So how about it? Done with all your gift knitting this year? I’m not – I still have a single requested Towanda Sock to go. But there’s still time to squeeze in some quick handmade projects, when you choose those projects carefully!
The Embers Hat ticks all my boxes for a quick gift.
Thick yarn
Looks harder than it is (got to impress the recipient!)
Fun pom pom. I’m a sucker for a pom pom!
Be Wool Multis 201 Desert
Thick yarn? Check! Solid Be Wool and its color-flecked sibling Be Wool Multis are a perfect matching pair. Each is a thick, soft wool/acrylic blend that works up lightning-fast.
So cozy!
You’ll cast on with US Size 15 (10 mm) 16″ circular for the 2×2 ribbed brim, then move to US Size 17 (12 mm) needles for the body of the hat.
Big and beautiful.
The Fair Isle diamonds pattern is simple enough. The use of multi-colored yarn creates a more syncopated rhythm to the color than straight solid-on-solid, although you could certainly use a coordinating Be Wool color in place of the Multis. I’m wondering how 109 Tango, a rich red, would look!
Pom pom-tastic!
Pom pom? Check! And I do love how Be Wool Multis creates a variegated topper without any extra work on the crafter’s part. It’s literally the crowning touch!
Whether you’re looking for a last minute gift, or a fun, fast project for yourself, the Embers Hat has you covered.
We hope you have a stress-free weekend, full of joy.
This is part 8 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
I love the winter season because of many things; seasonal drinks and items come back, joy seems to fill the air, and I always have fun shopping for holiday gifts! Another thing that I look forward to each season is winter-themed decorations! From driving by houses that shine brightly with different lights and figurines, to seeing what special and unique decorations each person sets up or creates, it’s clear to me that you can never go wrong with adding a little bit of spice and flair into your home with decorations for the season. Our Trio of Trees designed by Aubrey Busek is the perfect way to add seasonal décor to your home!
Trio of Trees
Let’s take a closer look: the Trio of Trees are made up of three elegant and timeless patterns that can be recycled year after year (which is such a huge plus!). The trio features a Linen Stitch Tree, a Striped Tree, and a Slipped Ornaments Tree. Each tree brings its own unique character to the table and can easily become a staple decoration in your home for the season. Featuring our Cotton Gold yarn as well as our Dona yarn, these two yarns held together and worked up create some magic to get you ready to jump into the winter season!
Slipped Ornament Tree
Each tree uses a different stitch pattern, which is fun because you are getting a “stitch sampler” with each tree you make! The Slipped Ornament Tree is my personal favorite, because it reminds me so much of a classic winter tree that we so often see during this time of the year. In this pattern, a special stitch called a Long Stitch is used. The yarn is wrapped twice around the needle, giving a “draped” effect throughout the tree. The delicate sequins strung through our Cotton Gold yarn creates a gorgeous shimmer that, when incorporated with the saturated colors of Dona, will have your guests do a double take and stop to admire this miniature forest in your home!
Linen Stitch Tree
You know those winter decorations that your family brings out year after year, no matter how “old” it gets? That is exactly what I think about when I see the Linen Stitch Tree. This specific tree instantly sends me back to sweet memories in the winter seasons spent with my family, decorating our home and getting ready for the upcoming events. The minimalist Linen Stitch tree offers a mix and match vibe to your holiday décor. You simply work knit stitches and slip stitches with yarn held in front to create a woven effect and provide texture to the tree.
Striped Tree
Look at how it subtly glistens! The Striped Tree features a stockinette stitch pattern worked all the way up the body. A strand of each Dona and Cotton Gold are held together throughout the tree, and the Dona colors (Blue Hint, Balsam, Alabaster) are changed every four rows. The glimmer from Cotton Gold creates a dream-like aura of snow falling from the sky, which is fitting for the season! Although they are all effortless to make, the Striped Tree is the most minimalist pattern in my opinion because it is just stockinette stitch the whole way up! It is the perfect final addition to the Trio, because it adds the right amount of sophistication while still looking simple.
These trees are each knit in the round from the bottom up. A picot edge is picked up and worked after finishing to create ‘skirts’ on the bottom of each tree edge, and the tree tops are stuffed with poly-fill before finally placing around the Styrofoam bases. Remember to check your gauge! It is so important for accuracy and so it fits in the styrofoam cones properly. They are the perfect addition to your home for this winter season, and will be for years to come! These trees will make your friends, family, and guests feel welcomed in your home, in the holiday spirit.
Remember, these exclusive kits can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Not in stock at your local shop? Ask them about drop shipping – order through them, and we ship to you! Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
This is part 7 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
Glittering lights on trees and front porches, activities like ice skating, and delicious comfort foods are all special things about the winter season. Some might even call this time of year *enchanting*. I love driving around during December evenings and looking at holiday displays. Sipping hot cocoa and listening to holiday music while I look at decorations and ornamental garlands always makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Image sourced from Country Living
Garlands on banisters and front porches have always been some of my favorite decorations for the season. I have fond childhood memories of helping my Dad put ours up on the stairs and outside every year. Decorations like those served as my inspiration for the Enchanted Scarf, knit using Kingston Tweed.
Enchanted Scarf – knit using Kingston Tweed in color 115 Garnet
Techniques you’ll explore in this pattern are:
Knitting flat
Following multiple charts and stitch guides
Cables
Twisted stitches
Adding fringe
Kingston Tweed is a light weight (#3) weight blend of alpaca, wool, and viscose, which adds the tweedy nubs. This beautiful yarn makes a great choice for garments and accessories that you want to have an elegant, yet rustic look and feel. The color 115 Garnet is a lovely warm red shade that we released last year, and I knew was a perfect choice for the Enchanted Scarf.
First, a border of garter stitch provides a base for the scarf, then a cable and bobble pattern is worked, creating a texture that reminds me of garlands decorating a mantle or porch. This stitch pattern is reversed on the opposite end of the scarf to create a mirrored appearance. The ‘main body’ of the scarf is worked in a twisted lattice style stitch pattern. I absolutely love twisted stitches. They are delicate miniature cables, and add a sophistication to any stitch pattern. The lattice style pattern reminds me of strings of lights or popcorn on a tree, or lights decorating a house. You’ll work a matching garter border on the other end of the scarf before binding off.
Finally, fringe is added to both ends of the scarf. It reminds me of icicles, and honestly, I think all scarves are better with a bit of fringe. In addition to adding a little ‘Je ne sais quois’ to the scarf, it also shows off the yarn in it’s simple beauty. Kingston Tweed is a yarn with so much texture of its own, that something like fringe shows off all the little details in each strand.
Another textural knit element I love are bobbles! In addition to choosing them as part of this design, there are other patterns in our 12 Days of Winter collection that feature bobbles. They are a whimsical element that adds dimension to add to any pattern. Throughout the 12 Days of Winter blog posts, we like to offer tutorials, as well as tips and tricks for yarns and techniques featured in the kits. Today, I’d love to share with you all my tutorial for working bobbles in stockinette stitch. You can view the video here at this link, and watch below.
Bobble Tutorial by me
As I mention in the video, bobbles can be worked in a variety of different ways, so please refer to your pattern for the specific method used. Although the Enchanted Scarf is knit using Kingston Tweed, I opted to use Uptown DK for the tutorial. It is a smooth 100% anti-pilling acrylic yarn, and provided great visibility for the tutorial. I hope this video is helpful and enjoyable to you. Tell us in the comments: what is a knitting technique you’d like a tutorial made for?
Our exclusive 12 Days of Winter kits can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer! Kits not in stock at your local yarn store? Ask about drop shipping – order through them, and we ship to you!
This is part 6 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
There’s something about the winter season that immediately brings my mind to cuddly stuffed animal friends, perfect for gifting during the holidays. Last year for the 12 Days of Winter, I designed Coco, a bunny with a removable hat and scarf knit in our popular Uptown Worsted yarn. We recently released a new member of our Bella Chenille yarn family: Bella Chenille Big Glimmer. This slightly shimmery version of our Bella Chenille Big yarn immediately brought to mind the idea of a snowy stuffed animal for this year’s 12 Days of Winter kits. I quickly got to work designing, and soon enough, Marshmallow the polar bear was born.
Marshmallow says ‘Hello new bestie!’ – Knit using Bella Chenille Big Glimmer in color 601 Drift. Marshmallow’s sweater is knit in Bella Chenille colors 121 Indigo and 125 Oatmeal
Techniques you’ll explore in the Marshmallow pattern are:
Knitting small circumferences in the round
Increasing and decreasing often to create small 3-dimensional shapes
Embroidery
Casting on stitches and joining pieces after working
Designing a small (ish) item using such a chunky yarn like Bella Chenille Big Glimmer has its challenges indeed. Even more than that, chenille yarns can be a bit fiddly to work with, especially when you want things to look precise. So, I’ve decided to give you some tips for working with chenille yarns like our Bella Chenilleand Bella Chenille Big Glimmer, so that the process of making Marshmallow or any other chenille project is tons of fun!
Bella Chenille Big Glimmer skeins, and a chip shot so you can see the lovely metallic glimmers!
My first tip for working with chenille yarns would be to keep your gauge tight, to stop ‘worming’ and help prevent inconsistencies in the fabric. Worming happens when the strand of yarn coils back on itself, creating loose-looking loops in the fabric. For making a stuffed toy a tighter knit gauge is ideal, so that the finished friend is firm and well stuffed all around! Remember that the needle size listed on the yarn ball band is just a suggestion, and you should opt to use whatever needle size will achieve a gauge that matches what the pattern calls for. In Marshmallow’s case, gauge is very important. Not only will keeping a tight gauge aid in making the stitches look uniform and help prevent worming, but this pattern also uses nearly the entire skein of Bella Chenille Big Glimmer. So, you will need to be extra mindful while you work!
So cuddly!
It is no secret: chenille yarns fray. Once you cut the end of yarn, you will notice that the polyester fibers tend to want to come loose from the thread base. This can be frustrating, messy, and leave you with a less than ideal yarn tail for weaving in ends. My top tip for fixing this is to secure the end of the yarn with something that will stop the fraying! My favorite method for this is using a fabric sealant product like Fray Check, which I use very often when I am sewing fabrics that unravel easily. This liquid creates a coating on whatever it is applied to, preventing the fibers from being able to unravel. Make sure to use these types of products in a place with adequate ventilation, as they do tend to have smelly fumes, and let it dry completely before you work with it.
My next tip for working with chenille yarns is using the right type of needle. Everyone has preferences in types of needle materials, whether you like plastic needles, wooden needles, or metal. In my experience, mixing a plastic needle with a synthetic fuzzy yarn like chenille can result in difficulty sliding stitches, more ‘sticky’ feeling knitting, crampy hands, and hot, sweaty feeling yarn. A smooth wooden or slick metal needle is a more ideal choice for yarns like chenille. The stitches will glide much more easily as you work and be easier to manipulate. The Marshmallow pattern requires a consistent amount of increasing and decreasing as you go along to create the 3D shapes, so having a needle that easily works over 2 or more stitches at a time is necessary. Marshmallow is knit in the round, beginning with his legs. Whether you choose to use double pointed needles, or a magic loop method is entirely up to you! Magic loop is surprisingly easy to master, and we have a tutorial for it! Click this link to learn how to knit in the round using Magic Loop.
My final tip for working with chenille is using an angled tapestry needle with a large eye for embroidery and weaving in ends. I like these Tapestry needles from Clover for yarns like chenille. It’ll pass through the stitches more easily , you’ll be able to see the needle amidst all of the chenille fluff, and it’ll offer more control with the yarn and stuffing. Last year during the 12 Days of Winter, I made a video tutorial for embroidering Coco’s face. The same principles apply to Marshmallow, just on a more ‘jumbo’ scale. In fact, I used scrap Uptown Worsted yarn for Marshmallow’s face embroidery. Here is a link to the video where I give tips on embroidering a stuffed animal face.
Marshmallow just wants a hug!
There you have it – some of my top tips for working with chenille yarns! These aren’t the only tips and tricks, of course. The more you work with chenille yarns, you’ll discover what works best for you. If you have any other tips you’d like to share, feel free to leave them in the comments below, we’d love to hear!
Our exclusive 12 Days of Winter kits like Marshmallow can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer! Kits not in stock at your local yarn store? Ask about drop shipping – order through them, and we ship to you!
This is a special design for several reasons! First, it’s just so festive! Who wouldn’t want a big, beautiful crocheted throw to snuggle up with on a frosty night?
Original Bella Chenille Big is loved for home decor, accessories, and more. We heard from more than one person saying, “you know the only thing that could make this better is… bling!”
What a great idea! So here it is, in all its glittery glory. But the Holiday Cheer Throw isn’t the only free pattern in this yarn released today. There’s also…
If you’re a fan of the annual 12 Days of Winter kit sets, you’ll love Marshmallow, shown here knitted up in Bella Chenille Big Glimmer, sporting a stylish Bella Chenille pullover. He’s one of this year’s kits, available only through your LYS. His designer, Aubrey Busek, will be posting more about him on Monday.
We are so excited by this fun yarn, and by all the possibilities it reveals. We hope you enjoy today’s free pattern(s)! Have a wonderful weekend, full of sparkle and joy!
This is part 1 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
Hello all! 12 Days of Winter is upon us again, and this year marks the 5th year of our kit collection. We’ve gone above and beyond this year to deliver the best kits and patterns possible, and we’ve aimed to showcase as many of our beautiful yarns as we can in the collection. I thoroughly enjoy designing for the 12 Days of Winter because there’s so much variety in designs, all centered around the same thing: the joy of wintertime. I’m a person who loves all things winter and holidays, so I tend to have what feels like endless ideas for these particular projects.
Crystalline Cowl Kit – knit using Dona, Minou, and Universe
For Day 1 of Winter, I designed the Crystalline Cowl. I’m often inspired by nature and color for designs, but in this case, I was inspired by a place I’d love to travel to someday. My absolute ‘dream’ place to visit or even to live would be in the Alsace region of France. This idyllic European region looks like it is the center of a fairytale book series, and I think that would make it such a special place to live. The mixture of the golden lights and the white snowy rooftops in photos of Alsace during winter were my inspiration sources for the Crystalline Cowl.
Image sourced from Travel France Bucket List Crystalline Cowl Side View
Some of the techniques you’ll explore in the Crystalline Cowl pattern are:
knitting in the round
grafting
slipped stitch textures
bobbles
No matter where you live, a hand knit cowl will keep you cozy, warm, and stylish on cold days. One of our newest yarns, Minou , was my first choice for this ‘lights and snow’ inspired design. When we first introduced Minou, we knew it would create an incredible, fuzzy lining for accessories. I decided to make the Crystalline Cowl fully lined with the Minou yarn in the color 101 Borzoi. First, the lining is knit using Minou held on its own. Once you complete that portion of the cowl, you join our Dona yarn in the color 101 Vanilla and begin the ribbed bottom of the cowl body. Dona is a soft and plush superwash extrafine merino yarn, perfect for garments and accessories. This combination of yarns feels like something ideal to wear walking along a charming street of shops on a cold winter day.
Wintertime in Strasbourg, Alsace
Finally, to compliment both of the main yarns, I added glimmering Universe in the color 10-03 Crystal. Universe is a unique, shimmering blend of linen and cotton with a metallic thread wrapped around the base. It adds an ethereal, magical glimmer to any project that reminds me of the reflection of lights on snow. Universe is held with Dona for the main jacquard and bobble pattern worked over the body of the cowl. The cowl is long enough to wear draped over your shoulders, or doubled up for maximum coziness. Once all sections are complete, the lining is flipped inside the main cowl, and the ends are grafted together. Top tip: if you’d like to skip the provisional cast-on and grafting called for in the pattern, you can simply cast on and seam the lining to the main cowl body. There you have it- you’ve made the most squishy, soft, and luxurious feeling accessory ever!
Christmas market in Strasbourg- image sourced from christmas.alsace
I can certainly see someone sporting their Crystalline Cowl while walking around a Christmas market in Strasbourg. Known as the ‘Capitale de Noel’ or Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg is certainly on my wintertime travel bucket list, and I’ll be bringing my Crystalline Cowl with me when I go! Tell us in the comments: what place inspired a knit or crochet project you’ve made?
Crystalline Cowl
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the inspiration for this design, and can’t wait for you to see all of the 12 Days of Winter projects for this year.
Remember, these exclusive kits can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
This gorgeous holiday stocking was part of our 2019 12 Days of Winter Kit Series, a popular collection of kits that we publish each year. Our fifth annual series is out now, available exclusively from your LYS! It seemed like a great time to revisit this festive favorite.
Beautiful Deluxe Bulky Superwash wool gives great definition, and its high quality construction means this heirloom will last for years to come. You’ll start from the cuff and work your way down, moving from the mock cables to Fair Isle starting with sweet XO “hugs and kisses.”
The gingerbread house-inspired colors and shapes continue to the toe. You’ll go back and pick up the afterthought heel, and add an i-cord edging and loop top the cuff to finish it off. Perfect for hanging on the mantel!
To get the Gingerbread Stocking 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 the end of 11/28 and we’ll get you taken care of.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend, full of friends, family, and fun. Happy Crafting!
Whenever we introduce a new yarn with long color repeats, I’m always curious to see how it works up in long rows. So when Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk Print landed on my desk, I knew I’d be knitting something pretty from it as soon as possible.
Color 008 Retro
I chose a basic knit/purl design, to really show off those color changes. Here it is in progress, at about the time I was thinking, “surely, this must be a full ball I’ve used.” Nope, this yarn kept giving.
The WIP rode around in my purse unprotected and came out looking great. There was no matting or damage from the wear. It speaks well of the yarn’s sturdiness!
One ball of Rico Design Essentials Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk Print went a long way. Even though it’s a laceweight yarn, when it’s worked on larger needles or hook, the mohair halo fills in the spaces in the stitches. On a US size 7 (4.5mm) needle, it was light and airy, but not overly loose-looking. The stitch definition was just fine, even at that gauge, and it was pleasant to work with. And check out the fabric it made!
With beautiful bounce and stretch, this is an easy cowl to wear long and loose, or to wrap for a different style. Alternating sections of knit and purl work with the 70% mohair content to let the cowl curl up into little ridges, but the yarn’s 30% silk adds extra drape to allow the piece to expand into a beautiful, wide fabric.
The purl ridges push different bands of color forth, so while this piece is reversible, you’ll get an ever-so-slightly different effect based on which side you have facing out.
So if you’re looking for a really simple project with striking color, that only requires you to knit and purl in the round, here it is. Beautiful, basic, and bold, the Wind Song Cowl in Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk Print has your back.
We hope you have a wonderful weekend, full of ease and joy.
Sometimes the simplest things are the sweetest. Such is the case with today’s free pattern, Cotton Candy Swirl. The open, boomerang-shaped shawl is a lively accessory to brighten up any day.
I feel pretty… oh so pretty…
A field of triple crochet creates this colorful, fun accessory. One big beehive-style ball of soft, variegated Fibra Natura Cobblestone does the colorwork for you!
I’m such a fan of blues and greens that I think my personal shawl would be in color 106 Meadow, shown above. This would be such a great project for a crochet neophyte, or for anyone who wants to crochet while their attention is divided by good conversation.
Lovely, simple, and sweet, this free pattern is pretty and perfect.
Today, the Bonfire Scarf in Nordic Tapestry (free pattern link here).
It doesn’t get much sweeter or simpler than today’s free pattern. Take one ball of self-patterning Nordic Tapestry. Cast on. Knit every row.
Voila! A gorgeous scarf that’s suitable for beginners, or for those who want to make something pretty while chatting with their friends or watching the Great British Baking Show. (Our house is rooting for Crystelle.)
The secret is the yarn. Nordic Tapestry has varying lengths of coordinating shades, broken by shorter runs that mimic the look of Fair Isle. It makes a simple project look colorful and dynamic. Just cast on, and then knit until you’re done!
