Path to creativity: Don't follow instructions.

I love buying patterns.
 
I purchase patterns for sewing, embroidery, knitting, and other crafts, typically because I want to learn a new technique (or the design is so cute that it’s irresistible). However...

I have a confession to make about my pattern purchases.

I rarely stick to the instructions.

I almost always adjust the pattern to put my own spin on it. In fact, unless it’s a craft that I’ve never touched before, I don’t think I’ve ever followed a pattern’s instructions 100 percent from beginning to end.

What about you? Do you follow instructions exactly or do you veer?

Following instructions is wonderful when you want to try a new craft or technique. Pattern writers work hard to share their techniques and there’s a lot to learn from good instructions. Even if a pattern uses a technique you already know how to do, the pattern writer may do the technique differently, so there’s always something new to learn.

But what about the instructions after that? What about color or stitch choices? Do you follow those too?

When I stray from instructions, sometimes little fear bubbles float the surface. What if I mess up? What if I do it wrong? What if I don’t follow the rules?

These are all questions that hinder creativity.

It can be difficult to actively step away from instructions to do your own thing, however taking that step allows for creativity to happen. It’s the magic of taking a “spark” from your brain and making it real. That’s my definition of “art”.

Ask yourself these questions:

What would happen if you had a project and didn’t have any instructions?
 
What would happen if you were free from doing something in the right or wrong way?
 
What would happen if you had permission to just make art?

I decided to run a “no instructions” experiment.

We recruited some awesome embroiders for the experiment. We gave each of them only the line art template for our two new Here Kitty Kitty embroidery patterns, Knitty Kitty and Crafty Cat. We gave the embroiderers no instructions, no reference on what embroidery stitches to use, no color suggestions, no transfer instructions, and no photo of the finished embroidery. We asked each embroiderer to pick one of the designs then stitch it however they wanted. They had a blank slate. No limitations. No pressure. No right or wrong. Just play.

Below is an image of the covers for the two embroideries. Our embroiderers did not see this image before they started stitching.


Today, our embroiderers are ready to share their results!

We put together a blog tour for this week and next week where the embroiderers will share their finished embroideries and process. I’m so excited to see what they came up with and what decisions they made along the way. I know I’m going to be blown away by all the creativity!

Below is the list of embroiderers and the dates they’ll be sharing with links.

Wednesday, April 30 
Abby from While She Naps

Thursday, May 1
Nicole from Follow the White Bunny

Monday, May 5
Mollie from Wild Olive
 
Tuesday, May 6
Olisa and Leigh from Mr. X Stitch
 
Wednesday, May 7
Floresita from Feeling Stitchy
 
Thursday, May 8
Wendi from Shiny Happy World

Please check them out. It’s going to be awesome!

We’ll have our Wrap Up here on the Penguin & Fish blog on Friday, May 9th.

Would you like to participate too?

Click here for the “Knitty Kitty” embroidery pattern.

And click here for the “Crafty Cat” embroidery pattern.

I’d love to see how you experiment and veer away from the instructions! Email your pics to me (alyssa) at info (at) penguinandfish (dot) com, and tell us what you did. We’ll share your pics on our facebook page.
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Simple Knitted Legwarmers pattern - still time to make before Christmas

Simple, knit legwarmers

The last few days have been FREEZING, and I mean negative numbers. The weather is tempting me to add another project to my already long Holiday project list.

Legwarmers!

I can bundle up all I want on top, but if all I have on the legs are jeans, I'm still going to be pretty dang cold. I could wear tights underneath my jeans, but who wants to do that?

So, I thought, I should just make really long legwarmers, like mid-thigh length legwarmers. Doesn't that sound wonderful! They'll be like blankets for the legs!

I made the legwarmers in the image above back in 2009 and am thinking I'll use the same, no-fuss pattern. To update them for the thigh length legwarmers, I'm going to use the same design and just keep stitching until they're the right length. I'll take the measurement around the largest part of my thigh instead of calf to start. That may be all I do. However, if the legwarmer seems too big once I get lower on the leg, I may start decreasing a stitch or two every now and then to make the bottoms slimmer. But who knows, it might be just right with the bottoms being big. I'll decide as I go, and let you know what happens.

Here is the pattern for the original legwarmers from the photo above.

Simple Legwarmers:

I used black, sport weight, blue sky alpaca yarn, but you can use whatever yarn you'd like. Update: use the needle size that's recommended for the yarn. I don't know what the original size of needle I used to make these back in 2009.

First you'll need to make a quick gauge: Cast on 10 stitches in stockinette stitch (knit a row, purl a row) for 10 rows total. Measure how many horizontal stitches in an inch. Then measure the number of inches around the largest part of you calf. Use those two numbers to figure out how many stitches you'll need to go around your calf.

Figure out the number of stitches it takes to go around your calf (instructions above) and cast on the closest multiple of 4 to that number. For my legwarmers I cast on 36 stitches.

work in the round

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

k 50 rows (or to your desired length)

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

bind off loosely.

There you go. Super easy, no frills, but still cute.

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No work on Christmas = Legwarmers

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I was getting really burned out before Christmas, so once I finished up a couple of lingering freelance jobs, I called it quits for doing any work on Christmas and the couple of days surrounding it. That was the BEST thing I did in a LONG time! I must've watched about 12 movies, cleaned up the house for a fresh new year start, and sat on the couch and knit on random projects that were completely non-work related. I knit several washcloths out of yarn that I made from a few old t-shirts, and I knit the little black legwarmers in the above pic. I wanted to make some legwarmers for a while, there have been so many cute ones on Etsy lately and my legs have been FREEZING every time I go out. I also wanted an excuse to learn how to continental knit (thanks mom! link) and wanted to get more comfortable using double pointed needles. All I have to say is that continental knitting has changed my knitting life! Once you get going it's just so fast and relaxing. I'm in love! Any beginner or "throwing" knitter should really check out this vid. It really broke things down for me. Below I've written up my directions for the legwarmers in case anyone else wanted to make some. Happy knitting!

Simple Legwarmers:

I used black, sport weight, blue sky alpaca yarn, but you can use whatever yarn you'd like.

First you'll need to make a quick gauge: Cast on 10 stitches in stockinette stitch (knit a row, purl a row) for 10 rows total. Measure how many horizontal stitches in an inch. Then measure the number of inches around the largest part of you calf. Use those two numbers to figure out how many stitches you'll need to go around your calf.

Figure out the number of stitches it takes to go around your calf (instructions above) and cast on the closest multiple of 4 to that number. For my legwarmers I cast on 36 stitches.

work in the round

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

k 50 rows (or to your desired length)

(k2, p2) around for 15 rows

bind off loosely.

There you go. Super easy, no frills, but still cute.

Artist: Good Egg

Tee hee! Good Egg has a darling new cowl knitting pattern with little owls all over it. Too cool! Check out the Good Egg store here. And check out the leafy cowl I made with one of her patterns here.

Artist: Katie of Pretty Sneaky

Hah hah! Check out these awesome custom knit Converse sneakers by Katie of Pretty Sneaky. I'm drooling over the purple high tops in the bottom pic. Too fun! See more in the Pretty Sneaky etsy store.

Artist: M. K. Lawrie

Isn't this yarn from M. K. Lawrie just gorgeous. And guess what... it's made from a single continuous cut of a recycled t-shirt! Too cool. The t-shirt yarn comes in both worsted and bulky weights. Check out more recycled goodness in the M. K. Lawrie etsy store.

Artist: Yokoo

The most fabulous, Yokoo, has created some new gorgeous tote bags. I just love the white and navy one in the first pic. The thin leather straps finish off the piece beautifully! See more of Yokoo's creations (and wonderful photography) in her etsy store, blog and flickr.

Artist: Tanya of Strikk Modern Handknits

Check out these gorgeous hand-knit pillows by Tanya of Strikk Modern Handknits. I love her color choices. I'm drooling over the colors and knit texture of the two in the first pic. For more check out the Strikk etsy store and blog.

Slacking!

Sorry for the late post everyone. I've been slacking like crazy the last couple of days because I CAN'T STOP KNITTING! I purchased this pattern from Good Egg last week (bottom pic) and I can't stop working on it. I'm about half way done with it right now. But the poor little Kitty sitting with it in the top pic is waiting to be sewn shut, and his friends are laying around unstuffed. I guess they'll just have to wait a little longer. Oh well.

Artist: Good Egg

I just love these! Check out the first sweater, it has robots all over it! All of these items were designed and hand knit by Good Egg. She says a knit stitch is like a pixel, what a great description. The last item is a pattern available in the Good Egg store (and I just bought it, YAY). The hubs suggested that for my colors I should do some sort of pretty white on white version of it which I think would be pretty awesome. Although I'm going to have a hard time being pulled away from the bright pinks and greys in the yarn store. I'll be in Wisconsin in a week or so to see the fam and celebrate my bday, I can't wait to use this project as an excuse to buy soft expensive yarn. Woo Hoo!

Artist: Rachel Gurney of Day Of The Head

Check out these darling skulls from Rachel Gurney of Day Of The Head. The are knitted with luxury cashmere yarns and then are felted and patchworked together. I just love all the knitted patterny goodness. So neat! See lots more at the Day Of The Head etsy store and flickr site.

I knit a bunny! pattern by Fuzzy Mitten

Check out the little stripey white, blue and green bunny that I knit! I have never knit a toy before and I have to say that I had a wonderful time making it and couldn't be happier with the result. The pattern is the "Scraps Chaps" pattern (the last pic) from the lovely Barbara of Fuzzy Mitten. The bunny's little red sweater is from her "Clothing Bundle III" pattern. Also check out the beautiful little Peter Rabbit that Barbara made me (third pic). She's so talented. Check out many more patterns in the Fuzzy Mitten etsy store.

Artist: The Crafty Hedgehog

Check out these little science projects. I think I had to dissect a worm and a frog in junior high. Then moved up to dissecting cats and cow eyes in high school. Ish. These little dissected frogs and mice are much nicer. They are made by The Crafty Hedgehog. You can purchase them in her etsy store here. The knitting pattern for them is also for sale. FUN!

Artist: Cocoon Designs

Look at these crazy mushrooms. They're AWESOME! They are made out of recycled sweaters by Cocoon Designs . Check out lots lots lots more in the Cocoon Design Etsy store and flickr site. And thanks, Deborah, for the heads up!