Pattern – Page 17 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

May 25, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Right Turn Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Right Turn Shawl in Bamboo Pop (pattern link).

This is Amy Gunderson’s design, but she kindly let me name this shawl Right Turn. At the time, it reminded me of a particularly colorful city street. However, I may have mis-named it. Sure, it looks like it veers sharply, but that’s not what the construction actually does.

You start at the top, and do an increase on either side of the center spine and at each edge. So really, it’s more like a gradual broadening of the horizon as you keep going.

Begin with garter stitch, then move to slip-stitch to easily make the two-color stripes. Back to garter, then polish it off with an i-cord bind-off.

It’s made in Bamboo Pop, a great summertime yarn that has 52 colors. It’d be easy to have the stripes accent whatever color is most prevalent in your wardrobe.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy crafting!

May 18, 2018

Free Pattern Friday – Cassia Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Cassia Cardigan in Good Earth and Good Earth Adorn (pattern link).

The weather here can’t decide what it wants to do. One minute it’s Spring, the next it’s Summer. We need something that will straddle the line.

The Cassia Cardigan is a geat layering piece over a tee.

Knit this piece flat in three pieces – the back, and each half of the front. Then seam and add the solid border (shown in Good Earth cotton/linen).

Although the stitch pattern for this cardi is simple, you’ll still want to pay attention. The detailed decreases that makes this such a striking piece occur at different rates in different places. We’d recommend a read-through before starting to ensure smooth sailing later on. Actually, we always recommend that, but we’re sometimes guilty of diving in first and winging it. It’s just human nature when you have a beautiful project ready to go.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy crafting!

May 11, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Nebula Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Nebula Stole in Classic Shades Sequins Lite (pattern link here).

I’m a big fan of one-color brioche, but I had never done two-color brioche before tackling Rachel Brockman’s Sweet Little Cowl in Cottonwood. I don’t know why I thought it was going to be hard. It’s not. Rachel shares another brioche pattern here, this one knitted flat.

brioche knit fabric held in place by Jul Designs shawl pin — Shawl pin by Jul Designs

The great thing about the Nebula Stole is that it’s reversible – it’ll look stunning with either side facing out, which opens up a world of possibilities in styling.

The texture in this pattern really help the sequins in Classic Shades Sequins Lite catch the light.

Whether your idea of “nebula” is this…

Composite image of the Crab nebula — The final frontier.

…or this…

…we think this celestial project fits the bill.

Have a great weekend, and happy crafting!

April 20, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Skipper Sweater

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Skipper Sweater in Bella Cash (link here).

Don’t you love it when cute and practical meet? The cute: this striped sweater with its nautical feel, sized from 3 months to 4 years.

Work it in the round up to the armholes, then divide it for shaping. Near the end, you’ll add the ribbed buttonbands at the arms for a nice finish.

The practical: that buttonband! I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to get a wiggly baby’s head through a neckhole, but it’s kind of like… well… I’m just going to leave this here.

Yep, that’s about right.

As a parent, I’m also delighted by the choice of Bella Cash for this. The yarn is machine washable, but with its cashmere content it’s also baby-shower-worthy. Its palette has a good range of pastels and other kid-friendly tones, too.

All in all, this pullover gets the knitter/mom seal of approval. Now if you’ll pardon me, I have to go watch some more cat videos. It just never gets old.

Have a great weekend, and happy crafting!

April 13, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Sakura Dress

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Sakura Dress in Bamboo Pop (pattern link).

There’s just something magical about Spring. It’s hard to resist the call of the outdoors when the first blooms are poking up. It always puts us in mind of growing things, including the little people in our lives.

Enter the Sakura Dress.

This lightweight raglan-style piece is sized from newborn to 4 years. Worked in the round from the bottom up, this sweet little knit uses one of my favorite warm-weather yarns, Bamboo Pop, in two coordinating colors, 215 Soothe and 125 Darling Pink. I’m already thinking of what other colors might work – maybe light green with variegated 209 Jungle Life? Or a lavender with purple? These are the tough decisions, folks!

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy crafting!

April 6, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Spellbinder

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Spellbinder Cowl in Alpaculence (pattern link here).

We named this the Spellbinder for obvious reasons – it’s simply spellbinding.

Knitted pink and gray lace cowl pinned at the shoulder with a pewter shawl pin — Alhambra shawl pin courtesy of Jul Designs (http://juldesigns.com/)

An easy-to-memorize lace pattern in a single skein of soft, shimmering Alpaculence creates a beautiful, lightweight cowl that can easily be dressed up or down.

Be aware: the cowl shown took 92 grams of a 100 gram ball. Be sure your gauge is correct to prevent the possibility of running out of yarn! Swatching in advance can prevent trouble at the finish.

We hope you have a magical weekend.

Happy crafting!

March 28, 2018July 30, 2019

Bunny Socks

There are so many things to love about Easter: dip-dyed eggs, the first blooms of the year, chocolate filled baskets. And really, Easter candy is the best seasonal candy of the year as far as I’m concerned. But for me, the overwhelming bunny imagery is my favorite part of this spring holiday.

I had a pet bunny as a child named Fuzzy. What can I say? Toddlers are not always great at naming things. But Fuzzy was a great bunny. She hopped around the house, snuggled, and got along great with our dog, Fluffy (do you see a trend in pet naming here?). As a young adult, I had a mini lop bunny named Emma and even managed to litter-box train her.

I gave just one of my bunnies a floppy ear. Customize these and make them your own!

Bunny Got Back socks (pattern link) are my homage to Easter and to my dear departed pet bunnies. They are knit toe-up and it’s easy to customize foot length. I kept them anklet length in order to add useless but adorable pom-poms to the back, but you could easily keep on knitting for taller socks.

I thank Rachel Brockman for her superb foot modeling skills, and Heather Hill for her masterful flavor text at the beginning of the pattern:

I! Like! Warm! Toes and I cannot lie!

You other knitters can’t deny!

When you go toe up with a little short cuff

And a cottontail full of fluff…

BUNNY GOT BACK!

This pair is knit in one of our newer yarns, sport weight Bella Cash. It works wonderfully for socks. Bella Cash is a blend of washable fine merino, cashmere (mmmm), and nylon for strength and elasticity. We’ve been mostly using this yarn in kid projects, but I see sweaters in my future and definitely more socks using this scrumptious blend.

I hope you enjoy this gift for spring. Happy Easter!

March 23, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Scruncher Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Scruncher Scarf in Whisper Lace and Cotton Supreme Batik (pattern link here).

I. Love. This. Pattern.

Look at how simple that is. This is exactly the kind of pattern that I would have loved as a beginner, and that I still love when I want to make something beautiful and not look away from binge-watching Jessica Jones.

Because it’s dropped stitches on a larger needle (US size 10 1/2), this pattern makes the yarn go a long way. One ball of Whisper Lace wool/silk for the solid bands, two balls of self-striping Cotton Supreme Batik for the wider variegated stripes.

Because the fabric is so loose and drapey, it scrunches up effortlessly – hence the name Scruncher Scarf. Here it is in an alternate colorway, folded in half and wrapped for an accessory that straddles “skinny” and “full.”

Obviously, this would be a great one to experiment with, colorwise. I’ll bet your LYS could put together some fantastic color combos.

We hope you have an amazing weekend.

Happy crafting!

March 22, 2018

Happy Birthday, Amy!

It’s Amy Gunderson’s birthday today, and we’re celebrating!

From now until Monday 3/26/18, grab one pattern from her e-book Bamboo Pop Adult 2 for free on Ravelry! Just use code BIRTHDAYGIRL at checkout, where it asks if you want to apply a coupon. This is a great collection of knit and crochet designs for Bamboo Pop, a lightweight bamboo/cotton blend perfect for (hopefully) warming weather.

Why are we doing this?

Amy’s the driving force behind our creative team – not only does she knit, crochet, weave, and sew, but she goes out of her way to nurture new talent and form partnerships that help bring our crafting community closer. We want everyone to appreciate her as much as we do!

(Plus, she’s travelling to Germany for the H+H handcrafting show right now, and every time someone downloads one of her patterns it sends a message to her phone, and I think it’d be funny to blow up her inbox while she’s on the road. )

Have a happy birthday, Amy! And many more!

March 16, 2018June 23, 2023

Free Pattern Friday – Left of Center Cardi

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Left of Center Cardi in Little Bird and Little Bird Colors (pattern link here).

How adorable is this?

Sized from 3 months to 2 years, this clever cardi uses machine washable Little Bird and its self-striping sibling Little Bird Colors to easily create a bright little jacket for baby.

The front and back are knit flat, as are the sleeves. Then, they’re seamed together.