Hi friends, and happy Friday to you! This week we have a fun freebie, the Musubime Bag, designed by Afifa Sayeed.
This adorable bag dresses up a classic Japanese Knot Bag with a moss stitch texture and brilliant color. It’s perfect for toting around smaller projects, like socks or a hat, or just for bringing along your daily essentials in style. The best part is it only takes 2 skeins of our Clean Cotton yarn to make!
Clean Cotton is a blend of 85% recycled cotton and 15% recycled polyester (totaling 100% eco-conscious!), and comes in 21 cheery colors. It’s perfect for homewares and accessories, like this weeks bag, and is highly affordable, at just $3.25 per skein. This weekend, save and extra 20% off from Friday, 8/9 – Sunday, 8/11!
Happy Halloween, folks! We have a few days left of what is the official spooky season. No October would be complete without movie marathons. Whether you’re into feel-good Halloween flicks from your childhood or classic horror, I’m sure you have plans to watch something festive this weekend. I know those of us at Universal Yarn certainly are! So, today we wanted to share what we’re watching and some yarns and projects inspired by those flicks. Our design team – Aubrey, AJ, Heather, and I – are ready to share some of our favorites with you!
Aubrey
“Although I can happily admit I don’t love horror movies, I DO love film and television that has a dark or spooky undertone to it. Combine it with comedy, and I am sold. The Addams are a satirical take on the idealized 20th-century American family, and arguably the best part about them is that they are very much unconcerned with the fact that people find them bizarre or scary. Growing up, I would watch the television show with my parents, and Morticia Addams quickly became an icon of mine for various reasons. She’s stylish, passionate about her family, independent, and confident in herself, which are all qualities I admire. Also, this femme fatale was a knitter! Remember the 3 legged romper?
The 1993 film Addams Family Values is one of my favorites to watch around Halloween, and so I thought I’d share a couple of knitting patterns that I think will help anyone channel their inner Morticia. A dramatic silhouette I could see Morticia loving would be a cape. For our Elevated Essentials collection, I designed the Moria Cape, knit using 100% non-superwash wool Deluxe Worsted.
This cape was a lot of fun to design, and the black and gray color-blocked panels give it a very modern touch. It has a trapeze shape, with an open front and armholes that make it easy to wear out and about. I believe everyone deserves some statement outerwear pieces in their wardrobe, and this cape is meant to be exactly that! Pair this with a billowing blouse or dress and you have a very Morticia-esque silhouette. This pattern combines cable work and shaping, so it is on a more intermediate level. It is worked in pieces and seamed to ensure it lasts for years to come.
Though we might not design our patterns with characters in mind, it is so much fun to think about a character you love and what they might enjoy making and wearing. Morticia Addams certainly seems like the type of woman who would love to make herself some FABULOUS knitted sweaters and accessories!”
AJ
“I have watched Hocus Pocus every year for Halloween since I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of other movies that I love for the season, but this film feels like tradition at this point. My household has watched it enough that my husband and I will spout off goofy quotes like “Dead Man’s Toe!” to each other year-round for absolutely no reason. I know – I’m weird. So anyway, that’s why I love this adorable Witch Legs Scarf pattern by Chelsea Roberts! It has an iconic style spotted in movies like The Wizard of Oz and in Hocus Pocus that just screams “Witch!”
A great yarn to use is our Uptown Worsted, which comes in plenty of vibrant colors and is made in an Anti-Pilling Acrylic that is ultra-soft and super easy to care for. Because of the price-point and variety of color options, this makes for a great gift to thank hosts of Halloween parties, or simply a fun quick project to whip up and wear while passing out candy year after year. I myself received this scarf as a gift during my Craft Guild Fall Gift Exchange, and I wear it for our October Guild Meeting for a bit of quirky costume fun!”
Heather
“I tend to spook easily, so I’m not a big fan of scary movies. However, I have to tip my hat to a classic B-grade horror flick from 1962 called The Brain That Wouldn’t Die. I stayed up watching the late-night creature feature at a friend’s slumber party after everyone else went to bed. A mad scientist keeps his fiancee’s head – and just her head – alive after a car wreck.
You’d better believe this blew my tiny mind. Even now, when I see people in thermal hoods, I think of it. However, this movie did kindle a love of truly awful movies in me, so I thank it for that. For the Brain that Wouldn’t Die, I keep wanting to make a balaclava, for obvious reasons! But to keep it from creeping me out, I think I’d turn the idea on its head (pun intended!) and go with Picklehead by Suzen Statz, designed in Uptown Worsted!”
Rachel
I think I may be the only one here that LOVES horror films. So does my mom, so that’s probably the reason behind it. I’ve been watching horror films since I was probably a bit too young to handle some of them. Even if they were off-limits, I remember sneaking behind the sofa in the living room to take a peek while my mom enjoyed them. I watch scary movies all year on a regular basis – rewatching favorites and savoring the new ones, regardless of whether they’re ridiculous or legitimately good (don’t even get me started, there are too many to name!). My pick for this Halloween is an absolute classic: Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Everything about this movie is great – the visuals and cinematography, ominous music, pace, and the psychological and supernatural tension throughout.
Regarding visuals beyond the set, the costume design is chock full of excellent sweaters. I’ve wanted to recreate several of the sweaters donned by Jack and of course, we can’t overlook (oh yes, the Overlook) Danny’s Apollo 11 sweater. (Take a look at this excellent project by Sabrina Magazine).
However, one of the most iconic images in the film is the carpet. It’s eye-catching, graphic, and unforgettable. So thank goodness The Shining blanket by Kraftling exists. This is described as a beginner-friendly pattern which is great because I know my crochet skills aren’t polished yet. The moment I spotted this pattern I knew it had to go on my “to-make” list – perhaps by next Halloween? For the blanket, I’d use Deluxe Worsted Superwash. Although normally I’m a non-superwash gal, I have to say that I like my homewares easy to care for. You can wash and dry this yarn on low heat without the concern of felting. Easy peasy!
So that’s it for our Halloween movie picks this year! Do you indulge in spooky movies each Halloween? What are your favorites? Do you have any projects recommendations to go along with them? Let us know in the comments!
We were about two minutes into 2018’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople when this sweater appeared onscreen and I gasped. Fortunately for cat lovers, the film’s costume designer hired a knitter to recreate the pattern and made it free on Ravelry. You’ve got to have some confidence to wear a sweater like this, but I think we all know someone who could pull it off. In my case, that person is me, and I’m putting this in my queue to make in Adore.
Often, though, it seems like the really spectacular sweaters are on men. I’d like to look at five outstanding pullovers on masculine frames, both the obscure and the famous (I’m looking at you, Chris Evans). Let’s go in chronological order!
Wash’s Sweater from Firefly
This sweater showed up in two separate episodes of sci-fi TV show Firefly, giving it enough exposure for viewers to reverse engineer the cabled design. Never bet against Firefly fans – they’re a devoted and persistent bunch.
Is the show set in England? Expect good knits. This cabled jumper sported by John Watson from the BBC’s Sherlock proves the rule. It didn’t take long for this pullover to be recreated:
And of course, free patterns sprang up. While the original was machine-knit, this pattern on Ravelry has hand-knit versions worked in the round or flat. As for yarn, there are several ways to go: 100% wool with Deluxe Worsted Superwash, or Uptown Worsted anti-pilling acrylic, which is also machine washable (John Watson doesn’t seem like a man who is careful with his laundry).
3) John Watson’s Ugly Christmas Jumper from Sherlock
Can you tell I recently re-watched Sherlock? I’ll confess I lightened up this image so you could really see the power and majesty of this design. It’s meant to be an “ugly Christmas sweater” in the show, but it’s really up to you as to whether you love it or hate it.
The original might have been knit in a bulkier yarn, but this pattern on Ravelry calls for a DK weight, to make it more versatile in other climates. If I were knitting this, I’d use Deluxe DK Superwash in 838 Twilight, 837 Christmas Red, and 828 Pulp.
4) Ransom Drysdale’s sweater in Knives Out
This is the one the knitting internet lost their collective minds over.
Chris Evans’ actual dog wearing a cabled sweater. It’s the ultimate “who wore it better?”
Part of the key here is that it’s not hard to make a sweater look good when you’re Chris Evans, but the other part here is that it was shown from so many angles and in such detail, it was easy to get a good look at it. In terms of screen accuracy, Caryn Shaffer did a bang-up job with her version here on Ravelry.
What yarn to pick for this design? Deluxe Worsted, all day long. To get the perfect color, choose from the Naturals options, 40001 Cream Undyed. It’s got just a bit of buttery warmth to it, which matches the tones of the original. Also, as the name suggests, it’s undyed. The color of the yarn is the color of the sheep, which is exactly the kind of detail that would appeal to the rich young man wearing this in the movie.
I. Love. This. Sweater. I love the color, I love the pattern, and I love that there’s some random Mon Calamari fish-person in a Star Wars show wearing a beautiful cable-knit piece. But here’s what’s killing me. I can’t find a reverse-engineer of this pattern anywhere! Do any of you know of one? Am I going to have to try it myself?
I mean, come on. It’s a fisherman’s sweater on a literal fish-man. What’s not to love?
How about you? What’s a knit or crochet piece that you’ve seen that made you think, “I should make that!” We’d love to know!
We were talking in the office the other day about the shows we love to sit and binge while we craft. We have such a diverse range! I’d like to share one that I fell in love with at first sight, the Great British Bake-Off
You might not think a baking show would have drama and suspense, but it does. It’s a wonderful reality show to watch with kids because there’s no backstabbing chicanery.
There is, however, alcohol.
If you’re like me, you like to have the right project on hand when binge-watching shows. With this in mind, we present a pairing of projects perfect for puff pastry preparation.
Why: Handy for cleaning up messes, of which there are plenty in this show.
We’re gonna need more cloths.
Made in organic Fibra Natura Cottonwood, these are excellent little projects to knock out quickly. The i-cord edging and loop for hanging are decorative and practical. And best of all (to me), you can finish a set before the series is over.
Why: Who wouldn’t want to knit brioche during bread week?
This chocolate cherry combo makes my mouth water.
I’m actually knitting this now, in two shades of blue Cottonwood (41104 & 41128), and the pattern is a good match for watching TV.
Do a provisional cast-on, then start in with the brioche. Once you’re in the groove, it’s easy to divide your attention without losing your place. Come back around at the end to add that i-cord finish, and voila. A lovely knitted confection, and you haven’t missed the on-screen action.
We’ve got other shows we’d like to pair. Several have new seasons coming up and we want to be ready to settle in. If there’s one you’d like to see featured, let us know!
In the meantime, we’ll have a cup of tea ready and a project at hand as we enjoy the show, and appreciate the parallels between baking and crafting.
