Free Pattern Fridays - 'Golden Compass' Lyra's Hat and Coat Patterns for FREE!

'The Golden Compass' Lyra Belaqua's Red Coat Knitting Pattern - FREE

The moment I saw Lyra Belacqua's coat and the cool knitted beanie she had on, along with the gorgeous fingerless mittens in a scene from the fantasy-themed flick 'The Golden Compass', I fell in love!

Isn't it pretty?
And the beanie looks so warm and snuggly!

This luscious coat was a thing of beauty - so pretty and so comfy-looking.

According to this popular movie's costume designer, Ruth Myers, the scarlet hued coat was actually created utilizing multiple strips of coloured fabric pieces and pieces of twine.

Twine in clothing? Hmmm....a tad weird I say.

Anywho, since I am well-aware of my knitting and crochet prowess levels, and as much as I'd like to claim that I am the unrivalled Queen of all things knitty and hooky, sadly, I'm not. 

So I pulled up Google and searched for "Golden Compass Lyra's coat and hat free patterns" and I came upon this sweet lady's blog who does AMAZING stuff with a pair of needles! (Check out this beautiful summery-looking green cardigan.)

Now she can be a knitty queen any day - and I'm so not exaggerating! Take a look at her recreation of Lyra's red coat and you will fall in love (or go green with envy) like I did.

I think it's even better than the one from the movie!

Check out the complete free pattern with very detailed instructions and more pictures at Ravelry right here.

And to make Lyra's lovely red knitted coat, you can get yourself the complete knitting kit from this website. They offer you three different sizes of kits with enough yarn to knit up a warm coat for yourself, or perhaps as a gift for someone you adore?

'The Golden Compass' Lyra Belaqua's Hat Knitting Pattern - 3 Cool FREE Patterns

Free Lyra Hat Knitting Pattern #1 - Flickr is loaded with images of Lyra hat lookalikes.

I specially adore this little girl in her pink Lyra Belaqua beanie - so cute! The pattern is available as a free download here, so go check it out.



A Plush-Looking Hat Pattern - This lady has knitted up a cool 'The Golden Compass' hat too but she calls it Lyra's Hood (I do not believe it is free at the time of writing this post.) Her hat has a much thicker and bigger curled stockinette stitch edging which looks SO warm that I just had to include it here!

Need some awesome-sauce yarn for a Lyra hat? Say no more and click here for a dazzling variety of colors! 

Free Lyra Hat Knitting Pattern #2 - For a SUPER Easy free Lyra hat knitting pattern that is totally idiot-proof, check out Sarah's site. Yes, it is the same sassy knitter who has given us the yummy-looking coat pattern. She has a very convenient FREE download available in a PDF format. No sign-in required!

Save it to your gadgets and pull it up when you start knitting.



Free Lyra Hat Knitting Pattern #3 - MY WAY - Sort of!


While searching for free patterns online for this super snuggly hat, I came across a forum post where a fellow knitter talked about making this darlin' Lyra hat. And I too had the exact same idea for making it this way! (How cool am I? *Grinning*)



Here you go:


1. Grab your favorite balls of yarn and your super duper favorite circular knitting needles to make the hat.

This beautiful raspberry yarn combined with these FANTASTIC lightweight circular needles will make an INCREDIBLY soft hat!.

2. Measure the child or adult you're making the hat for from one ear end to another as you will be knitting one big rectangular piece.


3. Cast on the requisite number of stitches based on the head size you just measured.


For instance, for my lil guy, I will cast on 75 stitches on a 16-inch circular cord to get a snug fit. For always getting accurate results for baby hats, check out this link. It has an easy formula for calculating the exact number of stitches necessary to make a proper fitting baby hat AND 3 free easy-peasy knitting patterns for making super cute baby hats!


4. Start knitting in stockinette stitch and continue till the hat is big enough to cover the ears nicely.


The forum post knitter suggested some short rows in the center, along with reverse stockinette stitch decrease to make it more roomy, but I'm good with the simple style here.

Knitting should be easy, effortless and fun wherever possible, but that's just me.

If you prefer short rows and decreases, go right ahead and knit it up!


5. Now for the tie-ups, make i-cords (I love this spool from Boye for creating really soft i-cords, as it's just so much more fun than knitting them, don't ya think?) and stitch them onto the ends.


6. Hook-ers can crochet foundations chains along with one row of single crochet or half double crochet (depending on how thick you want your tie-ups to be) and then stitch them onto both ends of the hat.


Another option is making braids for the tie-ups. This will look really cute on kids.


That's it! You're done!

Pat yourself on the back for a hat well made. :)

Materials You Require for Knitting Your Super Snazzy Lyra Hat:

1. Balls of Gorgeous Yarn

Click Here for Pricing Details and More Variegated Colors Options

2. A Pair of Sexy Smooth Circular Knitting Needles

Click Here for Pricing and Reviews

3. A Super Cute French Knitting Spool

Click Here for Pricing and Pictures of Fabulous Jewelry You Can Make with This Spool

Velvety Smooth, Extra Large Wooden Circular Knitting Needles Set of 3 Gift for Knitting Lovers

(Click Here for More Info)

Super smooth, extra thick wooden circular knitting needles set that are a delight to knit with for hours on end! 

THICKNESS: 15 mm, 20 mm & 50 mm 

These velvety smooth, extra large wooden circular knitting needles set of 3 gift for knitting lovers is a wonderful present idea for us knitaholics (yes, I made that term up!).

You have 3 long-lasting needles that are specially fabulous for all knitters with wrist issues and bad hands, as they are really light-weight and silky smooth. The wood has a slight sheen to it and the cords are nicely bendy and flexible, without getting any annoying kinks or twists in them that make storing them a pain.

Plus, they hold all the weight of a super bulky knitting project like a chunky afghan without causing you any discomfort or giving you a backache.

Easy-to-hold extra-long and thick knitting needles for super fast knitting

All you chunky yarn lovers and bulky wool fanatics can rejoice as these jumbo needles can be yours for a very affordable price as you get 3 different sizes for the cost of just one!


US Sizes - 19, 35 and 50

UK Sizes or Metric Conversions - 15 mm, 20 mm and 50 mm respectively



The one thing I truly love about these polished wood needles is that they are perfect for a super fast knitting project.

Sometimes I just don't want to spend ages knitting a blanket and I wish for a speedy result. Or there have been occasions when a birthday or a special day (like Mother's day or an anniversary) has just popped up and I am left scrambling to gather a present or two.

Chunky fiber knitting on giant wooden needles has been a God-send at those frantic moments as I dive in with a scrumptious ball or two of bulky yarn (like this sweet pale green one here) and a size 19 (15 mm) wood circulars to make a beautiful gift for that special person.

Isn't this colorful quick knit bag pretty?

Whether you are a novice knitting enthusiast or an old hand at it, you'll cherish these and find much use for them.

Besides the renowned Mehousa brand to contend with, you can be rest assured that you are getting your money's worth, even if it is at a much lower price than what you'd pay for one pair of premium needles, as there is a 100% money back guarantee that comes with this wooden knit set at Amazon.

So, if you're gifting them to a knitting lover you know, you can always get your moolah back if it isn't to their liking.

You will also get a very handy needle storage travel case that has 15 spacious compartments for all sorts of knitting accessories - love that!

And it's so good for traveling!

Cool Gift Idea - Convert it into a sweet little Knitting Kit!

Here is a fun way to make your gift even more ah-mazing - combine this giant wooden needles set with this super chunky yarn in a luscious oatmeal shade and make it a complete knitting kit!

You could even add a little gift tag mentioning that this yarn goes with size 50 knitting needles (to help them out).

And to make your gift basket for knitting lovers even more special, you can put in a printout of a free easy chunky yarn knitting pattern.

Here is a link to a GORGEOUS quick knit chunky throw  - perfect for beginner knitters and/or advanced ones.

Don't you think that snuggly throw is simply perfect for curling up with a book, or just curling up 'coz it's sooooo comfy?

And I know *just* the yarn that will make it so much more prettier!

This lovely sparkly pink yarn paired with the size 19 wooden circular needles from your set of 3 would knit up that throw in no time at all.

That is why I LOVE fast knits! 

And using super thick circulars gets the job done so much faster as the bulk of the weight rests on the cord, while your hands do all the fun stuff.

You can knit back and forth on a circular pair, without joining the ends to knit in the straight - I do it all the time!

In fact, I have personally experienced it that knitting with the same yarn on a set of straight needles is quite a bit more slower than knitting with the same on a circular set of wooden needles.

Easy-to-hold, very-easy-to-use, compact and quite durable - these wooden needles are every knitter's pride. From thick scarves to bulky blankets, you can knit up anything fast and it will look beautiful as chunky yarn always does.

If fast knitting is your thing, then you definitely need these!

If not, then why not?!

Chunky knitting is a whole different ballgame from regular knitting as it usually involves the very basic of stitches, but it always ends up creating something beautiful and special, with minimal fuss.

Check out this smooth-looking set of 3 large wooden circulars right here.

5 CROCHET Mistakes That Ruin Your Yarn Game (And How to FIX Them for Good!)

I simply LOVE crocheting.

It was actually a very rewarding surprise when I discovered how fun and creatively satisfying crochet really is.

You see, I was a knitter through and through. And I used to think knitting holds the keys to all the problems in the world. (At least for me it did.)

But the moment I got the hang of hooking, I realized how much fun I had been missing all this time!

Don't you think there is a certain joy in just grabbing your favourite hook (we all have our favourites, right?) and a delicious ball of yarn and just letting our fingers work their way into something soft, luscious and incredibly beautiful?

But with great crocheting skills comes great responsibility. (I just murdered the Spiderman quote. Sorry!)

Also what comes along are some pretty frustrating crochet mistakes that all of us are guilty of making at one point or another.

But the cool thing is, unlike knitting, crochet mistakes aren't the end-all of everything, as you just have ONE loop to fix with or to unravel; unlike knitting where we tearfully pull apart a million stitches to fix that one mistake twenty rows below.

So, here are 5 of the most annoying or common mistakes that all crocheters make, whether you've just begun hooking, or are a lifelong crocheter.

Crochet Mistake #1 - Skipping Gauge and/or Pattern Reading

These two are my biggest pet peeves in crochet. I find gauge a completely unnecessary nuisance that takes away from the joy of hooking.

And I have very similar thoughts on reading and understanding crochet patterns too.

But regardless of what *I* think, both steps are pertinent to creating something wonderful which looks as well as feels right too.

Imagine crocheting a lovely grey sweater for a two-year-old toddler without checking the gauge first and ending up with a shapeless bag that is two sizes too big for him, or a tight-fitting corset lookalike that makes him wanna cry. 

I exaggerate, but you get my point.

Isn't this just adorable?

Patterns can be a sneaky thing at times as they pretend to be all easy-peasy, but have cool tricks and handy hints hidden between row 7 and row 43 of the baby sweater you're crocheting, or right below paragraph 7 of that black tunic you're hooking up for a special occasion.

You WILL end up missing these game-changing tips if you're like me and skip-read any pattern you come across.

Not a good idea - trust me!

So if you desire for some crochet awesomeness - always read gauge and double read your patterns!

Fix-It Tip - Make gauge my way. It's what I call a 'triple 5 gauge checker' - cool name, right? ;)

All you have to do is make a square that has 5 stitches and is 5 inches tall and 5 inches wide. 

Super easy and takes about a couple minutes to make and check your gauge.

Crochet Mistake #2 - Living Dangerously by using the Yarn and Hook of Your Choice

Are you using the right yarn and hook combo?

Like I mentioned above, I LOVE crocheting with my favourite hook. It is metallic blue, kind of heavy-ish, super smooth, cool to the touch and a delight to crochet with!

It is also a size 8 or an H hook - which is not a bad thing if I want to use a sort of thickish yarn with it and maybe, make a snuggly scarf or a gorgeous afghan with a lovely variegated yarn like this one.

But imagine hooking up a baby cocoon with this type of yarn and my size 8 hook. (The lovely dark pink 8.0 mm hook in the image below is just like my blue one. I don't know exactly where my hook is from as my hubby gave it to me as a part of a crochet set present a couple months before we got married. Sweet, right?! :))

The results will be far from what you were hoping to get using the wrong combo of hook and yarn - been there, done that!

Of course, there are some wonderful free crochet patterns that have a do-what-you-like factor where you just close your eyes, and blindly grab a hook and a ball of yarn and start hooking!

But that's a topic for another fun post. ;)

Crochet Mistake #3 - Miscalculating or Miscounting Stitches

This one is a fun crochet mistake to make. 

You happily count the stitches in your new project and after a few rows are done, you observe that they've somehow increased in number (darn those gremlins!) or maybe decreased in them. 

Either way, your work looks wonky and you feel blue.

Or maybe you are like me and you say to yourself, 'Hey, I will count 'em after row 11. Till then, I'm good.'

You're so not!

This mistake typically occurs with projects that have really long rows, like a blanket, an afghan or a scarf crocheted vertically, for more experienced crocheters.

Beginner crochet enthusiasts can have unintentional and unwanted shorter or longer rows in about any project they put their hands to! 

But all is not lost.

Fix-It Tip - You do NOT have to count every single stitch after doing each and every row. This nightmarish scenario can be avoided by using a variety of stitch markers to help you out.

Need some pretty ones? Look here 'coz I love these!

In a cinch, anything could work as a stitch marker - from a piece of a leftover yarn tail to a safety pin or even a paper clip.

But, why wouldn't you buy a few when they look so cute, are super cheap and come in so many bright colors?

Crochet Mistake #4 - The Shiny Pattern Syndrome

Ever since I began knitting, and more recently crocheting, I have been lusting after one pattern or another. 

I actually HOARD them on my hard drive - there are books on every imaginable aspect of hooking (from beginner crochet guides to t-shirt yarn crocheting and more), along with ginormous knitting guides and free patterns of all kinds!

Here's a tiny example:

Need an amazing crochet scarf pattern for men? Check.

Feel like hooking a super easy baby blanket with stripes? Check.

Want a ruffled yarn scarf pattern for beginners? Check.

I could go on and on but you see where I'm heading with this, right?

The shiny pattern syndrome strikes all crocheters (and even knitters) at one point or another. You see a pattern. You fall in love and you buy the most perfect yarn to go with it. You excitedly begin a brand new project.

But three days later, you see another super awesome crochet pattern that just demands to be hooked right away! You save that as well and think of excuses for abandoning the other project.

Happens to the best of us.

Fix-It Tip - Don't give up even for a day! The important thing is to be hooking continuously - even if you do it for 5 minutes at night right before you drop off to sleep. This has helped me finish so many crochet projects that I might never have if I had given in to my new-pattern-lusting urges!

Crochet Mistake #5 - The Emotional Mistake You Make when Crocheting

Crochet is a fun art. It helps you unwind and relax after a long day. It gets rid of messy thoughts and leaves you feeling a bit more content with life in general.

So, overthinking your projects, getting frustrated with common crochet mistakes made by you and trying to be the best crocheter on the planet in one go just wouldn't do.

You might end up hating hooking, or stop seeing it as a super fun, leisure activity that can give you loads of pleasure if you let it.

So, pick up a ball of yarn that YOU love, grab a crochet hook that makes you smile and simply crochet to your heart's content!

There is NO other way of doing it. 

Perfection can come later....or maybe not at all.

WHO cares?! 

For me, good enough is good enough.

Unbreakable GORGEOUS Handmade Wooden Yarn Bowl Gift for Knitters and Crocheters

If there is a yarn obsessed person in your life, no matter what age or gender, or the level of their knitting/crochet prowess, grab this unbreakable, gorgeous handmade wooden yarn bowl gift for knitters and crocheters and present it to them to make any occasion super special.

They will love it so much they might decide to put you in their will. Worth a try, I say. ;)

We knitting nuts and crochet addicts are so used to buying tons of delicious looking yarn  that we never give a thought to other crochet and knitting must-haves that make life so much more convenient and our craft so much more comfortable and satisfying.

 For instance, take this elegant looking yarn holder which has been designed by hand and looks literally like a work of art.

Imagine this lovely little thing lying there on a coffee table, looking super adorable, with a ball of a vibrant shade of yarn in it.

I have lost count of the number of times my yarn has gotten tangled badly during a slightly complicated project, and I am sitting there wasting minutes of my life, untangling it and getting more and more frustrated when it refuses to do so!

A yarn storage bowl would have been a God-send in those days.

So, if you have any doubts about giving this as a sweet little gift to the special crochet lover or knitting fan in your life, just trust me on this and go for it.

It even comes with a cute little gift bag which makes it super portable for carrying your work anywhere!

If you want to see some more pretty fiber storing bowls before making the final choice, here are 7 great choices that are all unique and wonderful in their own ways:

1. Distressed Design BEAUTIFUL Ceramic Yarn Bowl

2. High Quality STUNNING Dark Wood Yarn Storage Bowl with Intricate Carvings

3. Portable, Globe Design USA-Made UNIQUE Yarn Bowl with Additional Storage Compartments

4. Handcrafted Eco-Friendly GLOSSY Bamboo Yarn Bowl with a Lid for Gifting a Knitting or Crochet Lover

5. Super Cute KNITTY CATS Yarn Keeper Bowl for Knitters and Crocheters and Cat Lovers

6. 100% Mango Wood Shiny BRONZE Yarn Bowl Design by Susan Bates

7. Handcrafted EXQUISITE Pottery Yarn Bowl in a Pretty French Blue Color

Hot Pink Eco-Friendly BAMBOO Knitting Needles Set Gift for Knitters

Pretty Pink Bamboo Knitting Needles Gift Set for Anyone who Loves to Knit

I will bet my favorite ball of yarn that these smooth-as-silk, hot pink eco-friendly bamboo knitting needles set gift for knitters will be an instant hit with knitting lovers everywhere!

What's not to love - you have 7 needle sizes to cater to all sorts of yummy looking yarn, the super reliable and non-slippery Clover Takumi brand of bamboo which is lightweight and portable so you can carry your work anywhere (I love taking my knitting with me wherever I go; who wants to suffer through the utterly dull commute daily - not me!), and a hot pink case that has plenty of extra pockets to add in whatever your heart desires.


Don't get me wrong - I do  enjoy working with my metal and aluminium needles too, but I find that bamboo holds really well for those difficult types of yarn - think ruffled scarves and frilly yarns. They give you some traction while you work the fussy yarn and are not as slippery as metal that your knitting just falls off!

I remember fighting a battle with my very first pair of straight metal needles.

My knits and purls were so tight they looked strangled!

I nearly poked myself in the eye trying to pass the yarn over and making stitches that look reasonably fair.

The important thing is that I did survive the ordeal - barely.

Wish someone had gifted me a set of sustainable bamboo points then; I would have named my firstborn after them. (Maybe.)


Though this case of 7 straight ones is perfect and very reasonably priced too (click here), if you want to see more variety of needle gift sets, then check them out right here.