The dog days of summer may be upon us, but we have a brand new project that will easily get you through the remainder of the season with a smile! Aubrey’s Summer Set, designed by Afifa Sayeed, is now available for free download on our website. Using Lazy Hazy Summer Cotton from Rico Design, you’re going to love knitting this colorful and cute set.
Aubrey’s Summer Set includes a top written for sizes Extra Small through 5X, and a matching hat written for One Size that will fit most adults. These pieces are knit in the round, with the tee worked bottom up and the hat worked from the top down. The sugary hues of Lazy Hazy Summer Cotton bring joy to every stitch, leading to a final set you’ll wear summer after summer!
One glimpse at Lazy Hazy Summer Cotton, and we know you’ll be planning your next project! With its blend of 46% acrylic, 49% cotton, and 5% polyester, this yarn is perfect for summertime t-shirts, shawls, and more! Lazy Hazy Summer Cotton is a DK weight yarn that is 2-ply, and the beautiful hues in each skein bring joy to every project you decide to use it for!
In case you didn’t know, we have plenty of exciting patterns from Rico Design that feature Lazy Hazy Summer Cotton. Click your favorite one below to learn more!
We hope you indulge in this weekend’s offer and you add Aubrey’s Summer Set to your queue. In the meantime, stay cool, and we’ll see you next week with another free surprise!
The latest releases from Muud are some of your tried and true favorites – only better. The Denmark based company creates products with crafters in mind, blending functionality with beautiful designs. Traditionally all of their pieces come in classic black and whiskey colors with understated and practical hardware, but this release offers a chic makeover.
One of the standout elements is the gold zipper and hardware, adding a luxe feel to the attention and detailing of each piece. Right away, these bags and accessories project “designer” vibes but don’t actually come at the cost. The largest price difference comes with the coveted Saturn XL, normally $165, you can snag (or should we say steal!) the limited release for just $30 more at $195. With all of the pieces barely bumping above the norm, we won’t be surprised to see the full collection shipping out!
Another thoughtful touch is the addition of a printed liner sporting the brand name in an adorable blush pink. I’m so thrilled about this because it truly sets this limited collection apart from the standard Muud line. It’s one of those details that is eye-catching in a fun peekaboo way that will delight you every time you unzip your bag to reach for your project!
If you’re starting to feel in the mood for Muud (see what I did there?) but want to start small, look no further than the Hee needle/hook case! One of the wonderful final features of this gorgeous collection is that the selection of pieces is offered in a range of sizes and price-points to fit the needs of all crafters!
There is something available for everyone – for now. Hurry and grab your Limited Edition Muud piece today before it’s gone! That’s all for now – Happy Stitching, y’all! Ashley Jane McIntyre
This is part 7 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 4 Edition.
It’s Day 7 of our 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, and we’re over halfway there! Cables are a knitwear design staple for garments and accessories alike. I grew up in ballet lessons, so legwarmers were an essential item throughout my young years. In fact, they were the very first thing I knit! I’ve long left the pointe shoes life behind, but I was sparked with the idea to make some ultra-cute lounge legwarmers for this year’s kit collection.
The Forest Fir Legwarmers in Deluxe Worsted Superwash
The Forest Fir legwarmers are knit using Deluxe Worsted Superwash. The machine washable version of our Deluxe Worsted yarn is made of 100% superwash wool. It is available in a broad color palette, and will always keep you warm! The Forest Fir legwarmers are knit in the round, worked from the bottom up. An interlocking cable pattern decorates the front, while the back is reverse stockinette stitch. I imagine I’d wear these legwarmers while watching movies with my family during the holidays.
Once you reach the top, you work a row of eyelets, and then the final ribbing. Deluxe Worsted Superwash has excellent stitch definition, so all of your hard work is sure to shine! After your legwarmers are done, you will proceed to making the I-Cord tie. I wanted to design this feature not only to look very cute, but also for function! The tie helps them stay up on your leg, just like very old school socks had.
If you’ve never worked an I-Cord before, don’t fret! It has a bit of ‘magic’ to it, but it is a really simple process. Just watch the video below, and I’ll guide you through the process step by step.
Don’t forget that the 12 Days of Winter Kits including the Forest Fir legwarmers are available at your LYS. Click here to find an LYS near you. Happy Knitting!
This week, we are celebrating the release of another new collection: Modern Mosaic. This collection includes 4 mosaic knits in Bamboo Pop. Bamboo Pop is our 50/50 bamboo and cotton blend yarn that is perfectly suited to warm weather garments and accessories. It is light and cool, with a vibrant color palette of solids, multis, and dots to choose from. I often hear that Bamboo Pop is many people’s favorite yarn, and I can see why. If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the perfect time!
Areca in 112 Black and 101 White
Mosaic knitting is a really interesting type of color work. It utilizes two contrasting colors of yarn, knitting the stitches on each row in the dominant color and slipping the stitches that are in the contrast color. You work two rows with a dominant color, and then it changes for the next two rows. The charts in each pattern tell you which color is the dominant one for that set of rows. Mosaic knitting lends itself well to geometric patterns, and creates really bold and stunning color work. I have to admit, I was a bit intimidated to do my first mosaic designs, but now I love it!
Areca in 112 Black and 101 WhiteAreca was inspired by black and white tile work and features a bold pattern throughout the front and back. Designed by Yonca Ozbelli, this top is sized from A-K and has a modern, boxy fit. Areca is perfect for those who love an interesting construction; the front and back are joined at the shoulder with a three-needle bind-off, and then the side panels and edging are created by picking up stitches along the left and right sides. I love the bold and graphic look of Areca, it’s an ‘all eyes on you’ kind of design.
Dypsis in 134 Blue Whisper and 127 Brambles
For those interested in dipping their toes into the mosaic knitting waters, Dypsis may be the perfect choice for you. Designed by Rachel Brockman, Dypsis features a traveling mosaic pattern on the hemline that is repeated again for an unexpected shoulder detail. Dypsis is knit in the round from the bottom up, so the mosaic pattern is perfectly seamless. The front and back are separated at the underarm, then worked flat. They are joined at the shoulders with a three-needle bind-off, and a garter edging is picked up and knit for the neckline.
The thoughtful choice of the mosaic hem and shoulders really makes Bamboo Pop shine, and the design looks timeless and sophisticated. Mosaic knitting can seem intimidating if you haven’t tried it, but I think Dypsis would be perfect for just about anyone. I’d throw on a fun necklace with this and let the gorgeous pattern do the talking!
Palmetto in 102 Cream, 114 Super Pink, and 212 Bright Spot
One of my contributions to the Modern Mosaic collection is Palmetto. I’m never shy about the fact that I’m a ‘more is more’ kind of person. When I was prompted to design with mosaic, I knew I wanted to design something that featured a few different patterns. I have a serious affinity for textile design and was inspired by Ikat fabrics from Indonesia for Palmetto. The tassels on the ends are one of my favorite touches too. Everything is better with tassels.
My Ikat inspiration blossomed into a stitch sampler style stole that is oversized and sure to get lots of love from everyone who sees you made it. You can wear Palmetto so many different ways, and it will add joy to any outfit you choose. I wear pink year-round, but I think this would look equally great in a blue and white combination.
Sabal in 106 Turquoise and 121 Lily Pad
My second design for Modern Mosaic is Sabal. This is an open front jacket/poncho that has a relaxed, bohemian vibe. I stuck with my textiles inspiration for this one, but instead, looked at tropical locale home interiors. I wanted a soothing color combination and a geometric style mosaic pattern that felt meditative.
My favorite thing about Sabal is the construction. It is worked starting at the back in one piece. After you get to the neckline, you work across one side, bind off the neck stitches, then work each of the fronts separately. You pick up and knit an edging for the sides, and then the garment is folded in half and seamed, while and I-cord is worked over the fronts and neckline. Sabal is just so relaxed feeling, and I love that you can wear this as a jacket to go out, a cardigan around the house, or a beach cover up!
Now that you’ve seen the patterns in our Modern Mosaic collection, here’s even more exciting news. Two lucky winners will receive a pattern of their choice from the collection, and enough Bamboo Pop to make the pattern in their chosen size and colors. We love Giveaways!
All you have to do to enter is follow us (Instagram), like our page (Facebook), like and comment on the giveaway post or another post from the collection. Only one entry per name, and the giveaway closes at 5 pm EST on 9/14. We will choose and announce our winners (one from Facebook and one from Instagram) on 9/15. You can enter on both social media platforms, but you can only win once. Good luck!
Perfect Summer Tote!
Happy Free Pattern Friday everyone! Today, we have a fun accessory for you: the Midsummer Tote. You can find the pattern here.
Tote bags are a summer essential, and why not make your own? The Midsummer Tote is crocheted using Yashi, our 100% raffia yarn. We recently released new colors in Yashi, so you can pick your new favorites for this project. We think the color combination in this bag would look fantastic with any summer outfit.
The Midsummer Tote is crocheted seamlessly in the round, with a mesh pattern nestled between sections of single crochet. We love how these textures work together in the finished bag!
Now where’d I put my keys?
Whether you decide to use this as a handbag, beach bag, or grocery bag, you really can’t go wrong with the Midsummer Tote.
The scarf gets its name from the plump yarn and extra-long length. Despite the length, this scarf knits up so quickly! Can you believe you only need to cast on 20 stitches?
This scarf mixes intarsia and self-striping Uptown Super Bulky Amplify for exciting results. We think this pattern is great for beginners looking to learn a new skill. Intarsia is easy, we promise!
Complimentary colors forever!
Be careful – if your outfit matches a free pattern too closely, your colleagues may insist that you model it!
It’s okay, though! I’m totally up for wrapping myself in knitwear all day, every day! Plus, I’m almost always cold! We wrapped this scarf around my neck many times. Perfect for the snowy weather the north has been experiencing this week!
We hope you enjoy this week’s free pattern! Have a fabulous weekend!
Part of the idea behind these patterns was to help keep your knitting and crochet mojo going strong through the warmer months…any project from this collection would be perfect for working on poolside. It was such a blast designing this collection. I was inspired in part by all the colorful, tropical knitwear being shown by many designers in their 2017 Resort collections and a recent trip to Hawaii helped provide the names for the designs.
The bright colors and fiber content of Bamboo Pop are perfect for creating knit and crochet items that wear well throughout the spring and summer. Bamboo Pop makes these projects soft and cool against your skin, great for those days of going in and out of overly air conditioned buildings.
Anuenue Sampler: The Hawaiian word for rainbow is a perfect fit for this scarf. As a sporadic crocheter, I love working on projects where I get to try out a bunch of different stitches and techniques, so I knew my first crochet design had to be a sampler. This design also is perfect for anyone, who like me, has difficultly choosing just one color! Different colors, stitches and edging will keep you entertained.
Awapuhi: Named for wild Hawaiian ginger, the plaited stripe pattern mimics the texture of the flowers which start out white and then turn red as they mature. White and Lily Pad blend beautifully in the textured stripes, adding additional dimension, with the bright pops of Lime Green for the ribbing. This scarf will go perfectly with summer outfits, taking you from breezy walks on the beach to dinner and drinks!
Kukui: Hawaiians extracted oil from the kukui nut and burned it in a lamp called kukui hele po, which means “light, darkness goes.” This shawl transitions from light to dark with bands of White, Silken and Black divided with bands worked in a slip stitch pattern using all three colors. To create the asymmetric shape, you’ll begin at the smallest point with just a few stitches increasing gradually to the widest edge. The elongated shape is easy to wear in many different ways.
Lilikoi: Also known as passionfruit – from its gorgeous flower to delicious fruit, I could not get enough lilikoi when I went to Hawaii! This shawlette creates a fun blend of solid and variegated colors with a slip stitch pattern that helps mix the colors between sections. Garter stitch makes for a lovely, squishy fabric and also makes the knitting a breeze. The shape is a shallow triangle, in a size that is perfect for draping around your neck kerchief style.
Philodendron: Fun, bright and just a little quirky. Philodendrons are having a bit of a moment right now – from knit, fabric and print versions to real fronds showing up in home décor. The cowl is worked with a combination of a striped background and instarsia fronds, creating a wonderful statement piece for your warm weather wardrobe.
Plumeria: Plumeria are also known as the “Lei flower,” sure this cowl is a little more substantial than a lei, but you still get flowers draped around your neck! Stranded knitting is usually reserved for winter projects and I thought it would be fun to incorporate that into a warm weather project. A brighter color palette and a combination of floral and wave designs make this stranded project summer ready.
Tiny Bubbles: These tiny bubbles will make you feel fine! This scarf is a fun way to combine a solid and variegated color, or if you like, you could make each row of bubbles a different color. The bubbles are created by stripes and dropped stitches, not stranded knitting, so you are only working with one color at a time. This is another great piece to work on, wear, and add a little Pop to the warm season.
I hope you enjoyed taking a little peek behind the scenes and learning a bit about the collection and the inspiration behind it! What projects are you planning to make with Bamboo Pop?
