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A baby blanket with Scandinavian flair : The Amala blanket

July 9, 2021July 11, 2021by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

Baby blanket frenzy

For those who’ve followed me for while, you will probably think : what, another baby? And yes, another dear friend and colleague of mine had a lovely baby this April, and of course, that set another deadline for a new baby blanket pattern for me.

I knew she liked the Zoe blanket and Victoria blanket a lot, but also, that she was quite a fan of Scandinavian design and colour schemes. Which was a win-win situation for me, since I got to work with my favourite colours combined!

This time around though, I wanted to make sure I would be able to finish the blanket BEFORE the baby was 6 months old (or married or something), and decided to downsize it a bit, and make a baby blanket that works well for the first year, especially in a pram or when you’re holding them in your arms (sounds good as an excuse, doesn’t it?).

Go for another intarsia

Ok, so before the blankets, I had never really done any intarsia work before, or none that compares to the insanity of these blankets. But since both the Victoria blanket (diamonds) and the Zoe blanket (hearts) have both been downloaded over 7.000 times (!), I thought, well, there are enough knitting crazies out there to maybe want yet another intarsia blanket.

The Amala blanket : triangles, triangles, triangles

This time I went for a new yarn I fell in love with, the Onion no.4, which is a 70% wool, 30 % nettle fiber blend and incredibly soft and warm. Don’t get confused by the nettle fiber, Onion uses a lot of it in its yarn combination, and it can turn out really soft, like for this specific yarn.

Another argument for it is that it had exactly the colours I wanted to use : blue, yellow , pink and a nice creme colour, AND I could finally knit with a little bit larger needles…

The finished blanket measures 55 x 65 (60 x 71″) and is composed of 7 triangles in a row and a total of 12 rows – 4 repetitions of the 3 colour triangle rows – and a seed stitch edging. You can easily adapt the size of the blanket by simply adding another triangle in the row at cast-on, or by continuing for further triangle rows.

Download your free copy of the Amala Blanket in English, French, German or Danish and subscribe to my newsletter if you want to be the first to know when a new Baby blanket – or other pattern – is out! (It’s quite right but … too quiet … I suspect there might be some siblings in the making soon after all these first borns …).

I’d love to see your work and for you to share it, either in Ravelry or on Instagram, using the #amalablanket hashtag.

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Note: I’m delighted to be offering this pattern for free to knitters all over the world. If you enjoyed the pattern and would like to support me anyway, you can always buy me a coffee 😉

Happy knitting!

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Testknitters wanted for the Jacob sweater!

Featuredby lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

It was about time, I finally dared write up my first knitting pattern for babies and children. It was scary. A bit tough. And worst of all, my “babies” are quite big and out of this league, so I’m indeed in desperate need for kind and patient testknitters to get the Jacob Sweater just right!

The Jacob sweater is a simple yoke pattern fitting for beginners. It is worked from the top-down, with several increases throughout the yoke. Once you reach the armhole, body and sleeves are split and worked separately. The neckline is formed using a special stretchy cast-on technique, which ensures a safe and easy dressing and undressing of the smaller ones. The design of the Jacob sweater is fitting for all genders and ages, making it a very versatile pattern for a unisex garment.

This pattern combines techniques such as Latvian cast-on, and yoke increases. While all steps are clearly detailed in the instructions, I suggest you have a look at tutorials online for the Latvian cast-on, which is a quite practical technique to create a flexible – but not too flexible (!) – cast-on edge for the neckline. Because … nobody wants to have to squeeze these heads through the neckline, right?

The Jacob sweater pictured above was knit using Onion no.4, an organic wool and nettle fiber blend, that makes it a warm and soft sweater for all ages.

The testknit is open for beginners as well as more advanced knitters, since my aim is always to design in a way that is accessible to everyone. Deadline of the testknit : August 15, 2021.

Needle size :

Circular needle 4 mm (US 6), 60-80 cm (24-32”) in length
Circular needle 4 mm (US 6), 40 cm (16”) in length or double-pointed needles

Sizes:

0-3 mo, 3-6 mo, 6-12 mo (12-18 mo, 2y, 3y) [4y, 5y, 6y] {7y, 8y, 10y}

Size guide – to fit:

BUST CIRC.: 40.5, 43, 45.5 (51, 53.5, 56) [58.5, 61, 63.5] {66, 68.5, 72.5} cm // 16, 17, 18 (20, 21, 22) [23, 24, 25] {26, 27, 28.5}”

Size guide – finished measurements:

BUST CIRC.: 50.5, 53, 55.5 (61, 63.5, 66) [68.5, 71, 73.5] {76, 78.5, 82.5} cm // 20, 21, 22 (24, 25, 26) [27, 28, 29] {30, 31, 32.5}”

tension / gauge:

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 21 sts x 28 rows in stockinette stitch on 4 mm (US 6) needle

Materials:

1 thread fingering weight yarn

Yarn used in model (size 2 years):

Onion no.4 (70% organic wool, 30% nettle fibres – 50 g // 130 m / 124 yds

3, 4, 4 (4, 4, 4) [6, 6, 7] {8, 8, 8} skeins

Meters: 484, 526 (587, 591, 629) [670, 697, 739] m
Yardage: 529, 575 (642, 647, 688) [733, 763, 808] yds

2 markers / stitch holders or scrap yarn / tapestry needle

Yes, I want to testknit this pattern!

I can’t testknit this one, but I’d love to be on the testknitter’s mailing list!

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Home, Patterns

Bring on the sunshine with the Summer Bubbles Top!

June 29, 2021July 9, 2021by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

The sleeveless Summer Bubbles top is worked in one piece from the bottom up until the armhole shaping, at which point the front and back are knit separately. The colours chosen for the hem as well as the neckline and armholes are up to you. You can alternate them as shown in the picture, or opt for a more simple unicoloured design. The yarn used for the model (size S) is Cashair from Lana Grossa, a cotton-nylon-cashmere blend which comes in a large range of fun colours, but any Sport, light worsted or 5-ply yarn will do (cat. 2-3).

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Summer Bubbles toppen strikkes i et stykke fra bunden op til ærmegab, hvor det deles i for- og bagstykke og fortsættes separat (hvert stykke færdigstrikkes for sig). Farverne for ribben, ærmegab og halsudskæringen kan kombineres efter frit valg, ligesom i modellen, eller du kan vælge et enklere design og strikke hele toppen i en enkelt farve. Garnet brugt i modellet (størrelse S) er Cashair fra Lana Grossa, et cotton-nylon-cashmere bland, som findes mange stærke og spændende farver.

Das ärmellose Oberteil Summer Bubbles Top wird in Runden von unten nach oben aufwärts gestrickt. Ab dem Armloch werden Vorder- und Rückenteil separat in Hin- und Rückreihen gestrickt. Die Farben für das Bündchen, den Halsausschnitt und die Armlöcher können Sie frei wählen. Sie können die Farben wechselweise wie bei dem fotografierten Modell stricken oder sich für eine einzige Farbe entscheiden. Das Modell auf dem Foto ist in Größe S und in Cashair von Lana Grossa, eine Baumwolle-Polyamid-Kaschmir-Mischung, die in vielen tollen Farben angeboten wird. Jedes Garn in sport, light worsted oder 5-fach Wolle (Wollkategorie 2-3) ist auch möglich.

Le top sans manches Summer Bubbles est tricoté d’une pièce en partant du bas jusqu’aux emmanchures. A partir de là, le devant et le dos sont tricotés séparément. Vous serez libres de choisir les couleurs de la bordure du bas, ainsi que celles de l’encolure et des emmanchures… Vous pouvez soit les alterner comme sur mon modèle, soit choisir une version plus simple et monochrome. Le fil choisi pour ce top (montré en taille S) est Cashair de Lana Grossa, un mélange coton-nylon-cachemire disponible en une large gamme de couleurs fun. Mais vous pouvez aussi utiliser n’importe quelle autre laine moyenne de type Sport, light worsted ou 5-plis (cat. 2-3).

Sizes

XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2XL, 3XL]

Needle size

Circular needle 3 mm (US 2.5), 60-80 cm (24-32”) in length

Circular needle 3,5 mm (US 4), 60-80 cm (24-32”) in length Circular needle 3 mm (US 2.5), 40 cm (16”) in length or double-pointed needles

Size guide

to fit :

BUST CIRC.: 71 (81, 91,5, 101,5) [111,5, 122, 132] cm // 28 (32, 36, 40) [44, 48, 52]”

Finished measurements

BUST CIRC.: 77 (87, 97,5, 107,5) [117,5; 128, 138] // 30 (34, 38, 42) [46, 50, 54]”

Tension / gauge

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = sts 26 x 36 rows in stockinette stitch on 3,5 needle (US 4)

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 25 sts x 40 rows in bubble stitch pattern on 3,5 needle (US 4)

Yarn

Sport, light worsted or 5-ply yarn (cat. 2-3)

Yarn used in model :

Lana Grossa Cashair (60% cotton, 30% nylon, 10% cashmere), 50g / 225m per skein

Color no 1, Natur: 2 (2, 2, 3) [3, 3, 4] skeins

Color no 21, Curry : 2 (2, 2, 3) [3, 3, 4] skeins

Material

2 markers / Stitch holder or scrap yarn / Tapestry needle

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July 9, 2021A baby blanket with Scandinavian flair : The Amala blanket

The Amala blanket is the perfect knitting pattern for all intarsia and …

July 8, 2021Testknitters wanted for the Jacob sweater!

The Jacob sweater is open for testknitting!

April 5, 2021Make your own perfect summerknit with the Cotton Candy Top

The Cotton candy sleeveless top is a very simple yet stylish V-neck …

March 4, 2021It’s all about the stripes…

The Simple Stripes Sweater is a yoke pattern fitting for beginners. It …

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Make your own perfect summerknit with the Cotton Candy Top

April 5, 2021May 19, 2021by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

The Cotton candy sleeveless top is a very simple yet stylish V-neck top that fits in every essential wardrobe and is a basic pattern, that, thanks to its simplicity, is especially suitable for beginners. It is knit from the bottom up in the round, with regular decreases all the way up until the armhole to create an A-line shaping.

From that point on, the front and back are worked separately, and, in a second step, each shoulder is worked separately. The fit is rather large around the waist, with a 10 c / 4″ ease around the hip circumference.

The yarn used in this pattern – Alba from BC Garn – is a 100% certified GOTS cotton. You can choose to knit it with one single colour, with three shades of a colour like shown in this model, or combining three completely different colours, it’s all up to you!

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Le Cotton Candy Top est un haut à col en V simple mais élégant qui s’intègre dans n’importe quelle garde-robe de base. Il convient particulièrement aux débutants en raison de sa simplicité. Il se tricote en rond de bas en haut, avec des diminutions régulières jusqu’à l’emmanchure pour former une ligne droite.

A partir de là, le devant et le dos sont tricotés séparément, et dans un deuxième temps, chaque épaule est tricotée séparément. La coupe est plutôt large autour de la taille, avec 10 cm d’aisance autour des hanches.

Le fil utilisé dans ce patron est le Coton bio de BC Garn Alba qui existe en une multitude de couleurs pour créer votre Cotton Candy Top personalisé. Vous pouvez le tricoter en une seule couleur, en trois nuances d’une même couleur comme dans le modèle ci-dessus, ou combiner trois couleurs complètement différentes, c’est vous qui voyez!

Das ärmellose Cotton Candy Top ist ein schlichtes aber stilvolles Top mit V-Ausschnitt, das in jede Basis-Garderobe passt und besonders für Anfänger durch seine Einfachheit geeignet ist. Es wird in Runden von unten nach oben gestrickt, mit regelmässigen Abnahmen bis zum Armausschnitt, um eine A-Linienform zu bilden.

Von da an werden Vorder- und Rückenteil separat gestrickt und in einem zweiten Schritt wird jede Schulter separat gestrickt. Die Passform ist um die Taille herum eher weiter mit einer Mehrweite um die Hüfte von 10 cm.

Das in diesem Muster verwendete Garn BC Garn Alba ist eine 100% zertifierte GOTS Baumwolle. Sie können es in einer einzigen Farbe stricken, in drei Schattierungen einer Farbe, wie im obigen Modell gezeigt, oder drei völig unterschiedliche Farben kombinieren, das bleibt ganz Ihnen überlassen!

Sizes

2XS, XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2XL, 3XL]

Size guide

To fit finished measurements (BUST CIRC:)

86, 86 (91, 96, 101) [106; 111; 116] cm // 32, 34 (36, 38, 40) [42, 44, 46]“

Needle size

Circular needle 3.5. (US 4), 60-80 cm (24-32″) in length

Tension / gauge

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 22 sts x 31rows in stockinette stitch on 3.5 mm needle (US 4)

Yarn

1 thread 4-ply or sport yarn

Yarn used in model (size S): BC Garn Alba (100% Bio cotton, GOTS labelled) 50 g // 160m / 175 yds

Colour 1 (dark pink) – 2, 2 (2, 2, 2) [2, 2, 2] skeins

Colour 2 (pink) – 2, 2 (2, 2, 2) [2, 2, 2] skeins

Colour 3 (light pink) – 1, 1 (1, 1, 1) [2, 2, 2] skeins

Meters C1: 235, 247 (259, 271, 283) [296, 308, 320]

Meters C2: 206, 219 (231, 244, 257 ) [270, 282, 295]

Meters C3: 105, 120 (135, 146, 158) [171, 184, 197]

Yardage C1: 257, 270 (283, 296, 310) [324, 337, 350]

Yardage C2: 225, 240 (253, 267, 281) [295, 309, 323]

Yardage C3: 115, 131 (148, 160, 173) [187, 201, 216]

Material

2 markers / Stitch holder or scrap yarn / tapestry needle

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Patterns

It’s all about the stripes…

March 4, 2021by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

The Simple Stripes Sweater is a yoke pattern fitting for beginners. It is worked form the top down, with several increase throughout the yoke. Once you reach the armhole, body and sleeves are split and worked separately. Whereas the body is knit witht he two contrasting colours in bold stripes, you will make much smaller stripes when you work the sleeves, thus creating a little accent.

The yarn used in this pattern – Bio Balance from BC Garn – a very soft wool – cotton blend, will make the Simple Stripes sweater a a very comfortable garment for every day wear.

Le pull Simple Stripes est un modèle à empiècement circulaire (“yoke”) qui conveint aux débutants. Il est travaillé de haut en bas, avec plusieurs augmentations tout au long de l’empiècement. Une fois l’emmanchure atteinte, le corps et les manches sont travaillés séparément. Alors que le corps est tricoté avec les deux couleurs contrastées en rayures larges, vous ferez des rayures beaucoup plus petites lorsque vous travaillerez les manches, créant ainsi un petit accent.

Le fil utilisé dans ce motif, un mélange de laine et coton Bio Balance de BC Garn fera du pull Simple Stripes un vêtement très confortable à porter tous les jours et pour l’entre-saisons.

Der Simple Stripes-Pullover ist ein Rundpassenmodell, das für Anfänger geeignet ist. Es wird von oben nach unten gearbeitet, mit mehreren Zunahmen im gesamten Oberteil. Sobald das Armloch erreicht ist, werden der Körper und die èArmel separat gearbeitet. Während der Körper mit den beiden Kontrastfarben in breiten Streifen gestrickt wird, sind die Streifen an den Ärmeln schmalerer, was zum Charme des Pullovers beiträgt.

Das in diesem Muster verwendete Garn Bio Balance von BC Garn, eine sehr weiche Woll-Baumwollmischung, macht den Simple Stripes-Pullover zu einem sehr bequemen Kleidungsstück für den Alltag und die Zwischensaison.

Sizes

2XS, XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2XL, 3XL]

Size guide

To fit finished measurements (BUST CIRC:)

86, 86 (91, 96, 101) [106; 111; 116] cm // 32, 34 (36, 38, 40) [42, 44, 46]“

Tension / gauge

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 21 sts x 31rows in stockinette stitch on 3.5 mm needle (US 4)

Yarn

1 thread fingering weight yarn

Yarn used in model (size S): BC Garn Bio Balance (55% wool, 45% cotton, GOTS labelled) 50 g // 225 m / 246 yds

MC: 3, 3 (3, 3, 3) [3, 4, 4] skeins

CC: 2, 2 (2, 2, 2) [2, 2, 2] skeins

Meters MC: 484, 526 (587, 591, 629) [670, 697, 739] m

Yardage MC: 529, 575 (642, 647, 688) [733, 763, 808] yds

Meters CC: 261 284 317 319 339 361 376 399 yds

Yardage CC: 286, 311 (347, 349, 371) [395, 411, 437] yds

Material

2 markers / Stitch holder or scrap yarn / tapestry needle

Needle size

Circular needle 3 mm (US 2.5), 60-80 cm (24-32″) in length

Circular needle 3.5. (US 4), 60-80 cm (24-32″) in length

CIrcular needle 3 mm (US 2.5) , 40 cm (16″) in length or double-pointed needles

Circular needle 3.5. mm (US 4), 40 cm (16″) in length or double-pointed needles

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Home, Patterns

Make your own every day wear basics with the Simple Tee

February 25, 2021March 4, 2021by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

The Simple Tee is – as the name suggests – a knitting pattern for a simple T-shirt. Body and sleeves are worked separately, and the sleeves are set-in at the end. The body is knit from the bottom up until the armhole shaping and from then on front and back are worked separately. The sleeve cuffs and border of the lower body are made with a provisional cast-on and knit together once folded. The neckline mirrors the other borders, which are worked with smaller needles to keep them neat and delicate.

The Simple Tee has been designed to offer you a go-to pattern to make your own basic wardrobe for daily wear.

The yarn chosen for this T-shirt is a wool-cotton-blend, Bio Balance from BC Garn which exists in a very wide range of colours

Le Simple Tee est – comme son nom l’idique – un modèle de tricot pour un T-shirt très basique. Le corps et les manches sont travaillés séparément, et les manches sont cousues dans l’emmanchure. Le corps est tricoté du bas vers le haut jusqu’à l’emmanchure et à partir de là, le devant et le dos sot travaillés séparément.

Les bordes des manches et du bas du corps sont réalisés à l’aide d’un montage provisoire invisible et tricotés ensemble une fois pliés. L’encolure est à l’image des autres bordures, qui sont travaillées avec des aiguilles plus petites pour les garder délicates.

Le Simple Tee a été conçu pour vous offrir un modèle de base qui vous permettra de créer votre propre garde-robe de base pour vous offrir un modèle de base qui vous permettra de créer votre propre garde-robe de base pour le quotidien.

La laine suggérée pour ce T-shirt est le mélange de laine et coton Bio Balance de BC Garn qui propose une large gamme de couleurs pour tous les goûts.

Der Simple Tee ist – wie der Name es schon sagt – eine Strickanleitung für ein einfaches T-Shirt. Körper und Ärmel werden getrennt gestrickt und die Ärmlel werden zuletzt eingesetzt. Der Körper wird von unten nach oben bis zu den Armausschnitten in Runden gestrickt und danach werden die Vorder- und Rückseiten separat in Hin- und Rückreihen gearbeitet.

Die Ärmelbündchen und der Rand des Unterteils werden mit provisorischem Maschenanschlag gearbeitet, nach innen gefaltet und zusammengestrickt. Der Halsausschnitt wird nach demselben Prinzip wie die anderen Ränder gearbeitet. Die Bündchen, die mit einer kleineren Nadelgrösse gestrickt werden, bilden einen hübschen und zierlichen Randabschluss.

Die Idee hinter dem Simple Tee ist, Stricker.innen eine Anleitung anzubieten, mit dem Sie Ihre eigene Grundgarderobe für den Alltag herstellen können.

Die GOTS zertifizerte Wolle-Baumwoll-Mischung Bio Balance von BC Garn bietet zu diesem T-Shirt eine grosse Auswahl an Farben an.

Sizes

2XS, XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2XL, 3XL]

Size guide

To fit finished measurements (BUST CIRC:)

91, 96 (101, 106, 111) [116; 121; 126] cm // 36, 38 (40, 42, 44) [46, 48, 50]“

Tension / gauge

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 21 sts x 31rows in stockinette stitch on 3.5 mm needle (US 4)

Yarn

1 thread fingering weight yarn

Yarn used in model (size S)): BC Garn Bio Balance (55% wool, 45% cotton, GOTS labelled) 50 g // 225 m / 246 yds : 4, 4 (4, 5, 5) [5, 5, 5] skeins

Meters: 725, 783 (839, 900, 942) [1008, 1042, 1105] m

Yardage: 793, 857 (918, 985, 1031) [1103, 1140, 1209] yds

Material

2 markers / Stitch holder or scrap yarn / tapestry needle

Needle size

Circular needle 2.5 mm (US 1.5), 60-80 cm (24-32″) in length

Circular needle 3.5. (US 4), 60-80 cm (24-32″) in length

CIrcular needle 2.5 mm (US 1.5) , 40 cm (16″) in length or double-pointed needles

Circular needle 3.5. mm (US 4), 40 cm (16″) in length or double-pointed needles

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Any questions or comments about the pattern? Let me know, so I can add it to the FAQ!

Patterns

Make the perfect gift for a new baby : The Zoe blanket

January 18, 2021May 19, 2021by lillelarsenlux6 Comments

Diy versus store-bought

A few years ago, some sort of baby boom hit my “office family”, with an average of 2 babies brought into the world every year from my female colleagues. When the first one was about to be due, I found myself in Denmark on holidays, walking on the beach with the kids, when I suddenly thought to myself: Well, this time, I’m going to do something special! I won’t simply buy something from the wishlist for the new baby, but make something specially for the baby itself. That day on the beach of Ebeltoft, what would become a neverending series of baby blankets was born. Little did I know that once I’d started this “tradition”, I’d have to make an average of two blankets a year. And let me tell you, blankets take a loooong time to make!

I had made one many years ago for one of my friends, a chevron blanket that afterwards was passed on among my friends until it was worn threadbare. Which is, in my opinion, the best thing that can happen. Knowing that you’ve made a present that is useful and brings joy, is the best feeling you can get. And since usually, when people have their first child, family and friends are only too keen to buy everything that’s on the list of the soon-to-be-parents, I guess that if you have certain crafting talents, you should definitely put them to good use and make something special!

Which is my new basic rule: If you can think of a handmade present that will give more joy than anything you can think of buying, just so you have a present for a certain occasion, then make it yourself!

So for little Jacob, I went with the Chevron Baby blanket from Purl soho, one of my go-to patterns which I absolutely adore. I used a double strand of a simple, machine washable cotton blend, and since I was on holidays, knitting it up was a breeze. Soon after, the next baby was due, little Julie… so I quickly whipped up another one. But by now, the chevron pattern was getting a bit boring, and also, I almost had a bad conscience at not doing something personal for little Julie. (By the way, Julie is quite happy with her blanket and finds it very comforting to stick her fingers between the knits and purls …)

Luckily, there were a few months until the next baby was due, so I could actually start sitting down and thinking a bit about making a dedicated pattern this time around. I fiddled around with rainbow patterns (but let me tell you, trying to transpose a rainbow onto a blanket is NOT an easy task – to make it short, I failed!). The end result of a lot of trial and errors was the Victoria blanket, an intarsia pattern with diamonds in rainbow colours.

Who is afraid of intarsia?

Since I had put so much work into drafting the Victoria Baby blanket, I guessed I could just as well put it online for others to use. And altough I thought that the intarsia part of it would put most knitters off the task, it has been downloaded more than 5.000 times in less than a year! Which means, there are a lot of really crazy knitters out there ready to take up the challenge!

Soon after that one was done, you’ll guess it, another baby was about to pop out, little Zoe. And since I’d started this crazy tradition, off I went for another blanket.

And since I am the kind of gal that quickly looses interest in doing the same thing more than once, I knew I had to come up with something a little different to make it work in time and still be satisfied with the result.

On the other hand, the rainbow theme is one that I really really like as you can see … there’s just something about these gorgeous colours that makes my heart skip a beat and think of sunshine, spring, and all good things wrapped up in one simple blanket. Also, I feel that as new parents, you need something to brighten up your daily life when sleep and me-time are a distant memory and will be for a long time to come (experience talking here, since I myself did not have the pleasure of producing any babies that slept throught their nights…).

The Zoe blanket : hearts and rainbow all in one

Keeping with the Baby cashmerino yarn, which is just the right kind of soft you want for a newborn AND is still machine washable (!), I started testing and trying out a few design ideas, and stuck with the heart theme. It took a while to get the curves just right, and the perfect spacing between them in both directions, but the result was definitely worth the sweat!

The finished blanket measures 90 x 100 (35.5 x 40″) and is composed of 7 rows of hearts, and a seed stitch edging.

Ready to take up the crazy intarsia challenge once again? I’d love to see your progress! Share your work using the hashtag #zoeblanket !

Download your free copy of the Zoe Blanket in English, French, German or Danish and subscribe to my newsletter if you want to be the first to know when a new Baby blanket – or other pattern – is out! (spoiler alert : there is another one in the making… I told you: baby boom in the office family…)

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Note: I’m delighted to be offering this pattern for free to knitters all over the world. If you enjoyed the pattern and would like to support me anyway, you can always buy me a coffee 😉

Happy knitting!

Patterns

Discover The Cosy Lavender Cardigan – An Easy Raglan Knitting Pattern With Delicate Daisies

Featuredby lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

The Lavender cardigan is a simple raglan pattern, which is worked separately, bottom-up, then combined at the armholes. The delicate Daisy Pattern is worked throughout the pattern, and is rounded off by a twisted 1×2 rib along all edges of the cardigan.

The yarn used in the model is a mix of mohair, nettle fiber, and wool from ONION KNIT, which results in both a warm and soft cardigan, perfect for chilly summer nights or mid-season wear. But any other yarn of choice fitting the gauge will of course work. If you opt for a different yarn combination, make sure it allows the Daisy Pattern to stand out nicely and well defined.

Le cardigan Lavender est un gilet tout simple raglan, dont les différentes parties sont tricotées séparément de bas en haut, puis combinées aux emmanchures. Un délicat motif de marguerites est ajouté tout au long du patron et complété par des côtes torsadées 1×2 le long des bords du gilet.

Le fil utilisé dans le modèle est un mélange de mohair, de fibre d’ortie et de laine de ONION KNIT, ce qui donne un cardigan à la fois chaud et doux, mais tout autre choix de de laine dont la tension rejoint celle indiquée dans le patron sera tout aussi bien. Le Rosemary Cardigan sera parfait pour les nuits d’été fraîches ou les vêtements de demi-saison.

Si vous optez pour une autre combinaison de fils, veillez à ce qu’elle permette au Motif de marguerites de se démarquer de manière élégante et bien définie

Der Lavender Cardigan ist eine einfache Raglan-Konstruktion, dessen Teile von unten nach oben separat gearbeitet und dann am Armausschnitt zusammengesetzt werden. Das zarte (Daisy-) Gänseblümchen-Muster wird durchgehend gestrickt und durch ein verschränktes 1/2 Rippenmuster entlang aller Ränder der Strickjacke eingefasst.

Das im Modell verwendete Garn ist eine Mischung aus Mohair, Brennnesselfaser und Wolle von ONION KNIT, die eine sowohl warme wie weiche Strickjacke ergibt; perfekt für kühle Sommernächte oder Herbstwetter. Wenn Sie sich für eine andere Garnkombination entscheiden, achten Sie darauf, dass das Gänseblümchenmuster gut sichtbar bleibt.

Sizes

2XS, XS (S, M, L) [XL, 2XL, 3XL]

Size guide

To fit (BUST CIRC:)

81, 86 (91, 96, 101) [106, 111, 116] cm // 32, 34 (36, 38, 40) [42, 44, 46]”

Finished measurements (BUST CIRC:)

87, 92 (97, 102, 107) [112, 117, 122] cm // 34.25, 36.25 (38.25, 40.25, 42.25) [44.25, 46.25, 48.25]”

Tension / gauge

10 x 10 cm (4 x 4”) = 20 sts x 27 rows in stockinette stitch on 4 mm needle (US 6)

Needle size

Circular needle 4 mm (US 6), 60-80 cm (24-32”) in length

Circular needle 3.5 mm (US 4), 60-80 cm (24-32”) in length

Circular needle 4 mm (US 6), 40 cm (16”) in length or double-pointed needles

Circular needle 3.5 mm (US 4), 40 cm (16”) in length or double-pointed needles

Yarn

1 thread sport weight yarn

Yarn used in model (size S):

ONION KNIT Mohair + Nettles + Wool (45% mohair, 30% nettle fibers, 25% wool), 145 m / 158 yards // 50 g

Main Colour (1410 – pink) – 6, 6 (6, 7, 7) [8, 8, 8] skeins

Contrasting Colour (1403 – navy blue) – 1 skein

Meters – MC : 751, 809 (864, 907, 985) [1063, 1106, 1195]

Meters – CC: 102 107 (110, 112, 114) [117, 119, 121]

Yardage – MC: 822, 885 (943, 992, 1078) [1163, 1221, 1307]

Yardage – CC: 112, 117 (120 ,123, 125) [128, 129, 132]

Material

4 stitch markers / stitch holder or scrap yarn / tapestry needle

Get pattern

Any questions or comments about the pattern? Let me know, so I can add it to the FAQ!

Blog

How to make your creative work accessible to all

November 26, 2020December 29, 2020by lillelarsenluxLeave a Comment

or

How much can you actually ask customers to pay for your creative work?

Ever since I launched my website about a year ago, I’ve been struggling with this endless questionning of “How much should I ask people to pay for a knitting pattern?” I searched around the web for guidelines, then compared the pricing schemes of all the knitting wizards that I admire and ended up with some idea of a price.

Then, as bills started coming in for website hosting and fees, translations, techediting and of course, yarn(!), I started getting quite nervous that this was really a deep rabbithole I was getting myself into. Quite a financially bottomless rabbithole.

So I increased the price a tiny little bit. Then I thought : What if this is just too much of a price to ask for someone who is as new and fresh in the business? Maybe the price is what keeps knitters from buying my patterns? Who am I to ask the same price as someone who has been doing this for years? And what about those that really like my patterns but already have a hard time paying for quality yarn? And so, off I went and I lowered the price again.

I imagine you start getting the picture… setting a price on creative work such as pattern writing is really a tough nut to crack. Noone (apart from designers of course) can imagine how many hours go into crafting the simplest of patterns. And when you think you’re done, you send it off to the techeditor, who luckily finds all the tiny errors, and you spend another entire work week on the editing. Then the testknitting process, which can be a great experience, especially when I get to meet (virtually) knitters from all over the world, but also, a little bit complicated to manage next to a day-time job (which luckily pays for this crazy project in the first place).

I’ve had the price stable for some time now, but always with a small knot in my stomach, because I know that only a few years ago, I wouldn’t have wanted to spend my savings on a pattern, but would do anything to try and find something more or less likeable through a free pattern. Websites such as Drops Design have made my knitting journey possible in the first place and most of the garments I made for my kids when they were small, were all done thanks to their free patterns.

Pay what works

A few months ago, I came across a wonderful Designer on Ravelry, AhoraKnits. She is a Franco-Maori, American-Australian knitwear designer and coach who previously lived in Osaka (Japan) and now in Texas. I came across her pricing scheme called “Pay What Works” and instantly thought “This is it!” I asked her if she was ok with me doing something similar for my patterns – which are not quite as gorgeous as hers I might add – and she immediately agreed.

Along came Covid-19 and months passed where everything was turned upside down… and up to this day, I had quite forgotten about this little project of mine, until my social media started overflowing with Black Friday promotions this week. I’m usually not that sensitive to these commercial techniques, but this year, it simply felt quite off and in a way: wrong. In a context where I’m very much aware that we are among the lucky ones, the ones that have a safe job, that have health insurance, who don’t have to struggle to get to the end of the month as so many people have to at this moment, it all feels a little bit like a very bad joke.

So I thought : Now is the right time to do things right and make my little contribution to making knitting more accessible to everyone. Knitting can be your dowtime at the end of the day. It can be your therapy session, where you’re just sitting with your own thoughts and go through the issues of the day. It can be that moment of the week where you meet other knitters (virtually or in real) and enjoy a really nice time, and make new acquaintances. Knitting connects people all over the world, and it can help make your day just a tiny little bit better.

Which is why I think it should be accessible for everyone, no matter their financial situation and wherever they’re at in their lives right now. And if you can maybe save a little bit on a pattern you’ll be able to buy that yarn that you really like (and not the one that was on sale and isn’t exactly your style, but hey, it was marked down).

So how does it work?

It’s simple. You have three options :

You purchase the pattern at the given price. Nothing else to do. You pay the normal pattern price of 7.50 €

You use coupon Code LILLELARSEN5 at checkout and pay the price of 5 €.

You use coupon Code LILLELARSEN3 at checkout and pay the price of 3 €.

And don’t forget the free patterns in my shop, such as the Victoria blanket or Autumn shawl!

For anyone wishing to support my work, you’re always welcome to drop a tip via my Ko-Fi page.

Blog, Patterns

Free knitting pattern for beginners – The Autumn shawl

October 23, 2020December 29, 2020by lillelarsenlux1 Comment

#knittingtherapy

If there’s one thing this weird year has taught me, it’s that you always, and I mean ALWAYS, need some peaceful and easy knitting project close by. Be it to work on while homeschooling your kids and help you keep your zenitude, or just to wind down in the evening after another exhausting and chaotic day. And more than ever, knitting proves itself, at least in my opinion, to be one of the most therapeutic crafts on earth. Really.

And what better way to feel you actually got something done in the day than knitting with big needles? It’s the most satisfactory feeling because you really see the shawl grow day by day in your hands and before you know you’re already done!

This pattern is super easy, and can be made with just one colour, or you can play around with different shades the way I did, by adding stripes or other motives. You can use the pattern as a basic guideline for any shawl.

Tips and tricks

The shawl is basically just knit in stockinette stitch back and forth, with increases on every right side, two stitches from the borders. To make a nice pointy edge, you start with casting on one stitch, then knit into front, back and front (k1fbf) again of that same stitch. Et voilà, you’ve got 3 stitches and a nice and neat point to your shawl. If the k1fbf worries you, have a look at this tutorial to see how it works.

Ready for another shawl and some knittingtherapy? Grab the free pattern and have a go!

Autumn shawl – Free pattern