattern for the Coraline in San Francisco Cowl designed by Celina Lane of Simply Collectible. This is a large cowl in a mesh stitch that has lots of options in how it can be worn. A great wearable gift project that is easy to crochet

 

Hats

You all know I love hats. They are one of those marvelous crochet projects that don’t take a lot of time to complete (quick gratification), yet are generally challenging enough to keep most of us happily stitching along. Hats also seem to be one of the favorite gifts that my family and friends get from me. At least I see them wearing them regularly.

 

First off I have to share another free pattern from Celina Lane of Simply Collectible, the Desert Hope Slouch Beanie. This is such a fun take on a V-st hat that I am totally making it for my oldest son. Worked in a masculine color it will be ideal for the boy who loves to wear crocheted hats all year long.

 

Check out this lovely hat pattern from Elena Hunt at Beatrice Ryan Designs: Effortless Chic Crochet Beanie. I love the button detail and the vertical striping. Worked in a yarn with long color changes it is going to have a distinctive look, or use a solid color yarn and let the texture be the focal point.

 

Project #2 in Kathy Lashley’s Christmas Crochet-a-long is a hat worked in the same textured stitches as the cowl. Perfect to make as a set or just make the hat alone if you are pressed for time.

 

I am really intrigued by this great earflap hat pattern from Jessie Rayot of Jessie-At-Home: Max Hat. Jessie has created a clever hat that incorporates the earflaps into the last rows of the hat.  The striping with changing stitch heights makes a lovely detail over the flaps. She has shown numerous ways to modify the hat to make it perfect for your giftee and it’s sure to be a hit. You can purchase the pattern thru her Ravelry shop for $4.

 

Some Super Duper Quick Projects

Time has run out and you need something that you can stitch up in just a few hours. Take a look at these little projects for those last-minute gifts.

This Chain Wrap bracelet from Jessie Rayot of Jessie-At-Home is a wonderful way to show off a pretty button. Or make up a little kit for your giftee to make their own. Instead of a crocheted gift you can give the gift of learning to crochet. It’s a free pattern on Jessie’s blog and she even has videos on how to make it from start to finish.

 

Now it’s time for the fun part, picking out the yarn and getting your project bags ready to go. I’ll have about 5 different project bags traveling with me in the car so I can get in a few stitches whenever I am waiting to drop off and pick up the boys from school. Hope you all enjoy planning out your projects and getting in some quality crochet time.