Robert Ferrel – Page 6 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

April 25, 2023April 25, 2023

Meet a Local Yarn Shop – Wyoming Yarn

Meet a Local Yarn Shop with Wyoming Yarn - three hanks of Wool Pop with a black marble background

Browsing the shelves of your local yarn store to find the perfect yarn for your next project is a favorite pastime of many fiber artists. On the week of National Yarn Store Day (Saturday, April 29th), we are thrilled to share a gem found in Cody, Wyoming. We got the opportunity to interview Karista Low, owner of Wyoming Yarn, and learn more about her exciting new store!

Let’s head inside to see all that Wyoming Yarn has!

An auto shop turned yarn store may not be the most common history behind your local yarn shop, but for Wyoming Yarn and Karista Low, that’s how it all started. Starting as an independent dyer, Karista had a wealth of experience in the fiber arts industry. When she heard that her local yarn shop of choice was closing, she got the offer to take over the inventory and open what is now Wyoming Yarn!

Known for its proximity to the east entrance of Yellowstone National Park, Cody, Wyoming, sees an influx of visitors in the summer months. Travelers from all around the world get their yarn fix inside the doors of Karista’s local shop. However, Wyoming Yarn has plenty of loyal customers that stick around during the frigid winter months, and their shop has plenty of events for them to pass the time.

A weekly knit group is available for customers looking to grow their skills and socialize, and the calendar of events is growing. Crochet classes are new to the offerings, as many people are learning. Karista and her staff also offer knitting technique classes, such as mosaic knitting and much more.

A weekly knit group is one of the ways Wyoming Yarn engages with the community

Inside the walls of Wyoming Yarn, you will find a host of Universal Yarn favorites. Woolly favorites like Colorburst and Cobblestone can be found on the shelves of this shop, as well as plant-based yarns perfect for summer, like Bamboo Pop and Bamboo Pop Sock, and you should too! And with blankets being a popular project at Wyoming Yarn, yarns like Major and Uptown Worsted will surely make their way into the hands of the crafters who shop there.

Nothing makes a store owner smile more than when a skein of yarn returns as a finished object. Many stores have shared with us the joy of watching the skills of their community grow, and we know that is such an exciting thing about the job. At Wyoming Yarn, you will find plenty of baby blankets, shawls, and socks, and we love to see every one of them!

Blankets are a popular project of choice at Wyoming Yarn

We are so excited to feature Karista and her store, Wyoming Yarn. With Local Yarn Store Day coming up, make sure to head to their website and support her business, which keeps our industry thriving. If you are interested in having your store featured, please email rferrel@universalyarn.com to learn more!

See more on Wyoming Yarn’s Instagram page, including a yarn unboxing and muud trunk show!

Full interview with Wyoming Yarn!

April 21, 2023April 19, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Seedling Washcloths

Picking the perfect home accessory for spring is not an easy decision… until today! This week for Free Pattern Friday, we are happy to introduce the Seedling Washcloths in Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Speckles. The smooth cotton fibers of these yarns make for satisfying homewares, so let’s learn more about this unique project!

Color 623 Herb Green in Cotton Supreme is used for this washcloth!

Spring brings new life, much like knitting can bring a project to life at your fingertips. The Seedling Washcloths are inspired by nature blooming all around us. You will use increases and decreases to form the beautiful leaf shape seen in the samples above. Plus, you will get to try a variety of engaging stitches to create the lace definition that brings an added element of excitement to this project. Let’s look at some color options so you can get started on this beautiful pair of washcloths!

The pattern calls for one skein of each of these yarns to create complimentary pieces for your home. These 100% cotton yarns are soft, durable, and machine washable and offer an expansive solid and multi-colored palette to work with. While leaves are often green in nature, there’s no reason you can’t bring your personality into this project. One color combination to try is Cotton Supreme color 515 Blue matched with Cotton Supreme Speckles color 1004 Pastel Pop (photographed above). The blue in this shade of Speckles is a very close match to the solid color of Cotton Supreme, too!

Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Speckles are 20% off this weekend (4/21 – 4/23)

Make your way over to our website to save 20% off both of these spring yarns – no node necessary. We can’t wait to see what you will make, and as always, please share your finished creations with us on social media!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

April 14, 2023April 13, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Tea Leaf Scarf

Friday is here, and it’s time to celebrate with a free pattern just for you! This Free Pattern Friday, we are happy to share the Tea Leaf Scarf, crocheted in our beautiful Wool Pop yarn. The designer, Ashley Jane McIntyre, wanted to create an accessory that evokes the oncoming warmth and bloom of the spring season. Let’s find out more about this gorgeous pattern!

Photo of a person wearing the Tea Leaf Scarf wrapped around their neck with trees in the background. — The Tea Leaf Scarf can be styled in many different ways.

Close up photo of the Tea Leaf Scarf, focusing on the beautiful lace pattern — The Tea Leaf Scarf can be styled in many different ways.

The construction of this scarf is perfect for any crocheter looking to grow their skillset. This accessory is made by crocheting two pieces individually, starting at each edge and working towards the center, then seaming them together in the middle. You will get the chance to put your skills to the test with a beautiful lace pattern at the beginning of each of the two separate pieces, but we know you can do it!

Horizontal photo of a person wearing the Tea Leaf Scarf with trees in the background. — The Teal Leaf Scarf is free to download on our website!

Wool Pop is an all-around beauty. This DK weight yarn is perfect for all types of garments and accessories. Due to its lightweight and breathable wool fibers, you can sport this yarn throughout spring and early summer. The hallmark slight sheen of Wool Pop appears when worked up, thanks to its blend of bamboo, superwash wool, and polyamide.

Save 20% off our Wool Pop yarn this weekend only! With 30 different colors to choose from, the options are endless with this delightful yarn. No code is needed for this sale. Make sure to share all your Wool Pop creations with us on social media!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

April 7, 2023April 6, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Foxglove and Snapdragon

It’s the first Friday of April, and we have some excitement we want to pass along to you. Not only is this week’s Free Pattern Friday for knitters and crocheters alike, but we are also having a sitewide sale! So let’s jump right in and learn more about today’s treat to you, and when you’re all wrapped up here (pun intended), head over to our site for some spring savings!

Photo of a person wearing the Foxglove wrap crocheted with our self-striping Offbeat yarn. — Foxglove wrap crocheted with Offbeat

Photo of a person wearing the Snapdragon wrap, knit with our Offbeat yarn. — Foxglove wrap crocheted with Offbeat

Since we have two patterns to cover this Friday, let’s start by looking at the crochet version, Foxglove. This free pattern designed by Ashley Jane McIntyre shows off a beautifully textured Herringbone Lace Pattern featured throughout with our Offbeat yarn. You will crochet from the bottom up along the widest edge of the wrap to create a beautiful sequence of defined stripes. Just one cake of the Offbeat is required, as each skein contains a generous 586 yards of yarn!

Close up photo of the Foxglove wrap, showing of the Herrington Lace Pattern. — Close up of Foxglove with its gorgeous texture from the Herrington lace pattern

Close up photo of the Snapdragon wrap, with a cable and lace pattern. — Close up of Foxglove with its gorgeous texture from the Herrington lace pattern

Now let’s take a look at the knitted Snapdragon wrap designed by Aubrey Busek, also featuring Offbeat. This wrap features an enticing cable and lace pattern that repeats throughout to give this accessory a beautiful design. This piece is knit flat from the bottom up, with gorgeous self-striping occurring from top to bottom. While both samples use Offbeat color 104 Vibes, this self-striping yarn includes eight total color choices that would look just as good!

Color 101 Peace in Offbeat — 101 – Peace

Color 109 Dream On in Offbeat — 101 – Peace

The color palette of Offbeat has some options that are perfect for spring projects. Try out 101 Peace for an array of colors similar to cotton candy at a spring ball game. Or try out 109 Dream On for a pastel look that matches the season flawlessly. If you’re looking for bolder colors that match springtime, you might like 110 Far Out, with its more defined colors. Whichever color you choose, we know that you will create something unique to you. Make sure to share all your finished projects with us on social media!

Don’t miss out on our Easter Sale through Sunday, April 9th. Save 20% off sitewide – no code needed!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

March 31, 2023March 30, 2023

Flash Pattern Friday – Wylie

The final Friday of March is upon us, meaning today, we will make a previously paid-for pattern free for the weekend. With warmer weather approaching, we decided to feature the Wylie tee for Flash Pattern Friday, designed by Aubrey Busek, and knit with our Cotton Supreme yarn. Let’s learn more about this exciting piece!

The Wylie tee is one of the many patterns first introduced in our Seaside Supreme collection in the Spring of 2021. Reverse stockinette stitch is used throughout the body, with a textured checkerboard motif along the front and back in the center. The reverse stockinette stitch allows the knit and purl stitches of the checkerboard to stand out even more, creating a garment you will cherish for years to come.

The body and the trim use a coordinating color, and with 45 different colors to choose from, you can customize it to your liking. This 100% cotton yarn is buttery soft, making it the perfect option for garments like the Wylie tee. The breathability of the cotton fibers will allow you to wear this piece throughout the summer’s hottest months and into fall. This weekend only – save 20% off our Cotton Supreme yarn, so what are you waiting for?

To get Wylie for free, please head to Ravelry and search for the pattern. Next, you will want to select the “buy it now” option to add it to your cart. Once added to your cart, you will add a coupon code to get the pattern for free. At checkout, enter the code “FLASH” to get this pattern. This offer is valid through Sunday, April 2nd!

Don’t forget to shop Cotton Supreme this weekend, and make sure to share all your finished projects with us on social media by using #universalyarn!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

March 28, 2023March 28, 2023

Fiber For You – 100% Wool

If you’re a crafter, you know that choosing the right fiber for your project is one of the most fun and sometimes most daunting parts of the creation process. As crafters ourselves, we thought that we could offer you some assistance in the process of picking the ‘Fiber For You’. Throughout this series on social media and our blog, we will walk you through some of the most popular fiber choices, including the pros and cons of using that specific fiber. Where do we start? There’s no better place to start than with 100% wool yarns. Here at Universal Yarn, we offer a variety of 100% wool options that we think you will love! Let’s walk through why this fiber is perfect for your next project!

Deluxe Worsted Superwash is one of our most popular 100% wool yarns!

Wool is very likely the first fiber most people think of when they think about yarn. It is natural, durable, and has been used to create clothing and accessories for centuries. Here are some of the many reasons to choose to work with wool:

Breathability – This may not be the quality of wool that comes to mind immediately, but it’s very beneficial, especially in the warmer months. Wool is a highly breathable fiber, so you can relax knowing that you will not be overheating in garments and accessories made with this fiber. Pockets of air form in wool fibers to allow for the release of moisture, keeping you cool all summer long.
Moisture-Wicking – One of the reasons wool is an excellent option for winter months, especially in places with snowfall, is that it absorbs moisture. That makes wool garments perfect for those who enjoy snowboarding, skiing, or hanging out in the snow. You can rest assured knowing you won’t get soaked.
Durability – We had to add a reason specific to crafters looking to use this fiber for their next project. Wool is strong and resistant to tearing and stretching due to its natural elasticity. That means it is easy on your hands while you knit and crochet, and even if you need to frog a project, the yarn will bounce back to its original shape. Wool is often notes as feeling “lofty and light,” yet the fibers are strong enough to withstand wear and tear and be handed down as heirlooms when cared for properly.

The Carillon sweater features beautiful texture in our Deluxe Worsted yarn (100% non-superwash wool)

Garments like the Carillon sweater (pictured above) are just one of the stunning knitting patterns that feature 100% wool yarns. Wool fibers allow for beautifully textured designs like this one and give you space to be a little more creative with your stitches. When picking wool yarns, it’s important to distinguish between superwash wool and non-superwash wool. Options like Deluxe Worsted Superwash make it simple to machine wash your garments and accessories without worrying about felting occurring due to the superwash coating. However, if you plan on using Deluxe Worsted or Yarn Vibes with 100% non-superwash wool, hand wash and do not tumble dry to avoid felting.

Our website has so many patterns and wool yarns to choose from!

Now that you know more about the most popular fiber in the industry, let’s take a look at some inspiration so you can get started on your next project. Crocheters will find delight in the Rosewood Shawl (top middle right), using our Cobblestone yarn. This accessory features a gorgeous textured look and feel and can be worn year-round. Cardigans make for a fun project, and with Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash, you can knit up the Sedona (top middle left), which includes pockets as well! With our widely varied selection of 100% wool yarns, you will never fall short of inspiration for your next project!

Thank you for reading more about 100% wool in our new “Fiber For You” series; we hope it was informative and exciting. Stick around for next month as we go in-depth on the popular cotton fiber.

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

March 24, 2023March 24, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Jamie

Another Friday means another free pattern just for you! This week for Free Pattern Friday, we are featuring the Jamie Scarf. Using our eye-catching Colorburst yarn, you can wear this piece as a scarf or a wrap, depending on your preference. Let’s take a closer look at today’s Free Pattern Friday!

Perfect for any beginner looking to grow their skills, the Jamie scarf is knit from the bottom up along the widest edge, using a garter slip stitch textured pattern. Long repeats allow for the captivating colors of this yarn to shine. As you knit this accessory, you will see Colorburst come to life with dazzling color shifts from one gorgeous tone to another. This sample uses color 104 Horizon, but with 14 colors available, there is something for everyone!

Colorburst is an excellent choice for spring projects like the Jamie scarf. Its fiber content of 65% superwash fine merino and 35% acrylic means this accessory is machine-washable and easy to care for. This yarn is considered a “DK” or “light” weight – so this piece will make for a superb added layer on chilly days. Plus, each 200g skein has 660 yards of yarn, making it an incredible choice for bigger projects!

Colorburst in colors 112 Romance, 104 Horizon, and 119 Bursa

This weekend, you can save 20% off our Colorburst yarn to go along with Free Pattern Friday. Just one ball of color 104 Horizon is needed to knit the Jamie scarf!

Make sure to share your finished project with us on our social media!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

March 22, 2023April 19, 2023

Meet a Local Yarn Shop – B Town Yarn

Meet a Local Yarn Shop with B Town yarn - three hanks of Wool Pop on the left side of the screen with a black marble background

There’s so much to love about the Pacific Northwest. From the Space Needle of Seattle, Washington, to the breathtaking Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, this area is full of adventure. Sometimes, we even find an adventure in a place we may not expect to find it. Burien, Washington, to be exact. Home of B Town Yarn, the next store in our “Meet a Local Yarn Shop” series! We got to interview store owner Arlinda Garcia to learn more about her beautiful store.

Walk on in to B Town Yarn and say hello!

At the end of 2019, Arlinda saw a “For Sale” sign on the door of a local yarn shop. She decided to buy it and shortly after opened B Town Yarn. As we all know, the Covid-19 pandemic changed all of our lives and brought a lot of uncertainty to Arlinda’s future as a new business owner. Thankfully, she had a loyal customer base already shopping in her store from the previous shop owner. With the help of her partner, she was able to get a high-functioning online store up and running during the months of lockdown in 2020.

Although Burien, Washington, is a small town, plenty is going on for people that love to craft! B Town Yarn participates in yarn crawls like the Pacific Northwest Yarn Crawl and offers classes and knit nights for their weekly customers. Check out their Instagram page to see more pictures of the shop and what’s inside.

When you open the front door of B Town Yarn, you can expect to be greeted by shelves full of yarn and staff members ready to help you have an incredible experience. This store is full of all different types of yarn, including the fibers we know and love (we’re looking at you, wool). Let’s peek our heads inside and see what yarns from Universal Yarn call B Town Yarn their home!

A shelf full of Cobblestone in B Town Yarn!

Cobblestone is one of the favorites at B Town Yarn, and that should be no surprise. This yarn is 100% superwash merino wool and features a gorgeous two-ply design. With one ply being a solid color and the other being variegated colors, it works up to create colorful garments and accessories. Arlinda mentions that wool is a popular commodity at her store, as many customers will use it throughout the year to create garments and accessories.

A beautiful top in our Cotton Supreme yarn!

Another favorite at B Town Yarn is our Cotton Supreme yarn. Since Burien has mild winters, cotton garments and accessories can be worn throughout the year and not leave you too cold. Our Cotton Supreme yarn has a 100% cotton base that is excellent for knit and crochet projects.

Some of the most popular customer projects at B Town Yarn include hats, shawls, and blankets. One of the best yarns you can find for any type of blanket is our Uptown Worsted yarn, which can be found on the shelves of B Town Yarn. This 100% acrylic yarn features a wide array of colors and makes for easy-care blankets.

One of the keys to running a local yarn store is figuring out what your customers like, and it seems like Arlinda has gotten that well under control. Plus, if her store doesn’t have the exact color a customer is looking for in any yarn from Universal Yarn, drop shipping is available to ensure the customer gets the color they are looking for while still supporting the store.

B Town Yarn celebrating their third anniversary

We are so grateful for the opportunity to interview Arlinda, and learn more about B Town Yarn. If you are a local yarn shop interested in being featured by Universal Yarn, please reach out to rferrel@universalyarn.com to learn more.

March 10, 2023March 10, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Absolute Zero

If you ever go out a ways from the city lights on a clear night, you will see the sky painted with beautiful, shining stars from millions of miles away. This Free Pattern Friday, you don’t have to travel a million miles to find a shine that will shake up your wardrobe. Absolute Zero, knit in our Universe yarn, is now permanently free for you!

Photo from Felix Mittermeier, found on Pexels.com

Our Solar System and beyond consists of so much that has yet to be discovered, and much like a space explorer, each person that picks up a pair of needles is ready for adventure. Absolute Zero captures this excitement with a simple combination of garter and soothing stockinette stitch patterns. This design includes a front and a back peplum that is knit using garter stitch, and made to your desired length, then joined by knitting in the round. The body of the garment is then knitted upward using stockinette stitch.

This garment is perfect for a summer night, shining in our Universe yarn

Absolute Zero, designed by our Managing Director, Yonca Ozbelli, was created to relieve you of any complicated shaping, making your knitting experience a delight. You can count on this garment to be light and airy, thanks to the blend of linen, cotton, glitter, and polyamide creating Universe. Each knit or crochet project using this yarn is sure to shine, just like Absolute Zero. However, Universe is being discontinued, so make sure to stock up on this yarn before it is out of stock. This weekend, you can save an extra 20% off this yarn that is already 50% off!

Universe was introduced to celebrate 10 years of Universal Yarn!

We hope you have an incredible weekend full of adventure, and if the weather’s nice, who knows, maybe you’ll go stargazing!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert

March 3, 2023March 2, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Hopscotch Socks

There’s nothing better than seeking creativity in all that you do. As kids, it was imaginary lava floors and adventurous explorations of the woods in our backyard. Now, where do we find our inspiration? Well, hopefully, this Free Pattern Friday can offer you a dose of creativity that will lead to something worth cherishing with the Hopscotch Socks!

Socks are a hot commodity in the knitting and crocheting community, and we want to offer an original touch to this accessory that will have you making room in your sock drawer. The Hopscotch Socks, designed by Heather Hill, use our Zesty Sock yarn in the colorway 101 Cupcake to create an exciting next project for you.

Zips of color jump off the creamy white base of this yarn to give it a three-dimensional look and feel. These socks use calming Stockinette stitch throughout, and then each zip of color uses a purl stitch giving the Hopscotch Socks a textured design.

Constructing these socks begins from the cuff down with a heel flap and gusset, where you will use slip stitches with the yarn held in front to give these socks even more durability. The combination of stockinette and purl stitches makes this project great for someone looking to grow their knitting skillset. Socks can be intimidating, but this pattern will walk you through step by step (no pun intended) so that you will have a pair of socks you will wear for years to come!

Now, let’s talk about our featured yarn for the weekend! Zesty Sock is a super-fine weight blend of superwash merino wool and nylon. Each of the six colors of this yarn has a solid base, with pops of zesty color running throughout, creating unique designs you’ve never seen before. Newly introduced for Spring 2023, there is so much you can use our Zesty Sock yarn to craft.

If you’re feeling extra creative, we encourage you to match Zesty Sock with our solids from Uni Merino. Uni Merino is available in mini 25g balls (Uni Merino Mini) which are excellent for contrasting colorwork on small items, or in 100g balls for larger pieces. There are 50 colors to choose from, and its composition is an exact match to vibrant Zesty Sock, making them the perfect pairing for your next project.

This weekend only – save 20% off Zesty Sock!

Thanks for stopping by!

Robert