This market bag knitting pattern uses an easy and stretchy lace pattern so it can fit all your farmers market purchases in styles. East Ave. is one side of the town square where our local farmers market happens, so I thought it was an appropriate name for this bag. This is a good project for people new to knitting lace because it’s a simple four-round repeat (and two of those rounds are knit). You’ll get plenty of practice with yarn overs and knitting decreases, namely knit 2 together and ssk (slip slip knit). Materials I used two skeins of Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton (in colors Evergreen and Jade ..read more

A few years ago I wrote a post about women’s shorts sewing patterns, and it has consistently been a popular post. It reminds me that I need to sew more shorts and that I need to share more patterns for shorts. Sewing your own shorts is great because you can customize them for the level of coverage you want. I hate to sound like an old lady, but so many shorts in the stores (for women and girls) are so short. Making your own allows you to make them a bit longer and choose fun fabrics if you like. Shorts Sewing Patterns for Kids My daughter has moved beyond kid sizing, but there are a lot of cut ..read more

When I was first learning to crochet, probably the first stitch pattern I learned beyond working a single stitch for a project was crochet moss stitch. Also known as granite stitch, linen stitch or woven stitch, moss stitch crochet is simple to do and makes a very cool textured fabric. Even though I know other stitch patterns now, I always seem to come back to moss stitch when I want a simple but pretty project. What is Crochet Moss Stitch? Moss stitch crochet is a one-row repeating pattern that combines single crochet stitches and chains. In the first row you make a single crochet stitch, ch ..read more

This Sentro knit shrug is super easy to make, and you can knit the back longer to turn it into a sweater scarf if you have enough yarn. I was writing a post recently about knit sweater scarves, and it got me thinking about how to knit a sweater scarf on the circular knitting machine. I had this yarn I really wanted to use for it and ended up not having enough to make a big wrap, but it’s still a cute shrug you can make on an Addi or a Sentro knitting machine. What is a Knit Shrug? A shrug is basically just a scarf with sleeves, or a cardigan with no front. When making one on a knitting machine ..read more

This messy bun hat crochet pattern is super fast and easy to stitch using half double crochet and third loop half double crochet. Once upon a time I decided I wanted to start giving my patterns names of places and things near where I live, but other than the Boxley Scarf, which is a knitting pattern, I haven’t really followed through with it. The urge to call patterns by their keywords is strong! But I decided this one needed a special name, and I’ll try to keep it up in the future. So the Eureka messy bun hat crochet pattern is named for Eureka Springs, a fun, artsy town where this colorful ..read more

Knowing how to use a lifeline in knitting can be a big help when you are learning new skills such as lace or cables, or when working a complicated project that might be difficult to rip back. I’ve been working on a project with a somewhat complicated brioche pattern and I decided I had to use a lifeline because I kept messing it up and having to rip back to the beginning because I couldn’t figure out how to pick up a row I’d done correctly otherwise. This reminded me of how useful a lifeline can be, and it’s really easy to install and use. What is a Lifeline? A lifeline in knitting is just a ..read more

These crochet Easter basket patterns are fun and easy to make no matter your skill level and a great way to add a bit of a homemade touch to your holiday decor. I’ve knit a mini Easter basket (among others) and did a Sentro knit basket, but I’ve actually never crocheted an Easter basket, so I wanted to gather some crochet Easter basket patterns to inspire me (and you!) to make one this year. Easy Crochet Easter Baskets Most Easter basket crochet patterns are pretty easy, though you will have to work in flat rounds to make the bottom of the basket and in rounds to make the sides. If you’re pre ..read more

Knowing how to pick up stitches in knitting is an important step in making sure your projects are finished well. Whether you’re picking up stitches along the side of a heel flap to finish a sock or around the neck of a sweater or edge of a shawl to add finishing, this is one place where technique really matters. Picking Up Stitches vs. Picking Up and Knitting One thing to get out of the way straightaway is the difference between “pick up stitches” and “pick up and knit.” Most of the time patterns will say to pick up and knit x number of stitches, but sometimes it will just say pick up, and th ..read more

This four leaf clover cross stitch bookmaker pattern is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any other time you need a little luck! It’s quick to stitch up and a great beginner cross stitch pattern. Why You Should Make Cross Stitch Bookmarks Cross stitch bookmarks are some of my favorite little cross stitch projects. They’re just about ideal for beginners because they’re small, quick to stitch up, often include repeating patterns (see also my heart cross stitch bookmark) and you can hide the back if it gets messy. Bookmarks are also useful if you are a reader or know a reader, and they’re a great ..read more

This ibotti heat erasable pens review shows the pens being used on different kinds of fabric in different colors so you can determine how useful they will be for you. I am about to embark on a large cross stitch project and I wanted to see if I could use these heat-erasable markers on cross-stitch fabric. But I figured while I was testing it I might as well look at a bunch of different fabrics to see how erasable they truly are. So I raided my scraps and conducted a couple of experiments. What are Heat Erasable Pens? Heat erasable pens like these from ibotti are meant to be used to mark fabric ..read more