Another month has come and gone, meaning it’s Flash Pattern Friday! This weekend, we are thrilled to share with you the Feathered Vest, designed by Rachel Brockman. Knit in Minou, this trendy piece, is highly affordable and fun to make. Let’s learn more about this sweater vest!
The Feathered Vest is an elegant knit featuring stockinette stitch throughout, and a contrast color at the neck and hemline for some added pop. The fuzzy texture of Minou makes the Feathered Vest a wardrobe staple for crisp fall morning, as it can be worn as a layering piece or by itself on a warmer day.
Minou is a blend of 40% baby alpaca, 8% merino wool, and 52% nylon that is soft to the touch. Check out inspiring garment and accessory patterns in our Soft Simplicity E-Book, including the Feathered Vest. Shake up the hues for your sweater vest by browsing the eight Italian-spun color options available in Minou!
To get the Feathered Vest for free, use the “buy it now” or “add to cart” links on the Ravelry pattern page. Then enter the coupon code “FLASH” where you see the “use coupon code” link that appears during purchase. This offer runs through Sunday, July 30th.
This weekend is the best time to stock up on Minou! This beautiful eyelash yarn is over 50% off through Sunday. Due to the gorgeous fluffy texture of Minou, we recommend simple stitches to allow the yarn to stand out! The sophisticated color palette of Minou would make it a fun option for anything from sweaters to slippers. Stash this beauty today before these savings expire!
Hey fiber friends! If you’re like me, one of your favorite parts of a new season is finding new projects to line up along with new yarn to play with. Last fall, we created Cassatt, and while there is still a chill in the air, it’s the perfect time to try it out!
Cassatt colors clockwise from left: Water Lilies, Luncheon, Impasto.
Made in Italy, Cassatt is a lush blend of 35% baby alpaca, 35% wool, 20% nylon, and 10% viscose. It features a hollow core with fine fibers blown through, creating a halo that is ethereal to look at, and a soft texture that’s a dream to work with. With such enchanting characteristics, it’s no wonder that this yarn’s name is inspired by American Impressionist painter, Mary Cassatt. Furthermore, each of the eight colors are named after famous works of art, from equally impactful artists. You’ll find “Water Lilies” by Claude Monet, and “Haystacks” by Van Gogh, to name a few. Can you identify the other six?
Crochet hat, Wavelength, in the color 604 Water Lilies.
It’s fitting that this yarn carries the theme of “a work of art,” considering anything you make using it will be just that! Whether you knit or crochet, you’ll find your stitches will come to life. They’ll be popping with definition from the plumpness of the yarn, and dancing from the speckles found in the colors. The tweedy nubs make each piece all the more magical, like the small visible brushstrokes of an impressionist painting.
Knit accessory, the Painterly Shawl, in the color 602 Haystacks.
As with any fine art, you will want to treat this yarn with care. With 70% of this special blend being quality fibers, you’ll need to hand wash your work and lay it flat to dry. The effort is well worth the reward, though, as each item made will be a timeless treasure. Take, for instance, the Emma vest (below) by Rachel Brockman. The simple lace stitch pattern and stripes ensure that Cassatt remains the focal point, and the combination comes together to create a layering piece that you’ll celebrate wearing year after year.
Knit garment, the Emma vest, in colors 606 Opera and 603 Dancer.
I hope you have enjoyed this look at our beautiful yarn, Cassatt, and I can’t wait to see all of the inspired pieces that you create with it! What do you think you’ll try out?
Happy September! While I’m not one to wish away the summer, I cannot help but feel so excited about the things we’re sharing this autumn season. Even if it’s still hot out, the sun is setting earlier and even a few leaves are beginning to turn. These things signal what may collectively be a knitter’s favorite season: autumn! And what better way to celebrate than with a lovely new pattern collection? Say hello to Soft Simplicity!
The cover of our latest ebook, Soft Simplicity.
This collection features projects that make our gorgeous yarn, Minou, the star of the show. Minou is our take on eyelash yarns – and there are few yarns out there that can compare! This kitten-soft yarn features fluffy strands of baby alpaca and merino wool that jut gently out of the nylon thread base. The strands are just about 1/4″ long – just enough length to make a statement without being over the top.
Minou in shades 108 Tanager (red), 107 Heron (grey-blue/green), and 101 Borzoi (cream).
Because Minou is so fluffy and furlike, it’s a great choice for soothing, simple stitches. It’s a match for garter and stockinette stitch on its own, or as a carry-along with your other favorite yarns. You’ll see it featured as a single strand, held together with another yarn, and in stranded colorwork in this collection. Let’s take a closer look.
The Feathered Vest.
First up: the Feathered Vest. This vest is casual and cozy. In the early days of Autumn, wear it as a top that just hints at cooler days ahead. When it’s a bit chilly, it makes a fabulous layering piece. The knitted vest has made quite a resurgence in the past year or two, and we don’t see any reason that should change. I knew this collection wouldn’t feel complete without one. Rather than stick to a solid color, I opted for a pop along the hem and neckband. It’s just enough color to elevate this piece from drab to fab.
This vest is constructed seamlessly from the bottom up in one piece. The front and back are separated at the underarms and worked flat. Then, the shoulders are joined using the three-needle bind-off. Finally, stitches are picked up along the armhole and neckband for a tidy finish.
The Forest Slipper Socks.
The Forest Slipper Socks are a great addition to your sock drawer. Comfy and casual, you’ll love wearing these around the house on a Saturday morning. For this design, I actually did choose a stitch motif, and it’s faintly visible. That’s because its functionality is really what I was after. These slipper socks feature a garter rib that provides a bit of memory and stretch, which is what you want in a pair of socks. In this design, I’ve paired Minou with Bamboo Pop Sock Solids. Bamboo Pop Sock is a customer favorite, and its PBT content adds extra elasticity and helps your socks maintain their shape over time. Because you hold a strand of each yarn together throughout the project, these work up pretty quickly, too!
These socks are knit seamlessly in the round from the cuff down. They feature a heel flap and gusset. Simple shaping forms the toe, then the toe is closed using Kitchener stitch. It’s the most complex pattern in the collection, and it would be helpful if you are already familiar with basic sock techniques before diving in because it can be a little tricky to read your knitting (more on that later!).
The Pacific Cardigan.
Next up is my favorite piece in the collection: the Pacific Cardigan. This minimalist cardigan is open, features almost no shaping, and is just so easy to wear. I’m perpetually chilly indoors, so cardigans like this are perfect for me year-round. The silhouette is fairly boxy – with sleeves slightly more fitted at the upper arm, but are loose and open at the cuffs. Although it’s simple, Minou’s gorgeous color and texture take this cardi to the next level.
The body of the Pacific Cardigan is worked flat in one piece, beginning with the back hem and working up and over the shoulders. The left and right front are separated at the shoulders and worked separately. After sewing the sides of the body together, the stitches for the sleeves are picked up from around the armholes and worked in the round from the top down.
Speck Cowl – Version ASpeck Cowl – Version B
Finally, we have the Speck Cowl. A yarn like Minou simply begs to be worn around your neck – it’s just so lush and cozy! I wanted the design to incorporate low-contrast stranded colorwork, using Minou to make little specks of fluff to decorate the piece. Funny story, though, is that my very trusty sample knitter accidentally swapped the colors in the pattern. I noticed her sneak peek photo was more fluffy than my swatch, but I actually loved it. We chatted a bit and decided it would be great to show both options. So, two versions of this cowl were born! You can see both versions in the photo above – Version B (right) shows Minou as the non-dominant yarn, and the “speck” effect is more apparent. Version A (left) shows Minou as the dominant yarn – notice how much fluffier it is than Version B! I can’t choose a favorite – for the same pattern, the results are strikingly different.
The Speck Cowls are knit in the round from the bottom up. They incorporate a very simple stranded colorwork motif. The top and bottom border feature a few rows of garter stitch. This is probably the perfect “entry-level” Minou pattern. Speaking of “entry-level”, I’ve included some tips and tricks for working with Minou that are helpful whether you’re a newbie or a longtime fiber artist. I hope you find them helpful!
Tips and Tricks for working with Minou Most of the patterns in this collection are pretty easy, featuring little more than the foundational skills of knits, purls, color changes, and basic decreases. However, being so fluffy, it can be challenging to read your work while knitting with Minou. Counting rows and picking up stitches isn’t as easy as it is with a round, smooth yarn (such as our beloved Deluxe Worsted or Bamboo Pop, for example). Here are a few tips to ensure your project goes smoothly.
Work in bright light. This will make it easier to see your fabric, especially when picking up stitches or seaming.
Swatch! Yes – you need to do it, and not just because your swatch will determine your sweater fit. In the case of Minou and other eyelash yarns, a swatch will help you practice simply by getting a feel for what it’s like to work with the yarn.
When swatching, it can be difficult to count the number of rows and stitches you’ve worked. Take notes regarding the exact number of stitches and rows you knit, and measure the piece you knit rather than counting individual stitches or rows (see next tip!)
Use a row counter, especially when shaping the armholes or neckband. Often, our patterns tell you to work until the piece measures a specific length. We typically include a little buffer of even length to account for any differences with the row gauge. If you use a row counter, you’ll easily be able to track exactly how many rows you worked to achieve the specific length, and thus can ensure the sides and front/back of the piece are perfectly symmetrical.
If the pattern is knit flat, like the body of the Pacific Cardigan, use a removable marker to denote the Right Side and Wrong Side of the work. Because the yarn is fluffy, reverse Stockinette stitch and Stockinette stitch can end up looking very similar, so this tip is especially helpful.
Take your time! We all know knitting isn’t a speedy endeavor, but it’s especially important to slow down when working with eyelash yarns like Minou. This will help you process everything you’re doing more easily, and you’ll be less likely to make mindless mistakes. (Learn from me, I’m the queen of mindless knitting mishaps!)
If you make a mistake, take a deep breath. Although it can be difficult to see your stitches with Minou, the flip side is that it will also hide your mistakes very well. Now, I’m not advocating that we just ignore every knitting mistake we make – it’s good practice to fix your knitting. If you need to frog any part of your work, just take it slow and be careful not to rip back aggressively so as not to damage the yarn. With that said, it is alsovery much okay to embrace the imperfection and move forward.
Thanks for joining me today as I dished about our new collection, Soft Simplicity. I hope you enjoy each pattern and find the tips and tricks for working with Minou helpful. Be sure to check out all of the ways we’ve been using Minou, too! You can see all of our offerings at this link.
Thanks to its loose fit and elegant waterfall silhouette, it’s easy to make a statement with the stylish Peony Vest.
How pretty is this texture? It’s a simple slip stitch pattern, but in cotton/silk Papyrus it adds a lot of depth.
It’s got such a rich, almost nubbly look and feel. The added sheen of silk adds to the complexity of the yarn.
The Peony Vest is worked in three pieces – back, left front, and right front – and then seamed. This comfortable and elegant design includes thoughtful details like twisted ribbing at the bottom, and a tidy I-Cord edging to complete the look.
All together, the Peony Vest is a wonderful warm-weather accessory that will serve you well.
Talk about summertime style! Aubrey Busek’s versatile textured beauty features contrast-colored accents, a cozy fit, and easily doubles as a tank.
As is standard with our designs, Tincture is size-inclusive, running from XS to 5X. It uses my favorite construction: bottom up, in the round. And that texture!
It’s an eight row repeat that’s very rhythmic and easy to get into, and it makes such a beautiful fabric! And the choice of yarn for this really makes that fabric glow.
Vireo is made of 80% plant-based Tencel and 20% wool. The Tencel helps it stays cool in the summer, and gives it fabulous drape and stitch definition. The wool gives it a touch of springiness that’s just right for this piece.
I love this in the original 113 Macaron and 114 Jade Necklace. Just looking at the colors cools me down.
clockwise from top: 109 Featherlight, 107 Apricot Tart, 108 Marmelade
But Vireo has a lot of possibilities. A combination of any of these tones, Vireo colors 107 through 109, would look great. It reminds me of summertime peaches!
No matter what you choose for your Tincture, we know you’ll have a great time knitting it.
Uptown Baby Sport was the perfect yarn choice for Aubrey’s design. This 100% anti-pilling acrylic is machine washable, wears well, and is very soft. I’ll admit, I used to turn up my nose at acrylic, but the Uptown family of yarns has turned that attitude around. I’ve been delighted with the quality of everything I’ve made in Uptown yarns.
Looking at the sunny, pale yellow field of flowers that roam across this vest, you can’t help but have your spirits lifted. It reminds me of the last stanza of a favorite poem by Wordsworth,I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, in which the writer unexpectedly encounters a beautiful field of daffodils, and holds the memory of that sudden riot of color as a balm against dark days.
“For oft, when on my couch I lie In vacant or in pensive mood, They flash upon that inward eye Which is the bliss of solitude; And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.”
We hope you enjoy this sunny, uplifting pattern. Have a wonderful weekend.
The Talya vest is named after the young lady in the photos, who is moving north to colder climes. She’s a part of the Universal Yarn family (you can see her blog post about Father’s Day here) and we’ll miss her very much!
The designer is her mother, Yonca Ozbelli, our managing director here at Universal Yarn. She wanted to send her little girl off with something warm and cozy, so she made Talya this vest. Awwww.
For the yarn, Yonca picked Posh Alpaca. It’s thick, lush, and warm. The beautiful blend of wool, acrylic, and superfine alpaca makes it luxuriously soft, and gives a lovely heathered effect. It’s the perfect way to wrap a loved one up in a warm handmade hug.
The Talya vest features a modern silhouette that is complemented by all-over box stitch, making this minimalist piece a must-have in your wardrobe.
This slouchy, relaxed popover vest is the perfect three-season layering piece and a great first garment.
It’s a beautiful knitted piece, in a beautiful yarn, for a beautiful young lady. Come back and visit us soon, Talya!
Happy Thursday! Today I’d like to spotlight a pattern I designed that was recently published in the Deep Fall 2021 issue of Knitty. It’s bright, a little quirky, and a ton of fun to knit. Say hello to Lipsky!
I designed the Lipsky (pattern link) vest in late June and knit this baby in less than two weeks. Sure, part of this was due to a fast-approaching deadline, but it’s also because it’s simply a fast project! Amy Singer and Jillian Moreno, the geniuses behind Knitty, asked me to create a vest that’s perfect for layering. While vests have traditionally been worn in more preppy or minimalist fashion, the Lipsky vest is quirky and contemporary. A leading trend this fall is the statement vest and Lipsky celebrates it by incorporating other trends such as color blocking and checkerboard patterning.
I chose DK-weight Fibra Natura Dona for the project. This plump and super soft extra fine superwash merino yarn features a broad palette of deeply saturated colors. I whipped up a quick sketch with colored pencils, but I wasn’t confident in my color selection. I asked Talya, the creator of our videos, TikTok content, and Reels, to give me her opinion. Together we came up with the combination of #102 Daffodil, #119 Clear Day, #127 Real Teal, #114 Camellia, and #135 Buttercup.
This vest incorporates a variety of colorwork techniques. You’ll pretty much get to dip your toes into everything! It includes intarsia worked flat and in the round, stranded knitting, and a touch of stripes. Don’t be intimidated, though! The intarsia is completely uncomplicated and the stranded colorwork is a breeze to memorize.
One concern I had while designing was that the intarsia portions at the top would be jarring with the different colors used in the stranded colorwork portion. My solution to this was simple – pepper the edgings with the teal and vibrant pink, and add stripes of sky blue and yellow to the hem. Incorporating these colors together in this manner helped to create harmony throughout the piece. It’s those details that really make me love this vest.
While I tend to be partial to seams because of the structure and longevity they provide, I know that many knitters prefer seamless, top-down sweaters. I wanted to give the people what they want, so I switched up my norm and designed Lipsky to be top-down and seamless. You start at the shoulders, working the back first and then returning to the shoulders to pick up stitches for the left and right front. After you complete the neck and armhole shaping, you’ll join the fronts and back, then work in the round for the rest of the vest.
And there you have it – a quick rundown of my new pattern! I’ve been so excited to share this project with you and hope you find it to be just as playful and fun as I do!
Do you love statement projects like this one? What colors would you choose? Let me know in the comments!
Cowan is crocheted in one piece from the bottom up, separating at the armholes, and then rejoining for the upper portion of the vest. Its flowing outline makes it a great piece for its entire range of sizes, XS to 4X (it’s shown here in Small).
To get Cowan free, use the buy it now or add to cart links on the Ravelry pattern page. Then enter coupon code FLASH where you see the “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase.
Not a Ravelry user? Drop us a line by midnight on 5/29 and we’ll get you taken care of. Feel free to share the giveaway – the more the merrier!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Paint a Leaf Vest in Fibra Natura Dona (pattern link here).
This is an Amy Gunderson pattern, formerly found in the Dona Loft Collection.
These bold, graphic knits look great in Dona extrafine merino, with its saturated colors. Its high twist also gives it great stitch definition, which works well in projects like this vest.
The traveling lines are created by working cable crosses. Sized Small to 3X, this is a fun, bright piece to layer for spring or fall.
We hope you have a fantastic, joyful weekend.
Happy crafting!
