Free Easy Knitting Patterns

Finding the perfect gift for new parents can often be a challenge.  Many times new parents have either already shopped for their babies, or they have other children and have many of the things they will need already in their homes.  One perfect gift option in this case is the gift of a handmade crochet baby blanket. 

If you want to make a blanket for a baby these are some points to consider

Pattern Selection – You should choose a pattern which is tightly woven if the blanket will be used by a very young baby.  Often designs with any open-work allow for the baby’s fingers or toes to get caught up in the blanket and cause discomfort.  This is both a health and a safety risk. 

Blanket Size – When you are crocheting for a baby, your first inclination might be to make a very small blanket.  However, babies grow very quickly into toddlers.  And, babies move around a lot and require decently sized blankets to keep them covered up and warm.  Your blanket will get much more use if you make it a bit larger than your first inclination.

Adding beads to your crochet projects

With the popularity of beading and jewelry making today, there are literally millions of different beads which you can purchase and add on to your crochet projects.  Beads are very readily available and inexpensive to purchase.  They can be found made of many materials and of all shapes and sizes.  Whether you want to add a single focus bead to your crochet projects, or add many of them, it is simple to do and will produce great results every single time.

The first step in adding beads to your crochet projects is deciding how many beads you need and where you will place them on your project.  Your options are limitless when you are adding beads to crochet.  You can add one bead, you can add just a few beads or you can add many beads.  You also have the option of forming patterns with your beads or making them appear more random.  Once you have decided some of these things then it is time to hit the craft store to purchase your beads. 

Knitting yarn selection

Most everyone who knits appreciates all of the variation in the yarns and fibers available on the market today.  Even in a large store like Wal-Mart, you can discover many different kinds of yarns.  As you move to craft stores and knitting shops your yarn selection options go through the roof.  At these specialty shops you can find yarns made of some of the most exotic fibers such as alpaca and cashmere.  For a knitter, browsing through all the options in a store which carries yarn can take hours and is a very enjoyable pastime.  

Some of the highest quality yarns available are made from natural fibers from animals and plants.  These yarns are: cottons, alpaca, mohair, cashmere, and wools.  Each yarn has a different feel and thickness that should be considered when you are deciding how you want your finished project to turn out.