Flash Pattern Friday – Ardenne

Can you believe November is already coming to a close? It’s Flash Pattern Friday!

A woman with a glittering long-sleeved dress is shown wearing a hand knitted shawl made from Universal Yarn Noelle and Universe. She has her arms folded across her waist, and smiles slightly.
Our model, Bette, wears the Ardenne Shawl wrapped cozily around her shoulders. Her outfit is glittering and joyful – perfect for the holiday season!

On the last Friday of the month, we temporarily make one of our paid patterns free! Today, we’re *sparkling* joy with the Ardenne shawl in Noelle and Universe (Ravelry link here).

A gold basket placed on a marbled background is filled with balls of Universal Yarn Noelle and Universe.
Two contrasting shades of Noelle and Universe look marvelous together.

Ardenne was originally published in 2021 as part of the ebook, Subtle Glow. This collection celebrates all things sparkly, with its focus on our soft, luxurious Noelle yarn. For Ardenne, I amped up the glow by adding stripes of our beloved Universe yarn. Mixing yarns is a fantastic way to incorporate interesting visual and textural effects into your craft. In some ways, Noelle and Universe seem opposite – Noelle features a chainette construction with baby alpaca and merino wool fibers blown through, creating a lightweight, fluffy, and airy yarn that is super warm and soft – perfect for winter. On the other hand, Universe is a sturdy yarn made from a blend of cotton and linen, making it especially ideal for the warmer seasons. Although both yarns are gorgeously glittery, their textures are so different that you might not expect them to pair well with one another. And yet – they work so well together, as demonstrated in Ardenne.

The original version of this shawl features Noelle in #304 Calypso as the main color, and Universe in #10-01 Paper as the contrast color. The palette in both yarns offers some beautiful alternatives, and I thought it would be nice to share my favorites. Pictured above is “Pretty in Pink,” an option that is monochromatic but with excellent contrast. I think this would be especially cute for Valentine’s Day! For a lower-contrast, yet playful take on the shawl, I recommend my “Warm & Whimsical” option. This option feels a bit more unexpected, and that’s what I love about it.

A detail shot over the Ardenne shawl, knit with Universal Yarn Universe and Noelle.
This detailed shot of Ardenne illustrates the scalloped edge of the lace border, the lovely drape of the fabric, and the eyelet rows that open up the body of the shawl.

With the holiday season and winter just around the corner, what better way to celebrate than with a shimmering pattern? Warm and cozy, yet drapey and lightweight, Ardenne is the perfect piece to wear over your holiday ensemble. Amplify the sparkle factor, as shown on our model, Bette, or dress up an otherwise understated outfit.

A woman stands while wearing the Ardenne Shawl, hand knitted with Universal Yarn Noelle and Universe. She is shown from the back, and glances down to the left.
The asymmetrical shape of Ardenne is visible when worn draped over the back of the shoulders.

I love knitting shawls on the bias. The spiral of the draped fabric always looks so elegant, and they tend to be long enough to wrap around your shoulders easily. Plus, the asymmetrical shape adds a touch of modernity to them that I love. Ardenne features alternating stripes of Noelle and Universe, broken up with eyelet rows. It’s a rhythmic and enjoyable knit. It’s finished off with a decorative garter lace border – a lovely final touch.

A graphic featuring an image of a woman wearing the Ardenne Shawl, hand knit from Universal Yarn Noelle and Universe. This image provides a coupon code for a pattern giveaway.
Click the image to head to Ravelry and download your copy of Ardenne for FREE!

To get Ardenne 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 a coupon code” links that appear during purchase, and click “apply”. Not a Ravelry user? No problem! Simply drop us a line by emailing patterns@universalyarn.com by the end of Sunday, 11/27, and we’ll get you taken care of the week of 11/28. (Note – our offices are closed today, 11/25/22).

Use this graphic to guide you through the process of entering a coupon code on Ravelry, to get Ardenne for free.

Before I wrap up, I’d like to share a couple of special things with you that are relevant for this extended weekend. First – not only are we offering Ardenne for free, but we’re having a pattern sale on Ravelry through Monday, 11/28! That’s right, ALL of the patterns in our Ravelry store are 50% off, no code needed!

Finally, tomorrow is Small Business Saturday! If you’re doing holiday shopping, it’s a great time to visit your local yarn store (LYS) and stock up on your favorites from Universal Yarn. It’s the perfect compliment to our Ravelry pattern sale. You can find our stockists at this link.

We know some people don’t have a local yarn store nearby. If that’s the case, don’t worry, we’re also hosting a sale on our website. There are plenty of ways to stock up on yarns, patterns, and more this weekend!

We hope you enjoy this holiday weekend! Happy crafting!
-Rachel

Please follow and like us: