Beautiful Autumnal Shades of Deluxe Worsted – colors of falling leaves are always inspiring
We’re continuing our celebration of the re-launch of one of our favorite yarns: Deluxe Worsted. Deluxe Worsted is now available at a more accessible price point and a concise, curated palette of 89 shades. With the weather getting cooler outside, there really hasn’t been a better time to fall in love with Deluxe Worsted. Autumn pun absolutely intended, folks.
It’s no secret that Deluxe Worsted is a workhorse yarn. Made of 100% non-superwash wool, this beauty is designed to stand the test of time. Not only that, but it is comfortable to wear, and works up in such a way that your stitches always take center stage. With such a wide array of colors offered, there are endless possibilities of what you can do with Deluxe Worsted.
In the design studio, we begin with a mood board for every pattern collection. Inspirational images in that mood board become the source for the colors we choose for designs. I wanted to share some of the things I use as inspiration for design and color choice, and Deluxe Worsted color combinations that match well with those inspirations. Maybe you’ll find colors that are perfectly suited to your next project!
As a designer, I take inspiration from many places. Art History was always one of my favorite lectures in design school, and to this day, fine art is always one of the first places I look. Though I’m a designer who loves working with textiles, I can walk around museums for hours and hours, enthralled with paintings and sculpture. Looking at ‘The Soul of the Rose’, by John William Waterhouse, I was immediately taken by the gorgeous jewel tones of the woman’s clothing and hair and the feeling of passion exuded in this painting. Whether the colors I chose are used together in one piece for stripes or colorwork, or worked separately in different designs, they all flow together with a consistent and decadent feel. Since we are all spending more time at home these days, or maybe you don’t live near a museum, here are a couple of online galleries from major museums to start getting you inspired for your projects. The National Gallery of Art, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art both have a lot of work that you can view online.
The natural world is a place brimming with wonders great and small, and is an endless source of color and texture. I saw this incredible photo by David Balyeat of Monument Valley, Utah, and fell in love with the subtle pastel gradient tones in this image. If I was designing something and using this image as inspiration, I would certainly pull out the pink and blue colors. Deluxe Worsted has such a varied selection, and many gorgeous pastel and more muted tones such as the ones I chose. I think there is a really beautiful shawl or blanket just waiting to be made in these shades!
Another inspiring source for me are the mysteries of the world, like things in space that I cannot see or touch to ‘understand’. This photo is the Crab Nebula, which was the result of a supernova explosion that Chinese astronomers witnessed in 1054. It is a stunning marvel of the universe, and ripe with bright beautiful colors. Black is a classic, sophisticated choice for knitwear. Paired with bright tones like the ones I chose, you could make a very eye-catching piece. My fiancé would love this color combination for a striped sweater or scarf.
Deluxe Worsted Naturals are inspiring just as they are!
I could talk about color forever, especially with a yarn like Deluxe Worsted that has 89 shades available! Color tends to be a meaningful and personal decision, especially if you are hand knitting or crocheting. When we design here at UY, variety in color choice is always on the brain, since we want to appeal to all. However, we also hope that you get inspired by our sample color choices and pick your favorites for your own projects! We are always delighted to see project posts on Ravelry where you chose your perfect colors for our designs. Tell me, which color inspiration spoke to you, or what would you choose to inspire your next project using Deluxe Worsted?
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!
We know warm summer weather is in full swing for most of us. Even though we’re trying to beat the heat, we still want fun things to knit! So today, we set Crystal Coast free.
Crystal Coast uses Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray and Cotton Supreme DK with a welt and slip stitch pattern to create a graphic and fun texture. Inspired by the Cape Lookout Lighthouse along the Crystal Coast of NC, this design features the light shining at one end, with the waves of the sea flowing along the other. The cotton will keep you cool, so you can proudly wear this scarf through the summer!
Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray is now on sale, so why not pick your favorites and make one Crystal Coast scarf for you, and one for your bestie? With everyone spending a lot of time at home these days, a handmade gift in the mail is a much appreciated treasure.
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.
We’re introducing a new Dona Color Kit in the Soothe colorway, the Iluvia Shawl. Our Dona Color Kits include a pattern and a curated selection of colors of Fibra Natura Dona. Dona is a 100% superwash extra fine merino yarn that gives beautiful stitch definition. We offer 5 different color kits, each one comprised of 6 colors that all look fantastic as a group.
Iluvia Shawl – Dona Soothe Kit
When I was prompted to design a shawl for the Soothe Kit, I knew I wanted to design something that felt gentle and graceful. Upon receiving the skeins of Dona to work with, the soft blue and green shades immediately made me think of nature. It has always been a big source of inspiration for me as designer, and I wanted to take that and roll with it.
The pitter-patter of rain on a rooftop is a sound that most people find calming. I love to see water wash over rocks in a river or stream, and droplets of dew on the grass during my morning walk is a visual pleasure of the simplest kind. These tiny marvels of the world were my inspiration when I chose stitch patterns for the Iluvia Shawl.
Raindrop inspired stitches
This sampler-style shawl features 5 different stitch patterns in sections that use up the bulk of one ball of each color in the kit, with the grey (130 Steely) breaking up each section in gentle garter stitch. In general, the stitch patterns are fairly simple, focused on creating the rain-inspired textures. The shawl decreases on one edge, and pretty tassels adorn each corner.
The tassels enhance the flowing water feeling. And they’re just too cute! Because each stitch pattern is simple and easy to memorize, this becomes quite the meditative knit. Perfect for being worked in the ‘Soothe’ colorway, don’t you think? I hope this becomes a fun and soothing project for many, just as it was for me.
I snapped this photo for Instagram as I was working on the shawl. I love the way the light hits those stitches!
Many LYS stores stock our Dona Color Kits, contact yours to get the Soothe Kit today!
Happy Free Pattern Friday!Spot of tea with your towel knitting?
The Mosaic Dish Towels are our free pattern release this week. Knit in Clean Cotton, 2 balls of 2 different colors will work up a pretty pair of kitchen towels.
Mosaic knitting is a fun way to add visual interest to a project. The technique uses slipped stitches in different colors to create a pattern that goes up the rows. If you’ve never tried mosaic knitting before, this could be a great introduction.
Though these dish towels may seem humble, few things bring as much joy as making something you can use day-to-day in your house. The I-cord hanger means that these towels can be proudly displayed in your kitchen.
I-cord hanger makes your life easy!
Did I mention that the Mosaic Dish Towels are also eco-friendly? Clean Cotton is made using 100% reclaimed fibers, and comes in 21 colors. You can pick a combination that totally speaks to you!
We hope you have fun knitting these towels!
Happy Free Pattern Friday!
This week, we’ve released the Bold Circles Throw in Luxor. Originally a part of Garden Book 5: Bring your Garden Inside, this is the first time we’re making it available as an individual pattern. This colorful crochet throw was originally written for Garden 3, but works perfectly in one of our new yarns, Luxor.
Luxor is made of 100% Egyptian Giza Mercerized Cotton, and has an impressive palette of 39 colors. It’s perfect for garments, accessories, and home pieces in crochet or knit.
The Bold Circles Throw is worked in 63 circular motifs. They are join-as-you-go, which makes for a very meditative crochet project. While we’re all spending more time at home, why not take up a relaxing project and make something for your home?
New years bring a lot of good things with them. Things like resolutions, new knitting projects, and of course: Pantone’s Color of the Year.
Pantone researches trends in media, fashion, culture, entertainment, art, and more to forecast what color will be best for the coming year. This color decision will then trickle into products created in many industries like fashion, interiors, and yes, yarn! What is the color of the year, you ask? Well, it is 19-4052 – Classic Blue!
“Instilling calm, confidence, and connection, this enduring blue hue highlights our desire for a dependable and stable foundation on which to build as we cross the threshold into a new era. ” – Pantone.com
With a lot of things in nature being blue, and it’s inherent quality as a calming color, blue appeals to everyone. The shade chosen, Classic Blue, is a strong foundation color that is suggestive of the sky at dusk. As you can see with the yarns above, we have an abundance of blue to choose from in our yarn offerings, and plenty that mix blue with other stunning shades.
Some of our yarns that offer this rich blue shade are Bella Chenille in Indigo, and Fibra Natura Flax in Fierce Blue. Blue yarn for all seasons!Dona and Donnina, which are both 100% extrafine superwash merino wool yarn, offer great stitch definition have some fabulous blue shades. Below we’ve featured a couple of the patterns available in our Dona Color Kit – Blues.
The Color Shift Hat and Mittens from our Dona Kit in Blues The Staccato Shawl from our Dona Color Kit in Blues Deluxe Worsted and Deluxe Chunky are great staple yarns to stock up on for future projects throughout the year. Colbalt is the blue shade available that best matches the Pantone Classic Blue. The Switcback Cardigan (below) from our Deluxe Men Collection features gorgeous blue colorwork!
The Switchback Cardigan from our Deluxe Men Collection using Deluxe Worsted Major , Bamboo Bloom, and Uptown DK Colors are all yarns that have beautiful multi-colored blue shades. Any pattern you knit or crochet with these yarns is sure to be rich with color and texture.
Flying V crochet blanket using Uptown Worsted Luxor, our new mercerized Egyptian cotton yarn, is perfect for lightweight knit and crochet projects and comes in a wide array of colors including Royal Blue. Knit the Navona Wrap shown below and add a Color of the Year accessory to your closet!
The Navona Wrap in Luxor 105-02 Royal Blue
These are just some of the patterns we’ve designed that feature the Classic Blue shade. Remember, you can knit any pattern in any color you want! We hope you are just as excited as we are about the color of the year for 2020 and are ready to fill your stash with blue yarn. Happy knitting!
Blue yarn for everyone!
This is part 2 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 3 Edition.
Happy Day 2 of the 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection! We know you are all eager to see what we’ve whipped up for the second day of the series, and we are thrilled to share with you – the Birch Gloves. Everyone needs a pair of elegant long gloves in their wardrobe, and hand-knitting them means these are perfect for yourself or made up as a gift for a loved one. Designed by Adrienne Larsen, the Birch Gloves are guaranteed to be cherished for seasons to come!
Knit in our Kingston Tweed yarn, this project features two different colors; 102 Calcite and 112 Basalt. These gloves are a gauntlet style with a flared cuff that gives a refined appearance to any outfit. Wool and alpaca fibers are blended into the yarn, meaning the Birch Gloves will also keep your fingers warm and toasty – maybe while out at a holiday market or off to see the Nutcracker ballet! The neutral colors of the yarn for this project are also certain to pair well with any sweater you choose.
The Birch Gloves feature cables and a slip stitch colorwork pattern for the cuffs, and the beautiful Kingston Tweed yarn is on serious display for the hands and fingers in stockinette stitch. Knitting the cuff and glove separately, you seam them together with an I-cord edge that adds a tidy finish. Both the cuffs and glove are knit in the round, working from the bottom up. Construction-wise, this is sure to be a fun project to take on and maybe a new method of knitting gloves to learn!
Whether you choose to knit the Birch Gloves for yourself or as a gift for someone special, these are guaranteed to be loved by everyone around. We hope you are inspired to kick back with a mug of warm Cider or Gløgg , turn on your favorite holiday film, and get to knitting these stunning gloves! You can pick up your 12 Days of Winter Kits including the Birch Gloves Kit at your local yarn shop.
Happy Halloween to all you ghoulies and ghosties out there! We’re not sure what’s better: a large bag filled with candy of all kinds, or a fun crafting project to get us in the holiday spirit. Sadly, we can’t provide you candy via the web, but this Halloween, we have plenty of fun crafting projects to offer! So park your broom, sit a spell, and decide which project to start working on today.
We want all the candy!
To hold all of that aforementioned delicious candy, we have the Neon Pumpkin and Skull Baskets in Uptown Worsted (pattern link here)! Though these baskets are knitted in soft yarn, they feature a ‘magical’ plastic needlepoint canvas inside to keep their shape for many Halloweens to come (and all those candy grabbing hands)! We know you’ll enjoy the whimsical Fair Isle patterns on these as much as we do.
Spooky and stunning in Uptown DK
Next up, for a fun adult costume idea, we have the Batcape in Uptown DK (pattern link here). Throw this on with a black or red dress, some fangs, a little fake blood, and you have an instant Vampire costume! The chevron pattern is gorgeous to knit up, and it has a red contrast I-Cord bind off. You could always wear this with a winter outfit for an edgy-cool everyday look too. ‘Ve vant’ you to knit this pretty cape!
Bleep-Bloop
Everyone loves aliens and monsters right? We certainly do. Halloween is the perfect time to work up a fun creature inspired project. For kids, we have the Bleep Bloop Sweater in Cotton Supreme (pattern link here) which is an adorable alien-themed hoodie that can double as a great costume! This is from our Stellar Supreme collection, so if you’re a fan of outer space-inspired patterns, that is the one for you.
Do the Monster Mash!
For the whole family, we have Clarice, Chunk, and Clyde in Uptown Worsted! These monster hats are adorably fun to crochet and make a great last-minute costume.
Candy corn- love or hate it?
Want a Halloween colored item, but not into the whole costume thing? Try the Crochet Color Pooling Scarf in Uptown Worsted Spirit Stripes color MVP. This yarn is also perfect for team color projects!
‘Boooooooooooooook’ -Winifred Sanderson
In the realm of books, we have 50 Knitted Gifts for Year Round Giving . This is a collection of patterns for every holiday on your list, and the Halloween offering sure doesn’t disappoint. Feel like making a felted trick-or-treat bag? Check. Boot Warmers? Check. This one has you covered for Halloween and all the holidays beyond.
Spiderweb Boot Toppers (Ravelry link here)
Felted Trick or Treat Bag (Ravelry link here)
Hopefully, this has given you all the inspiration to start working on some whimsical and spooky projects for Halloween or any day of the year you choose to enjoy these! Now, kick back with your crafting and your candy corn and start watching Hocus Pocus.
Happy Halloween!
