Someone on Crochetpartners linked to a hexagon bedspread at Elann, so I went over to look. It’s beautiful, but me and motifs and/or large patterns make a very bad combination. So I admired the pattern, and spent some time drooling over the yarn, before surfing over to look at the other free patterns at the site. I noticed most of the patterns are different from the last time I visited, which would have been quite some time ago, since I don’t recognise many of them. Here are some of my thoughts. (I am not pasting photos here because I’m uncertain of the legality of that, but with the handy Snap feature WordPress has, you should be able to hover on the links to see a teeny preview.)

First off, I’m delighted Elann doesn’t call everything which covers the torso a “sweater”. Maybe it’s an American thing? Somehow “sweater” conjures up winter and full-sleeved “woollens” (actually acrylic in India, but all yarn is wool here). So I always find it funny when patterns talk of “summer sweaters” (thank you, I sweat quite enough already without wearing sweaters in summer) and call bitsy sleeveless tops sweaters, including some made of cotton! I’ve seen every imaginable variation of a top being termed a sweater and it’s something I shall never get over, I’m afraid. (I’m funny like that.)

Ahem. Anyway, I had to scroll down quite a bit on the index page to find familiar patterns. So let’s talk about the unfamiliar ones. I know I just talked of sweating, but even that wouldn’t make me willing to wear this, I’m too prudish! I wouldn’t mind making it in a child size, though. The next one‘s nice, and this cardigan is interesting, too.

Whatever, though, I cannot like variegated yarns for wearables. And some of the patterns just appear to be the same one done in different colours (three varieties of the Pacific Waves shawl). But this cardigan is nice, this top is huh?! The shawls are lovely, but I seriously doubt I’ll ever make one (can you imagine me, The Slothful One™, making a garment that needed to be wet blocked every time it got damp?)

This pattern uses size 12mm and 10mm needles!!!

I always like looking at bags. The varieties of this wrap, not so much. I was too distracted by this model’s hair to look carefully at what she’s wearing. Oh, and Desi, this hat has a top similar to your Rangoli hat.

I shall remain heroically silent on the patterns using fancy/novelty yarns. Here ends my free unsolicited pattern review.