Knitting, Crochet & Pop Culture: Free Pattern Round-Up (+ Giveaway!)

While winter lingers just a bit longer, get cozy and craft your way to spring! In our latest round-up of free pattern inspiration, we spotlight some of the latest pop culture phenomena to inspire clever knit and crochet patterns for crafty fans like you. We also have a special giveaway just for our blog readers this month - keep reading for more details!

Star Wars
The viral popularity of the Baby Yoda character (also called The Child) introduced in last year's The Mandalorian series has crossed over into the world of craft, with knitters and crocheters making their own patterns celebrating this cute addition to the Star Wars Universe. While you wait for season 2 to arrive, try the Baby Yoda knit hat pattern by Shinah Chang or the Wise One crochet beanie by Elizabeth Roggasch to make hats for the little ones in your life. We're also loving all of the cute stuffed toy patterns that are popping up, such as the Baby Yoda knit doll by Kim Konen, the Baby Yoda Amigurumi by LarissaMaced (@beefriendscrochet), and the Baby Yoda Space Pod by Ami Amour.

Superheroes
With a new Wonder Woman movie coming out this summer, there are lots of great knitting and crochet patterns inspired by the Amazon warrior princess. You may remember Carissa Browning's Wonder Woman Wrap,  available in your choice of a Knit or Crochet version, which came out when the first Wonder Woman movie arrived in theaters. But there are plenty more patterns to try, such as the Wonder Woman Amigurumi by Yazmina Nieblas, the Wonder Woman double knit scarf by Konchan le Me, and many more found here!

Another popular superhero in recent years, Captain Marvel, inspired the Higher, Further, Faster Hat by Sara Huntington Burch, Captain Marvel fingerless gloves by Maratini knits, and Taking Flight by Katherine Belisle.

For still more patterns inspired by superheroes, check out We Call Him Spidey Mittens by Kathleen Taylor, the Captain America Baby Beanie & Shield Blanket by The Geeky Hooker, the Batman Wristband by 8-Bit Nerd, or the Black Panther Amigurumi by Yazmina Nieblas. Last but not least, while you wait for the next volume of Guardians of the Galaxy, why not stitch your own Groot Amigurumi by Clare Heesh to keep you company?

Gaming
Pokémon Go is one of the most successful video game apps of all time, and Pokémon Day is February 27 - why not stitch your favorite Pokémon to celebrate? Crochet designer Strings Away has created cute amigurumi versions of several Pokémon - click here to see them all and get started on stitching your very own Pokédex! Featured below are a few of the most well-known Pokémon, Pikachu (by Strings Away) and Snorlax (by Cathrine Johansson). Delight a Pokémon trainer with a Pokéball Knit Hat by Vicki Mann or a crocheted Pokéball Hat by Bonnie Jacobs - you can even knit or crochet a Pokéball so they can catch 'em all!  Click here for even more free knit & crochet patterns inspired by Pokémon!

The Super Mario games - both old and new - have inspired lots of clever patterns such as the Super Mario Mushroom Knitted Toy by Emily Miller, Crocheted Mario Mushroom by Linda Potts, Vickie Howell's Mario Mushroom Mitts, or the Yoshi Amigurumi by Kerstin Brünnler. For more patterns inspired by Super Mario and other Nintendo games, click here!

Giveaway
One lucky blog reader will win a Knitter's Pride prize pack which includes a Large Navy Knitting Chart Keeper, a Reverie Stitch Marker Pouch, and a set of Midnight Beauty Stitch Markers! To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling us about a project you've made (or want to make) that was inspired by your favorite book, movie, video game or other pop culture phenomenon! Be sure to also include your Ravelry ID or email address so that we can contact you if you've won. We'll announce the winner on our next blog post on Friday, February 28. Good luck!

Last-Minute Gifts to Knit & Crochet

Christmas and Hanukkah are less than two weeks away, but there's still time to bust out a few more handmade gifts for your loved ones. Today we round up a few of our favorite free patterns which can be knitted or crocheted in a jiffy for last-minute holiday gifting!

Quick Knitting Accessories
For a basic hat that will look good on just about anyone, try the 0815 Hat by Stadkindknits. The Flausch Mitts by Kristin Barbato holds two strands of yarn together to make a super-warm pair of fingerless gloves, perfect for using up leftover bits of yarn in your stash. The Polar Bear Mittens by Love Life Yarn would be an adorable gift for children. Try the Snowy Afternoon Cowl for a quick-knitting neck warmer you can make in a day! If you're really pressed for time, the Main Street Chunky Ear Warmer Headband by Michele Costa is a quick pattern you can make in less than a day.

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Quick Crochet Accessories
The Diamonds Slouch Beanie by Jennifer Pionk is sized from Toddler through Adult Large, ensuring everyone on your list will be stylishly warm this winter! If you're looking to use up leftover bits of yarn in your stash, check out the Hump de Bump Beanie by Cre8tion Crochet. Keep hands toasty warm with the Slip Stitch Mittens from Joy of Motion Crochet. The Essen Cowl by Michele Costa features beautiful textured stitches that work up quickly in bulky weight yarn. Make a matching headband using the Essen Chunky Earwarmer crochet pattern by Michele Costa.

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Spa Gifts to Knit & Crochet
A washcloth is a great companion gifts to soaps, bath salts, or scented body wash. We have a free knitting pattern for the Spa-Riffic Wash Cloth found here in our blog archive, or you can try the Vertical Dish Cloth by Cecelia Famelli. For crocheters, try the Farmhouse Spa Set by Sunflower Cottage Crochet for a variety of spa-related patterns to make, or the Sakura Face Scrubbies by K.A.M.E. Crochet for a colorful option. Round things out by knitting a Lash Sleeping Mask by Arianna Frasca or crocheting a Deluxe Beauty Sleep Mask by Rhondda Mol.

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Holiday Ornaments & Decor
These smaller projects are quick to knit or crochet and full of holiday cheer! Use up leftover bits of yarn to  whip up some pretty ornaments for your holiday display, or to add the perfect finishing touch to your gifts. For knitters, try Jul by Anniken Allis or Tiny Tree Ornaments by Cate Carter-Evans; for crocheters, check out the Christmas Baubles pattern from Thoresby Cottage or the adorable Penguin Ornament from Spin a Yarn Crochet. No matter what you celebrate, you can't go wrong with pretty snowflakes and stars! Try Vickie Howell's Crocheted Sock Yarn Snowflakes or the knit a few stars using the Luxury Holiday Garland pattern by Kristin Ashbaugh-Helmreich. 

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We look forward to seeing what holiday crafts you make with Knitter's Pride needles and hooks, make sure to use the #knitterspride hashtag in your posts!

If you need a few last-minute gifts or stocking stuffers, we have some suggestions! Small notions such as stitch markers, cable needles, repair hooks, circular needle protectors and row counter rings are all excellent choices, and you can find them at your nearest Knitter's Pride retailer. Happy holidays from all of us at Knitter's Pride!

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Keep it Green by Upcycling for Earth Day + Giveaway

Do you want to help keep as much as you can out of the landfill? Do you hate to see things going to waste? Here are a few tips to help upcycle materials this spring!

Unravel a sweater to reclaim yarn

We all have those sweaters in our closet that are destined to go to the thrift store after the Spring cleaning purge, but what if that sweater could become your next new project?

Start by examining the sweater, if it is still in good condition, you can reclaim the yarn. Start by unseaming the sweater. Once the sweater is in parts, find an end and start unraveling! This can be a fun project to do with kids. Using a swift makes the process go a little faster, and prepares you for the next step. Wash the yarn in a yarn soak to relax the fiber, then hang it up to dry with a weight to get out any of the pesky kinks.

If you don’t like the original color of the yarn, this is the ideal time to dye it.

If you don’t have any old sweaters, head to your local thrift store and there are sure to be plenty of them there to turn into a pretty sizeable stash. For a more detailed explanation of this process, check out this great blog post.

Turn fabric into yarn

Whether it’s a worn out t-shirt, or old sheets, any fabric can become your new rug yarn! Cut up t-shirts and sheets to create long strips of fabric that you can either crochet, knit, or weave long-lasting durable rugs. This gives those old garments a second life, and gives you an excuse to use your Jumbo Birch needles and hooks!

Crochet Rug Tutorial from 1 Dog Woof

Upcycle your worn-out clothes
If you have a t-shirt that is a little worn out or just don't love it anymore, adorn it with yarn!

The Jelly Bean Tee Edging pattern teaches you how to add a knit yoke around a shirt, which can add new life to your favorite sweatshirt! Or, try adding some lace around the worn out cuff of your jeans.

Spruce up your boring outfits by adding appliques, as seen here in the Sweater Makeover pattern from Meredith Crawford.

Giveaway
What is your favorite upcycling tip? How do you celebrate Earth day? Let us know in the comments below for your chance to win 1 of two prizes: a set of our Naturalz DPNs or a pair of our Fixed Circular Needles. 

We'll announce our winners in our next blog post on Friday, April 28. Good luck!

If you liked this blog, please share it with your friends and knit group! If you try any of these projects, let us know over on Instagram and use the hashtag #knitterspride.

A Colorful Summer: Fair Isle Inspiration (& Giveaway!)

Ravelry is filled with colorful projects featuring eye-catching motifs and pleasing patterns. The color work technique is commonly referred to as "Fair Isle" or sometimes called "stranded colorwork." Though the results look complex, Fair Isle can actually be mastered by any adventurous knitter! Staci Perry of VeryPink.com shows the step-by-step process of mastering Fair Isle techniques in her new tutorial video featuring Knitter's Pride needles and her new free pattern, Color my Cowl:

Once you have mastered the techniques above, it's time to put them to the test! We've collected some of our favorite trending patterns on Ravelry to inspire you to give Fair Isle knitting a try this summer. Click the links below to view more pattern information!

Color My Cowl by Staci Perry

Wildflowers Cap by Mary Jane Mucklestone

Crofthoose Yoke by Ella Gordon

Bruntsfield by Ysolda Teague

Ambiguous by Michelle Hunter

KARREE by Susanne Reese

Giveaway
This month, we're giving 1 lucky blog reader the chance to win a Nova Cubics Platina Deluxe interchangeable set! To enter, leave a comment on this blog post telling us what Fair Isle project you most recently completed or are looking forward to casting on!

We will randomly select a comment as our lucky winner to announce here on our blog on Friday, June 25. Good luck!