Craft pattern

Abstract

A craft pattern for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item is provided. Such craft pattern includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and a predetermined shape.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is related to and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/959,532 filed Jul. 13, 2007.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates, in general, to crafting aids and, more particularly, this invention relates to patterns for craft items such as crocheted and knitted clothing, toys, accessories, and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Prior to the conception and development of the present invention, crafting, as is generally well known in the prior art, includes crocheting and knitting and sewing. In order to craft a particular object a pattern is usually used. Patterns for sewing usually consist of a visual aid depicting the full scale of an actual object, alignment points for attaching various pieces, and instructions for sizing the object to meet the user's need as well as instructions for creating the object from the pattern. Crocheting and knitting patterns differ from this in that crocheting and knitting patterns are text style patterns which simply textually explain the maneuvers a user must make with particular crafting tools such as a crochet hook or knitting needle and yarns to create the object. It can be very difficult and frustrating for a crafter to try to create an object from a text style pattern. As a result, many people who would like to learn to crochet and knit never try because the textual instructions which are available are too complex and are not enjoyable to follow. Therefore there is a need for a more picture oriented type of crocheting and knitting pattern; one which incorporates a picture of the final desired product including actual sized depiction and which will provide a more user-friendly means of instruction than a written instruction type pattern.

Specifically of interest to the present invention are the following: Leighton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,036 discloses a method for instruction for knitting and crocheting in which the location, type, and number of each stitch is exactly indicated on a pattern piece scaled to the final shape of the finished item.

Kaplan, U.S. Pat. No. 2,301,410, discloses a crocheting guide means including a card divided in vertical row of designated horizontal spaces with each space of each row provided with a legend for designating a stitch and directing a row of crocheting, a slide member slidably related to the card for movements vertically thereof over the spaces, a guide member slidable on the slide member and horizontally of the card having tabs at the upper edge thereof extending upwardly there from and spaced apart to provide a space there between equal to the width of the spaces. The card is meant to be used to mark a stopping point such that a person can quickly determine just where he or she had stopped and resume crocheting there from.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a craft pattern for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item. Such craft pattern includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and a predetermined shape.

According to another embodiment, a craft kit for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item is provided. Such craft kit includes a pattern member depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item. Such pattern member is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and a predetermined shape. Instructional information is disposed on at least one of a predetermined media and such pattern member, such instructional information being for instructing a user on how to make such predetermined item.

According to yet another embodiment, a method of at least one of crocheting and knitting a predetermined item is provided. Such method includes the steps of providing a pattern member, such pattern member illustrating at least one of a predetermined size and a predetermined shape of at least a predetermined portion of such predetermined item, providing instructions on at least one of such pattern member and a fixed media for instructing a user how to use such pattern member, and at least one of knitting and crocheting such predetermined item in accordance with such instructions.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a pattern similar to sewing patterns for crocheting and knitting projects.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pattern for crocheting and knitting projects which can be used as a visual aid to illustrate to a user the exact size a project will be once such project has been completed.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new type of crocheting and knitting pattern which can be easily used to adjust a project illustrated on such pattern in size and shape.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a tangible visual pattern along with written instructions for crocheting and knitting projects.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a pattern for crocheting and knitting projects which can be unfolded to demonstrate a variety of sizes and styles of a particular project and how to make each style and size; for example, the a sweater may be the project and may be crocheted or knitted in a sleeveless style, short-sleeved style, and long-sleeved style in a size chosen by a user.

In addition to the various objects and advantages of the present invention described with some degree of specificity above it should be obvious that additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention in which a craft kit is provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF A PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity and understanding, identical components which have identical functions have been identified with identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in the drawing figures.

Reference is now made, more particularly, to FIGS. 1-4.

A craft pattern, generally designated 10, for aiding a user (not shown) in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item 11 is provided. Such craft pattern 10 includes a pattern member 12 depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item 11. Such pattern member 12 is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and a predetermined shape. It is presently preferred that such predetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic. It is presently preferred that such predetermined material is foldable. It is further presently preferred that such predetermined material is cuttable.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 is substantially identical in size to at least a portion of such predetermined item 11. It is meant that as such user completes crocheting or knitting such portion of such predetermined item 11, such user's crocheted or knitted work may be held against or laid over such pattern member 12 which corresponds to that particular portion of such user's work and such user may gauge a degree of completeness of his or her work.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 illustrates a plurality of different designs for making a plurality of different versions of such predetermined item 11. For example, the pattern member 12 may be a pattern for a sweater which can be made as a sleeveless sweater, a sweater with short sleeves, three-quarter length sleeves, or full length sleeves. A user would simply crochet or knit the desired sleeve based on the size and shape of the area of the pattern which corresponds to the desired sleeve length.

For example, the pattern member 12 illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used to aid a user in crocheting and knitting either a sleeveless sweater or a sweater with short sleeves.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, a sleeveless sweater 13 has been crocheted and is laid over the pattern member 12 to match the measurements on such pattern member 12 for one side of the sweater 13. In this particular example, a user could be instructed that that the pattern member 12 depicted one predetermined portion of the sweater 13 and that such user would need to use the pattern member 12 to create both a front and a back to the sweater 13 joining the front and back at each respective side thereof.

Furthermore, such pattern member 12 may be manufactured of a substantially rigid material which could serve as a model front and back for aiding such user in crocheting and knitting such predetermined item 11.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 has predetermined indicia 14 disposed thereon.

It is further presently preferred that such predetermined indicia 14 includes at least one of instructional information regarding use of such pattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters, pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and a combination thereof.

Such indicia 14 may include markings on the pattern to illustrate stopping points for different versions of the item. For example lines on the pattern may illustrate the ending point for making a sleeveless version of a sweater, a short sleeved version and a long sleeved version.

Such indicia 14 could also include possible stitches which could be used to make the item illustrated by such pattern member 12. Such indicia may include instructions on changing the size of the item and any other information for facilitating use of the craft pattern 10.

According to another embodiment, a craft kit, generally designated 20, for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item is provided.

Such kit 20 includes a pattern member 12 depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item. The pattern member 12 is manufactured from a predetermined material and has a predetermined size and shape. It is presently preferred that such predetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic.

Such kit 20 further includes instructional information disposed on at least one of a predetermined media 24, such pattern member 12, and a combination thereof, such instructional information being for instructing such user on how to make such predetermined item 11.

It is presently preferred that such pattern member 12 includes predetermined indicia 14 disposed thereon.

It is presently preferred that such predetermined indicia 14 includes at least one of instructional information regarding use of such pattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters, pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and a combination thereof.

It is presently preferred that such craft kit 20 further includes at least one of at least one knitting needle 31, at least one crocheting hook 28, at least one spool of yarn 32, and a combination thereof.

It is further presently preferred that such craft kit 20 further includes a plurality of pattern members for aiding such user in creating a plurality of predetermined items.

According to yet another embodiment, a method of at least one of crocheting and knitting a predetermined item is provided. Such method includes the steps of providing a pattern member, such pattern member illustrating at least one of a predetermined size and a predetermined shape of such item, providing instructions on at least one of such pattern member and a fixed media for instructing a user how to use such pattern member, and at least one of knitting and crocheting such predetermined item in accordance with such instructions.

It is meant that such pattern member be a full size pattern of such item to be crocheted or knitted. As a user completes knitting or crocheting a predetermined portion of such item such user can use such pattern member as a visual aid to assess a degree of completion of the item.

While a presently preferred and various alternative embodiments of the present invention have been described in sufficient detail above to enable a person skilled in the relevant art to make and use the same it should be obvious that various other adaptations and modifications can be envisioned by those persons skilled in such art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A craft pattern for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item, said craft pattern comprising a pattern member depicting the actual size of at least a portion of such predetermined item, said pattern member being manufactured from a predetermined material and having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape.

2. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein said pattern member has predetermined indicia disposed thereon.

3. A craft pattern according to claim 2 wherein said predetermined indicia includes at least one of instructional information regarding use of said pattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters, pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and a combination thereof.

4. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic.

5. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined material is foldable.

6. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined material is cuttable.

7. A craft pattern according to claim 1 wherein said pattern member illustrates a plurality of different designs for making a plurality of different versions of said predetermined item.

8. A craft kit for aiding a user in at least one of knitting and crocheting a predetermined item, said craft kit comprising;

a. a pattern member for such predetermined item, said pattern member manufactured from a predetermined material and having a predetermined size and a predetermined shape, and

b. instructional information disposed on at least one of a predetermined media, said pattern member, and a combination thereof, said instructional information being for instructing a user on how to make said predetermined item.

9. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said pattern member includes predetermined indicia disposed thereon.

10. A craft kit according to claim 9 wherein said predetermined indicia includes at least one of instructional information regarding use of said pattern, sizing information, stitching information, symbols, letters, pictures, words, crocheting directions, knitting directions, and a combination thereof.

11. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said predetermined material is at least one of paper, cardboard, fabric, and plastic.

12. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said craft kit further includes at least one of at least one knitting needle, at least one crocheting hook, at least one spool of yarn, and a combination thereof.

13. A craft kit according to claim 8 wherein said craft kit further includes a plurality of pattern members for aiding a user in creating a plurality of predetermined items.

14. A method of at least one of crocheting and knitting a predetermined item comprising the steps of:

a. providing a pattern member, such pattern member illustrating at least one of a predetermined size and a predetermined shape of such item;

b. providing instructions on at least one of said pattern member and a fixed media for instructing a user on how to use said pattern member;

c. at least one of knitting and crocheting such predetermined item in accordance with said instructions.