Super Simple Fingerless Mitts

Two years ago I decided to write a really easy fingerless mittens pattern...

The original mitts.

I made them to match my stripy snood.

and I made them...then promptly forgot to actually write the pattern up and share it!  So, I've worked out how I made them, made another pair and this time I've actually written the pattern up and here it is!

Photo courtesy of my twelve year old!  Otherwise you only get one hand in the photo!
 

Like this...

...and this!





It's very, very easy to make these larger (increase foundation chain and the amount of rows) or smaller (decrease foundation chain and the amount of rows). The pattern, as it is, makes mitts that are stretchy enough for my massive hands and also work for my twelve year old's hands.

The first mitts were made with Stylecraft Special dk (all 88 colours are available in the Planet Yarn online shop), using alternating rows of Teal and Emperor.  The most recent pair have been made with Purple Haze Stylecraft Caberet, a gorgeously soft, self striping yarn which also has a glittery thread running through it!  I blinking love this yarn, have a look in the Planet Yarn online shop at the other gorgeous colours available - soooooo pretty!

So here it is (finally)!  My super simple fingerless mittens pattern!

Skills needed: US double crochet (dc)/UK treble crochet (tr), crocheting in the round, chain (ch), slip stich (sl st).

Yarn and equipment needed:

 

• dk yarn (approx. 40 grams)
• 4mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Stitch markers (optional but recommended)
• Scissors

Notes: crocheting in the round, especially with double crochet stitches, can be a little confusing…it’s really easy to miscount and add an extra stitch when you end a round. To make it easier put a stitch marker in that third chain (the one that counts as your first dc on each row) then you can do a quick count when you come back around to it and make sure you still have just 30 tr (30dc in US terms) per round. 

I’ve included two versions of the pattern, one in UK terms and one in US terms. 

The pattern in UK crochet terms:

ch 33

Row 1:  tr into fourth chain from hook (counts as second tr), tr along until the end of the chain (you should have 30 stitches, slip stitch into the third chain at the start (taking care not to twist the row)

Row 2: ch 3 (first tr) then tr around the circle you have just created with row1until you reach the ch 3 again.  Sl st into the third chain (30tr)

Rows 3 -9: repeat row 2

Making the thumb hole

Row 10: ch 3 (first tr) then tr into the next 14 stitches, ch5, miss the next five stitches then tr into the final 10 stitches until you meet the ch 3 again.  Sl st into the third chain (30 stitches, 25tr and 5ch)

Row 11: ch 3 (first tr) then tr into the next 30 stitches, when you get to the chains from row 10 just treble over these as you would have done in the previous rows. (30tr)

Rows 12-15: repeat row 2

Break yarn.

Carefully weave in all ends, making sure you take particular care joining the first row neatly, remember the original foundation chain wasn’t joined there is just the slip stitch at the end of the first row. 

Now make another one!

Ta dah! Proudly wear your fabulous fingerless mitts or give ‘em to someone you love!

The pattern in US crochet terms:

ch 33

Row 1:  dc into fourth chain from hook (counts as second dc), dc along until the end of the chain (you should have 30 stitches, slip stitch into the third chain at the start (taking care not to twist the row)

Row 2: ch 3 (first dc) then dc around the circle you have just created with row1until you reach the ch 3 again.  Sl st into the third chain (30dc)

Rows 3 -9: repeat row 2

Making the thumb hole

Row 10: ch 3 (first dc) then dc into the next 14 stitches, ch5, miss the next five stitches then dc into the final 10 stitches until you meet the ch 3 again.  Sl st into the third chain (30 stitches, 25dc and 5ch)

Row 11: ch 3 (first dc) then dc into the next 30 stitches, when you get to the chains from row 10 just treble over these as you would have done in the previous rows. (30dc)

Rows 12-15: repeat row 2

Break yarn.

Carefully weave in all ends, making sure you take particular care joining the first row neatly, remember the original foundation chain wasn’t joined there is just the slip stitch at the end of the first row. 

Now make another one!

Ta dah! Proudly wear your fabulous fingerless mitts or give ‘em to someone you love!

Yarnling Pattern

Planet Yarn would be inhabited by yarnlings...right?  That's what I thought, so I started making them.  Some stick around (literally: they have magnets in their bottoms) and some like to travel our own planet.  They come in all shapes and as they're made from Stylecraft Special dk, they clearly come in many, many colours (currently 88!). 

Although I tend to make them up as I go along I thought it would be fun to send a pattern out there, into the world, so anyone could hook up their own yarnling if they fancied it.

So here is the yarnling in question!  Cute eh?  This little 'un is made with bright green Stylecraft Special dk.  (Quick note: this is not a toy and the finished item is not suitable to give to small children)

I've worked on making this pattern as easy as possible to follow and if you have any advice to make it even clearer I would be very grateful!  If you have a go and get stuck then leave me a message on this post and I'll hopefully get you unstuck!

Yarnling Pattern

by Debbie Sixsmith

Level:  easy stitches but a bit fiddly

 

Skills needed: US single crochet (sc)/UK double crochet (dc), crocheting in the round, slip stich (sl st), crochet in back stitch, magic ring.

Yarn and equipment needed:

·         Stylecraft Special dk yarn (approx. 10 grams)

·         4mm crochet hook

·         scissors

·         yarn needle

·         stitch marker

·         safety eyes (or sew beads/embroider them on)

·         magnet (if you want your alien to have a ‘sticky’ bottom

·         fork or pom pom maker

·         toy stuffing

Notes: The amigurumi technique of spiralling instead of joining each row is used.  It may help you to use a stitch marker so you know where the end of each row is.

I’ve included two versions of the pattern, one in UK terms and one in US terms. 

The pattern in UK crochet terms:

Body:

For the base:

Magic circle and dc 6 into magic circle and gently pull closed (6)

Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch (12)

Round 3: *2 dc in stitch, 1dc in stitch* repeat 5 more times(18)

Round 4: *2 dc, 1 dc, 1 dc* repeat 5 more times (24)

For the following you will be stitching into the back stitch only, this will build up the body’s sides.

Rounds 5 – 18: dc in each in the back chain of each stitch.

Leave a long yarn tail, and leave your last stitch open, when you fasten off your yarn (about 30cm) because you’re going to close the top of the head up with it.

Your little alien’s body is inside out right now…but leave it that way, if you want to sew a magnet into it’s bottom to make it a sticky alien.  If not then turn your yarnling ‘inside out’ to get it the right way!

Magnet pocket:

As for the base above, make a magic circle and dc 6 into it and pull gently to close (6)

Round 2: 2dc into each stitch (12)

Round 3: *2dc then 1dc* repeat (18)

To sew magnet into yarnling’s bottom stitch the little circle you’ve made right over the corresponding circle in the yarnling’s body, make sure you slip the magnet in before you close the stitching!  Now turn your body ‘inside out’ so the pocket is snugly inside and your alien is not right side out.  Don’t worry about any ends, they’ll all be hidden inside.

magnet placed on the base of the inside out yarnling

pocket placed over the magnet ready to sew on



 

Arms (make two):

Make a magic circle and dc 4 into it and pull gently closed (4)

Rounds 2 – 6: dc into each stitch (4)

Leave a long yarn tail (about 20cm) so you can sew the arms on with it.  Pull the last loop closed by fastening off in the normal way.

Your arms are made inside out so using your crochet hook pull the arm out the right way.  It can be a bit fiddly!

Putting your yarnling together:

All the yarnling's components, including magnet and safety eyes.

Flatten out your yarnling’s body with the long tail and open loop at the edge (as in the above picture), you are going to be joining your yarnling’s body at the top to make a flat edge, like a cushion.

Decide where you would like its eyes to be (between rows 10 and 11 looks good) then either fit your safety eyes or sew some stitches with the yarn colour you’d like for eyes. 

Now stuff your yarnling as loosely or as tightly as you’d like.  Like humans, some yarnlings are plumper than others!

Using the open loop you left at the top of its body you are going to slip stitch across the top of the yarnling’s body to finish the top of its head off.  When you finish off lose the end in its body instead of trimming it.

Decide where you your yarnling’s arms will look best, between rows 8 and 9 right on the sides looks good.  Sew your arms on securely (they’re too tiny for stuffing), fasten off and lose those ends into your stuffed body rather than trimming them off.

Now does your yarnling need pom pom ears? Most do!  Take yourself off to look at my form pom pom tutorial here on the Planet Yarn blog or get out your pom pom maker and make two for your yarnling’s bonce.  Sew ‘em on and you’re good to go!

 

The pattern in US crochet terms:

Body:

For the base:

Make a magic circle and sc 6 into it and gently pull closed (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch (12)

Round 3: *2 sc in stitch, 1sc in stitch* repeat 5 more times (18)

Round 4: *2 sc, 1sc, 1sc* repeat 5 more times (24)

For the following you will be stitching into the back stitch only, this will build up the body’s sides.

Rounds 5 – 18: sc in each in the back chain of each stitch.

Leave a long yarn tail, and leave your last stitch open, when you fasten off your yarn (about 30cm) because you’re going to close the top of the head up with it.

Your little alien’s body is inside out right now…but leave it that way, if you want to sew a magnet into its bottom to make it a sticky alien.  If not then turn your yarnling ‘inside out’ to get it the right way!

Magnet pocket:

As for the base above, make a magic circle and sc 6 into it and pull gently to close (6)

Round 2: 2 sc into each stitch (12)

Round 3: *2 sc then 1sc* repeat five times (18)

To sew magnet into yarnling’s bottom stitch the little circle you’ve made right over the corresponding circle in the yarnling’s body, make sure you slip the magnet in before you close the stitching!  Now turn your body ‘inside out’ so the pocket is snugly inside and your alien is not right side out.  Don’t worry about any ends, they’ll all be hidden inside.

magnet placed on the base of the inside out yarnling

pocket placed over the magnet ready to sew on

 

Arms (make two):

Make a magic circle and sc 4 into it and pull gently closed (4)

Rounds 2 – 6: sc into each stitch (4)

Leave a long yarn tail (about 20cm) so you can sew the arms on with it.  Pull the last loop closed by fastening off in the normal way.

Your arms are made inside out so using your crochet hook pull the arm out the right way.  It can be a bit fiddly!

Putting your yarnling together:

All the yarnling's components, including magnet and safety eyes.

Flatten out your yarnling’s body with the long tail and open loop at the edge (as in the photo above), you are going to be joining your yarnling’s body at the top to make a flat edge, like a cushion.

Decide where you would like its eyes to be (between rows 10 and 11 looks good) then either fit your safety eyes or sew some stitches/beads for eyes.

Now stuff your yarnling as loosely or as tightly as you’d like.  Like earthlings, some yarnlings are plumper than others!

Using the open loop you left at the top of its body you are going to slip stitch across the top of the yarnling’s body to finish the top of its head off.  When you finish off lose the end in its body instead of trimming it.

Decide where you your yarnling’s arms will look best, between rows 8 and 9 right on the sides looks good.  Sew your arms on securely (they’re too tiny for stuffing), fasten off and lose those ends into your stuffed body rather than trimming them off.

Now does your yarnling need pom pom ears? Most do!  Take yourself off to look at my fork pom pom tutorial on the Planet Yarn blog here or get out your pom pom maker and make two for your yarnling’s bonce.  Sew ‘em on and you’re good to go!

Copyright of this pattern belongs to Debbie Sixsmith and may not be copied or shared without crediting the owner and website first published on www.planetyarn.co.uk

You are free to make as many yarnlings as you like for personal use and for sale but please credit the pattern to Debbie Sixsmith at www.planetyarn.co.uk

Last Day of Easter Eggstravaganza

Easter Eggstravaganza Good Friday

 

 

Day 1 of Planet Yarn's Easter Eggstravaganza! Today's offer is 20% off Stylecraft Special Aran. The reduction has already been made in the shop so no pesky codes to enter. Offer ends at 10pm.

Delivery Day!

It's always exciting at Planet Yarn when we get a delivery!  Even if it's just a restock of our usual favourites.  Today, however, there was a special delivery which included the brand new Stylecraft Special dk shades!  So, that's a whopping 85 shades in the Special dk range now!  The new Buttermilk shade is a lovely warm yellow and definitely the Planet Yarn favourite.  The other two, Mushroom and Vintage Peach, fit in beautifully with their siblings.  There's a very good reason for knowing this too, because finally, after almost a year of the Special dk shade card being out of stock, it's arrived!  Yay!  So now we can all peruse the lovely, scrumptious shades offered to us in the comfort of our own snuggly, crafty spots.  Happy days!  Here's a quick peek of one that arrived today:

I think they must have had a tricky time placing Mushroom on the card, it could have quite happily fitted between the peachy tones, or the pinky tones.  It's definitely going to be a very versatile neutral colour.  I'm not the world's biggest fan of mushrooms, so it was a pleasant surprise to enjoy this colour.  Still not a chance I'll be eating any mind!  It wasn't until I saw Vintage Peach next to apricot that I realised how much this shade added to the peachy/orangey toned yarns.  I'll have to get it and Vintage Rose together sometime soon to see how they 'talk' to each other.

I'm off to update the shop now, got to make sure my listings have the correct amount of balls available! 

Oh...and I'm very much looking forward to the Easter break and all the extra hooking time that comes with it!  What projects are you going to be working on?

Spring Giveaway and New Stylecraft Special DK Shades

Over on the Planet Yarn Facebook page and Instagram account there is a giveaway going on.  The winner will get their choice of Yarn Pack from the Planet Yarn shop.  Not bad eh?

To enter the giveaway you'll need a Facebook and/or Instagram account.  Have a look at the information about it on the site and see if you fancy entering. 

Looking forward to spreading the love of yarny goodness when the winner is picked on 20th March.

Hurray for Spring and lovely colours of yarn!

Stylecraft have been busy choosing three new colours of yarn to add to the 82 their Special dk family already boasts.

Here's their big reveal photo:

They will be available in Planet Yarn as soon as they arrive, which will hopefully be 3rd April or soon after.

I'm intrigued by the mushroom colour, apparently it's neither beige nor lavender...hmm.  We shall see!

Baby hat with ears? Sorted!

It's been a while but I really did intend on posting this ears pattern quite soon after the original pattern was written up.  However, seven months later here it is!

Start with the baby basics newborn hat pattern and make two of the following:

US terms
dk yarn, 4mm hook
you are crocheting in the round, just like the method for making the hat.

Row 1: make a magic circle, ch 2 then dc 12 into the magic circle loop and sl st into first dc (not the ch2) (()
Row 2: ch 2 then 2dc into each dc in row  and sl st into the first dc (18)
Rows 3 & 4: dc around and sl st to join (18) and fasten off.

To place your ears on your hat squish the hat so it's lying flat (as in the photo above) and stitch your ears in place.  Make sure you catch the stitches on both sides of your ear and sew firmly to the hat stitches. 

Ta dah! 

As my mum would say, when I put hats with ears on my boys, your baby now has two sets of ears!  All the better to hear you with!

One day I will make one to fit my own head, why should babies have all the ear hat fun!

Choosing Colours and Yarn Packs

 

It's always tricky...you finally settle on the stitch you want for your project, whether it's a blanket, cushion or something else, but you want your colours to look fabulous together, what choices to make?  With 82 shades to choose from, when it comes to Stylecraft Special DK, you really are spoilt for choice!  But...sometimes in life...you just want to take the easy route...and let someone else sort it out for you. 

 

So...these are the seven yarn packs I'm currently offering at Planet Yarn.  I've faffed and messed about with lots of colour combinations until I was utterly satisfied with the way these combinations talked to each other. I'd like to tell you it was a terrible ordeal that lasted hours and there was much wailing and gnashing of teeth, but that would be a great big fat lie!  I really enjoyed it!  So here's each colour combination in glorious technicolour for you to feast your eyes on: 

 

 The Vintage Pack came from a discovery, with a lovely friend and client, that duck egg goes deliciously with vintage rose, they just look gorgeous together!  So I played about until I found another four colours that could go with them to create a vintage feel.

 

The Rainbow Yarn Pack was my first pack.  I adore rainbow colours...it was very easy to put these gorgeous bright colours together straight away!  I may have gazed adoringly at them after putting them all together...what's that?  I should get out more...probably...heh!

 

 
This pack just put itself together really!  These are only eight of these variegated shades of Stylecraft Special DK so I just took away brown and grey and this is what transpired and became the Variegated Yarn Pack.  They look lovely together!  I like the more rustic nature that these yarns give when knitted or crocheted up.


The Bright Yarn Pack demanded it's existence because the super bright colours fiesta and jaffa pretty much catch my attention every time I have a rifle through my own personal stash.  I found them some bright friends and this rather manic and quite dazzling combination burst into life.  These bright colours cannot fail to cheer you up even on the greyest, grumpiest day!

This is very much the more subdued and sweeter version of the Rainbow Yarn Pack.  I was rather out of my comfort zone admittedly for this pack, bright jewel colours are my usual choices.  However the Pastel Yarn Pack does make me think of cute little baby clothes and blankets, which gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Awww!

This is a colour combination that snuck up on me.  I was playing around with the more muted tones of Special dk and rather liked the way the saffron and storm blue looked together.  It took me a while to find the rest of the colours to complement the snuggly warm and relaxed feeling I was looking for, but I think I cracked it with this Cosy Yarn combination.

This yarn pack is pure indulgence on my part.  Emperor is, possibly, my favourite shade from the whole 82 colours of Special dk.  Teal was always going to go with it but the lobelia and boysenberry shades were a bit of a surprise!  Empire is so very similar to teal but I just love the colours and they work so well with the other four shades...and petrol snuck in...so this is my personal choice yarn pack.  I was a bit stuck for a name but with emperor and empire in there,  Empress just seemed a good choice really!  The Empress Yarn Pack is currently being used in my current WIP, a great big 12 x 12 granny square blanket.  It's looking rather lovely so far...

So, do any of my colour packs tickle your fancy? 

Maybe you've got your own yarn pack idea, let me know, I'll put it together for you.

Planet Yarn Granny Square Pattern and Diagram

There are many, many ways to hook up a granny square.  And this, I find, can be a bit of a problem!  How do you remember which particular variation of the granny square pattern were you using to make your ongoing pile of squares? 

I decided to solve my dilemma by creating a Planet Yarn version of the pattern so I would always know which pattern I'd been using!  I thought it would be useful for other granny squarers out there too, particularly if it had a diagram to go with it too!

I had a brief battle (I was victorious) with a cracking little piece of free software called Stich Works Software and came up with this pretty little picture:



created with Stitch Works Software

Here's the key:

And here's the written instructions:

 

Ch 4 and slst to make a ring

Round 1: ch3, all following double crochet  stitches into the 4ch ring: 2dc, ch3, 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch 3, stst into third ch of starting chain.

Round 2: ch3, *3dc into next ch space, ch3, 3dc into the same ch space*, repeat until last ch space, 3dc into last ch space, ch3 2dc into same space and slst into third ch of starting ch. 

Round 3: ch3, 3dc into next ch3 space, ch 3, *3dc into same ch space, 3dc into space in round 2, 3dc into ch space, ch3* repeat from * twice, then ch3, 3dc into 3ch space, 2dc into same ch space and slst into third ch of starting ch.

 

Here's a hooked up square using Stylecraft Special dk in Empire and a 5.5mm hook.

 

 

 

Now, if, like me, you have multiple projects on the go and can never remember which hook you were using, I'd like to introduce you to a fantastic little gadget:

 

photo from Lana Bou

 

 

It's a stitch marker with the hook size you're using on it!  Very clever indeed!  A fabulous Etsy shop called Lana Bou stocks these stitch markers. 

My markers have beads that match the handles of the knitpro crochet hooks that I love so much I sell them in my shop!

Give Kate, the shop owner, a message on the checking out part of her shop to let her know which numbers and colours you'd like, she is very friendly and will help you get exactly what you need.  She also made me my rather fabulous 'crocheter' necklace too.  Have a mooch, it's a lovely shop full of pretty yarny related shinies! 

And now a completely gratuitous shot of my very own 12 x 12 granny square blanket I'm hooking up, using my 'Empress' yarn pack from the Planet Yarn Shop.  Oh and look, a handy little stitch marker to remind me which hook I'm using...heh!  

 

 

Happy Hooking!

 

Come to the yarn side, we have pom poms.

We do, we do, we really do!  Just spent the afternoon happily taking photos in the sunshine of some fabulous new stock!  Here are the gorgeous Knitpro Waves crochet hooks with lovely ergonomic soft touch handles.  They are an absolute joy to work with and my favourite crochet hooks to use.

Also, new in are these beautiful Knitpro aluminium knitting needles, lovely to handle and they come in pretty colours too!

But what about the pom pom nonsense above?  Well...  I'm now the proud stockist of the very fabulous Clover pom pom makers, both the small and the large size.  The blue and green makers are from the Large Pom Pom Maker set and the pink and yellow makers are from the Small Pom Pom Maker set. 

As instant gratification goes these pom pom makers are tough to beat!  You may have guessed that I'm rather fond of pom poms and these clever little devices are my absolute favourite way to make them.  It's so simple and quick! 
First of all you open up one side of the maker's clips and start wrapping yarn around them (pic 1).  Straight from the ball of yarn!  No need to make teeny little balls to push through the middle because there is no middle!  Can you tell I'm impressed by these ingenious gadgets? Once the first side is filled close the clips and open the other side's clips.  Keep wrapping (you don't even need to break yarn) until your pom pom maker is full.  

pic 1, the pom pom begins...

Then, just like with the traditional rings of cardboard pom pom making, cut around the edges of your yarn disc and then tie a piece of yarn tightly in the centre of the clips.  However, unlike using pieces of cardboard, the clips very cleverly keep all those little strands of yarn tightly together so you've got no danger of pom pom disintegration before it's even begun it's fluffy little life.  Then you gently separate the two sides of the pom pom maker (pic 2) and there it is!  A perfect pom pom!  Ta dah!


 

pic 2, ta dah a pom pom is born!

I know, it's okay, you can say it...I clearly need to get out more right?  Heheh!  But seriously!  Pom poms!  Exciting right?  As you can see from Kira's face, as I was taking pom pom photos...not everyone shares my pom pom enthusiasm!

 

Right then, I'm off to do some crochet in the sun.  Got to make the most of this sunshine!