Author: Rachele Carmona

Scheepjes Whirl

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Eeeep! Scheepjes adds another sugary-sweet yarn to their collections. I was just swatching with BonBon and Sugar Rush* the other day, and then I heard about the yummy Whirl upcoming release – well you know this girl has a sweet tooth! Check out this absolutely delicious sneak peek photo from Scheepjes: And drooooool over these ice cream-y names! Here are the scrumptious details for these sweet cakes: Made from a blend of 60% cotton/40% acrylic to produce projects that are lightweight and breathable.  Unlike other gradient yarns, Whirl has a generous twist to enable speed while working the yarn and to help prevent splitting. Whirl has a unique twisted plied section, which gives it a characteristic ‘flavour’ all of its own!  This Extra Large yarn cake holds an enormous 1000 meters of softly colour changing yarn, more than enough for a large shawl or wrap.  Each colour change is carefully tied in an optimum way to ensure the knot can be discretely hidden within your stitches.  Recommended hook / needle size: 3.5-4mm Whirl is available in all …

Scheepjes Secret Garden

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Try not to drool on your screen!! This yarn can definitely provoke a stare and drool effect. Shop: Deramores =  Buy it here*! || Wool Warehouse = Buy it here*! Details: Yarn Weight: DK Length: 93m Needle Size: 4mm Ball Weight: 50g Tension: 18 stitches, 23 rows to 10 cm on 4 mm needles Fibre: 20% Silk x 20% Cotton x 60% Polyester I wanted this next photo to be cat-free but let me zoom out to show you my cat Bootsie – lol.. She is very independent but has gotten extremely clingy since we took in a stray kitten a couple of weeks ago. The actual photo with the Secret Garden yarns I plan to use in my latest pattern brainstorm which will feature diamonds and bobbles ❤️❤️❤️ Peep all of the brand new Secret Garden “solids” – gorgeous tweeds – and notice the beautifully chosen colors for the little marly bits. I chose three of the multis for my project: Close up of Rambling Blooms because Heart Eyessss, I love this!! What kind of Aladdin …

Moon Landing Blanket Free Pattern

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I’m so pleased to bring you all the Moon Landing Blanket free pattern! Named for its resemblance to moon boots and for those outlandish bobbles, Moon Landing is a unique hexagon blanket that you can make using three different yarn types of a similar weight. Of course the same yarn can also be used throughout. This piece is perfect for any space from a newborn’s crib to a college dorm room. With clever color choice, anyone will enjoy this modern and striking blanket design. Pattern Find the ad-free, easy to print Pattern PDF for a small fee on RAVELRY//Etsy//Craftsy//LoveCrochet.com You can also find this pattern on AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns.com. Or scroll down for the free pattern! Allow me to introduce my newest FO: the Moon Landing Blanket!  Features:  Bold, large hexagons with color rings worked through BLO for a beautifully neat layered look Bobbled corners that reach out to each other creating a diamond visual PLT join using HDC instead of SC which gives a wider band of color between motifs 3 Different yarn types (see below!) with …

KnitPicks Chroma Yarn

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Because of the long color changes and gorgeous combinations, KnitPicks Chroma has always held a place in my heart. I also love the texture of this yarn and how it has a “freshly spun” quality.  Browse my Vibrant Vintage blankets on BabyLoveBrand.net (my portfolio site) – No. 3 and 5 are the gorgeous hexie blankets seen in this post. Just look at this color range, which not only includes a myriad of palettes, but also features a few neutrals for mixing in or making motifs with a solid background. Chroma comes in two weights, fingering and worsted. I prefer the fingering weight for delicate, impressive pieces, but I’ve seen gorgeous blankets made with the worsted. Fingering weight details:  Buy here: Chroma Fingering Weight Fiber Content: 70% Superwash Wool, 30% Nylon Weight: Fingering Knitting Gauge: 7 – 8 sts = 1″ on #1 – 3 needles (2.25mm-3.25mm) Crochet Gauge: 21 – 32 sc = 4” on B – E hooks (2.25mm-3.5mm) Yards: 396 Grams: 100 Put Up: ball Care: Machine Wash/Dry Flat Worsted weight details: Buy …

*New* Scheepjes  Accessories!

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Hi, y’all! I recently opened some super happy mail and felt I just had to share! Scheepjes Yarns has unveiled a new line of crafty accessories, and I had the wonderful opportunity to un-box a gifty package of them.  As I started tearing through the festive holiday wrapping paper (thank you, Scheepjes!!), I stopped myself and decided to make my very first ever video. This is huge! I’ve gotten numerous requests along the way to make videos, and always felt out of touch with technology and completely not savvy.. But I gave it my best shot and it can only get better from here (lol) ❤️ I’ve had my Patreon.com account set up and ready for launch for about two months now, just waiting for the right time to hit that Launch button. Well, what’s a better way to open my Patreon site than with my first video?  Head over and check out the reveal of all the Scheepjes goodies complete with links on how to use some of the accessories that you see in …

Mixing Yarns for a New Project! 

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Hi, y’all! I’m planning a new project and I pulled a few different Scheepjes* yarns to  mix it up. These may have slightly different weights, but if you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know that I’m definitely not afraid to cross yarn types, even if they’re just “close enough.” I’ll mix in a heartbeat!  Yarns: Colour Crafter* – 4 balls – My yarn review Stone Washed* – 10 balls (2 duplicate colors not pictured) Softfun Aquarel* – 6 balls Ran these gorgeous yarns through the Prisma app for some fun!  And here’s my plan for this project. My upcoming free pattern: Moon Landing Blanket! Stay tuned! Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using the links marked with an asterisk*. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, and it helps keep CypressTextiles going!

BQueen Collection – Custom Dye Box

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You may remember my post back in mid-June when I photographed my first experience dyeing yarn with a BQueen Dye Box. If you haven’t seen that post, please hop over! It talks about the process and you’ll see the gorgeous yellow Safflower-dyed yarn. ❤️❤️ (The pattern for this square is “Crystal” from the Vibrant Vintage CAL!)  When I dyed my first hank, I instantly wanted 6 more colors on 6 more hanks to make – of course – a blanket! Wouldn’t that be too lush?? After a chit chat with super-cool BQueen founder, Makenzie, she informed me that she had some gears turning already for a custom type Dye Box.  I waited patiently and finally she told me it was ready! 6 hanks of Superwash Merino bulky and 6 gorgeous natural dye vials.  I put my yarn soaking and started mixing up the dyes in the cups Makenzie provides with each Box.  Here are the remaining 5 dyes and their name tags.. I couldn’t stop the vials from rolling around to get a shot of …

Big Leaf Border

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Hey-ooooohh! It’s me again – bringing you a new freebie. This one’s a border that looks like a line of connected leaves.. hence the name! For the demo sample, I used Scheepjes Softfun* in color 2535, a lush leafy green shade.  Use the Big Leaf Border pattern for any size blanket. Head over to the Ravelry page for a PDF version (coming soon!) or keep scrolling and we’ll get started! Basic information: Border is 7 rounds With DK weight yarn and size H hook, I get a width of approximately 2 inches  Use the same hook you used in the blanket body for Rounds 1-6, then switch to a hook size smaller for Round 7 Special stitches: Beg DC = (SC, Chain 1) DC4tog = (in next St work DC up to final step, leaving behind one loop on hook) 4 times, YO, draw yarn through all 5 loops on hook 3DC Cluster = in indicated st/sp, work DC up to final step, leaving behind one loop on hook 3 times in same spot, YO, …

For the love of Linen Stitch

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There are many tutorials online for Linen/Moss/Woven Stitch, but check out this one by by Dedri Uys!  My love for Linen St goes back to about 2012 when I started making simple back-and-forth blankets with it. I called them “Bold Stripe Blanket” and even wrote a simple free pattern in Spring 2013. That year, when I started using PLT Join (this was before I named it so), I made “Bold Gingham Blanket”, which is a piece made of join-as-you-go strips, using color to form an opulent pattern. I really love this one and wish I had time to make another! After that, I got caught up in a hexagon custom order whirlwind. Other crafters referred to me as “the hexie queen”, I made blanket after blanket of custom order hexagon pieces: Sunburst Flower, Cottage Quilt, Painted Hexagons, and Geometric Lace – probably about 65 in all.. So linen stitch definitely wasn’t on my hook, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t on my mind. One day I’d have time to make a booklet of linen stitch patterns.  I …

Lissmiss Blanket WIP (Wonderfully Interesting Project)

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I have a new project in the works called the Lissmiss Blanket.. What is Lissmiss??? Well it’s the way “LSMS” is pronounced, which stands for Linen Stitch Mitered Square – of course! 😛 I’m making a no-sew linen st mitered square blanket because this is a pattern that has been floating around my head (and scraps of paper) for long enough! This needs to be made!  Here’s a pic of my prototype – pulled from my Instagram from November 2013!! Dude! Three years this baby has been marinating…  And the current WIP… The glorious Lissmiss! Hellooooooo Fall! Peep this Scheepjes Colour Crafter – YUM!  Why the mitered square?  Did you know I used to knit? Well my crafterly adventures all started back in the day (my college years) with WendyKnits.net, when blogs were definitely more primitive. I got busy knitting all. the. things. And one of the Things was the Psychedelic Squares Afghan. Only I used the  No Sew Mitered Square Afghan tutorial over at Mason-Dixon Knitting because, well I’ve always known I stink at sewing…  So I gathered …

KnitPicks Palette Yarn

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Where to buy: KnitPicks Palette* When you have a winner, you have a winner. I’ve been collecting Palette for a couple years now, ordering when a certain color combo grabs my fancy, and adding the 50g candies to my special Palette Tupperware bin. I just love this yarn. It comes in 150 colors! And it’s a dainty fingering weight with a recommended hook size of teensy, but I use an F hook and sometimes even a G! The yarn has a fuzziness since it’s wool, so you can get away with going up in hook size and not worry about losing stitch structure. Peep some of my Palette lounging in a candid action shot. Honestly you can’t go wrong with your color combo here. And certain shades are delightfully heathered, which I truly love for the added depth it gives the finished piece. Here is some of my Palette stash on the second row down, hanging out with a group of coral and sea junkies. And another pretty group of sweets – my kiddoes at …

Hexagon Burst: Free Pattern 

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I am so excited to finally offer my Hexagon Burst free pattern to you all! Find Pattern Pattern is available on Ravelry in PDF format for a small $5 fee – ad-free and easy to print. Also on Etsy! See free pattern below. You can also find this pattern on AllFreeCrochetAfghanPatterns.com. Update: This pattern now has a yarn kit at my storefront on Deramores.com. Check it out and get the yarn in just a few clicks! Peep this rockin’ blanket. I’m in love with it and so pleased to share the pattern with you all – look for “Hexagon Burst: Free Pattern” next week! (Needs to go through my updated pattern template checklist!) I’m still going around for portions of the border, but I’m still calling this an FO because I can finish the pattern at this point. Can you just imagine draping this blanket around your shoulders for an instant rock star energy boost? Make it in the original Scheepjes* Velvet* for maximum energy potential, or pick your own yarns and have a blast mixing up the …

My Planner: Moleskine

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Warning! If you’re not interested in how I juggle a huge workload and 4 kids + hubby without losing my noodle, just skip this post 😁😁❤️ I’ve always been a meticulous planner, but never stuck with any one method of organizing it all. Previously I’d go through spiral notebooks haphazardly, and half the time I’d chunk them when filled, and lose all notes and potentially valuable info.  First I tried to get jiggy with the young’ns and take it hi-tech with a few different apps. HomeRoutines Cozi Family Organizer AwesomeNote But something about good old pen and paper is so charming and natural and creative to me, that I deleted them all off my phone the very same day.  I poked around online for planners and found some cute stuff: Quilter’s Planner Crochet/knitting project planning templates Then I headed to the office supply store and after looking around, I bought a boring, plain Jane, ready-made day planner. Woe was me, indeed. I used that planner for about 6 months before I realized I was still …

Free Crochet Pattern: Blanket Border – 2016 Vibrant Vintage Blanket (VVCAL)

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Find this border pattern in PDF format as a Ravelry download. (Side note: if you are interested in the Vibrant Vintage CAL, I created a handy 20-page PDF including condensed versions of all 33 square patterns, plus border option, and the lace border. Get the convenient PDF for a small fee of $5 on ETSY.) You can add this border on ANY blanket, so if you have a blanket that needs edging, get it out and let’s do it! Try this pretty edging in a built tough, but super soft DK weight yarn like (affiliate) Scheepjes Colour Crafter Knitpicks Brava Sport Round 1: Begin in any corner and SC evenly around, putting 3 SC in each corner. Join with sl st in first SC. Do not cut yarn. NOTE**It’s important to make sure you have the corner stitches, with a multiple of 4+1 on each side, like this: Corner SC, multiple of 4 SC + 1, corner SC Example of a side with correct amount of stitches: Corner SC, 101 SC, corner SC If you have DC …

Sweet Treat is sweet as candy! 

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Introducing a new yarn by Scheepjes*! I’m welcoming Sweet Treat* laceweight thread to my Scheepjes stash ❤️❤️ There are 87 shades of this 25gr teensy yarn – each little ball is about 2.25″ tall, and recommended hook size is 1.25mm. It’s truly the cutest thing! Check out this color range – wowzers! Colors match back to Catona* too – so neat.  And you just know I had to organize all the yarn in some kind of rainbow… Goodness this was fun, and challenging. There are just so many colors! So what’s the yarn like? Well it’s a mercerized cotton, so you can think “small hook”, but I actually chose to hold it double on my prototype project and use a size G hook. That worked really well! Especially if you’re like me and you get scared by a 1.25mm hook 😝😝 Info drill-down: 100% mercerised cotton, high twist, Lace weight (2ply) yarn 25g = 140m Available in 87 colours Perfect for smaller projects, or larger projects where you’d like to use a lot of colours. Ideal for …