Handspun Hat: done!

Handspun Hat
Top-Down Ribbed Beanie Recipe
US 11 and 10 needles
Jenny Neutron Star handspun, "Candy", about 80 yards


This time it's really finished - I ripped back a few rounds, then switched to US 10 needles and did 2 rounds of stockinette and bound it off. I like it better now, although I do feel like the hat is asking for more. Some buttons, maybe? A few crochet circles? I may have to just set it aside and walk away. It's already quite exuberant.


About the yarn - the jennyneutronstar.com site won't load for me, and the Jenny Neutron Star Etsy shop hasn't had any activity for over a year. Back when I first got this yarn, quirky handspun yarn wasn't as readily available. When I was asked to put together a few kits for the Alt Fiber show, I didn't have much time and I really wanted to feature indie crafters. Jenny Neutron Star really came through for me and custom-spun 3 skeins to order (although I botched the wpi - this is really more like 5-6 wpi yarn, and it's my misstatement, not hers). 2 years later, nifty handspun/handdyed yarns are thriving on Etsy, and so while I can't find a way to direct you to Jenny Neutron Star right now, I do have a couple of Etsy favorite sellers for bulky thick/thin yarns: Terra Bella Spun does handspun/handdyed, which I've used to knit up similar hats. Miss Hawklet has some "scraptacular" yarns up right now that I find especially delightful, and I used some Midnight & Lulu yarn in the Springtime Scarflette I did last year. Typing "handspun yarn" into the Etsy search feature will get you pages and pages of delightful stuff! I know I have to be careful when I do that. For the next few days, my Etsy favorites (up on the top right corner of this blog) will be featuring lovely handspun yarns. I may have to go sit in my stash for a little while to keep me from buying more.



Springtime Scarflette closeup

Free Amigurumi Patterns

I keep getting hits from people searching for free amigurumi patterns.  They get directed to my Japanese Craft Books post, which does not include the free patterns those searchers are looking for.  So here you go!  This post will be updated periodically with more patterns!



CROCHET

Sprite, by Even Howard, was published by Crochet Me magazine

Fairy Tales at Your Fingertips finger puppets, by Melissa Mall, Crochet Me August/September 2005

Autumn's Apple finger puppet by Kat Marie Williams, Crochet Me Oct/Nov 2005

Cheeky the Octopus by Melinda Fisher, Crochet Me Oct/Nov 2005.  Melinda also sells some of her crocheted toys through her mintimindi Etsy shop. 

Crocheted stegosaurus pattern by Knittykat, available as a .pdf download for free, with a request to make a donation to a specific charity. 

Moldy Cupcake from Gleeful Things (more patterns are available for sale). 



The Amigurumi-Along has links to free and not-free patterns and loads of photos of all kinds of amigurumi.  A frequent poster there is Roxycraft - her site has free patterns (but not amigurumi patterns).  She sells her amigurumi patterns as PDF downloads, and also sells the finished amigurumi.  Her patterns are super-duper cute and well worth the money!  You can also check out Etsy shops for finished amigurumi as well as patterns by indie crafters.



Craftster.org has free patterns and links to free patterns in the forums, like the penguin by tamar, and the panda and pig by mmmfruit.  A search for "amigurumi" in the forums will result in several pages of hits.



Crochet me has an Amigurumi Special Issue!  Includes patterns, tutorials, and how to make your own variations on a basic pattern.

Designer Ana Paula Rimoli has a blog just for her free patterns: Free Amigurumi Crochet Patterns:   

Little Cookie

Little Bunny Rabbit

Pablito the Penguin

Cat & Mouse

Zequi the Bear


Cupcake

Little Fried Egg

Ana Paula Rimoli also sells patterns and finished amigurumi through her Etsy shop, www.anapaulaoli.etsy.com.  I've purchased a few of her patterns and they are well-written and easy to follow!



There's a new free online knit and crochet magazine, For the Love of Yarn.  The premiere issue has crochet amigurumi patterns for a turtle and a snail.



KNIT

Don't crochet?  There are several free knitting patterns for cute stuffies and toys! 

[UPDATE 2009: MagKnits shut down in April 2008; many of the patterns published have been made available by the designers in various locations. I have updated the MagKnits patterns listed below with new links; a couple of them go to Ravelry.com pages and you will need to be a Ravelry member - sorry about that, but the designers chose to host the patterns on Ravelry, and Ravelry memberships are free.]


Gattino, a kitten stuffie (Knitty Fall '02)

Finger Puppers (Knitty Summer '03) 

Pasha the Penguin (Knitty Winter '04)

Bubby the Bear (Knitty Fall '05)

Pumpkins (Knitty Fall '05)

Garden Variety veggie toys (MagKnits Sept. '05) [link to Ravelry.com page]

Pocket Creatures (Knitty Winter '05)

Kate, the cat with britches (Knitty Winter '05)

Sushi (MagKnits Feb. '06) [link to Ravelry.com page]

Noblin Breakfast Bunny (MagKnits April '06) [link to designer's page]

Laura Jane Bears (MagKnits May '06) [pattern currently unavailable]

Norberta the Dragon (Knitty Winter '06)

Nautie the Nautilus (Knitty Spring '06)

Sheldon the Turtle (Knitty Winter '06)

Dad's Blueberry Pie (MagKnits Nov. '06) [link to designer's page]

Woodins (Knitty Fall '07) - little woodland creatures and their log home.



The Crochet and Knitting Diva has list of free patterns and amigurumi blogs, some of which are also listed in this post.

Heather Knits: Knit Pullip/Blythe Beanie Wig Mod

August 2007: Heather of Heather Knits modified the knit Pullip/Blythe Beanie pattern to make a doll wig!  She used the Locked Loop Rerooting Tutorial from Puchi Collective, but using the hat instead of a rubber scalp.  You could also use the Simple Crochet Beanie
doll hat pattern too, and even use a lighter weight yarn (like
fingering) by using the same rate of increasing but working until the
circle is large enough for the doll's head, then working even to the
length you want.  Isn't this a great modification?  Imagine the
yarn/felt dreadlock possibilities!

Photos by Heather Wolff.

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Wig as modeled by Heather's Pullip doll

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inside of the wig