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Wonderland Blocks – A FREE Crochet Pattern

March 27, 2017 by Abbey Swanson 2 Comments

Wonderland Blocks is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

These blocks make a sweet toy for baby. Light enough to be stacked or thrown, these soft playthings are safe for little ones and add charm to any nursery. Place a jingle bell or sound maker in the interior for a playful noisemaker!

Get the FREE PDF here:

Wonderland Blocks

Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.

The Wonderland Blocks pattern is one of seven designs included in the latest eBook by The Firefly Hook:

You can purchase the entire 35 page eBook for $10.50 on Ravelry and Etsy. 

Single patterns are on sale at The Firefly Hook’s Etsy shop.

Filed Under: crochet, Crochet for Baby, For Kids, Free Patterns Tagged With: baby, crochet, crochet pattern, DIY, free pattern, kids, pattern, toddler, toys

Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting – A Free Crochet Pattern

March 23, 2017 by Abbey Swanson 4 Comments

 

The Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

Sweetly festive and as colorful as you choose to make it, this bunting looks like a celebration and this superwash wool launders beautifully. You can pull it out every year for party decorations or crochet it in the colors of baby’s room and leave it up for whimsical décor. 

Get the FREE PDF here:

Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting

Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.

The Rock-a-bye-baby Bunting is one of seven designs included in the latest eBook by The Firefly Hook:

You can purchase the entire 35 page eBook for $10.50 on Ravelry and Etsy. 

Single patterns are on sale at The Firefly Hook’s Etsy shop.

Filed Under: crochet, Crochet for Baby, Crochet for Home, decor, Decor/Home, For Kids, Free Patterns, Patterns

Finger Knit Cowl and Tutorial

February 20, 2017 by Abbey Swanson 11 Comments

The Finger Knit Cowl is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

I teach crochet classes, and I love thinking of projects that younger children can make all by themselves. I am especially on the hunt for those projects that look amazing and not at all “kiddish” or only cute because your kid make it for you. You know what I’m talking about, right?

Enter the finger knit cowl. I came up with the idea when my oldest went to Kindergarten and he REALLY wanted to crochet a scarf for his teacher. Since I already taught him to finger knit (and he was a little too young to pick up crochet skills to make a scarf before Christmas) I put his forever-long finger-knit strands to good use.

I also like teaching kids to finger-knit because it’s a great way to get kids excited about yarn and interacting with it in a positive way. There’s no better feeling than making something with your hands! And finger knitting perfectly demonstrates the fundamental skill in knit AND crochet: wrapping yarn over an instrument (needle, hook, and in this case – finger) and pulled through a loop. I’ve found that kids who learn to finger knit are ready to crochet or knit with hook or needle, respectively. 

There are a couple of ways to accomplish getting the yarn around each finger- wrapping or weaving. I am going to share my preferred method – wrapping. 


1. Begin with the tail of your yarn between your thumb and first finger.

2. Wrap yarn clockwise around your first finger.

3. Wrap yarn clockwise around your second finger.

4. Wrap yarn clockwise around your third finger.

5. Wrap yarn clockwise around your fourth finger.

6. Wrap yarn clockwise around your fourth finger once more.

7. Wrap yarn counter-clockwise around your third finger.

8. Wrap yarn counter-clockwise around your second finger.

9. Wrap yarn counter-clockwise around your first finger and leave yarn dangling behind your hand between your first and second finger.

10. Observe that there are two loops on each finger. We will pull up the bottom loop on each finger and pull it up and over the finger (without pulling the top loop off.)

11. Pull loop off first finger.

12. Pull loop off second finger.

13. Pull loop off third finger.

14. Pull loop off fourth finger.

15. Push loops down on your fingers.

16. Wrap yarn counter-clockwise around your first finger.

17. Then counter-clockwise around second, third and fourth fingers. Note that the yarn ended between the first and second fingers the first time we pulled the bottom loops off our fingers, and this time the yarn ended between the third and fourth fingers. The yarn will alternate between these two ending spots at each pass.

18. Pull the bottom loops off each finger.

Repeat wrapping fingers and pulling loops off until finger knit section is to desired length. The finished cowl pictured used one skein of jumbo #7 yarn and measured approximately 6 feet. Thinner yarn will need more length to properly fill out the cowl.

Don’t forget to leave about five feet of yarn to wrap around the cowl.

I coiled up his strand so they were all even and tied the two ends together. Make sure to leave yourself a long (like five feet) tail when you cut the yarn. Then take your loooooong tail and wrap it around your coil to keep it in place. You could also tie the loose tails tight around your coil and sew on a button or flower. The wrapped yarn covers up the seam from the ends being tied together and keeps the coiled sections in place.

I used super-super bulky yarn (Jumbo or #7) because it filled in really nicely. Super bulky yarn will work well, too. And using high quality yarn will make your kiddos project shine without much effort.

Tip: If your kid (or you!) would like to take a break, carefully pull each loop off and slip them onto a pencil or clip together with a clothes pin. When you are ready to pick it up again, carefully slip the loops of and place each one on a finger.

Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.

Happy finger knitting!

Abbey

Filed Under: Knit, Wearables Tagged With: cowl, finger knit, free pattern, knit, tutorial

Free Pattern: Double-Layered Handle Holder by The Firefly Hook

December 14, 2016 by Abbey Swanson 5 Comments

 

cast-iron-cozy-2016-7

The Double-Layered Handle Holder is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

We are huge fans of cast iron in our house.

I won’t wax on about how awesome cast iron is or start a debate on how to properly season your pans. I’ll refrain because if you are looking to make an accessory for your pans you are already well-aware of cast iron’s many benefits and I’m sure you’ve formed all your opinions about the way to properly care for these superstars of the kitchen.

One thing I will share is my favorite dish to make in my cast iron: Shepherd’s Pie. Cook the meat, add veggies, plop mashed potatoes on top and throw the entire pan in the oven. It’s a one-pan-wonder! (My favorite recipe is from 100 Days of Real Food in case you need it)

There you are in a kitchen that smells heavenly with nothing but a cutting board to wash and some time to crochet until dinner. By the time your shepherd’s pie gets bubbly delicious inside, you can whip up one of these cozies.

cast-iron-cozy-2016-6a

I designed a cast iron handle cozy a few years ago – double layered and worked in a tube. I’m going to be honest – I really hate working on little projects. It hurts my hands and fingers when I can’t hold onto the project while I’m crocheting. (Am I the only one?)

I wanted to design a cozy that could be worked in rows then folded twice so it would be more fun for me to make them. The cozy on a cast iron needs to be double-layered because the pans are so heavy. If you only have one layer, your fingers could press against the holes in the cozy (which is supposed to function as a protection against the heat) and you’ll get a burn and probably a broken toe when you drop the pan.

So here you are – a cozy to make your hands happy twice: worked in rows and double layered.

 

Double-Layered Handle Holder:

Yarn: Wool and the Gang Shiny Happy Cotton 100% Peruvian Pima Cotton (100 g/142 m/ 155 yds per skein) in True Blood Red (CB) and Brick Red (CA)

Hook: Size (I-9) 5.5 mm

Gauge: 7 sts and 7 rows = 2” in sc

Abbreviations:

CA       color A

CB       color B

ch        chain

sc         single crochet

sl st      slip stitch

Note: You can adjust the length of the handle holder by increasing or decreasing the initial chains; width is adjusted by increasing or decreasing rows.

Pattern:

With CA, ch 18.

Row 1: Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across. (17 sc)

Rows 2 – 35: Ch 1, sc in each st across.

Finish off.

Fold in half. Attach CB to any side.

cast-iron-cozy-2016-1

Working through both sts on each side of fold, sc evenly around and 3 sc in each corner.

cast-iron-cozy-2016-4

cast-iron-cozy-2016-3

On folded edge, sc evenly across.

 

Fold in half once more and sl st around bottom and side working through both sts on each side of fold. Leave top open for slipping onto handle.

cast-iron-cozy-2016-5

Slip onto your favorite cast iron pan and get cookin’!

Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.

Sign up for The Firefly Hook’s monthly newsletter!

Happy crocheting,

Abbey

Filed Under: crochet, Crochet for Home, Free Patterns Tagged With: cast iron cozy, crochet, DIY, easy project, free, free pattern, handle holder, quick gift

The Pioneer Rug – A Free Crochet Pattern

November 25, 2016 by Abbey Swanson 12 Comments

bluegreenstripe-rug-2weba

The Pioneer Rug is a guest post written by Abbey from The Firefly Hook. You can find her on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.

 

The Pioneer Rug

My kids and I recently listened to all the Little House on the Prairie books. I love connecting to that time in history when people lived off the land and depended on each other to survive.

My son Benjamin especially enjoyed listening to all of Laura’s adventures. He connected to her wild and free spirit and wishes he could be friends with her.

It’s truly special when you kids connect deeply with something you held so dear as a child.

bluegreenstripe-rug-7weba

I love simplicity. I find it difficult to achieve, but I envy the Ingalls’ small Christmas celebrations. Everyone adored each small part because that’s all there was! One small gift or one special dessert wasn’t taken for granted.

I remember when the Ingalls girls pooled their money together to buy a gift for Pa: store-bought suspenders. Many gifts were handmade: socks, dolls, crocheted collars.

Remember in The Long Winter when Laura and her friends would sit together in Pa’s shop while they knit and crocheted lace collars? The crochet-lover in me wished I could sit and crochet with Laura and her friends as they watched people passing by on the street. I wish I could find a pattern for the collars they made!

In the spirit of a handmade Christmas, let me introduce the Pioneer Rug. 

Crocheted with a 12mm hook and three strands held together, you can whip up one of these in a few hours. What’s more – I made this 28” rug for $7.00!

You can tailor the colors and size depending on who you are making the gift for and make it the perfect addition to any home, accommodating any style!

Enjoy!

Sign up for The Firefly Hook’s monthly newsletter!

bluegreenstripe-rug-1weba

The Pioneer Rug

Yarn:

Any inexpensive worsted weight acrylic.

Size shown used 14 ounces.

Hook size: 12 mm

Completed Dimensions: 28″ diameter 

Gauge: 6 sts and 4 rnds = 4″ in dc

Abbreviations:

CA—color A

CB—color B

ch—chain

dc—double crochet

rep—repeat

rnd(s)—round(s)

sc—single crochet

sl st—slip stitch

st—stitch

Pattern:

Note: Hold three strands together; use 3 separate skeins or make 3 balls from 1 skein. Carry unused color on wrong side of work. Change color on the yarn over of the sl st when connecting rnds. 

Rnd 1: With CA, ch 4 (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc in fourth ch from hook. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Sl st in first dc from rnd 1 and switch to CB, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc here and throughout pattern), dc in same st as ch, 2 dc in each st around. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Sl st in first dc from previous rnd and switch to CA, ch 3, dc in same st as ch (place marker), [dc in next st, 2 dc in next st (place marker in second dc)] around, dc in last dc. (36 dc)

Rnd 4: Sl st in first dc from previous rnd and switch to next color, ch 3, dc in same st as ch (move marker), [dc in each st to marker, work 2 dc at marker (move marker to second dc)] rep around, dc in each st to end of rnd. (48 dc)

Rnds 5 – 13: Rep rnd 4 alternating colors on each rnd. (each rep adds 12 to the stitch count)

Rnd 14: Sl st in first dc from previous rnd and switch to CB, ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), sc in same st as ch, [sc in each st to marker, work 2 sc at marker] rep around, sc in each st to end of rnd.

Rnd 15: Sl st in first sc from previous rnd and switch to CA, sl st in each st around, sl st in first sl st, finish off.

Favorite or queue on Ravelry here.

Sign up for The Firefly Hook’s monthly newsletter!

Happy crocheting,

Abbey

bluegreenstripe-rug-2web

Filed Under: Free Patterns Tagged With: Christmas, crochet, crochet pattern, Decor, free pattern, pattern, Pioneer Rug, rug, the firefly hook

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