Author: Aubrey

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Free Pattern Friday – Bienne Tee

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Bienne Tee in Flax Lace.

This tee is named after the town of Bienne, Switzerland.  Both German and French are spoken there, and with its old Gothic architecture and modern high rises, the city is a beautiful blend of rustic and sophisticated.

Likewise, the Bienne Tee is a lovely mix of cables and lace in sturdy Flax Lace 100% linen, a classic plant fiber that softens with every wash.

It’s easy to see how good this would look over a tank or cami, with contrasting color capris  or jewelry.  Although it’s a classic in color 101 Taupe as pictured, I’m wondering how something more colorful might work.   There are a lot of lovely tones to choose from.

Happy knitting!

 

 

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Free Pattern Friday – My Poncho

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

aqua knitted poncho

Today’s pattern is My Poncho in Fibra Natura Radiant Cotton.

I will confess to having to fight a bias against ponchos.  It stems mainly from having lived through the Bicentennial in 1976, when red, white, and blue crocheted acrylic ponchos were all the rage.

vintage red white and blue fringed crochet poncho
On the other hand, it does show how long acrylic lasts.

I mean absolutely no disrespect to those crafters who made such things.  You just have to imagine a young girl decked out in these things in July in the South to understand my dismay.

Fortunately, both fashion and yarn have come a long way.

closeup of aqua knitted poncho with wooden necklace

When this poncho showed up on my desk to photograph for Free Pattern Friday, my immediate response was, “mine.”  This is the kind of poncho I can get behind.  Or, more accurately, get in to.

side view of aqua poncho

“My Poncho” is made in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g), a long-staple 100% Egyptian cotton that’s a delight to work with.  Work it in two pieces from the bottom up, then seam at the shoulders.

I’m considering my color options here – Radiant Cotton has pastels, neutrals, and some very saturated tones.  It’s hard to know which way to go, but I’m leaning toward 801 Crocus.

hanks of Radiant Cotton yarn

I suppose I could always make more than one.

Happy knitting!

closeup view of aqua poncho shoulder

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Free Pattern Friday – Box of Blocks

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Box of Blocks in Major.

Log cabin designs are classic for good reason.  They’re simple but visually interesting, and they look great in self-shading yarns like Major.

For this little baby blanket, start at the middle, then pick up along the edge and work the next strip.  Then pick up along the edge of what you’ve already made and knit the next strip.  Keep going until… well, until you’re done!

We hope you enjoy this sweet and simple classic design.

Happy knitting!

 

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Free Pattern Friday – Augustine Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Augustine Scarf in Whisper Lace.

I was so excited to see this piece in our office.  Fibra Natura Whisper Lace (440g/50yds) is one of my favorite yarns, and accessories like this, which are gorgeous but still very achievable to the novice lace knitter, are always welcome.

When the time came to photograph this, I brought a shawl pin from home.  I picked up this JulDesigns shawl pin from an LYS here in Charlotte, and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to break it out.  Jul’s designs are so beautiful, and I wanted to show what the right accessory can do for an already lovely garment.

We’re not affiliated with Jul. We just think her stuff is pretty.

But back to the scarf!  The stitches are simple – knit, purl, yo, and ssk (slip, slip, knit).  The 4-row pattern is written and charted.  The scarf is knit on the bias, and once you’ve done a couple of repeats it’s easy to see what’s coming up next.

This is also a great example of what blocking can do for a scarf.  Look at how wide it gets!  There are plenty of options with a fabric this sheer.  Spread it wide or gather it for a more casual look.

If you’re looking for something that’s simple but delicate, this is a great choice.  We hope you enjoy it.

Happy knitting!

 

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Free Pattern Friday – North Window Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the North Window Stole in Universe.

It’s a simple formula:  sparkly yarn+ crochet = gorgeous.

The three row body repeat creates a striking fabric in our 10th anniversary yarn Universe (246yds/50g), a blend of cotton, linen, and glitter wrapped in a polyamide thread for greater durability.

Ooh… aah…

Worked on a size C-2 (2.75mm) hook, this design features a pineapple edging with picots, adding  to the elegance of the stole.

Delicate and divine.

We hope you enjoy this gorgeous crochet lace piece.

Happy crafting!

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Halos of Hope – Healing Vibes

One of the nice things about going to crafting shows is that we get to see in person how generous our crafting community can be.  We were reminded of this again with the Halos for Hope booth at StitchesWest.

Halos of Hope partners with LYSes and local guilds to collect and distribute chemo caps.   These caps are practical, and also serve as a personal reminder to a person going through a difficult time that yes, they are cared for.

We were moved to design new patterns for our Cotton Supreme family, which is a great choice for chemo caps.  It’s incredibly soft and won’t irritate chemo patients’ scalps, which are often more tender than usual.

Amy Gunderson brings us our first offering, Healing Vibes in Cotton Supreme DK.

Amy says she thinks of this as a knitted representation of rays of radiation zapping cancer away.  Such a lovely idea – meaningful, but still very pretty in its own right.  We hope someone wearing this will feel the strength and energy Amy has put into this design.

This pattern has a bit of personal significance to me.  It was released on the 9th anniversary of the day my mother was declared free of ovarian cancer.  Mom has had no recurrence – she’s still energetic enough to run rings around me.   She’d be the first to tell you to know the signs, and to go see your doctor if you have any concerns.  I, for one, am very glad that she took early action.

If you’d like to l earn more about Halos of Hope, their website has info.  Their Facebook page is also chock full of patterns and ideas.

We hope that you enjoy this free pattern, and that while you take care of those around you, you take care of yourself, too.

Happy and healthy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Sunday Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Sunday Cardigan in Radiant Cotton.

Universal Yarn is headquartered in Harrisburg, NC, just outside of Charlotte.  It was a balmy 72 degrees here yesterday.  Let’s take a look at the forecast for the rest of the week, shall we?

Dress in layers. Lots of layers.

So tell us:  is it Spring?  Is it winter?  What’s a crafter supposed to do with this??

I think what we’ll choose to do this week is hit the LYS for any wool we need to finish cold weather projects, but also pick up some cotton because warm weather is coming, no matter what.

Enter the Sunday Cardigan in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g).  It’s a classic knitted lace sweater, perfect for the warmer weather we know is just around the corner.

This pattern is written and charted, and contains a schematic.  It has the classic construction – knitted flat and seamed.   Right twists give the Tight Braid pattern extra interest.  This is a great everyday piece, or one that works to dress up a plain outfit on the weekends, as the name suggests.

I love this in the pale pastel of 807 First Bloom, but I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if you turned up the saturation a little bit, maybe with color 806 Calypso.

It’s going to be hard to go wrong with this design.

No matter what the weather is doing in your neck of the woods, we hope you enjoy this charming free pattern.

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Rising Tide Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Rising Tide Scarf in Major.

You’ve got to love the ones that are easier than they look.

This slip-stitch knit pattern is worked in two colors of our bulky Major acrylic.   Because this yarn comes in big 200g/328yd skeins, you only need one skein of each color.  Even though it’s a wide scarf, it’s made on a size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needle so it goes pretty quickly.

It’s always gratifying to see the next color come up in a pattern with self-shading yarn, isn’t it? The travelling slipped stitches mean the color carries up into the next row, even though each section only uses one color of yarn at a time.  Knit it lengthwise, add the fringe, and voila!  A lovely accessory.

We hope you enjoy this project and your weekend.

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Chapel Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Chapel Stole in Radiant Cotton.

Depending on where you are, either it’s warm enough for Spring projects, or you’re dreaming that it’s warm enough.  It’s time to get a little headstart with this beautiful lace wrap.

Knit on US Size 7 (4.5mm) needles in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g),  it’s a generous 84″ (seven feet!) as shown.  It would be easy to lengthen or shorten – just add or remove a repeat or two from the central section.  The crocheted picot edging is applied after finishing the piece.

This lovely sampler also comes in a narrower scarf version at about half the width.

There are some really bright Spring colors in Radiant cotton that would look lovely with this.  Maybe 819 Sky Blue?

Or maybe something lighter and more delicate, like 807 First Bloom.

It’s a good feeling to be spoiled for choice.

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Whirlpool Throw

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Whirlpool Throw in Major.

There are little whirlpools…

Who pulled out the stopper?

There are big whirlpools…

Maelstrom of Saltstraumen. Lifeguard not on duty.

And then there is this.

Dive right in.

The 52″ Whirlpool Throw is crocheted with two balls each of two shades of Major (328yds/200g), colors 115 Stonewall and 114 Coastal.   Start at the center with an adjustable ring and work out, alternating colors every row.

This is not a difficult pattern, being primarily double crochet, but the results are dramatic.   There are quite a few color combos you could choose. I like 101 Verdant and 102 Underwater for a green “fairy ring” kind of feel.  It’s hard to go wrong.

We hope you enjoy this beautiful crochet pattern.

Happy crafting!