Rowan Crafts

Craft Projects, Patterns, and Inspiration. Find me on Ravelry as crafty-rowan!

[olderthannetfic]

After scrolling through a bajillion pages of the current fad for greige 10 mohairs held together plain sweaters, I have finally found a designer worth buying patterns from! If only they had this scale pattern on a sweater!

[robotogato]

Ok. This is pretty neat. Makes me wish I knew how to knit.

[olderthannetfic]

Tragically, all the good tentacles are crocheted, not knit.

[olderthannetfic]

BTW, if anyone knows other Ravelry designers who give off similar vibes to Lavish Craft, I want their names! Or just your favorite designers in general as long as they aren’t PetiteKnit.

I’ve seen a lot of designs that are incidentally named after things from fantasy books, but the actual look of the piece wouldn’t tell you what it’s inspired by. I’m more interested in designers doing dragon scale designs or at least sweaters I can picture on a hobbit.

Fabel Knitwear has some pretty stuff, but I hear her gauge is weird af and her patterns are confusing. I have the Montmartre but haven’t made a serious attempt at it yet, so we’ll see what I think. I’m not finding the instructions bad, but I agree with all the nitpickers that her own knitting is that trendy airy bullshit where the needles are 5 sizes too big and you’re making up for it with hairy yarns. My sense is that she’s one of those designers whose shots of herself in samples are by far the best thing about the designs.

I’ve spotted a couple of things I want from Skeindeer Knits. Lots of classic looks there that I can’t easily get from a store.

[dreamerinsilico]

Norah Gaughan‘s more whimsical designs, like this one and this one, might be up your alley.  (She has a lot of really basic stuff too, including at least a couple in the vein of the trend you mentioned, but she’s also a bloody wizard with cables and other interesting design elements.)

[olderthannetfic]

Oh man! I had not realized those were by the same person! I’ve run across both separate times and found them intriguing.

[loracarol]

You may like Dragon Lore? Or any of Alexandra Davidoff’s other dragon projects?

Her other knits are a range of “normal” to “fantasy-esque”, but I think they’re neat. :)

Heavener Scarf

Azul

[olderthannetfic]

Niiiice

[sparklecryptid]

Some of Nim Teasdale’s designs give off similar vibes!

She also has a lot of lacework in some of her shawl designs but all are very pretty.

I’ve made her Goldleaf and Corozona patterns and I’ve found them easy to follow.

[morwentrouble]

May I introduce you to my knitting crush Tania Richter?

Her designs aren’t things a fantasy character would wear, necessarily, but *I* sure want to wear them as a lover of fantasy. (I haven’t sprung for any yet so I can’t speak to the pattern drafting functionality, but she seems to be popular which is a good sign.)

[olderthannetfic]

Ooh, I don’t think I’ve seen these yet.

I’m very excited about the recs you’re all giving me, especially the ones I’ve never seen.

[storiesintheashes]

When searching on ravelry, you can put a minus before a search term like so: -mohair. This will remove any patterns that identify as using mohair. This might make avoiding those kinds of patterns easier.

Here are some cool fantasy-ish pieces I’ve seen:

Olivia’s Cape by Amy Gunderson

The Seer by Ninja Chickens

Silversmith Hoodie by Meiju K-P

Dragon Scale Mitts by Colette Smith

Sekiryu Kimono Sweater by Tania Richter

Long Cardigan by Little Bunnyxx 

Firebird by Inna M (a colorwork chart)

Tahesha the dragon (ess) by Ina Wendrock (cable chart)

[olderthannetfic]

Interesting. I didn’t realize Ravelry search respected - notation like that.

Ooh, I’ve spotted Olivia’s Cape before, and I do indeed love it. Nice list here!

[kenta-rin]

do you like lace? Because I just discovered Sharon Winsauer

Imperial Dance of the Dragon & Phoenix

Running Free

The Zodiac

[epersonae]

@emi–rose

[the-fibre-stuff]

If you look at the search filters when you use the check boxes for the advanced search, you can see not just the notation, but what terms it uses as the tags.

[reptilerex]

Some interesting interesting sweater designs from my dragon’s hoard

Ravelry favourites

Dragon scales:

Rock Candy Sweater by IllI Zuccaro

Pangolin by Heidi Gronvold

Concha Short Sleeve Top by Patricia Werner

Vintage and Victorian vibes:

R. E. Linwëlin Mantelet by L. M. Benjamin

Joan Shirt by Olga Grishna

Concentrate on the Sleeves by Susan Crawford

Idk if this fits the brief but these are interesting and I think a hobbit would like them:

Elena by Junko Okamoto

All Cooped Up Sweater by Caitlin Shepherd

Cables After Whiskey by Lucy Neatby

Swatch by Quayln Stark

[knittyboi]

Found another one…

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-eye-pillow

[craftycoola]

kind of new to the tumblr knitting (and crocheting and spinning and sewing) scene, so if you're a craftblr blog, please give this a reblog so i can check your blog out!

[variationincreation]

[deadcatwithaflamethrower]

I feel like a dumbass, I am enlightened, and if I’m ever physically capable of sewing again, I am so doing this.

(use Neodymium magnets, guys. Might have to fight to pull them off the scissors afterwards but they won’t fall off while you’re cutting)

[polyamorousmisanthrope]

I draft my own patterns. I am gobsmacked. This is GENIUS!

[knithacker]

Hey Knitters, Is This The Perfect Socks Shot? And The Pattern is FREE, Thanks Knitty! 👉 https://buff.ly/3fUWcv1

[soothifying-sounds-asmr]

Strawberry Shortcake & Lemon Meringue Cardigans by theycallmelash

[auressea]

those Grannysquare pockets tho! talent

[comfortabletextiles]

:o

[polyamorousmisanthrope]

AWESOME

[knithacker]

Crochet a 3-in-1 Dragon Baby Blanket ... So Cute! 👉 https://buff.ly/3bC0K9w 🐲

[wastelesscrafts]

Have any tips on resizing knit wear? To make it bigger and smaller? Self made and store bought plus different materials?

Resizing knitwear

There's a few methods you could use to resize knitwear, depending on the type of knitwear and the material it's made of. Let's take a look.

Upsizing knitwear:

One thing you could try is to reblock your knitted item. Blocking is a technique to shape knitwear and crochet, and can be used to stretch your item a little. How successful this will be depends on the material your item is made of and how much extra space you need.

(Image source) [ID: four before and after shots of knit swatches being blocked. The swatches are smaller and frumpier before blocking, while they've been stretched and look neater once blocked.]

You can also use the same techniques outlined in my post on how to upsize clothes if you keep a few important things in mind. For example, you can add inserts to a knit item, but you have to take some precautions before cutting into your knitted item to stop it from unravelling. Try to use a yarn with a similar material and weight when adding extra fabric to a knit item: if your yarn is much heavier than the original, this will effect the garment's drape. Using yarns with contradictory care instructions (e.g. adding linen to wool, or adding wool to an item you're used to washing at high temperatures) can also cause problems. When in doubt, use a material that's less picky when it comes to care than your original garment.

You can add bits of fabric, parts of other knit items, or knit/crochet your own inserts.

(Image source) [ID: close-up on the torso of a person wearing a blue knit sweater. Triangles of floral fabric have been added to the bottom of the sweater to make it larger. White lace has been sewn in-between the triangles. The same floral trim has been used to decorate the sweater's neckline.]

(Image source) [ID: a green knit sweater has been cut up and turned into a dress by adding dark blue fabric to the back, front, and bottom.]

If your item shrunk in the wash but didn't felt, you can also attempt to unshrink it. Results may vary.

If you need extra length, you can always sew on a trim or pick up stitches along your item's bottom edge and sew or crochet extra length.

Downsizing knitwear:

Just like how you can add material to upsize an item, you can also remove material to downsize it. For example, if you've got a sweater that's a few sizes too big, you could trace the shape of a fitted sweater on it with chalk, then cut away the excess fabric and sew up your new seams (again, keeping precautions to keep your material from unravelling in mind).

Adding darts is also an option for knitwear. The ladder stitch is very useful for this. Check out this blog post by Robes De Coeur to see an example.

(Image source) [ID: back view of a person wearing a blue knit cardigan. Two back darts have been added to shape the garment.]

Another darts example is this short underbust vest I made a few years ago. I messed up my gauge and ended up with something that was too big for me, so I used a ladder stitch to take in the sides, add a fold in the back, and add bust darts at the armscyes.

[ID: two photo's showing the front and back view of a short sleeveless underbust vest knitted in brown yarn. The item has been shaped with darts.]

You can also experiment with shrinking your knitwear if it's made from wool, but note that you'll risk shrinking it too much or felting your item.

Conclusion:

There's a lot you can do with knitted items that don't fit you any more. Have fun with it, and make something unique!

If you can't find a way to make a knitted item fit again, you could also look into upcycling. Stuck with holes? Check out my post on how to mend knitwear.

Gifting or selling the item to someone for whom the item does fit is also an option.

If you're a very patient person, you can also unravel the item and knit something new with it.

[asynca]

Learn to Knit With Scales

So you want to make something with scales too? Well you're in the right place!

GUYS I’VE FOUND A VERY IMPORTANT WEBSITE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN KNIT WITHOUT INJURING THEMSELVES!!!!

[mzminola]

DRAGON KNITTING!!!

[captainofthefallen]

@rannadylin if you’re into that

[red-winters]

@tiny-dragons-castle

[halloweencrafts]

Learn to Knit with Scales

There is also info about where to buy the scales, a video tutorial for visual learners, and a written tutorial with lots of photos. 

She also sells patterns for these:

[aurumacadicus]

!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh!!!!!!!!!!!

[stormbee8]

I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS EXACT TUTORIAL BUT ALL I COULD FIND WAS FOR CROCHET!!

[rockpapertheodore]

@jumpingjacktrash jesse i feel like you’ve seen this before but i need you to also see it now because i feel like it’s something you’d think is neat

[jumpingjacktrash]

i have, but it’s cool enough to see again. :D

[craftheaven]

Tips for choosing knitting patterns for a beginner.

[tj-crochets]

@citrusvoid suggested a lemon armadillo and I absolutely had to make a lemon armadillo

[tj-crochets]

@luthied​ here’s the pattern link! It’s a free pattern and the only thing I changed was the yarn colors (and worsted weight yarn with a 3.75mm hook instead of DK and whatever the hook called for was)

[tj-crochets]

@letsoulswander​ here’s the pattern link! It’s not showing up in the notes for some reason

[tj-crochets]

@therapybegins (and anyone else who wants to make a lemon armadillo) here’s the free crochet pattern link! I’m not the pattern writer, but I made everything as pattern so you can make a lemon armadillo just like this one using that pattern

[crafty-rowan]

State of the Stash, June 2020

What a wild ride it has been, and the year is only half over. 

Project status under the cut.

So far I’ve finished a Nymphalidea wrap as a gift, a couple of mask mates for a friend, a sweater for myself, and two hats, one for a friend, and one for myself.

Things I have currently in progress:

Hue Shift Afghan

A Trio blanket

A tweed scarf with mystery yarn

Things I have planned:

Three more Dogtooth Hats, two as gifts, one for myself

Two more Sockhead Slouch hats as gifts

A couple of wraps as gifts

A headband for my mom, pattern subject to change based on how much yarn I have left

The 21 Color Scarf that I picked up as kit last year for my birthday

Any of the various projects in my queue (which never seems to shrink!)

Maybe I’ll get around to updating this list more frequently than once every year and change.

[halloweencrafts]

DIY Crochet Hat Patterns from the Mind of The Twisted Hatter

Are you looking to crochet something more adventurous? Natalie Allen, The Twisted Hatter, has a bunch of projects for you.

Top Photo: $8 Pattern Twisted Kraken Hat on Ravelry here.

Here is the help video on the Twisted Kracken Hat here. 

$7 Pattern Gas Mask Gone Twisted on Ravelry here.

$7 Pattern Twisted Unicorn Hat on Ravelry here.

$6.50 Pattern Luna Rae Dragon Hood here.

$6.50 Pattern Twisted Jellyfish here.

[polyamorousmisanthrope]

If you’re starting out and feel overwhelmed by a lot of cooking for yourself, I cannot recommend learning knife skills enough.

Most of my “I’m lazy and can’t be arsed to make something complex, but don’t want to die of scurvy” meals revolve around cutting up veggies, fruits or cheese – stir frys, salads, soups, hell, a tray of veggies fruit and cheese, if I’m really feeling not feeling it.

Healthy?  Well, okay, yeah, they are.  But it’s more about easy, TBH.

[stimman4000]

.

[the-dracologist]

Just stab the wool into shape

[marsupials-of-mars]

Is that what needle felting is? I though you needed some sort of base?

[brbjellyfishing]

[conversationswithtv]

This is what felting is.  It’s a very good hobby for somebody who enjoys stabbing ^u^  what do you think I do all day?

[molothoo]

Really thought he was gonna get a giant great wig….hoping actually

[coyotesmokebreak]

Wanna know how it works?

Those needles have barbs that catch and tangle the fibers of the roving (the term for that loose wool) together. The more you stab it the more tightly-packed and the more firm the object becomes. It takes a lot of little stabs to smooth out the texture on the surface and is best done with a single fine gauge needle.

Fun fact: the longer you use a felting needle the sharper it becomes, as the wool polishes the point.

This doesn’t bode well for your fingers but hey. It’s a fun art filled with cute projects, lots of stabbing, blood, and swearing.

[stitch-please]

Been wanting to learn to spin, but afraid of the high cost?

Look no further than this kickstarter

Electric Eel Wheel Mini 2

$60USD for the wheel and 3 bobbins. Bobbins will be open sourced, so you can print your own! I’ve never seen any wheels this inexpensive before. It looks like a wonderful, darling wheel and I want seven. 

[gentlefluff]

https://instagram.com/p/Bj56KW_Hm-Z/

[stitch-please]

😍

[crafty-rowan]

Stash Sell-Off

I am trying to sell off the majority of my stash, and I would really appreciate your help!

Please check out my Ravelry stash here and message me if you see something you like! I will ship within the US for a small fee, or overseas for a slightly larger fee to help cover the shipping costs. Most of the yarn is around half the cost of what I paid for it.