Free Pattern Friday – Coffee Beans and Sugar Cubes

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Uptown Bulky Two Hats_blog

Today, Coffee Beans and Sugar Cubes.

Two hats that can be completed with one ball of each color of Uptown Bulky 100% anti-pilling acrylic (100g/87yds).  Cute!  Knit on  size 11 needles, these go quickly and are a good way to practice your Fair Isle.

I’m loving the color, too.  That Uptown Bulky 416 Iron coordinates well with 421, Coral.  The coral is at the forefront of style at the moment – Sherwin Williams just picked Coral Reef as their color of the year.  Pretty!

We hope you enjoy this satisfying quick project. Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Four Stripes Pullover and Legwarmers

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Four Stripe Pullover with legwarmers_blog

 

So cute for Fall!  The Four Stripes Pullover includes matching legwarmers, perfect for staying warm on a crisp day.

Four Stripe Pullover back_blogThe set is designed for Merino XF (137yds/50g), an extrafine merino that’s machine washable and very soft.  The pullover is worked flat and seamed, with short rows shaping the curved rear hem.  Seed stitch borders the cuffs, hem, and neckline.

I love these cool tones.  This is one design where I wouldn’t change a thing.

Happy knitting!

Four Stripe Pullover front_blog

 

Free Pattern Friday – Crinkle Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Cotton Gold Crinkle Cowl blog

Today, the Crinkle Cowl in Whisper Lace and Cotton Gold.

This is a great example of how bringing two different things together can result in something spectacular.  Light and airy Whisper Lace is a laceweight wool/silk blend from our Fibra Natura line of natural luxury fibers.  It’s a great choice for delicate, light projects.

Pair that with sequined Cotton Gold from our Rozetti line and you’ve got the perfect amount of bling to turn a light confection into a glamorous accessory perfect for party season.

Knit it flat on size 5 needles, work the light shaping to help it sit gracefully on your shoulders, then seam it up.   Next step: be prepared to answer the sea of “where did you get that?” admiration with “What, this?  I made it myself.”

As much as I love this in black, I’m wondering how it would look in Whisper Lace 113 Tango and Cotton Gold 1092.  More to the point, I’m wondering how I would look rolling up to the office holiday party in a black jacket with this draped artfully around my neck.

Black’s a classic, but don’t limit yourself.  You do you!

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Bella Chenille Two-fer

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Bella Chenille Little Cub Hoodie 1_blog

Today, we have not one, but two new patterns!  First, in honor of Halloween, the Little Cub Hoodie in Bella Chenille.  I’m a sucker for baby clothes that look like little animals.  This one is sized from six months up to four years, so it’ll fit a variety of little cubs.

Bella Chenille is a great choice for this – I did a Sunday Swatch in Bella Chenille back in June and put my piece through the washing machine and laid it flat to dry.  It came out just as soft as it was when it was first knit.  I’d have no hesitation making a baby garment in Bella Chenille.

Bella Chenille ItsAPartyOnesie _blogNext, the It’s A Party! Onesie in Bella Chenille Multi.  The Multi coordinates with the solid very well, as you can see in the detail on the cuffs and neckline.  Front and back are knit flat separately, then the sleeves are added.  Adorable, and a quick knit on US size 10 1/2 needles.

We hope you enjoy these two soft projects.  Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Snowlander Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Ariana Bamboo Glam Snowlander set_blogToday we’re featuring Snowlander, a design created by Linda Davis, who owns the fabulous LYS Tail Spinner in Richlands, NC.

Linda says, “Since the cowl seems to be a big thing from the Outlander series on Starz, I thought about doing one that was a little more classy.  I used two skeins of Ariana and one skein of Bamboo Glam held together to do the pictured cowl.  I’m calling it Snowlander.

I made a 5-stitch I-cord with the leftover Bamboo Glam, put on a pendant, and grafted the ends together to use as a neck piece.   It can be worn with the cowl or alone.”

Ariana Bamboo Glam Snowlander necklace blog

Ariana Bamboo GlamSnowlander cowl blogTail Spinner is in Eastern NC, not that from from the ocean, making Linda’s choice of focal point for the pendant even more fitting.  I can see quite a few options for the pendant and the cowl, together or apart.

As a fantasy fan, I’ve been looking for another show to add to my lineup.  If Outlander is inspiring gorgeous designs like this, I’m adding it to my queue tonight – and keeping my needles nearby.

Thank you so much for sharing this, Linda!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Cog Shawlette

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Cog Shawl color 801 Reef blogToday, something big and beautiful – the Cog Shawlette.

This fun accessory takes two balls of Classic Shades Big Time (color 801 Reef), the super-bulky big sister to self-shading Classic Shades.  The pattern takes its name from the unique curved gear-like edging.  Big yarn means quick knits, so we took the opportunity to work up a few different shawlettes to see how it looked in other colors.  Answer: great!

Cog Shawl color 804 Grapevine blog
Color 804 Grapevine

From the pattern: “This shawlette is worked in one piece.  First the Cog Edging is knit sideways.  Without breaking yarn, crochet slip  stitches are then worked all the way along the shaped side of the Cog Edging.  Without breaking yarn, stitches are then  picked up and knit along the straight  side of the Cog Edging and the Shawl  body is worked up and shaped with short-rows.”

Cog Shawl color 814 Jubilant blog
Color 814 Jubilant
Cog Shawl color 814 Jubilant backblog
Color 814 Jubilant – rear view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The unique construction makes this a great project to keep your interest, and the size 15 needles mean the work flies by.  Perfection.

Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Dive Into Fall Jacket

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Dive Into Fall Jacket_UptownBulky_wood_blog

Today, something for the wee ones!  The Dive Into Fall Jacket is sized for kids 12-18 months.   This garment has a lot of stretch, so parents of fast-growing toddlers should be able to get a fair amount of use out of it.

Kat Koeller and Linda Ridder designed this jacket in our Uptown Bulky 100% anti-pilling acrylic.  In addition to being exceptionally soft, it’s machine washable.  Anyone who has ever had to wipe down a toddler after a trip to Ben & Jerry’s will appreciate the practicality of this choice.

The jacket is knit in one piece from the top down – first the collar, then the raglan sleeves go on holders while you make the body, then you come back and add ribbing to the ends of the sleeves.  Interestingly, the fabric is fully reversible!

We hope you enjoy this beautiful weather.  Knit something for a little one in your life – but be sure to make something for yourself, too!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Go-Go! Hats

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Gray hats grid blog

Or should we say Free Patterns Friday?  Because today, we have a quartet of toppers:  the Go-Go! Hats.

Four different styles in one yarn, Uptown Worsted 100% anti-pilling acrylic.  You can see how well the yarn lets the stitch patterns show through.

What really makes these hats, though, is the colorful fluffball topper on each of them.  Those are our Luxury Fur Pom-Poms.  They’re very handy for finishing off a garment that may need something a little more polished than a yarn pom-pom.  Each pom-pom has a string attached to let you tie it right on to your work.  Easy-peasy!

Gray hats bottom 2 blogI’m not sure which of these is my favorite.  I guess it partially depends on whether I’m in the mood for knit or crochet.  For myself, I’m leaning toward the Lace Beanie on the lower right.  Then again, the Honeycomb Ski Cap (with the pink pom-pom) would also be fun to make.  Decisions, decisions.

Which one’s your favorite?

Free Pattern Friday – Goldfish School Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Ravelry Goldfish School Cowl 2

Today, a “pay” pattern set free!  Michael del Vecchio’s Goldfish School Cowl appears in Bamboo Bloom Book 1: Backyard Blooms.  When we brought it to a knitting retreat the participants were so taken with it that we decided it should be released into the wild.

Ravelry Goldfish School CowlMichael has wisely used a simple pattern to let the yarn shine.  A basic 1×1 rib looks very striking in the thick/thin matte/shiny Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

We’re glad that last weekend’s knitters were so enthusiastic.  They were right.  This pattern needs to be shared!

Thanks for your hospitality, Baskets of Yarn.  And keep knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Wall Candy

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Wall Hanging 2_blog

Understated and elegant!  Wall Candy is a straightforward knit packaged in a unique way.

Wall Hanging 1_crop

Four strands of Deluxe Worsted 100% wool are knitted into a 10×10 stockinette square.  Thick wire is run around the edges, then the square is framed.  Don’t worry, the pattern contains directions and pictures showing how to attach the frame.  If you’ve ever run blocking wire through the edge of a shawl, you can do this.  If you haven’t… it’s time to learn!

Nettle Lana SwatchAlthough this pattern is written for Deluxe Worsted, I’m looking back over some of my Sunday Swatches to see what else I might have suitable for framing.  Maybe some Nettle Lana?  Hmmm…

Universal Yarn offers many thanks to Suzy, the Sweetest Dog in the World for her kind hospitality on this photo shoot.  Who’s a good dog, Suzy?  You are!

Susie 1

Happy knitting, friends!