Ricefield Collective

Hello friends!
I hope you're having a wonderful day and enjoying some sunshine :-)
In todays post have a really great project to tell you about. Do you know about crowd funding? It's pretty cool :-) Basically someone (or a group of folks) have a project they want to get off the ground, but they need help with funding their project, so they ask strangers to donate what they can so they can get their project up and running. Sometimes if you run your crowd funding through a site such as Pozible or Kickstarter you can offer the folks that donate to your project a "gift" for their donation. I took part in a a crowd funding project last year where a very dedicated and clever lady from Melbourne organised to have a TONNE of Australian wool, processed and spun wholly in Australia and depending on how much you donated or pledged you got to choose to have some of the delicious yarn sent to you at the conclusion of the project (I still have my deliciously soft Cormo yarn patiently waiting in my stash, I'm trying to decide on the perfect project for it :-)
I also had some friends in a band who were trying to record and distribute their first album, they couldn't due to lack of funding... so they started a crowd funding project and the folks that donated/pledged were sent one of the albums when it was released :-)
SO you get the idea about crowd funding, yes?
Well here is a project that I am really passionate about. It was launched yesterday. It's the Ricefield Collective. A young woman from New York, Meredith, came up with a very clever idea to help women living in Ifugao, Philippines, to earn an income by hand-knitting beanies and other knitwear to sell around the world. You can read all about it on the website and keep up to date via the Facebook page too.
The Ricefield Collective is running their crowd funding project through Kickstarter. When you pledge money to the project, depending on the amount you pledge, you can choose a "reward". The rewards include various beanies and cowls made by the women you're helping :-) Watch this short video to get a really good overview of the project and how the idea came about :-)
I've made my pledge and look forward to my beanie arriving in a little while :-)
Even if you don't want to get involved in this project by pledging some funds I recommend you check out crowd funding, and take a look at the other projects you can get involved in via Kickstarter or Pozible, as you might come across a project that you want to get behind :-)
Have a great day!
xo Shara
P.S. Just in case you were wondering, I took the photograph shown above whilst taking my dog Rosie for a walk earlier this week. The weather was so glorious and the sky was so blue!

Voyages Beanie

Hello friends!
Yes, it's that time again! Here is my June pattern for my "Pattern a Month" challenge :-)
The Voyages beanie is fast & easy to make, uses small amounts of yarn so it's a great stash buster!
In 2 different sizes, for men & women, it makes a perfect last minute gift.
Enjoy!
Please Note the pattern has been updated 2nd February 2014, so if you have printed the pattern prior to this date, please reprint the updated version to use in the future :-)

Voyages Beanie

Materials: 4.5mm crochet hook

4 colours of Dk or 8 ply yarn, Approx 25m (27yds) of each colour .

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Gauge/Tension: 16sts & 8 rows to 10cm (4")

Sizes: Adult Woman, Adult Man.

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

sl st: slip stitch

tr: treble (U.S. dc: double crochet)

dc: double crochet (U.S. sc: single crochet)

Please Note: Pattern is written in British/Australian crochet terms, with U.S. crochet terms in parenthesis.

Before you start you will need to decide which of your colours will be Colour A, Colour B, Colour C & Colour D. For example,the hat in the pictures is listed as follows:

Colour A = Navy Blue

Colour B = Grey

Colour C = Olive

Colour D = Turquoise

Both sizes:

With Colour A, Ch 4, join with sl st to form a ring.

Round 1: 3ch (counts as 1 tr here and throughout pattern on all treble [dc] rounds), 11tr (dc) into ring, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (12sts)

Round 2: 3ch, 1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 2tr (dc) in each st to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (24sts)

Round 3: 3ch, 1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 1tr in next st, *2tr (dc) in next st, 1tr (dc) in next st, repeat from * to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (36sts)

Round 4: 3ch, 1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 1tr in next 2 sts, *2tr (dc) in next st, 1tr (dc) in next 2 sts, repeat from *  to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (48sts)

Round 5: 3ch,1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 1tr in next 3 sts, *2tr (dc) in next st, 1tr (dc) in next 3 sts, repeat from *  to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (60sts)

Round 6: 3ch, 1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 1tr in next 4 sts, *2tr (dc) in next st, 1tr (dc) in next 4 sts, repeat from *  to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (72sts)

Mens Size Only:

Next Round: 3ch, 1tr (dc) into base of 3ch, 1tr in next 11 sts, *2tr (dc) in next st, 1tr (dc) in next 11 sts, repeat from *  to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (78sts)

Both Sizes:

Next Round: With Colour B, 3ch, 1tr (dc) into each st to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (72sts, 78sts)

Next Round: With Colour A, 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc (sc) in base of ch just made, 1ch, skip 1 st, *1dc (sc) in next st, 1ch, skip 1 st, repeat from * to end, join with a sl st in first dc (sc) at beginning of round.

Next Round: With Colour B, 1ch (does not count as a st), sl st into 1ch space, 3ch & 1tr (dc) into same 1ch space, *2tr (dc) into next 1ch space, repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beginning of round.

Next Round: With Colour C, 3ch, 1tr (dc) into each st to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (72sts, 78sts)

Next Round: With Colour B, 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc (sc) in base of ch just made, 1ch, skip 1 st, *1dc (sc) in next st, 1ch, skip 1 st, repeat from * to end, join with a sl st in first dc (sc) at beginning of round.

Next Round: With Colour C, 1ch (does not count as a st), sl st into 1ch space, 3ch & 1tr (dc) into same 1ch space, *2tr (dc) into next 1ch space, repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beginning of round.

Next Round: With Colour D, 3ch, 1tr (dc) into each st to end, join with a sl st into 3rd ch at beginning of round. (72sts, 78sts)

Next Round: With Colour C, 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc (sc) in base of ch just made, 1ch, skip 1 st, *1dc (sc) in next st, 1ch, skip 1 st, repeat from * to end, join with a sl st in first dc (sc) at beginning of round.

Next Round: With Colour D, 1ch (does not count as a st), sl st into 1ch space, 3ch & 1tr (dc) into same 1ch space, *2tr (dc) into next 1ch space, repeat from * to end, join with sl st in 3rd ch at beginning of round. Fasten off. Weave in ends. Finished! :-)

© Copyright Shara Lambeth Designs. Copyright remains that of the author at all times. The pattern is for personal use only. Reproduction of this pattern in anyway (electronic, email, photocopying, transcribing etc) is strictly prohibited, except with the explicit permission of the author. Please do not sell the pattern or the finished product that is made using this pattern without permission of the author, as this is a direct infringement of the copyright laws protecting this pattern. Also please be aware that copyright laws vary from country to country (sometimes even from state to state), I am Australian, in Australia, therefore my patterns are protected by Australian copyright laws. This copyright protection still stands no matter what country the item is made in or who makes it. Thank you!!

If you do want to sell the hats you make using this pattern at a market, craft fair or in your online store please do ask, as in most cases I will give permission :-)

And please feel free to make as many hats as you like for yourself, your friends and your family. You might also like to make some to donate to your local charities :-)

Pixie Bonnet Pattern

Hello friends!
It's that time again! This is the May pattern for my "Pattern a Month" challenge.
This sweet little Pixie bonnet is very quick and easy to make and uses very little yarn, so it's a great stash buster and perfect as a last minute gift for a new arrival :-)

You can find this pattern on Ravelry HERE and if you don't fancy making your own, you can find the finished bonnets in my online store HERE

Baby Pixie Hat

Size: 0-3m (Finished size when laid flat: 15cm tall, 14cm deep)

Materials:

4.5mm crochet hook

60m (65yds) 8 ply or DK yarn

Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Tension/Gauge: 

15 stitches & 8 rows to 10cm (4")

Abbreviations (British/Australian crochet terms used throughout with U.S. terms in parenthesis): 

ch = chain

st or sts = stitch or stitches

sl st = slip stitch

dc (sc) = double crochet (single crochet)

htr (hdc) = half treble (half double crochet)

tr (dc) = treble (double crochet)

Pattern:

Note: Bonnet is worked from the front (face) edge, with simple shaping and increases to create the "Pixie" point at the back of the hat.

Ch 48.

Row 1: 1tr (dc) into 4th ch from hook, 1tr (dc) in each st to end. (46sts)

Row 2-5: 2ch [to count as 1htr (hdc) through out pattern], 1tr (dc) in each st to end.

Row 6: 1ch [to count as 1 dc (sc)], 1dc (sc) in each of next 2 sts, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr (dc) in each st until 5 sts remain, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1dc (sc) in each st to end. (46sts)

Row 7: 2ch, 1tr (dc) in each of next 21 sts, 2tr (dc) in each of next 2 sts, 1tr (dc) in each st to end. (48sts)

Row 8: 2ch, 1tr (dc) in each of next 22 sts, 2tr (dc) in each of next 2 sts, 1tr (dc) in each st to end. (50sts).

Row 9: 1ch [to count as 1 dc (sc)], 1dc (sc) in each of next 2 sts, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1tr (dc) in each of next 19 sts, 2tr in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr (dc) in each st until 5 sts remain, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1dc (sc) in each st to end. (52sts)

Row 10: 2ch, 1tr (dc) in each of next 24 sts, 2tr (dc) in each of next 2 sts, 1tr (dc) in each st to end. (54sts).

Row 11: 1ch [to count as 1 dc (sc)], 1dc (sc) in each of next 2 sts, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1tr (dc) in each of next 21 sts, 2tr in each of next 2 sts, 1 tr (dc) in each st until 5 sts remain, 1htr (hdc) in each of next 2 sts, 1dc (sc) in each st to end. (56sts)

Next you will join the back seam, which is the working edge, of your bonnet. This is done by folding your bonnet in half (bringing the end of the row to the beginning of the row) and working a sl st into the back loop only of both sides all the way along the back seam, now turn your hat in the other way so that the sl st seam will be on the inside of the hat.  Fasten off. 

Circle Ties:

4 ch. 11tr into 4th ch from hook, join with sl st in ch #4 at the beginning of your disc. Ch 55, join with sl st to front corner or chin of your bonnet. 

Make another tie the same, joining it to the other side of your bonnet using a sl st.

Weave in ends & you're finished!

You can also find a few other variations for this Pixie Bonnet that another blogger has posted on her blog HERE. It is in Dutch but you can easily use Google Translate to translate it to English :-)

Copyright is held by the author (SharaLambethDesigns). Copyright remains that of the author at all times. The pattern is for personal use only. Reproduction of this pattern in anyway (electronic, email, photocopying, transcribing etc) is strictly prohibited, except with the explicit permission of the author. Please do not sell the pattern or the finished product that is made using this pattern without permission of the author, as this is a direct infringement of the copyright laws protecting this pattern. Also please be aware that copyright laws vary from country to country (sometimes even from state to state), I am Australian, in Australia, therefore my patterns are protected by Australian copyright laws. This copyright protection still stands no matter what country the item is made in or who makes it. Thank you!!

If you do want to sell the bonnets you make using this pattern at a market, craft fair or in your online store please do ask, as in most cases I will give permission :-)

And please feel free to make as many bonnets as you can, to donate to your local charities. Ask at your local hospital's maternity ward as they often love to have warm hats for new arrivals on hand :-)

Sunshine Gloves on Ravelry

Hello friends :-)
Lately I have been busy with lots of new projects and one of those projects is writing more knitting and crochet patterns to put on Ravelry.
The sunshine gloves are one of my favourite patterns. It's quick and easy, uses very little yarn, so it's a great stash buster, and gloves make great gifts! Warm, woolly gloves are also EXCELLENT to make and donate to charities :-)
The Sunshine gloves are made using 8-ply or DK yarn and are knit sideways on straight needles, so no double pointed needles or knitting in the round :-) These are the thicker, faster, warmer version of my 4-ply Sideways Gloves.
You can find the pattern for the Sunshine Gloves on Ravelry by following this link
And you can find me on Ravelry with the username SharaDesigns

Stay tuned for more patterns coming soon, including Lace Beanies, knit and crochet berets, Pixie Berets, and lots of different fingerless gloves for men, women and children :-)