It’s Flash Pattern Friday and we have a treat for you! A very special holiday pattern – Coco.
Coco is from Series 4 of our 12 Days of Winter collections and is available as a kit at this link. This adorable stuffed toy would make the perfect gift for any little one. Coco features contrast-colored paws and the cutest little embroidered face. The fun doesn’t stop there, Coco’s fashion-forward striped accessories are designed to be removable for versatility.
Coco is knit using Uptown Worsted, our best-selling 100% anti-pilling acrylic yarn. This machine-washable yarn is an excellent option for any item that is sure to get a lot of love. It glides smoothly over your needles and is a delight to work with. Plus, the yarn takes color like a dream, giving Coco’s accessories the perfect saturation.
To get Coco for free, use the “buy it now” or “add to cart” links on the Ravelry pattern page. Once the pattern is in your cart, enter the coupon code “FLASH” where you see the “use coupon code” link that appears during purchase. This offer is valid through Sunday, December 10th!
As an added bonus, Uptown Worsted is buy three, get one free through Sunday, December 10th! That means 25% off! With a wide variety of rich and vibrant hues available, this is the perfect opportunity to stock up on your stash of this beloved yarn. For project inspiration, check out our collection of free patterns featuring Uptown Worsted at this link.
Hello, December! It’s that time of year again, when we present to you our annual 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection. And, with bittersweet news, this is our last kit collection of this type. Join me today as I reflect on year’s past and share the exciting refreshed and new kits we are offering for 2023.
The cover from our very first edition of the 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, from 2017.
In 2017, when I first began working at Universal Yarn, we conceived the exciting idea to create twelve wintry accessories featuring a variety of our yarns to support our local yarn stores through the gift-giving season. These kits were designed to be beautiful, thoughtful finished objects to give a loved one, or to be a present for your best fiber friend. The designs were all centered around winter, and primarily meant to be useful beyond the holiday season. We dreamt of frozen lakes, snowy forests, the warmth and crackle of the fireplace, and twinkling lights. Then, we took that imagery and created a collection of twelve designs to inspire.
Top Left: Series 1 Snowflake Mitts / Top Right: Series 2 Mistletoes Middle Left: Series 3 Mountain Pines / Middle Right: Series 4 Chai Latte Set Bottom Left: Series 5 Crochet Cinnamon Swirl Stole / Bottom Right Series 6 Hubble the Winter Wolf
Pictured above are some of the highlights our the past six years of 12 Days of Winter. In those years, we have published a total of 76 knitting and crochet patterns to celebrate the season. From mitts and hats to scarves and stuffies, we truly have something for everyone in these collections. As we reflected on which of these patterns were best loved for Series 7, we wanted to rekindle the joy they brought you. With that said, we are so proud to share our latest 12 Days of Winter Kit collection, which features old favorites and new patterns alike.
The Cover of our 12 Days of Winter 2023 Kit Collection
First, let’s talk about some of the oldies but goodies. Eight of the patterns in this collection were revisited from previous years. We’ve refreshed them with exciting new yarns. Take Aspen, for example. This beloved classic cabled scarf was a hit during our third year of the kit collection. It’s intricately winding cables are impressive, but easier to achieve than one might expect. This year, we’ve paired it with a yarn destined to shine in cables: Yarn Vibes Cliffs of Moher. Its rustic, plump hand gives the cables such a warm and woolly texture.
AspenForest Garland
The popular Forest Garland, which has both a knit and crochet version, was reimagined using our Cotton Supreme and Cotton Gold yarns held together. The shimmering sequins of Cotton Gold make it look just like twinkly lights or beautiful bulbs decorating a Christmas tree.
New yarns are just part of revisiting our previous years of patterns. As you can see so far, we’ve been swapping colors as well. That’s the case for each of these patterns, and I especially love how it worked out for the Blue Spruce Socks and Snow Day Set. We opted for unexpected yarns and icy shades to maximize the wintry impact. The Blue Spruce Socks use two strands of Uni Merino together, and the Snow Day Set takes Rico Design’s Fashion Cotton Light and Long Tweed on a frosty adventure!
Snow Day SetBlue Spruce Socks
Originally from Series 2, We Three Hats and Snowfolk were especially favored among our in-house team and our customers. We kept the yarn for We Three Hats the same, but played around with cool shades of sugarplum and icy blues. This outstanding kit is like three in one, because you’ll have enough Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash to make all three hats and enjoy a sampling of fun techniques! Similarly, one kits gets you all three Snowfolk, lovingly named Agnes, Dorothy, and Maureen. This year, these ladies got a makeover with all new accessories in best-selling Uptown Worsted to keep cozy on a cold winter’s day.
We Three HatsSnowfolk
Although all of the kits we’ve revisited so far were featured in previous 12 Days of Winter Kit Collections, not all of those from this year are. In fact, we’ve taken two stunning kits from discontinued yarns and gave them new life! The Holiday Stockings and the Illuvia Shawl were once part of our Dona color kits. Their techniques made them a perfect fit for the collection. The stranded Holiday Stockings, now knit in Rico Design Baby Dream DK Uni are a joyful home décor project just waiting to be stuffed with little trinkets. The colorful Illuvia Shawl, now knit in Wool Pop, features a sampling of exciting stitches that will delight you as you knit, and impress your giftee!
Holiday Stockings
Finally, we’re happy to introduce some brand new patterns to you! The last four kits I’ll touch on were designed to round out this year’s collection. The first two, Mini Marshmallow and the Twilight Socks, are special because they combine different yarns for impact. Mini Marshmallow is actually a tiny version of his big brother, Marshmallow, from Series 5. This little best friend would make the sweetest gift for your little one. I can easily see their little body popping out of the aforementioned Holiday Stockings on Christmas morning, just waiting to be hugged! Mini Marshmallow is knit using plush, soft Bella Chenille, and their stylish sweater is knit with colorful Rico Design Creative Melange Chunky.
The Twilight Socks are the advanced sock knitter’s dream. The intricate motif combines twisted stitches and mosaic knitting, and the results couldn’t be more jaw-dropping. Here, we’ve paired the variegated marls of Cobblestone with the saturation of Uni Merino into one amazing pair of socks.
Mini MarshmallowTwilight Socks
The next two accessories will keep your neck and shoulders toasty and warm all season long! Crochet enthusiasts will absolutely adore Milky Way, a cozy cowl featuring the brilliant self-shading hues of Colorburst. The spike stitches blend the colors together and create a finished piece as impressive as the galaxy we call home. Unlike the kaleidoscope of colors seen in Milky Way, the knitted Snowstorm scarf looks a bit more neutral in Kingston Tweed. Gray and navy tones in a mosaic colorwork pattern will remind you of a nighttime blizzard, and the soft pink edges bring to mind rosy cheeks out in the cold.
Milky WaySnowstorm
There you have it – our designs for the final edition of the 12 Days of Winter Kit Collections. We deeply appreciate all of your enthusiasm for these patterns and kits over the years. We hope each one has filled you with warmth and holiday cheer. And if these collections were something you looked forward to each year, fear not – we promise we will have many more festive treats in store for you in the years to come!
Be merry, my fiber friends, and have a wonderful holiday season! -Rachel
Happy Wednesday fiber folks! We hope you’re enjoying your autumn so far. Crisp, breezy days paired with fiery foliage add to the fall magic, and we’re all looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday next week. To celebrate, we’ve decided to revisit an oldie but a goodie: the free Wee Pumpkin pattern (link), designed by Amy Gunderson.
Originally designed in 2014 for the now-discontinued Poems yarn, we thought the pattern would be the perfect match for Rico Design’s Creative Melange Chunky. This machine-washable blend of virgin wool and acrylic is a soft, cushiony single ply yarn. It’s a joy to knit because of the self-shading print that makes every stitch exciting as you travel from one color to the next. Creative Melange features a palette of 31 colors, and one of the newest colors seemed like the ideal match for the Wee Pumpkin pattern – #075 Autumn. The warm harvest shades of this colorway reminded us of the many varieties and colors found in everyone’s favorite fall fruit: the pumpkin!
The pattern is a fun knit for adventurous beginners and seasoned knitters alike. Skills to indulge in include wrap and turn short rows, picking up stitches, basic increases and decreases, and seaming. The Wee Pumpkin begins with the pumpkin body, which is worked sideways and features wedges shaped with short rows. If you haven’t tried short rows before, this pattern would be great for dipping your toes into the technique. After the body is complete, a little seaming around the sides and base forms the pumpkin body. Then, stitches are picked up from around the top to create the stem. It’s finished with an adorable curlicue and leaf that are sewn to the top of the pumpkin.
Requiring just over one ball of Creative Melange, you’ll get a pumpkin that’s a bit larger than “wee.” The finished piece is about 7″ tall and 8″ in diameter. It’s the perfect size to decorate your fireplace mantel. Or, use it with other fall decorations to make a show-stopping centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. You could even add some safety eyes and make it a precious little pumpkin to give your own little one.
Remember, you can download the Wee Pumpkin pattern for FREE at this link. And while we’re on the subject of pumpkins, allow me to recommend this smashing pie recipe to bake this Thanksgiving. While you’re waiting for the pie to bake, you can work on stitching this project! We’d love to know your favorite thing about pumpkins – let us know in the comments!
This holiday season, we are celebrating makers of all kinds with new kits from Rico Design. If you’re curious about cross-stitch, excited for embroidery, or if you’re experiencing a bit of Macramé mania, then you’re in for a treat! Each kit has various holiday themes, ranging from traditional to yuletide so there is truly something for every maker.
The embroidery kits, as seen above in the Rico Design Christmas Roses Embroidery Kit, all come with pre-drawn fabrics and the materials needed to create the perfect picture. This includes the pre-printed fabric, embroidery thread, frame, embroidery needle, and instructions. This is a wonderful way to dive into a new skill if you haven’t tried embroidery before. Or, if you are already an embroidery enthusiast, this kit is a great option for some quick gift-making for friends or loved-ones.
The counted cross stitch kits have instructions for a decorative motif in various winter designs, like this adorable small house. Each one includes a unique frame, as well as the embroidery thread, needle, counting fabric, and instructions for creating the motif. The one shown here is the Rico Design Small House Cross Stitch Kit, which also comes in medium and large sizes! To create the image, you line up your ‘counting fabric’ in the frame, which will have small perforations in a grid. You will then follow the instructional guide to count over to specific locations in the grid to place your crisscross stitches. If tracking placement and counting isn’t your thing, keep an eye out for the “pre-drawn” note on the listings for the embroidery versions of these cozy Christmas homes (small, medium, large). Embroidery does use different stitches, which will have a final appearance distinct from cross stitch, but the overall image will capture the same holiday cheer.
The macramé kits are all made to explore simple techniques to create ornament or gift tag-sized pieces, like the above Rico Design Fir Trees Macramé Kit, which uses simple knots and angled trimming to create this trendy tree tag. Some other adorable projects to try include a using a wrapping technique in the Candy Canes Macramé Kit, more intricate knots in the Elf Macramé Kit, placing knots around a frame in the Star Macramé Kit, and lastly, combining knots, trimming, and a bead accessory to make the sweet Angels Macramé Kit. Each kit offers ways to learn new skills while making home accents or gifts for friends and family to cherish.
Which kind of crafting kit will be right for you? Let us know in the comments! Happy Making! Ashley Jane
My name is Afifa, and I joined the Universal Yarn design team in February. I’ve been knitting since I was 10 years old and started designing in 2016 (you can follow me on Instagram here and see my portfolio of work here). I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be introducing myself with a Halloween post! Spooky season is my absolute favorite time of the year with the dip in temperature signaling sweater weather.
And, boy, do I have a sweater for you to cast on while getting cozy and binge-watching The Lord of the Rings Trilogy! Say hello to the free Shelob Sweater knit in Deluxe Worsted. Nothing embodies spooky season for me more than the frightening creatures portrayed in this epic high fantasy trilogy. From Gollum lurking around corners, jumping out, and yelling ‘my precious’ to the Orcs and the great spiders of Mirkwood. The mother of these spiders, Shelob, was the inspiration for this sweater. This ancient creature’s lair lies in Cirith Ungol (the pass of the spider) leading into Mordor, avoided by all but Gollum. While her offspring terrorize all who dare to enter the forest of Mirkwood.
The Shelob Sweater is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It starts with a dramatic drop stitch mesh pattern that mimics a spiderweb and is inspired by the extensive webs woven by the sweater’s namesake. The yoke incorporates both circular and raglan shaping, allowing the yoke to lay like a capelet on the shoulders. This mesh pattern also brings in one of the hottest trends in knitwear – openwork. Layered over simple everyday pieces, this trend keeps you warm and insulated on crisp autumn mornings and evenings, but cool and comfortable in the afternoon.
Shadowy spiders representing Shelob’s spawn drop down from the yoke to add to the spooky aesthetic of this statement piece, with additional spiders on the cinched cuffs of the balloon sleeves. The spider motifs are made using only knits and purls, worked from a chart, and decorate both the front and back of the garment. Deluxe Worsted truly accentuates every aspect of this design. From the 1×1 ribbing to the dropped stitch yoke to the spider motifs, I love how the smooth, 4-ply structure of this base creates exquisite stitch definition.
This was my first experience knitting with Deluxe Worsted. And, let me tell you, this 100% non-superwash wool yarn is a pleasure to work with. It’s soft, pillowy and blooms beautifully after blocking. In addition to that, this yarn is extremely durable – something I tested out while unraveling the dropped stitches and pulling apart the ones that ‘stuck’. This sturdy yarn will stand the test of time, allowing your stitches to stay crisp and you’ll be able to wear your Shelob Sweater year after year!
Even with 90 colors to choose from, it was easy to pick the colors for this project! Though black is traditionally associated with spiders and the spooky season in general, with a little help from Rachel, our Creative Lead, we settled on Rhapsody, for a more modern twist on Halloween. Pumpkin seemed like the obvious choice for an accent color to really tie the spooky theme together. This lovely bright orange screams Halloween and plays beautifully with the rich purple of Rhapsody. For my next Shelob Sweater, I chose Blue Splash and Bashful Pink as a subtle nod to the fictional Marvel character Ghost Spider. What colors will you pick?
This is part 4 in a four-part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 Edition.
The features from our annual 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, may be coming to a close, but with so much inspiration, hopefully your project planning is just beginning. It’s always so thrilling to review comments on this blog, or see projects line up in queues on Ravelry. From the looks of it, we may see some beautiful holiday projects in the works! Before you commit though, check out our final three days from the 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 Edition, the Holiday Stroll hat and scarf set, the Snow Globe Stocking, and the Holiday Elf Socks.
This year’s crochet project was designed by me, Ashley Jane McIntyre. Once I saw our mood board, I knew I had to use Bamboo Bloom Handpaints in the color #324 Steven Befabulous. It even has “fabulous” in its name! It’s made of a blend of 44% wool, 48% rayon from bamboo, and 8% acrylic. This is all spun together for a unique thick and thin, matte and shiny quality that stands out in any piece. I paired it with complimenting solids in Deluxe Bulky Superwash, made of 100% superwash wool, to create a warm and cozy project for the season. The vibrant combination inspired the perfect set for taking a stroll to look at holiday lights.
The Holiday Stroll Set livens up any outfit, whether you stick to neutrals, bright colors, or both!
The best thing about the scarf is that it has pockets! It’s made modularly from the bottom up in sections, alternating between rows of a granny stitch stripes pattern with granny squares that are seamed together. Once the whole scarf is complete, the edges are folded up, then seamed to create pockets. The hat is also constructed modularly: you create a ring by sewing granny squares together, then you work directly into them for the crown and brim. The hat is finished with a nice fluffy pom pom for a final touch of fun! In case you need some tips with a pom pom maker, we have a great pom pom video tutorial on our Tik Tok, found here, and a wonderful photo-tutorial on our blog, found here.
Pockets on the Holiday Stroll scarf.Pom pom on the Holiday Stroll hat.
The Snow Globe Stocking, designed by Aubrey Busek, is a quirky take on a holiday classic. Rico Design Creative Bubble, and Rico Design Creative Bubble Print, both made of 100% polyester, are used as carry-along yarns to add some extra sparkle to the base yarn, Deluxe Bulky Superwash, made of 100% superwash wool. Can you just imagine how sweet it will look on your mantle filled with treats? You’ll find new special details each time you look at it. With the twinkle throughout, the overall effect is truly just as magical as a snow globe!
The sparkle from Rico Design Creative Bubble adds some magic to the Snow Globe Stocking.
I really enjoy the color combinations in this stocking. The cuff blends from red to a cool minty green, then to a creamy white with dots of stranded colorwork that look like sprinkles. Then, there are wonderful pops of color at the heel and toe. The heel is added after the rest of the sock is complete using a technique called an “afterthought heel,” which sounds complicated, but it’s actually not so bad! If you are in doubt, there is a helpful photo-tutorial blog post about the method, which you can review to feel prepared to make this fantastic stocking.
Whether you fill it with treats, or simply hang it for decoration, the Snow Globe Stocking is sure to spice up your mantle this season!
The last kit in this year’s collection is the Holiday Elf Socks, designed by Rachel Brockman. These socks just tickle me! I love the way that they mirror each other with their bright colors. It’s just what I imagine a jolly North Pole Elf would wear – a bit mischievous, and dazzlingly bright, with tiny festive trees. They are made with Uni Merino, a blend of superwash merino wool and nylon, perfect for a snuggly and soft pair of socks.
These happy socks are “sisters, not twins,” although they can be made to match instead of mirror, if you prefer!
They are made cuff-down with a heel-flap, and use stranded colorwork to make the adorable mini trees and surrounding design. The toe is seamless, using a Kitchener stitch to graft the live stitches together. I have recently started making socks, and have been using this method on every pair so far. At first I found it intimidating, but now I love it. The end results are so worth it, and we have a tutorial at this blog post which includes step-by-step photos that is incredibly helpful. Once you finish, you’ll have a pair of wacky holiday socks without any pesky toe seams to comfortably wear for years to come!
If you look closely, you can see where the toes are completely seamless!
I hope you have enjoyed looking at patterns from the 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 with me today. If you missed Part I, Part II, or Part III be sure to go read through them! You’ll hear thoughts from the other designers of the collection, Aubrey and Rachel, and get more tips and tricks for techniques that you’ll encounter in the designs!
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 a printed version of the pattern, the yarn required to make itn. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
This is part 3 in a four-part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 edition.
Hey everyone! Another year has flown by, and it’s time for our annual 12 Days of Winter blog celebration. I’m a big fan of the winter season. This time of year brings with it an ethereal sense of happiness that is quite unique. The days are short and often dark, plants are dying, the weather is cold, and yet – things like delicious warm comfort foods, sparkling holiday lights, parties, and (if you’re lucky enough) gorgeous falling snow fill the air. It’s a time of endings and beginnings, and a perfect opportunity to start a brand new project to welcome the new year.
Frozen Pond ShawlKeepsake CoverSnow Dust Stole
Speaking of brand new projects, I have some inspiration for you! Today, I’ll be sharing three of the projects from our 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, Series 6. The Frozen Pond shawl, Keepsake Cover, and Snow Dust stole. All of these kits were designed by Rachel Brockman, our Creative Lead. Rachel has a way of creating unique designs that cater to a variety of skill levels, while always having thoughtful details that make them special. The thing that ties all three of these designs together? Lace stitches.
The Frozen Pond shawl is perfect to drape over your shoulders on a chilly day.
Lace knit stitches result in some of the most gorgeous patterns you can imagine, and they are actually what first drew me to taking up knitting as a hobby. I remember seeing a book full of patterns for Victorian inspired lace shawls, and I was instantly intrigued. The eyelets, twists, and turns created by lace stitch patterns are lovely, and they are a perfect match for the winter season, as they often share the same sense of delicate and ethereal beauty.
The Frozen Pond shawl lace detail, doesn’t it look like pretty trees?
Frozen Pond is an asymmetrical shawl knit using our sinfully soft Nymph yarn. Nymph is a DK weight blend of cotton and polyamide, with a soft, fuzzy halo that adds dimension to any project. Boomerang shaped shawls like this one have great drape, and are easy to style in a variety of ways. The Frozen Pond shawl’s name was inspired by the dark blue colors of iced over water in the winter. I love the way the diamond pattern of the lace has shapes that look like trees, and I imagine they’d line the perimeter of the aforementioned frozen pond.
The lace pattern worked in this shawl will require some attention on your part while knitting. However, in between the sections of lace you’ll get to relax with some garter stitch, perfect for when you want to knit while watching TV in the evening. We’ve included both written instructions and charts for this pattern, so you are able to utilize what works best for you.
The Keepsake Cover has candy colored stripes, making this a perfect holiday gift project.
The Keepsake Cover is a joyful blanket pattern knit using three colors of our Uptown Worsted yarn. This 100% anti-pilling acrylic yarn is a workhorse, perfect for projects like blankets that will get a lot of wear and tear. A combination of ribbing, cables, and lace make up the motif that is worked throughout the Keepsake Cover. The diamond shape in this pattern reminds me of Christmas tree ornaments, with the eyelets created by the lace resembling the light bouncing off the ornaments as they hang on the tree.
The Keepsake Cover is perfect for getting cozy with a cup of hot cocoa!
This pattern also includes written instructions, as well as a chart to help you visualize the cable and lace motif. If you’re not familiar with how to read knitting charts, a pattern like this one is the perfect way to learn. It may seem intimidating at first, since this pattern has both cable and lace stitches, but after your Keepsake Cover is complete, you’ll be a chart reading expert! Here is a link to a blog post where we discuss more on how to read knitting charts, which might be particularly helpful to those of you who are brand new to the skill.
The Snow Dust stole is perfect for your next party!
The Snow Dust stole (or wrap!) is an excellent example of the delicate, cobweb quality you can achieve by knitting lace stitch patterns. This accessory is practically the winter season as a wearable item, and you’re sure to look like a snowy dream while you wear it! Snow Dust is knit using our Cotton Gold yarn, which is a laceweight cotton thread yarn, with small sequins and metallic fiber strung throughout. It looks gorgeous worked on its own as you can see from Snow Dust, but also makes an excellent carry-along yarn to add sparkle to other projects.
Snow Dust features simple stitches like knits and purls, as well as yarn overs and basic decreases (‘slip, slip, knit’ – ssk and ‘knit two together’ – k2tog) to create the lace repeat. This would be a great project choice for someone who wants to get really comfortable with knitting lace, because the rectangular shape of the wrap means they can simply focus on the knitting. The end result of the lace stitch pattern reminds me of the quiet, sparkling beauty of the outdoors right after a snow fall. This wrap would be perfect for a night out to the theater, or a fun dinner with friends.
The lace details in Snow Dust look like little bird tracks in fresh fallen snow!
No matter which of these projects you want to create, the lace stitches in these patterns add texture, delicate details, and depth to the overall result. Don’t fret if you’re still a beginner when it comes to lace patterns. Practice makes perfect, and once you master all the basic stitches, you can apply them to the Frozen Pond shawl, the Keepsake Cover, or the Snow Dust wrap!
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, and a printed version of the pattern. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
Tune in tomorrow for the final installment of our 12 Days of Winter, series 6 blogs!
This is part 2 in a four-part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 Edition.
In today’s installment of our blog series on our annual 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, I’ll be highlighting three delightful knitting patterns: Hubble the Winter Wolf, the Hemlock Set, and the Pomegranate Path set.
Hubble the Winter WolfHemlock SetPomegranate Path
You may be asking yourself, “what do these three projects have in common?” The answer, my fiber-loving friend, is warm, woolly textures! With an emphasis on our “Deluxe” family of yarns, these projects utilize our three worsted lines: Deluxe Worsted, Deluxe Worsted Superwash, and Deluxe Worsted Tweed. A trifecta of worsted weight wools, if you will!
Additionally, these projects showcase texture. In Hubble the Winter Wolf, we’ve sprinkled in some Minou for fluffy interest, and in both the Hemlock Set and Pomegranate Path, we’ve incorporated plump cables throughout. The final thread tying these patterns together is headwear! A pom pom topper for a stuffed best friend, a headband for a dressier outing, and a beanie to ensure your warmth for the duration of the season! Shall we take a closer look?
Hubble the Winter Wolf has the cutest floof around his chest, paws, ears, and tail. Irresistible!
I’ll be honest – this pattern is my pride and joy in the collection! This design took lots of experimentation and was an absolute joy to put together. If you’d like to know a little about the design process, it began with lots of ripping back, sketches, and jotting down scribbles of notes in my graph paper notebook (side note: every knitter who enjoys charts, designing, or modifying patterns will benefit from a graph paper notebook, throw one in their stocking!).
Hubble’s hat is constructed so that his little ears pop out – don’t worry, all that fur will keep him plenty warm! He only wears the hat to look stylish!
Hubble is knit modularly and is mostly seamless. He begins with the nose, which is worked flat. Then, stitches are picked up around the nose and joined in the round to create the snout. Some stitches are placed on hold while you utilize the rest of the live stitches to shape the head. Then, stitches are picked up again from an opening at the bottom of the head and everything is worked in the round, using a surprisingly simple intarsia in-the-round method. The ears are worked separately and sewn to the head. The legs and tail are picked up directly from the body and worked in the round, although I’ve included notes on how to modify them to be sewn on if that’s your preference. Finally, he’s finished with a simple hat that’s worked in the round from the bottom up and completed with a touch of embroidery and a pom pom. If that sounds like a lot, fear not! I’ve included some diagrams and photos that will help set you up for success.
Hubble’s hat is removable, so you can bring him along on winter and summer adventures alike!
This precious toy is knit using two heathered shades of Deluxe Worsted, a 100% non-superwash wool that I turn to again and again. The breadth of colors, smooth 4-ply construction, and soft yet rustic feel of this yarn make it perfect for every type of project. I chose two shades of grey to bring Hubble to life: #12503 Charcoal Heather and #12502 Smoke Heather. To add a more realistic element to the design, I opted to hold a strand of Minou in #104 Kitten together with Deluxe Worsted in select sections, including the chest, ears, tail, and paws. The pop of color is given through the hat, where I chose Deluxe Worsted again in the color #71662 Turquoise. Scrap yarn in white and black are suggested for the embroidery, pom pom, and nose.
Elegant and understated, the Hemlock Set will tie together any winter ensemble. We love how it looks with this white jacket because it makes the knitted accessories the star of the show!
When planning any pattern collection, I know I can always rely on designer and social media extraordinaire, Aubrey Busek, to create elegant, thoughtful designs that are infinitely wearable. When she brought her sketches for the Hemlock Set to the table, I knew we needed to include them in the collection. After all, what could be more wintry and festive than mittens and an ear warmer to ward off the chilly temperatures?
Deluxe Worsted Superwash is soft and snuggly, making it a great choice for giftable projects like this one.
The Hemlock set is a matching accessory set featuring a headband and mittens. It’s an addictive and enjoyable project that works up pretty quickly, making it a great last-minute gift project that’s certain to please. For this project, we opted for soft, easy-care Deluxe Worsted Superwash in the festive new color, #774 Mistletoe. How fitting, right? The cables themselves seem to mimic the hanging holiday plant, and the bobbles echo their small berries.
The cables twist and turn their way across the mittens and around the headband. My favorite detail is the cross at the center of the headband – it’s like a cable within a cable, very meta! Plus, it’s easier to achieve than you might assume! It’s simply formed by separating the work in half, working to a specific length, and making a cross that forms an “X” before rejoining the two halves together once more. Easy, peasy!
The mittens in this set feature cables and bobbles on the top of the hand. Rest easy with stockinette on the palm side of the mittens.
Techniques you’ll explore while making the Hemlock Set include ribbing, stockinette stitch, cables, bobbles, basic shaping, working flat, and knitting small circumferences in the round. Personally, if you’re new to any of these methods, I recommend making the headband first and graduating to the mittens. The choice, of course, is yours!
Last year, Aubrey shared her love of bobbles in two of her designs, the Enchanted Scarf and Crystalline Cowl. She even created a helpful tutorial to demonstrate how bobbles are constructed. You can check that out at this link.
Pomegranate Path is a cozy accessory set to keep you warm on a winter’s day.
The final design we’re spotlighting today is another accessory set, Pomegranate Path. Rich texture and saturated color come together in this staple set. No winter wardrobe is complete without a scarf and a warm hat. This set is knit using Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash, which is undoubtedly a fan favorite! This yarn is predominantly made of superwash wool, with a touch of viscose and acrylic for the tweedy nubs. That means it’s machine-washable, making it a great yarn for gift knitting because you won’t have to worry about the recipient having an accidental felting disaster! Keeping with our bright holiday theme, we chose one of the more recent additions to the line, color #921 Beet.
Coordinating cables decorate both the hat and scarf.
Pomegranates are considered the jewel of winter – and why not? They generally ripen during this season, add a brilliant pop of color to a dreary day, and double as decor and a tasty treat! Yes, we primarily named this design for the bold, beautiful color, but we see the connection between the textures and the fruit, too! For example, a slender border of seed stitch pays homage to the juicy seeds that fill the pomegranate. And, much in the same way you enjoy the fruits of your labor when preparing and eating a pomegranate, you’ll love the process of knitting different twisted stitches and cables throughout this project!
Take a closer look at the variety of stitches used in this pattern – the texture is so tempting!
In the past year, I rekindled my love of scarves. I just cannot get over how enjoyable knitting a richly textured accessory can be. And hats will always be among my favorite types of projects to knit. This pattern offers plenty of interest, and we have several helpful tutorials to help you along the way. You might enjoy the Right and Left Twist tutorial (link), cabling without a cable needle is optional, but useful (link), and these handy chart-reading tips will help you with any project that includes them (link)!
Join us tomorrow for Part III of this blog series, where Aubrey will dish about a shawl, stole, and cozy blanket!
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 a printed version of the pattern and the yarn required to make it. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
This is part 1 in a four-part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 6 Edition.
No matter which holiday you celebrate, winter is filled with gift giving of all kinds. Each year, our design team comes together to envision what projects will embody the spirit of the season, and creates kits that are exclusively sold at Local Yarn Shops. For this 12 Days of Winter, it’s all about bright and festive cheer! From the twinkling of snow and lights, to the bold colors of candies and toys, 2022 is a year for joy.
The Partridge Cowl is a beautifully colorful piece, designed by Rachel Brockman. It’s knit seamlessly in the round and uses stranded colorwork throughout. Since you are working with multiple colors of yarn throughout the whole project, we have labeled the difficulty as intermediate, and we have a blog post to help you navigate this technique at this link. It begins with a provisional cast-on which is unraveled and then grafted to the opposite end with the Kitchener stitch for a true seamless look when finished. The yarn in this kit is Rico Design Baby Dream DK Uni, paired withRico Design Baby Dream DK. Both the solid and multi versions of this yarn are made of 50% polyacrylic and 50% polyamide, making for an ultra-soft cowl that’s perfect for bundling up this winter.
Partridge Cowl by Rachel Brockman.
My favorite part about this design is how the birds alternate their direction throughout the cowl. They were described as “dancing” in one of our newsletters, and I fell in love! Every time I see them now, I start humming the classic Christmas carol and envision the detailing near their beaks as notes of a birdsong twinkling to life.
Partridge birds singing and dancing in the Partridge Cowl.
Candy Cane Lane, by Rachel Brockman, is a jovial hat featuring a quintessential Candy Cane design, with a peppermint swirl at its crown. It’s knit in the round from the bottom up and uses stranded colorwork to create the swirls and motif. Made with just two balls of Fibra Natura Donnina (100% superwash merino wool), this sweet and smaller kit makes a wonderful stocking stuffer for a loved one, or a fun, compact WIP for holiday travels.
Candy Cane Lane hat by Rachel Brockman.
Hats are such a wonderful seasonal accessory – especially when you get to tell people “Thanks, I made it myself!” With the bold contrast of the red and white colors, the Candy Cane Lane hat is a head-turner, so get those compliment responses ready!
The cheery peppermint swirls and candy cane motifs of the Candy Cane Lane hat.
Last, but not least, we have the Swiss Meringue Slippers, by Aubrey Busek. These snuggle-worthy slipper boots are worked flat in two parts, first the foot, and next the cuff, which is sewn on later. Some of the seaming involves using the Mattress Stitch, which we have a handy blog tutorial for, found at this link! Buttons of your choice are added after seaming, for the final touch of winter cheer. Three colors of Universal Yarn Deluxe DK Superwash are used in alternating stripes with subtle detailing to create a rich texture on the feet, while swirled cables dance up the cuffs. It’s a great project for those who want a colorful piece, without doing stranded colorwork, as these slippers feature a mosaic colorwork technique where you only use one color at a time. The 100% superwash wool makes for plush, yet durable slippers for season-long wear.
Swiss Meringue Slippers by Aubrey Busek.
Booties, as I like to call them, are an absolute must-have for cold weather comfort. The colors are fantastic, making them as dazzling and decadent as the cookie puffs they’re named for. This project is a wonderful take on the normal “Holiday Classics,” and I will shamelessly be working on this kit for myself before I even think about their gift-giving appeal!
Close-up view of the textures and twists in the Swiss Meringue Slippers.
Thank you for reading along as we explore the first three beautiful designs from the Series 6 edition of our annual 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection. Join us tomorrow for three more designs, and what makes each of them so special and unique. Do you have a favorite from what has been shared so far? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. Follow & tag us on Instagram at @Universal_Yarn and use the hashtag #UniversalYarn, or find and follow us on TikTok or Facebook at @UniversalYarn.
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, and a printed version of the pattern. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
Carrying a reusable bag instead of a disposable one is a great way to improve your carbon footprint. And today, we’ve got a fun crochet pattern that makes going green easy – and in an eco-friendly yarn, to boot!
Fibra Natura Java is 100% hemp, a fast-growing renewable plant fiber that’s easy on the earth. Strong and durable, Java is great for home decor projects, as well as projects like today’s tote that need to stand up to a lot of use. Bonus – the colors are beautiful!
We chose 111 Fossil Gray and 108 Golden Sun, for a bright and sunny bag that will put a smile on your face.
Freedom Park in Charlotte, NC Photo by Cody Hughes
I can see myself putting books and sunglasses in my Day Tripe Tote and heading for the park to treat myself to a relaxing afternoon in the great outdoors. This would be after hitting my LYS to fill any empty space in my bag, of course. Now that’s the perfect day!
