Vacation Projects // Time-Intensive Large Projects // Using Up Christmas Gift Yarn

Dear users, dear authors,
If you’d like to do a little crafting between the holidays, need a new project for the weekend or for your vacation, want to finally tackle a large-scale project, or use up your Christmas gift yarn, then this is the thread for you.
Have fun relaxing and enjoying yourselves.

@Authors,
2–3 patterns per author are enough. Don’t forget to include a link, an image, and the usual information.



Play Mat – Farm Animals 

If you’d like to crochet something a bit bigger, this Tunisian crochet play mat with its colorful farm motif might be just the thing.

The pattern is not difficult and should be manageable even for beginners, but because of its size (approx. 125x190 cm ) and the many color changes, it will definitely keep you busy for a few afternoons or evenings.

So it’s just right for quiet winter evenings. The result is sure to delight everyone.

Crocheting an entire train does take some time, but it’s a lot of fun and not difficult at all! You can make the individual cars as colorful as you like. Above you can see, for example, how a car is decorated as a circus car. A crocheted train like this is especially well suited for very young children who are still too little for an electric train. But a train fan will also enjoy it as a decorative item.

The train is crocheted from colorful cotton yarn (e.g., Catania). For stabilization, you’ll also need some felt and foam rubber blocks. (I used simple cleaning sponges for this.) The cars are the right size to let small dolls (like Playmobil or similar) ride along. They are coupled together with hook-and-loop fasteners.

You can purchase the patterns for the locomotive and cars individually (Crochet pattern Locomotive
orCrochet pattern Railway Car ) or together as a value bundle ( Crochet pattern Train Value Bundle). With the value bundle, you save more than 20% compared to buying them individually.

How about a granny square blanket?



A blanket like this is a lovely project to work on over several days.

The pattern includes a crochet chart as well as a written description of the individual rounds.

You can make it in a solid color or in a multicolored mix. For yarn, I recommend a cotton yarn with 125 m / 50 grams (e.g. Catania)

Here you’ll find the pattern for Granny Number 6

And if you’d like more variety, feel free to take a look at my other Granny as well. They are all the same size and can be combined beautifully

This vest is a timeless must-have for every man. It can also be worn well in spring on cool days paired with a shirt.

You definitely won’t get bored with this. So it’s an ideal project for using up a larger amount of yarn beautifully.

The measurements in the pattern fit sizes 46–50. The vest fits nicely thanks to the cable pattern and still has plenty of stretch.

To the knitting pattern and more

How about a cardigan made of merino wool that suits every season? In spring it can be worn outdoors. And even in summer and, of course, in fall there are cool days when this cardigan is just the right thing.

This is a great way to knit up a larger amount of wool into a pretty garment.
The knitting pattern is designed so that the cardigan fits the body very well while still being nicely stretchy. That means the measurements in the pattern fit sizes 38–42.

The cardigan is knitted with raglan from the bottom up, and the pockets were worked in except for one seam. 

Recommended for experienced knitters.

Go to the knitting pattern here

A cuddly-soft baby blanket with knitted-in hearts—this is exactly the right project for lots of yarn. The blanket’s dimensions can easily be enlarged, so it can be knitted in any size you like, depending on your yarn stash.

To the knitting pattern and more

With Gara you can crochet at least 300 g of 3-ply yarn (50% cotton, 50% acrylic) with a 2.5 - 3 mm crochet hook.

With the specified amount, your triangular shawl will measure 122 cm x 144 cm x 130 cm.

Gara can easily be made larger by, for example, repeating the pattern rows as desired.

The PDF file consists of 5 pages with detailed photos and is suitable for advanced crocheters .

Knitting pattern _Scarf (from) leftover yarn
           Go to the pattern!

What to do with leftover yarn?
There is always leftover yarn, and so it doesn’t just sit around unused,
here is a lovely idea for these small amounts of yarn.

You’ll work from a color chart that you can easily adapt
to match your leftover yarn.
There is a knitting chart for the patterns; I designed it
so that you can easily transfer the colors you enter in the table.

Length: approx. 190 cm
Width: approx.   22 cm
Gauge: 20 sts + 26 rows = 10 cm

Materials:
100 g black yarn for needle size 4-5
Odds and ends of any kind and color (for thinner yarn, simply hold the yarn double)
Needle size 4-5
1 crochet hook

With the first of my large-project patterns, you can make wonderful baby gifts suitable for both boys and girls—luckily, you usually know well in advance, because these projects do take quite some time to complete.

This way, you can fill long winter evenings with them and still enjoy a little progress and a sense of achievement every now and then when you finish individual parts.

Included in the saver set featuring the “Giraffe Glückskind” design are a crinkle cloth , a stick rattle , and a cuddly toy that can also be made into a musical toy .

            Click here for the pattern 

The second major project is more suited for toddlers and also takes quite a bit of time until all the parts are finished—but here too, you’ll keep having little moments of success along the way and watch the final result grow slowly but surely:

The large fruit basket for the play shop with many different kinds of fruit, both whole and partly sliced—there’s something for every taste.

Click here for the pattern    

Both patterns are suitable for ambitious beginners and were crocheted using cotton yarn with a length of 125 m/50 g and a size 3 crochet hook. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me anytime.

And now, have fun crocheting and get started on this big project!

The Table Runner in Bruges Lace Crochet Technique
Size: 110 cm x 28 cm :-)
It works up quickly, is rated easy, and shouldn’t be a problem for a beginner. For the table runner, you’ll need:
• Cébélia DMC, 100% cotton, 2 x 50g No. 10, color 818, rose • Crochet hook No. 1.00–1.25. If you have any questions, I’m happy to help.


 Click here for the pattern 

Elegant scarf / stole in a floral pattern – crochet patternAn elegant scarf with a floral pattern and decorated with fringes is a beautiful accessory for any woman’s wardrobe and is sure to turn heads. The fringed scarf features a floral pattern, weighs about 125g, and measures approximately 165cm x 25cm :-)(measured including the fringe). It can be made in three steps. To make the scarf, you will need: • 2 (1 1/4 skeins) of "NAKO Mohair Special" (10% mohair wool, 80% acrylic, 100g, approx. 550m) in white • Crochet hook size 1.25 - 1.50 Alternatively: fine acrylic or wool

 View the pattern

This elegant loop

features a timeless pattern and is reversible. It’s quick to crochet, is rated easy, and shouldn’t be a problem for a beginner. You should have the following basic crochet skills: slip stitch, chain stitch, and yarn over. The detailed pattern consists of 33 pages and is described step by step in German with 65 photos. For a loop with a diameter of approx. 80 cm and a height of approx. 20 cm, you’ll need:
• Yarn in one or more colors (3 x 50g, approx. 140m, 75% virgin wool, 25% polyamide) • Crochet hook size 1.75–2.0

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.


 Click here for the pattern 

My last big project was finished on the evening of the first Christmas holiday while watching TV—a blanket made from leftover yarn, knitted diagonally. I started with 3 stitches, knitted until I had a side length of about 130 cm, then decreased back down to 3 stitches. I knitted almost every evening in front of the TV, starting around November 20, 2018. It was actually supposed to be bigger, but first, it got very heavy, and second, it got very warm on my knees :-) But this way, the blanket is a nice, manageable size—

Baby Blanket Lilly
great, more time-intensive project



 -- to the pattern --

This baby blanket is a lovely gift for every new arrival and will make children’s eyes light up.

As always, the pattern is richly illustrated and explains step by step how you can crochet this blanket yourself, even as an ambitious beginner .
For advanced crocheters , it includes PC-created crochet charts for the blanket and all appliqués .

The blanket measures 95 cm x 95 cm and was crocheted using just under 550 g of 4-ply gradient yarn (yardage 190 m/50 g).