Cathy, Author at City Farmhouse Studio

December 4, 2019October 30, 2024

Women’s Knit Lace Rhapsody Cardigan

I wear a lot of cardigans. Pretty much, if you see me “dressed” up then I have some sort of cardigan on. Being a jeans and t-shirt kind of gal, a cardigan is a way I have found to wear what I’m comfortable in and still look like a grown up.

Also, if you ever see me in a dress chances are I’m also wearing a cardigan. Since a majority of the dresses I own are sleeveless; a cardigan has been a necessity for me not to freeze during any occasion – except for outdoor weddings in the summer. Don’t ask me why I own sleeveless dresses if I’m always cold, maybe it is just a way for me to wear a cardigan.

This pattern came about from two cardigans I own that I liked different aspects of each, and the need to make one for a new sleeveless dress I’m wearing for events during this upcoming holiday season.

October 16, 2019October 30, 2024

Women’s Crochet Vacation Shoes

Every summer my husband and I take our 4 kids on week long family vacation. We always stay a few days with family, and then a few days being tourists in different cities. This year I wanted a pair of shoes that were comfortable to walk in through all the tourist site-seeing, but something that also was cute. I wanted something different than my usual running shoes.

I went shopping at different stores and quickly found out that the type of shoe I wanted either cost way more than I wanted to spend, or if they were around the price I wanted then they were by no means comfortable since there was barely anything to them.

From previously seeing that there were shoe patterns crocheted on flip flops for bases I figured I could make me a pair to be what I wanted for vacation. Luckily Dollar Tree had a large inventory of flip flops for $1, I had some Lion Brand 24/7 Cotton in my stash; so with little investment I was ready to try making me a pair of shoes.

September 26, 2019October 30, 2024

Jewel’s Crochet Flower Blanket

Earlier this month I posted Jewel’s Flower Motif pattern. The motif came out so well that ideas for other items kept coming to me. Living in Michigan we always need lap blankets, and I can never have enough. So, I started making more of these oh-so-sweet flower motifs.

Once I had 7 made I joined them together and created a boarder around them that would mimic the petals to tie it all together. The result is a dimensional and graphic blanket that measures 37″ x 38.” I was quite surprised that having the single motif be designed for a child’s toy blanket for her cat; the panels all together have nothing childish about it. Don’t get me wrong, our kids and cats still love it – just so do the grown ups.

September 9, 2019February 15, 2024

Jewel’s Crochet Flower Motif Pattern

If you follow me on Instagram you have probably seen or read about my cat, Darla. Darla is 16 years old, crabby, and my cat by her choice. The kids have always wanted to hold her, cuddle her, baby her, sleep with her, and just plain love her. Unfortunately, Darla doesn’t want any of it from them. Just from me and my mom, and a little from my husband if food is involved. Everyone else gets grunts or hisses before she runs off.

So, this spring we decided to adopt two kittens, one for each of the girls to have their own cat to spoil. We welcomed into our house a white girl kitty named Jewel, and a brown boy that was quickly named Donut. They have been perfect additions to our family.

July 26, 2019September 17, 2023

Crochet Quick Gift Scrubby

Can you believe it is 5 months until Christmas!!! With the heat wave that many of us in the US have been going through, it is hard to start thinking about Christmas being less than half a year away.

At Christmas I usually have the great idea to make handmade gifts for many people on our Christmas list, but then time runs out on me. It is the weekend before Christmas and only half of my gift list is filled. Not this year! A friend has been doing a Christmas in July Make-A-Long with other designers. 31 days of free Christmas gift patterns that will be shared this month will make my list of names for a gift for be completed earlier this year.

May 13, 2019October 30, 2024

Women’s Knit Play Day Cardigan

Free hand and machine knitting pattern Women's Play Day Cardigan by www.CityFarmhouseStudio.com

After making the Child’s Play Day Cardigan and seeing how nice it was for them to wear it going out to play, but also how well it worked to be layered when we were going someplace nice I thought it would make a great cardigan for a woman. Don’t we also want things that are versatile to wear in different situations, from going to get groceries to dressing up for work or church? Don’t we also want something that looks tailored and well fitting but comfortable at the same time?

March 29, 2019October 30, 2024

Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag Crochet Pattern

As you all know from the Journey Bag post, I love bags. While I was making the Journey Bag the concept for this bag came to mind. I kept thinking about it, and found myself lying in bed at night thinking about how it would go together. It was then I knew it had to be made so that I could get sleep without dreaming of bags.

So, now Mama’s Got a Brand New Bag. While the bag looks like it is complicated to make since it is triangular, it really is just a rectangle that is folded on itself and strategically sewn in just 2 places. While crocheting around the edges you connect the top two points to make the strap, and the bag is complete.

March 6, 2019October 30, 2024

Knit Play Day Child’s Cardigan Pattern

Knit Play Day Cardigan free pattern by www.CityFarmhouseStudio.com

This pattern has been a long one in the making. Last winter I first made this cardigan for our oldest daughter, the red head. She wore it all winter and into spring, and the blonde daughter became jealous. So, a cardigan for blondie was added to my project list.

For blondie’s cardigan I used Premier Serenity sock yarn in soft white. Just like red’s, the front panel is in a textured stitch that is created by slipping every other stitch for two rows and having the yarn go over the stitch. On the third row the stitch with the two yarn overs are knit as one, and the stitch that had been previously worked is slipped with the yarn going over it. It is a brioche stitch for hand knitters, and called a tuck stitch in machine knitting. It sounds complicated, but is easy to do. It also is easy to read your work once you realize what the pattern looks like on the needles. The only down side is that it takes more rows and yarn to get the length you need. The upside, since you are really only working every other stitch it goes quicker than you think.