Everything Kitchen Round-Up - 10 Free Kitchen Patterns

 

The other day I realized I had some nice and ripe bananas so I decided to make banana bread. For the same reason I love designing crochet patterns, I came up with a whole new banana bread recipe that involved some different flavors and had an amazing result! I couldn't help but want to share it with the world and what better way to do that then to share it among ten free kitchen related crochet patterns? Check out these ten free patterns from some very talented designers and then check out my awesome Strawberry Cream Cheese Banana Nut Bread recipe at the bottom! 

1) It's hot. Okay, well it isn't hot yet unless you're in Florda. If you're in Colorado like me, it actually snowed yesterday. None the less, once it IS hot, these four decorative wash cloths will be the perfect item to make because they will not not make you hot (like a blanket). Check out Petals to Picots free Crochet Dishcloth Patterns!

\

2) Growing up, my grandmother had these kitchen towels that were part towel and part crochet. I loved them and vowed one day I would learn to make them. I still haven't... but these beautiful kitchen hand towels took me right back to my grandmother's kitchen but with a small improvement: they are 100% crochet! Check out designer Fatima Lasay's free Quick Kitchen Towel Pattern! 

3) I married into a family that loves frogs. My mother-in-law's mother collected anything frog which led to my mother-in-law inheriting a lot of frog type items. In the bathroom, an entire decorative shelf hangs on the wall and contains nothing but different little frog decorations. It's a gorgeous display. When I saw this frog bib I knew I had to include it in this round-up! Check out Laura Hoffman's beautiful Leap Frog Bib Pattern. 

4) I'm an old-young person. I watch shows like Andy Griffith and I Love Lucy. Partially because I grew up in a household that watched these shows but mostly because they are absolutely hilarious with wholesome humor. For whatever reason, this stunning pattern reminds me of those older shows. I can picture Aunt Bee or Lucy cooking dinner in an apron much like this. Ironically, I'm not entirely sure they ever actually did wear an apron like this, but I can picture it none the less! Check out this vintage looking free Apron Pattern by Wendy at Sunshine's Creations! 

5) My daughter is only three years old but that hasn't stopped her from being a huge help in the kitchen. She is practically a pro. I can only assume she gets her practice in by feeding her little brother some toy food that she cooked up on her toy kitchen. This amigurumi hamburger is perfect for toddlers who just love to help cook, real food or pretend! Glue some velcro to all the pieces and then you have a hamburger that looks cute, realistic (you know, except for the eyes) and that stays together (which a real hamburger will not do!). Check out this free Hamburger Pattern by Emjay Bailey at Nerdigurumi! 

6) I can be a little OCD. This means that I love things that match! Particularly if want to use the items when I have company over. I like to at least give the appearance that I'm organized and a matching kitchen set accomplishes this! At least in my head it does. Check out this delightful free Kitchen Set Pattern by Corina at Stitch 11!!

7) In the crochet community, I read the words "yarn stash" often. People seem to really have a strong desire to find projects that are quick, useful and will get rid of extra yarn. I probably should get rid of extra yarn to but if I do that I'll only go buy more... so I just end up in a viscious cycle and thus have not tried to de-stash my yarn. If anything, I don't think I'll be content until I have an entire wall filled with yarn (hehe). Check out these lovely 'yarn stash busting' Towel Holders designed by L-Squared at L-Squared.org! 

8) It never fails to amaze me the things I never thought about crocheting. A curtain for my kitchen is one that took me quite a while to think up and I've yet to come up with my own. When I saw this decorative little beauty I just knew I had to include it. It's amazing!!! (Plus you'll see several pictures of a rather beautiful cat helping model them much like the girls on The Price is Right does but better.) Check out this unique Colorful Curtain Pattern designed by Ioana at Zaraza Crochet and add some color to your kitchen ... once you finish it! ;) 

9) I don't have a swiffer. Instead I have a shark and let me tell you ladies and gents, once the pads that came with it need replacing I will be making something similar to this but for the shark! It isn't that I'm to "cheap" to buy the replacement pads for mine... it's more that they came in white color that show dirty HORRIBLY. I'd rather have pink... or purple... or green... or all of the above! Make your own Swiffer Cover by checking out this design by Krysten Lewelling as a FREE Ravelry download!! 

10) I. Love. Texture. This beautiful dish cloth is filled with texture and a unique color arrangement all at the same time. It's bright, it's cheerful and is sure to make washing the dishes just a tad bit less dull.... or give you an excellent excuse to put off those dishes because you have to have a dish cloth to clean them with first. hehe. Head on over to My Hobby is Crochet by Kinga and make up one (or five) of these beautiful Diagonal Ribbed Dish Cloths!

Alright, now that we have all of these awesome patterns (that are 100% free) lets get to the yummiest part and make up one awesome Banana Bread!!! 

Preheat oven to 350. 

Ingredients 

- 3-4 ripe bananas 

- 8 oz Strawberry Cream Cheese 

- 3/4 C Sugar 

- 1/3 C melted butter 

- 1/2 C Pineapple OJ 

- 1 Egg 

- 1 tsp vanilla 

- 2 C flour 

- 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

- 1 tsp baking soda 

- 1/4 tsp salt 

- 1/2 C pecans 

- Coconut oil 

In a medium bowl mix together your flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir to blend it together. In a large bowl, melt butter and then add softened cream cheese. Mash cream cheese into the butter. Add sugar, egg and mashed bananas. Mix together. Add orange juice and vanilla and half of the pecans (so 1/4 cups worth). Once you have all of these ingredients mixed together slowly add the flour in, mixing well. 

Take a spoonful of coconut oil (in solid form) and spread it around a bread pan until the pan is covered in the oil. Poor the bread mixture into pan and shake until it is even. Sprink the rest of the pecans over the top of the bread and put in the oven for an hour. Check the bread at 30 minutes and about every 10 minutes afterward. When the edges are browned, place some foil around them so the center can finish cooking. 

Let cool and then use a butter knife to seperate the bread from the pan. Slice and enjoy!