Last year, I did a collection of free cross-stitch patterns – and everyone loved it! I think that’s one of the most viewed posts on the blog. So, as a holiday treat, I’m going to share ten more awesomely nerdy cross-stitch patterns that are completely free! Simply click on the image for your desired pattern, and it’ll take you to the pattern’s website.
A friend of mine (hi Ellie!) just got started crocheting, and asked me for a shawl pattern that was relatively simple for a beginner. I’ve been cranking out Corner to Corner blankets like nobody’s business for the past couple of months, and Ellie and I both figure that half of a Corner to Corner blanket would make a pretty awesome shawl. However, the pattern for the Corner to Corner blanket is written rather complicatedly, despite it being a simple pattern to work. So, here comes The Crafty Nerd’s first ever crochet pattern – even if it’s just a simplified writing of an existing pattern! And, of course, I’m including pictures.
Gah, my crocheting task lamp is way too bright for the whites in this yarn
Two awkward little squares
Squares, joined!
Our first full row!
Here’s the steps you’ll repeat until you get to the end of the row.
Here’s what you’ll come up with after one repeat…
…and after lots and lots and lots of repeats. (Granted, this is an entirely different project, but still the same corner-to-corner pattern!)
Once you get to the desired size, just fasten off your last stitch and you’re done!
If you learn better by watching, check out this video by Stitchinstacy on YouTube! She walks you through the process of doing the corner-to-corner stitch, but in more detail than the pictures I’ve got here.
If you work through this pattern and have questions, let me know in the comments! Or if there’s something that needs better explanation, let me know. I’ll happily rework this until it’s easy enough to understand for crocheters of all ages! (And if anyone wants me to break down the other half the blanket pattern… let me know!)
Earlier this week, I was wracking my brain, trying to find a good idea for a blog post. Should I write about yarn? Nah, too boring. Should I show off the blanket I just finished? Eh, also boring. It wasn’t until yesterday evening, when I was working on patching up a piece of a costume I’d ordered, when the idea flopped into my lap, almost literally.
I’d ordered a Star Trek: The Next Generation costume off Amazon (my costume crafting skills aren’t quite up to making Starfleet uniforms yet, sadly), and while the costume itself fit, and the rank pips were beautiful, the comm badge was… less than stellar. Granted, the picture above is after I’d started sanding it, but there were large chunks of paint that had flaked off and stuck to the costume package, which left a lot of big black spots where you can see the plastic. Being the crafty nerd that I am, I didn’t let the sorry state of the comm badge get me down. Instead, I grabbed some of my mini painting tools and set to work!
After sanding the loose paint off the badge, I took it outside and sprayed it with primer – the good stuff I use for my minis is possibly packed in a box somewhere, but I did manage to find some other primer in the garage, so I worked with what I could find.
Post-primer, it already looked lots better than it had when I’d gotten it, haha. I let it dry overnight, and then before my workshop this morning, I broke out the paints!
The paints I have are old, and a little lumpy, but they worked for what I needed them for. (I need to get a new set of paints one of these days…) I worked with some Chainmail Silver and Glorious Gold paints from my mini painting stash, and managed to get the badge all painted before I got to work! I primed it after I got home, and the results were pretty good.
It’s not super glossy like the replica Starfleet communication badges you can get from places like ThinkGeek, but considering the whole costume cost $35, my paint job got the job done. Ross has a comm badge lurking around somewhere, and if he can’t find it, I may splurge and get one of the fancy Voyager ones, even though it doesn’t match the TNG era uniform, since the main reason I got the costume is so I could dress up as my favorite captain…
Okay, so it’s a dress uniform, but close enough, right?
Granted, it’ll be Janeway in a TNG era uniform, but in order to get a proper Voyager uniform made for me, I’ve gotta spend $80 to order it from FanPlusFriend, the place I used to get my frilly Japanese gothic lolita clothes from, and I wanted something quick for Halloween. However, if I do end up going to Starbase Indy, I might splurge and get the more show accurate costume… Once I get some pictures of me in my costume (I’ve got to get my hair cut and freshly dyed first!), I’ll happily share them here! 😀
It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a Classy Crafting post – and I was particularly productive last semester when it came to crafts! I finished two shawls and started a third, and worked on a couple of other random projects that have ended up stuffed in my “in progress” pile in the basement… Here’s the crafts that I finished this semester, though, that I worked on during my spring classes!
I made this shawl as a birthday present for Ross’ mom, and draped it over Rarity (who was also part of the gift)! She absolutely loved it. I had a great time making the shawl – it was my first knitting project in a very long time, and my first project with sock yarn. The way the yarn striped as I worked on the pattern was awesome to see, too!
Pattern: Pretty Basic (Ravelry)
The idea for this shawl was born from a Knit Picks sampler pack of yarn I bought – I fell in love with the colors, and had been wanting to make this wrap for a while, and after some creative splitting up of the shawl so it could work with four colors instead of two, I got to crocheting. It ended up coming out beautifully, and the yarn is incredibly soft. I wore this with a matching dress to Ross’ mom’s wedding a few weeks ago, and got lots of compliments on it!
Pattern: Ocean Splash Wrap (Ravelry)
This one I didn’t end up finishing during class, but I did finish it up during finals week. This was the result of another pattern lingering in my Ravelry queue matching up with a Knit Picks sampler – and I think this is my most favorite project yet. While I wasn’t sure about the colors at first, I kept chugging through, and as it came together I fell more and more in love with it. I originally called it the Sunset Shawl, but then jokingly ended up calling it the Sunset Shimmer Shawl, due to it having a similar color scheme to the My Little Pony: Equestria Girls character of the same name…
… yeah, I do suppose I have to work some pony into everything I do, don’t I? 😀
Pattern: Perfectly Elegant Shawl (Ravelry)
I’ve got some more projects I’m working on, including some crafty nerdiness for my new car (yes, I’m finally learning how to drive) that I’ll show off when I’m done! 😀
I know. It’s been almost a month since I last posted. I swear, I’ve got good reasons for being quiet, though!
Kitties!
Like these girls, Sara (left) and Hannah (right). They’re Steve’s litter mates, and are apparently experiencing selective amnesia and forgetting they’re actually related to the little guy. Steve meows confusedly at them, and they want nothing to do with him right now. Eventually, they’ll all be a happy kitty family again, but for now, there’s a lot of hissing and hiding under couches. (Ross is at home right now, trying to lure Hannah out from under a loveseat at the moment…)
Steve approves of the blanket I’m crocheting.
And there’s been a lot of crafting, too. I keep finding craft projects to keep my hands occupied while I power through Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I’ve finished a couple of crocheting projects, and I’ve been working on some counted cross-stitch too. My biggest project is one I’m making for my friend Josie, a cross-stitch inspired by the wallpaper in Sherlock’s (of BBC fame) apartment, and it’s coming along really nicely. I think it might be the biggest cross-stitch project I’ve ever worked on – I think it’s going to be roughly 10 by 13 inches when it’s done.
Sketching up stuff for work.
I’ve also been incredibly busy with work, too. I’m about to start writing three workshops and two webinars, and on top of that I’ve been working on blog posts for work as well, and I just got assigned the title of ILS blogger too. All the stuff on my plate, work-wise, is making my head positively spin – but I wouldn’t change it for the world, as I absolutely love both of my jobs.
I’m going to make it a point to post something once a week from here on out. Or prod Ross to fill in for me when I’m super busy. After all, I do love my blog, and my readers, and I want to do my best to keep you all entertained! 🙂
I’ve been on such a huge cross-stitching kick lately. I tend to go through crafting phases, where I’ll be incredibly focused on doing one type of craft, and right now, I’m nose deep in DMC thread skeins and Aida cloth.
By alison.anne on Craftster. This is me right now.
I’ve even jumped into the world of making my own cross-stitch patterns. I’ve had some mixed results with that – some images just don’t translate well to a cross-stitch pattern. But some stuff I made has come out really, really well. And I thought to myself, “Why not put these out there for everyone?” Why not, indeed?
So, I resurrected my Etsy shop for the umpty-millionth time.
I’ve sold a wide variety of things in my Etsy shop, under a wide variety of names. It used to be called Bee’s Crafts, then Dreaming Pixels Crafts, and now it’s The Crafty Nerd’s Closet. I’ve sold punch embroidery pillows through there, and plain old boring pillows made with Sailor Moon fabric. I’ve tried to sell Doctor Who scarves out of my shop, with no success. I even tried selling the mess of scarves I’ve made through there – nobody seems to want homemade scarves, however. But I think I’ve stumbled on something people will actually want to buy.
I think.
I’ve currently got a bunch of My Little Pony patterns up, and one lone Sailor Moon pattern. I’ve got some scooters in there, too (I’m pretty sure my followers will recognize Mia and Scooterlou, haha), and a couple of little finished objects too. So far I’ve sold one pattern. I may have very excitedly started creating more patterns once that first one sold – someone actually wanted to make something with my Crescent Moon Wand themed pattern that I put together at 6 am one day before I went to work (and ended up getting in late because I was flailing about, trying to finish the pattern).
One of the awesome things – and potentially bad things – about Etsy: finding more things to make. Sure, you can find all sorts of “vintage” things there, and handmade objects for your every need, but finding patterns, stuff to help you make things yourself, now that is what I’m excited about. I may have found six or seven little cross-stitch patterns that I want to make that are all coffee themed. At this point, I’ll likely end up covering every wall in cross-stitch projects. And I have no problem with that whatsoever.
Oh, Etsy, I get the feeling this is going to turn into something resembling my relationship with Pinterest – I visit you for what I think will be two or three minutes, and then hours later I’ve found nine things I want to do and am still sitting in front of the computer in my Rainbow Dash bathrobe, needing to leave for work in ten minutes, heheh.
Go check out my shop – if you’re a fan of The Crafty Nerd on Facebook, you’ll find a code for 15% off any order. (And if you’re not a fan on Facebook, well, what are you waiting for? 😛 )
I mean, come on, how can you say no to that face?
Wow! My last post, about ten free nerdy cross-stitch patterns, was a huge hit – over 300 hits in two days! I take it that everyone’s looking for some new nerdy projects to keep themselves occupied with, so for my knitting fans, here’s ten awesome nerdy knitting projects – that are all free, of course!
TARDIS Socks (to go with the scarf!)
Double Knit One Ring Scarf (the one scarf to rule them all?)
I hope that all you knitters out there find something awesome to keep your hands busy from this list of free patterns! Next up is going to be a whole stash of free crochet projects – so stay tuned! Oh, and here’s a handy image for those of you using Pinterest to help keep track of all your crafty to-do lists:
Well, it’s wintertime, and for a lot of people, that means some extra time to work on craft projects! (Especially me, with the break between semesters.) And there’s nothing better than finding free craft patterns to do – so I’ve got a collection of 10 awesome, nerdy, and free cross-stitch patterns!
I hope you found something here to keep you busy! Also, I’m working on getting my stuff on Pinterest more, so for those of you who love pinning awesome things, here – have a Pinterest-friendly image to keep track of all these goodies with! (Featuring a finished Rainbow Dash heart pattern that I just finished stitching yesterday!) And for more craft ideas, check out my board Crafts I Need To Do!
“Hey, Beth! You seem to have fallen of the face of the Earth entirely! What the heck happened?”
Yes, I’m sure that’s exactly what you’re asking right now. Yes. So I’ll tell you what I’ve been up to, in glorious picture format!
Sleeping kitty = such cute
Taking pictures of sleeping cats! Because kitties are cute, and I now have one living with me. His name is Steve. He likes to watch Battlestar Galactica, enjoys kicking the carpets in the bathroom around, and his favorite pony is Pinkie Pie.
WE ARE IN THE FUTURE
Playing with my new smartwatch. Bryan says it’s a fad, they won’t last, but honestly? I love it. I partially justified the purchase by saying that it’s research for when I re-write an old NaNoWriMo novel for this year’s NaNoWriMo. Since it’s set in the future, I gave the characters wrist communicators, and, well, HERE IT IS ON MY WRIST RIGHT NOW. Granted, it needs a cellphone to work with, but we’re getting closer!
Getting a jump start on Christmas crafting!
Punch embroidering, because I haven’t done it in years. I’m making a couple of Christmas stockings, and then I might see if anyone wants to commission me for anything, because gosh do I enjoy doing this and I forgot how fun it is. Plus, it’s getting harder and harder to find punch embroidery stuff (apparently the place I shop from online is now the ONLY online store selling punch embroidery supplies!), and I may as well do it while I can, right?
I love Digital Libraries.
Doing homework. And yes, my most recent bit of homework involved reviewing an online digital archive of comic book art. Have I mentioned how much I love library and information science? Because I do. I really do. 😀 My next bit of homework, for Representation & Organization, involves writing a script of how a typical grocery shopping trip goes, and then comparing it with the actual process of shopping in order to spark discussion about mental models and how they match up to the actual process or task that one is trying to complete.
On the banks of Racquette River, with its banks of blue, stands our honored Potsdam College, stirring sight to view…
Drinking lots of coffee and feeling rather homesick. This is the time of year I really miss Potsdam – even though the stupid lack of sunlight and the near-constant dreary grayness made my seasonal affective disorder crap way worse than it needed to be… I miss the trees changing color, the nights getting downright chilly, and the hint of winter in the air, even in September…
Yes, this is pretty much a tiny Chun-Li.
Getting minis ready for painting! It’s been entirely too humid out to prime minis, but that doesn’t stop me from scraping off the extra plastic bits and filing the rough spots down so I can prime and paint when the weather is good.
And that’s what I’ve been up to, in illustrated form! Now that I’ve settled in for the semester, posts will occur more regularly, and I do have some exciting things in the works! Have an idea for a topic you want to see on the site? Leave a comment on this post, and chances are, I’ll cover it. 🙂 I’m always looking for new crafty and nerdy things to talk about.
Four more days until I move! Oh, you have no idea how happy this makes me. Not only will I not be limited to wearing whatever clothes I didn’t shove into vacuum sealed bags and toss into the treacherous cave that is the storage unit, I will also have access to ALL my crafting stuff. Not just one crochet hook and a blanket that’s too warm to sit under while I crochet it. And there are a number of things I want to be making…
Amigurumi Toothless – yes, I want to make another one of these little guys. The one in the picture here, I ended up giving away to a friend – and they’re so quick to make, too, so why not make another one? (or six, or eleven, why not a whole tiny Toothless army?)
The Modern Poncho – It’s no surprise that I have a fondness addiction to making shawls and ponchos. And I think this one would look very lovely in a nice warm shade of brown or combo of browns and reds. It’s a good thing I’m moving closer to my favorite yarn shop…
I’d really like to finish the third Fourth Doctor scarf I’m working on – I’ve got less than a third of the scarf to go, and I was hoping it’d be done in time for GenCon this year, but no luck. Plus, the only part of my Fourth Doctor costume I can locate at the moment is the coat… so unless I can magically find all the other parts in the week before GenCon as I unpack, no Fourth Doctor for me this year… :/
Crocheted Scooter – In seafoam, naturally. Or I could make four of them – red, blue, seafoam, and red/cream, one for me and each of my housemates… And having at least one of these would be pretty cool, considering the theme for the living room in the new place is going to be scooters…
I’m going to be busy after I unpack, haha.
