I’m so excited to share my latest free pattern, created in collaboration with Utopia Crafts – a wonderful yarn company based in Exeter, Devon.
Established in 2019, Utopia Crafts have developed a wide range of yarns in diverse colours and weights, all thoughtfully created to meet the needs of their customers.
For this project, I fell head over heels with their Country Wool Aran – a 80% Acrylic, 20% Wool yarn spun in a classic Aran (worsted) weight. It’s beautifully soft yet structured, and I knew straight away it would be perfect for a neutral pumpkin idea I had.
I used a single ball of the Country Wool Aran with a 5mm (US size H/8) hook and it makes quite a large sized pumpkin. The finished size of mine was 57 cm [22.4″] diameter x 11.5 cm [4.5″] high.
While bright orange will always have a special place in autumn décor, neutral tones, think soft creams, oatmeals, greys, and taupes to bring a timeless, rustic elegance to your home. The great thing is that those colours will work beautifully with most interior style, and they’re subtle enough to keep on display well beyond October.
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And because it’s an Aran weight yarn, this pattern works up super quickly, you can make a pumpkin (or a whole patch of them!) in no time at all. It’s the ideal project for a cosy autumn evening. Beginners will hopefully find this pattern approachable, while more seasoned crocheters can appreciate the opportunity to relax with a project that doesn’t require intense concentration.
That said there are loads of beautiful shades of Country Wool Aran so you could make pumpkins any colours you would like – I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
🧶 The free pattern is available now from the Utopia Crafts website.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links at no extra cost to you. This helps to cover the running cost of the website – thank you for your support.
Today I’m delighted to be joining in the Furls Designer Blog Hop 2025! I’ve teamed up with Furls and some incredibly talented designers as they bring you a whole year of beautiful free crochet patterns – one new pattern every two weeks, all made with Furls Yarn.
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What is the Furls Designer Blog Hop?
If you’re not familiar with the Furls Blog Hop, it’s a year-long celebration of crochet and creativity. Every two weeks, a different designer releases a brand-new free crochet pattern using Furls Fiberart Wander yarn. You may remember last year I participated with the Foundry Fusion Shawl, and this year I’m back sharing a new free design.
You can find lots of free patterns (and grab any you’ve missed!), plus access other great crochet related articles, right here on the Furls Blog landing page. Whether you’re here for wearables, accessories, or home décor, the hop is a wonderful way to discover new styles and designers – and get inspired all year long.
My Design: The Forester Shawl
I’m so pleased to introduce you to my contribution to this year’s hop: The Forester Shawl. My design is nod to lush greenery of the forests where I love to go for a walk.
The Forester Shawl is big, bold, and incredibly cosy – perfect for transitional seasons or even cooler summer evenings when you want something comforting but breathable.
I used Furls Fiberart Wander yarn for my shawl which is a 100% acrylic, worsted weight (Aran) yarn that comes in 100g balls. Each ball has approximately 120 yards/ 109m and has a lovely lustre about it and it’s also super soft to crochet with.
I used five different colours of Furls Fiberart Wander yarn in my shawl. You could of course use less colours, but when selecting your colours, consider shades that complement each other to create a pleasing gradient or contrast.
One of the best features of the The Forester Shawl is its speed to work up. Thanks to the worsted (aran) weight yarn and straightforward pattern, you can whip up a lovely big shawl in no time. It’s also a perfect mindful project, with easy pattern repeats, for those moments when you want to indulge in a satisfying and easy crochet session.
Beginners will hopefully find this pattern approachable, while more seasoned crocheters can appreciate the opportunity to relax with a project that doesn’t require intense concentration.
Scroll down for the free version of this pattern but I’d recommend the purchase of the ad-free PDF Pattern if you’d like all the instructions and pictures in a nice document which you can print and take notes on without relying on your phone or an internet connection.
The pattern below is written just in US terms but you can view a handy conversion chart here on the blog.
Skill Level: Beginner / Easy
Yarn: Furls Fiberarts Wander Acrylic Yarn used in photos: 100% Premium Acrylic Yarn; Worsted Weight (Aran) #4, 100g (120yds / 109m). Suggested colors below however any colors can work for this pattern;
1 ball Cottage (Dark Green) – A
2 ball Arbor (Forest Green) – B
2 balls Patina (Sage Green) – C
2 balls Wintermint (Light Mint) – D
Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match the gauge stated then your finished item will be a different size.
Finished size: 175 cm [69”] x 68.5 cm [27”] at widest point.
STITCH GUIDANCE: UK Terminology
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Space (sp): The gap between stitches or chains.
Chain (ch): Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook.
Double Crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook
PATTERN NOTES:
Where a row starts with a ch3; the ch3 will count as the first dc stitch.
[ … ] Repeat section in square brackets until specified
Turning chains: If you find working with a ch3 (when it counts as a st) is creating a stitch that is too tall (and so creates a noticeable gap in your work replace it with a ch2.
Using stitch markers: Add a stitch marker at the beginning and the end of each row to help keep track of the start and finish off that row.
Shaping: The main body of the triangular shawl is worked from side to side, increasing on the beginning and the end of each row.
PATTERN:
PATTERN
Row 1: With A; ch 3, sl st to form a ring, then working into the ring, ch 3, 3 dc into the ring, ch 3, 4 dc into the ring, turn. (8 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 2: Ch 3, 2 dc in the same st, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, 3 dc in the last st, turn. (14 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in the same st, 1 dc in the next 6 sts, (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, 1 dc in the next 6 sts, 3 dc in the last st, turn. (20 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 4: Ch 3, 2 dc in the same st, 1 dc in the next st, [ch1, miss st, 1 dc in the next 2 sts] repeat until the st before the ch3-sp, 1 dc in the next st, (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, 1 dc in the next st, [ch1, miss st, 1 dc in the next 2 sts ] repeat until the last 2 sts, 1 dc in the next st, 3 dc in the last st, turn.(20 sts, 6 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off A and weave in ends.
Row 5: Attach D to the top of the last st worked; ch 3, 2 dc in the same st, [ch1, miss st, 1 dc in the next 2 sts] repeat until the ch3-sp, (1 dc, ch 3, 1dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, [1 dc in the next 2 sts, miss st, ch1 ] repeat until the last st, 3 dc in the last st, turn. (24 sts, 8 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off D and weave in ends.
Row 6: Attach B to the top of the last st worked; ch 3,1 dc in the same st, ch 1, [1 dc in the next 2 sts, ch1, miss st, ] repeat until the last 3 sts before the ch3-sp, 1 dc in the last 3 sts, (1 dc, ch 3, 1 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, [miss st, ch 1, 1 dc in the next 2 sts ] repeat until the last st, ch 1, 2 dc in the last st, turn. (28 sts, 10 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp) Fasten off B and weave in ends.
From this point onwards we start working in the pattern which is a 3 row repeat.
Row 7: Attach C to the top of the last st worked; repeat Row 4 (32 sts, 12 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off C and weave in ends.
Rows 8 – 15: Attach A to the top of the last st worked; repeat Rows 5, 6, 4 twice and 5, 6 once more. (64 sts, 28 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp).Fasten off A and weave in ends.
Row 16: Attach D to the top of the last st worked; repeat Row 4 (68 sts, 30 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off D and weave in ends.
Row 17: Attach C to the top of the last st worked; repeat Row 5 (72 sts, 32 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off C and weave in ends.
Rows 18 – 29: Attach C to the top of the last st worked; repeat Rows 6, 4, 5 four times. (120 sts, 56 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp).Fasten off C and weave in ends.
Row 30: Attach D to the top of the last st worked; repeat Row 6 (124 sts, 58 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off D and weave in ends.
Rows 31 – 42: Attach B to the top of the last st worked; repeat Rows 4, 5, 6 four times. (172 sts, 82 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp).Fasten off B and weave in ends.
Row 43: Attach A to the top of the last st worked; repeat Row 4 (176 sts, 84 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp). Fasten off A and weave in ends.
Rows 44 – 54: Attach D to the top of the last st worked; repeat Rows 5, 6, 4 four times. (220 sts, 106 x ch1-sps, 1 x ch3-sp).Fasten off D and weave in end.
BLOCKING:
Steam blocking is best for an acrylic shawl. Pin shawl in place, then gently steam without touching the fabric to set the shape safely.
FINISHING:
Using the left over colours make two chunky tassels to go on the long ends of the shawl.
And that’s it!
PARTIAL CHART
Section of chart. Please note there are more stitches and rows than shown;
BLOCKING
This design may benefit from being blocked, as it is an acrylic yarn steam blocking is one of the best methods you can use. Simply pin the item into shape and hover a steam iron or garment steamer over it without touching the fabric. Let the steam relax the fibres, then allow to cool/dry.
And that’s it!
Whether you crochet one for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one, this pattern promises satisfaction and style in equal measure. If you enjoyed this pattern, you can view a list of my other free patterns here.
If you make your own Forester Shawl, I’d absolutely love to see it! You can tag me (@KCACO.UK) on instagram or use the hashtag #FurlsForesterShawl so I can admire your beautiful work. And don’t forget to tag @furlscrochet too! Finally you may wish to make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links at no extra cost to you. This helps to cover the running cost of the website – thank you for your support.
Do you find yourself staring at a ball of chunky weight yarn, unsure of what to create with it? If so, look no further than the Colbie Cowl, this versatile and stylish accessory is the perfect solution for that neglected yarn, offering a quick and satisfying crochet project that’s ideal for last-minute gifts or a cosy addition to your own wardrobe.
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I’m excited to say that I’m participating, with the Colbie Chunky Cowl, in the Christmas in July Make Along with Underground Crafter. 30 bloggers have teamed up to bring you a month full of forever free patterns to kick start the handmade holiday season — including crochet, knitting, and sewing projects. There’s something new to make every day in July. Each week has a theme, and my Colbie Chunky Cowl is part of week 2;
Week 1 (July 1-7): Babies, Kids, and Teens Week 2 (July 8-14): Women Week 3 (July 15-21): Gifts for Anyone Week 4 (July 22-28): Home Week 5 (July 29-31): Pets
There’s also some fabulous prizes up for grabs if you take part in the make-along. The deadline to enter is is Sunday, August 4, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.
So pop on over to the Underground Crafter’s blog to learn more about the prizes, enter the giveaway, and to get links to each Christmas in July Make Along projects available.
The Colbie Cowl stands out not only for its simplicity but also for its effectiveness in showcasing the beauty of chunky weight yarn. This pattern utilises a fun stitch that creates a lovely texture, allowing the yarn itself to shine. Whether you opt for a variegated yarn for a nuanced look or a solid colour for a bold statement piece, the Colbie Cowl adapts effortlessly to your yarn choice, making each creation unique and eye-catching.
One of the best features of the Colbie Cowl is its speed. Thanks to the chunky weight yarn and straightforward pattern, you can whip up this cowl in no time at all. It’s the perfect project for those moments when you need a quick handmade gift or simply want to indulge in a satisfying crochet session without a long-term commitment. Beginners will find the pattern approachable, while more seasoned crocheters will hopefully appreciate the opportunity to relax with a project that doesn’t require intense concentration.
Scroll down for the free version of this pattern but I’d recommend the purchase of the ad-free PDF Pattern if you’d like all the instructions and pictures in a nice document which you can print and take notes on without relying on your phone or an internet connection.
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match the gauge stated then your finished item will be a different size.
Finished size: 13 inches / [33 cm] wide x 6.5 inches / [16.5 cm] high
STITCH GUIDANCE:
Slip Stitch (sl st) Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Chain (ch): Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook.
Space (sp): The gap between stitches or chains.
Single Crochet (sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop [two loops on hook], yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
Back Loop Only (BLO): If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop, insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
PATTERN NOTES:
All ch(s) are counted in this pattern.
Ch 2 at the start of a rnd counts as dc.
Ch 1 at the start of a rnd does not count as a st
PATTERN:
Row 1: Ch24; in BLO, 1sc in the 2nd ch from hook, 1sc in each st across until end, turn (23 sts)
Row 2: Ch2, 1dc in 7sts, ch7, skip 7sts, 1dc in the last 8sts turn.
Row 3: Ch1, 1sc in the same st as the beginning ch1, 1sc in each st and ch across, turn
Rows 4 – 51: Repeat rows 2 to 3 for the pattern
Row 52: Repeat row 2; do not fasten off
MAKING UP THE COWL:
You should have created a long strip of fabric with a section that looks like a ladder;
When you’re ready to create the Jacobs Ladder stitch begin at the bottom row.
Twist the chain over itself so that the right side crosses over the left and closes the first stitch.
Next pull up the loop from row 2 and pull it through the loop creating the “chained” stitch in your ladder.
Continue moving up, row by row, until you have pulled each chain through the ladder.
Ch1; work 1sc in the next 7sts, sl st in the top of the chain of the ladder to secure, 1sc in the rem 8sts. Fasten off, but leave a long yarn tail for the seam.
FINISHING:
Line up both ends of the cowl and, with right side facing, whipstitch together. Weave in any rem ends.
And that’s it!
Whether you crochet one for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one, this pattern promises satisfaction and style in equal measure. If you enjoyed this pattern, you can view a list of my other free patterns here.
If you enjoyed this pattern please give it a love, or leave a comment or review on the platform you got it from – and I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make! And finally you may wish to make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links at no extra cost to you. This helps to cover the running cost of the website – thank you for your support.
Hello lovelies! Today, I’m thrilled to introduce you to the Foundry Fusion Shawl, a stunning project that combines the beauty of touchable textures with a harmonious blend of three colours.
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The Foundry Fusion Shawl is all about texture; by using a variety of stitches and techniques, this shawl achieves a rich, tactile quality that adds depth and interest. The magic of the Foundry Fusion Shawl lies in the combination of three metallic yarn tones. The choice in this case was easy as the lovely people over at Furls sent me some of their Furls Fibreart Wander Acrylic Yarn in Mist (Silver), Foundry (Iron) and Thatch (Copper).
Furls Fiberart Wander yarn is a 100% acrylic, worsted weight (Aran) yarn that comes in 100g balls. Each ball has approximately 120 yards/ 109m and has a lovely lustre about it and it’s also super soft to crochet with.
I was very lucky as the lovely folks at Furls also sent me the most gorgeous Streamline metal H/8 (5mm) hook to use on the project. I’ve got a few Furls hooks (wooden and resin) but this is my first time using the metal kind, I love the weight of it and I especially like these kind of hooks when working with thicker yarn weights.
You could of course use any three colours, but when selecting your colours, consider shades that complement each other and create a pleasing gradient or contrast. Or like me go for metallic tones that can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to your shawl, making it a versatile accessory for any occasion.
One of the best features of the Foundry Fusion Shawl is its speed to work up. Thanks to the worsted (aran) weight yarn and straightforward pattern, you can whip up a lovely big shawl, that’s like being wrapped in a warm hug, in no time. It’s the perfect project for those moments when you want to indulge in a satisfying mindfulness crochet session.
Beginners will hopefully find this pattern approachable, while more seasoned crocheters can appreciate the opportunity to relax with a project that doesn’t require intense concentration.
Scroll down for the free version of this pattern but I’d recommend the purchase of the ad-free PDF Pattern if you’d like all the instructions and pictures in a nice document which you can print and take notes on without relying on your phone or an internet connection.
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match the gauge stated then your finished item will be a different size.
Finished size: Wingspan 87.5 inches / 222 cm; width at widest point 46 inches / 124cm
STITCH GUIDANCE:
Slip Stitch (sl st) Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Chain (ch): Bring yarn over hook from back to front and grab it with hook. Draw hooked yarn through slip knot and onto hook.
Space (sp): The gap between stitches or chains.
Single Crochet (sc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop [two loops on hook], yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet (dc): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through two loops, yarn over, pull through remaining two loops on hook.
Back Loop Only (BLO): If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop, insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
Front post double crochet (FPdc): Yarn over, insert hook from front to back to front around post of st indicated (your hook should now be positioned horizontally at the back of the st that you’re working around), yarn over and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over pull through 2 loops (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through remaining loops on hook.
PATTERN NOTES:
Where a row starts with a ch3; the ch3 will count as the first dc stitch.
[ … ] Repeat section in square brackets until specified
PATTERN:
Row 1: With YARN A, ch 3, sl st to form a ring, then working into the ring, ch 3, 3 dc into the ring, ch 3, 4 dc into the ring, turn. (8 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 2: Ch 3, 1 dc in the same st, FPdc in the next 3 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, FPdc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the last st, turn. (14 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 3: Ch 3, 1 dc in the same st, BLO dc in each st across until the ch3-sp, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, BLO dc in each st across until the last st, 2dc in the last st, turn. (20 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 4: Ch 3, 1 dc in the same st, FPdc in the next 3 sts, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, FPdc in the next 3 sts, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into the ch3-sp of the previous row, FPdc in the next 3 sts, 1 dc in the next 3 sts, FPdc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the last st, turn. (26 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 5: Ch 3, 1 dc in the same st, BLO dc in each st across until the ch3-sp, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) in the ch3-sp of the previous row, BLO dc in each st across until the last st, 2dc in the last st, turn. (32 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Row 6: Ch 3, 1 dc in the same st, FPdc in the next 3 sts, [1 dc in the next 3 sts, FPdc in the next 3 sts] until the ch3-sp, (2 dc, ch 3, 2 dc) into the ch3-sp of the previous row, [FPdc in the next 3 sts, 1 dc in the next 3 sts] until the last 4 sts, FPdc in the next 3 sts, 2 dc in the last st, turn. (38 sts, 1 x ch3-sp)
Section of chart. Please note there are more stitches and rows than shown;
BLOCKING
The design of this shawl will benefit from being wet blocked;
Completely soak your item in cold water then gently squeeze (without wringing it) out some of the excess water.
Using your tape measure and pins carefully pin your item on your blocking board (a folded towel will also work).
Double check your measurements if necessary (e.g. check the height and width are correct)
Leave to dry completely over 24 hours, and then unpin.
And that’s it!
Whether you crochet one for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one, this pattern promises satisfaction and style in equal measure. If you enjoyed this pattern, you can view a list of my other free patterns here.
If you enjoyed this pattern please give it a love, or leave a comment or review on the platform you got it from – and I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make! And finally you may wish to make sure you are signed up to blog (below) and / or my mailing list to get a reminder when new blog posts, discounts or new pattern releases are available.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links at no extra cost to you. This helps to cover the running cost of the website – thank you for your support.
