Posted on 30-10-2020 by Elianne van Steenis
Challenge yourself this season with a new winter project! While snowflakes drift down outside your window, you can relax under a soft blanket or in front of a warm fireplace with your handcraft work on your lap. Add a steaming cup of tea or coffee and you’re all set to start. Let us inspire you with our top 10 winter projects.
Top 10 winter projects to keep you busy and warm
1. Knit or crochet a warm hat and scarf or cowl
How could we start this list of winter projects with anything but these classic warm accessories for the whole family? A lovely crocheted or knitting winter hat paired with a cozy scarf or cowl. And the best part? Once your project is complete, it’s the perfect season to enjoy them right away. Check out the knitting pattern for this super chunky hat and cowl set. For crocheters, there’s this chic matching scarf and hat pattern. Treat the rest of the family with this kid’s hat and baby hat.
2. The ultimate home décor
Give you home a makeover this winter! What would you say to a Scandinavian look? Light colors, natural materials, clean lines… Come home to an oasis of tranquility. If raw and robust is more your thing, go for our industrial-style inspired home décor kit. We also have a number of other styles on offer: Farmhouse, Vintage and Bohemian. The kit comes with a woven basket and all the yarn and accessories you need to make: a bobble cushion cover | bottle cover | plant hanger | dream-catcher wall hanging | decoration for the woven basket. Psst… We’ve recently made all the projects from our Home-Deco crochet kit available separately as individual kits or downloadable patterns. So, mix and match to your heart’s content!
3. Discover the world of amigurumi
Boredom is out of the question, for both you and the lucky kids in your life! From pirates and kittens to unicorns and mermaids, these cuddly creatures are a real pleasure to crochet and make great Christmas gifts. Bring your soft toys to life with a sweet little nose or pair of eyes. The best way to make sure you have all the components you need to make your amigurumi is by shopping a complete kit. What would you say to a cute kitty or this funky bird multi-sensory toy for the youngest toy-lovers? Browse all our amigurumi patterns and kits to find the perfect gift.
4. Going Green
Sustainability is a much discussed and hugely important topic. Recent events around the globe have been hammering home the message that we need to take urgent action to protect our world. What if we could save our planet simply by doing what we love, crocheting? How cool would that be? And yes, you’ve guessed it, we can! Say hello to the crochet projects in Yarn and Colors’ latest Lookbook #10 Going Green. Crochet reusable make-up pads, a cotton shower pouf, a foldable market bag and cheerful colored cleaning cloths. The earth thanks you!
5. Crochet yourself a festive December
‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’… Have you been counting down the days till Christmas since… last Christmas? Well, it’s never too early to start a Christmas project. In fact, now is the perfect time to start if you want to avoid the holiday rush. A super fun, festive project is our Advent CALender from last year. Crochet 24 sweet little Christmas tree ornaments to decorate your tree or gift to friends and families. They would make great end-of-term presents for teachers too. Find the free patterns on the blog. Or crochet yourself (or your grandkids!) a nativity scene that the whole family can enjoy playing with.
6. Dream Blankets
Yarnplaza had a dream… to design a large, soft, beautiful throw blanket made using the most beautiful stitches. A blanket that everyone could crochet and/or knit together in a CAL / KAL (crochet-along / knit-along). And this dream came true, and not just once! Following the success of Dream Blankets 1.0 and 2.0 on our Dutch sister-website, Wolplein, Yarnplaza launched the English patterns for Dream Blanket 3.0 and Dream Blanket 4.0. We even put something special together for our littlest fans: The Baby Dream Blankets 2.0 and 3.0! So, make all your dreams come true and make one of these special blankets for your home. All the Dream Blankets are different from each other and incorporate a stunning range of stitches and techniques that are all clearly explained in the patterns and accompanying video tutorials. The Dream Blankets are all crochet blankets, but by popular demand, Dream Blanket 4.0 also comes in a knitted version.
7. Knit or crochet the cushion of your dreams
From bobbles and tassels to color blocking and stripes, you’re sure to find the perfect cushion for your favorite armchair at Yarnplaza.com. We love the sleek, minimalist designs from Yarn and Colors that add just the right touch of color or texture to transform your living space. Why not be daring and go for a round cushion instead of the more usual square shape? Or mix and match to your heart’s content. Many of the Yarn and Colors cushions are available as complete kits that have all you need to make your project. But if you’d rather pick your own colors to match your home’s color scheme, then shop the patterns and yarn separately. The sky’s the limit thanks to Yarn and Colors’ phenomenal range of colors to choose from. Explore them all here.
8. Hello, fashionistas: knit your winter must-have!
The long evenings spent indoors are the perfect time to update your wardrobe with the most stylish and coziest knitwear. Whether it’s your first time or you’re an experienced garment knitter, we have something for everyone. Check out the latest designs fresh from the catwalk, all using the softest, warmest yarn. Think oversized, bishop sleeves, earthy tones and cropped, all hot trends for Fall/Winter 2020-21. A top tip is our exclusive Ingenua Moda mohair cardigan. This simple oversized design uses the playful, variegated mohair yarn, Katia Ingenua Moda, making it super soft, light and snuggly. You’ll want to live in it all season long! It’s also very easy to knit, making it the perfect launchpad into the world of knitwear. Find the complete knitting kit here or shop the downloadable knitting pattern separately. For tips on working with mohair yarn, read our recent post all about this fabulous fiber here.
9. Crochet and knit a warm hug for your little one
Knit and crochet the cutest baby clothes and accessories yourself! Not only will these winter projects give you many hours of handcrafting pleasure, but the results will keep your little one warm all winter long. We’ve selected 3 kits that will make every (grand)mother and baby very happy! Finalist of the Dutch HaakSTER (Crochet-Star) competition, Eline Ermstrang, designed a trendy baby blanket using the soft yarn, Yarn and Colors Baby Fabulous. A real showpiece for any nursery, crib or stroller. For the ultimate snuggle experience, go for this swaddle blanket designed for us by Annemarie Arts and crocheted using the fluffy teddy yarn, Yarn and Colors Furry. Ideal for bundling your little one up after a bath or at baby check-ups. And then something for the knitters: this sweetest of baby sweaters with beautiful colorwork, the Hanna Sweater, designed by Justine (@neissa_knit) in collaboration with Yarn and Colors.
10. Discover punch needle embroidery
If ‘learn a new craft technique’ was on your resolution list for this year, there’s still time to tick it off! Why not have a go at punch needle embroidery? This embroidery technique has been around for a very long time but is experiencing a resurgence in popularity. And why not? It’s a lot of fun to do and you can use this technique to quickly and easily create stunning works of art. From wall hangings to cushion covers, and even soft toys. To help get you started, we’ve put together all you need to know about how punch needle embroidery works and what you need here on the blog, as well as how to choose the best punch needle yarn here. For the funkiest punch needle patterns, browse Rico Design’s series of Punch Needle booklets here and the kits we’ve put together for our favorite designs here.
Bring on winter! You’ll be nice and warm with all these wonderful handcrafting projects. Don’t forget to share your winter projects with us on Facebook or via Instagram with #yarnplaza to inspire us and others.
