Share the Link - a few thoughts on free patterns.

Free patterns. Free patterns and their distribution.

I have free patterns, and I'd say most designers have at least one.

Sometimes they are released as a taster - get a feel for the designers writing style. Sometimes they are a designers first foray into writing and they don't feel like they are ready to charge. Sometimes it's just free for a limited time. Sometimes the designers are paid by another party (like a yarn company)  Or paid in another way - the advertising or 'click' revenue they receive. Maybe it's none of those reasons, but whatever it is, the designer or still owns the copyright and distribution rights to it. (if a third party has paid the designer for the pattern, the ownership may be transferred, but the following still applies.)

Ownership and distribution rights. What does that mean? It means you can't copy or redistribute the pattern anywhere, which includes digitally. Uploading the file to another location is the same thing as redistributing. You might think that you are doing the designer a favour, by getting their name out there, but you aren't. Exposure isn't a legitimate currency - it *can* be a nice added bonus, but it shouldn't be the motivating force.

So what can you do? Share the Link! Copy and paste the URL. (That's the web address - www. etc) If there is a share button on a blog post, that is fine too. You wouldn't copy and paste this whole blog post if you wanted to share it - too much work! You would copy the link and share that! Same goes for patterns, it's actually the least amount of work - and, at the end of the day - the legal way to share.

Yep, legal way. Designers aren't being precious, they just want to fairly stand up for their legal rights.

Share the Link!

Designers do want their patterns to be shared, and made, and enjoyed.

Do you like free patterns - you might enjoy these! Click the link to be taken to the blog post, and share the link with a friend! And for what it's worth - I'm not a lawyer :)

Wind rose Heart

Chunky Hexies

Blueberry washcloth

Denimberry Washcloth

Strawberry Fields Beanie 

Big Circle Granny

Thistle Beanie

Summer Vibes Wall Hanging 

Thank you for reading today! Do you have a favourite pattern? Share the link with me in the comments. 

Bobbleberry Washcloth Free Pattern

To complete the set of berry washcloths, I bring you the Bobbleberry washcloth. The yarn was provided to me by American Yarns, and you can read my thoughts on Lily Sugar and Cream in this post. You can find the first washcloth in that same post,and the second here.

A post shared by Emma Wilkinson Designs (@emma_crochets) on Apr 22, 2018 at 9:53pm PDT

I am using Lily Sugar and Cream in Blue jeans, and a 5 mm hook. This washcloth uses variations of both bobble stitch and berry stitch in alternating rows to create a really textured piece. US terms are used.
This will make a 20 x 20 cm square / 7.8 x 7.8 inch square

Special stitches used:

Bobble stitch: (Bo) - (YO, insert hook, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops) 4 times- all worked in same st. YO pull through 5 loops on hook.

Starting Bobble: (SBo)- 2 ch (YO, insert hook, pull up a loop, YO, pull through 2 loops) 3 times. YO pull through 4 loops on hook.

Berry Stitch (Be): YO, insert hook, pull up loop, YO, pull through 1 loop, insert hook through same st, YO pull up loop. YO, pull through 4 loops on hook.

Make a Chain of 28.

Row 1: (RS) Skip 1 ch, sc across. (27 sc)
Row 2: (WS) 2 Ch (not counted as st), *Be into first sc, sc in next. Rep from * across, finishing with a Be. (14 Be)
Row 3: 1 ch (not counted as st) sc across (27 sc)
Row 4: SBo, *sc, Bo. Rep from * across (14 Bo - including SBo)
Row 5: as Row 3.

Rep rows 2-5 five times.

Fasten off and weave in ends.


Thank you for reading,

and Happy Crocheting! 

Emma

Denimberry Stripe Washcloth - American Yarns

Hello! Today I have a second berry washcloth pattern for you. It is made from Lily Sugar and Cream in Blueberry and Blue Jeans. If you haven't already guessed, there is a berry theme going on!

If you have a look at this post, you can find my review of the yarn, and the first washcloth of the series- Blueberry washcloth, pictured below; rolled. The yarn was provided to me by American Yarns. Based in Victoria, Australia, they have a fabulous range of imported yarns

Washcloths are fun to make; they take very little time, might teach a new stitch or technique, and are usable and make great gifts.

The Berry Stripe Washcloth uses the Suzette Stitch, which is a one row repeat!.

Materials needed are:
Lily and Cream Cotton in Blueberry and Blue Jeans
5 mm hook.
A yarn needle is also required.

Pattern is written in US terms.

Make a chain of 28 with Blueberry.

Set up row: Skip first ch, (sc, dc) into same st. *sk ch (sc, dc) into next st. Repeat from * till the last ch. sc only into last ch. Turn.

Pattern Row: Ch 1, (sc, dc) into first st.(the is the sc from previous row) *sk st (sc, dc) into next st. Repeat from * till the last st. sc only in last st.

Change to Blue Jeans, without breaking cotton. Repeat Pattern Row, twice.
Change to Blueberry, without breaking cotton. Repeat Pattern Row, twice.

Continue alternating colours for a total of 26 rows

This will make a 20 x 20 cm square/ 7.8 x 7.8 inch square.


Border-Without turning, rotate 90° right. Ch 1, sc into side of each row, and twice into corner. Continue all the way around making sure to cover the colour change passes.

I also made a strawberry version! Striped and plain.

Thanks again,

Happy Crocheting

Emma

Competition Time! Win a Pattern.

I'm running a fun competition at the moment, which has been announced on Facebook and Instagram.

Recently I've been paying attention to my free patterns on Ravelry- how many downloads, which ones are popular and so on.

I have a handful of free patterns, some started out as blog posts, others were components, and some I just wanted to have as a taster to my style of writing.

So the competition is to make something from a free pattern, and upload the project to Ravelry, between now and the 10th March 2018. Simple!

You will go in the running to win any paid pattern (of mine) of your choice.

I would love to be tagged to be shown what you are making!

The winner be be decided by myself and announced on Facebook, Instagram and here on the blog. All results are final.

Any questions? Please don't hesitate to ask!

Finally the link >> Ravelry Patterns.

Any free pattern is eligible, like the three pictured.


Competition not affiliated with Instagram, Facebook or Ravelry.




Winner has been selected! Lee, who has been contacted with the prize.

American Yarns - Review, with Free Pattern: "Blueberry WashCloth"

Welcome to the first in a three part blog series 

Link to Part 2

Link to Part 3

Free Pattern : Blueberry Washcloth using Lily Sugar and Cream

Keep reading for Pattern. 

I was sent some yarn from "American Yarns" to review, and have complied my thought on three types, and also included a bonus pattern for a wash cloth, made from one of the yarns sent. Still time before Christmas to make some handmade gifts!

American Yarns are based in Melbourne, Australia, and stock American and Canadian brands of yarn that are not readily available in the usual Australian Marketplace. They are familiar sounding names, ones you might see recommended by our American crochet and knitting friends online, like Red Heart, Bernat and Caron. They also stock hooks, needles, books and accessories, and provide Afterpay. I was sent the yarns to review and was not paid to do so, and the opinions remain my own. I have provided links to American Yarns and the products I sampled.

I trialled three different yarns, Red Heart Unforgettable, Lily Sugar and Cream, and Bernat Big Ball Chunky.

The first thing you notice about Red Heart Unforgettable is the iridescent sheen. It's really very beautiful. It's a worsted weight yarn, and recommends a 6 mm hook, but I did my swatch with a 5.5 mm. It's 100% acrylic, but has an unspun (roving) look about it. It is incredibly soft and quite silky. It is difficult to frog (undo), so I would recommend having a pattern in mind rather than experimenting! I did read somewhere that the thickness changes, due to the handspun look, but I did not notice this at all. The colours are variegated, in short colour sequences, but they blend very subtlety. It's quite unlike any yarn I have used before when you consider all combined elements.
I swatched up a small ripple, in 'Tealberry' and will continue to make a scarf! I will update with another blog post when that is done!

Next up, I tried Big Ball Chunky, in teal. I have used this yarn before and already have a positive view of it! I had previously bought online and had not found any Australian stockists, so very happy to now know of one. The most exciting thing, in my opinion, is the 400 g ball! It is a super bulky weight yarn with a plied look (spun) 100% acrylic, and although it recommends an 8 mm hook, I went up to a 12 mm! The down side is there aren't a huge range of colours, but the softee chunky- available in smaller 150 g balls do provide a few more choices. The colours that are available - grey, teal, black and white, suit my tastes, so I can't complain about that! I started with a simple granny hexagon, and plan to keep going until the ball is finished and have a throw for the bed or lounge room.

Finally I tried the Lily Sugar and Cream. A worsted weight 100% cotton yarn. It is plied and non mercerized. It's unusual to see yarn available in 71 grams! But that adds up to 2.5 ounces. It isn't the softest cotton I've tried, but I think that adds a certain amount of durability, perfect for washcloths and grocery bags. This cotton has a really easy centre pull and has a big range of colours, with ombre and striped options also available.

I made a swatch with the blueberry colour and a 5 mm hook. I kept going until I had made a wash cloth, and have the free pattern available for you.

Blueberry Washcloth

Using US terms. Turning chains not counted as a stitch.
With 'Blueberry' Sugar and Cream and 5 mm hook:
Ch 28.


Row 1: (skip 1st ch) 27 sc, Ch 1 Turn.
Row 2: 27 hdc. Ch 2 Turn.
Row 3: *1dc, 1sc. Repeat from *to end. Finishing row with dc. Ch 1. Turn
Row 4: *1sc, 1dc. Repeat from * to end. Finishing row with sc. Ch 1. Turn.

Repeat rows 1- 4, 6 times.
Repeat row 1 to finish.

Fasten off and weave in ends.
This will make a 20 x 20 cm square / 7.8 x 7.8 inch square.

Package up with a fancy soap, like the lime one pictured.


Thank you for reading my thoughts, don't forget, there is still time to give handmade, or out yarn on your Christmas list!