Free Pattern Friday – Button Up Hat and Scarf

It’s Free Patterm Friday!

Today, the Button Up Hat and Scarf in Dona (link here).

The weather’s cooling off here, so it’s time to dust off all those “winter is coming” images…

…and to cast on for something toasty!

The Button Up Hat and Scarf is a matched set in Fibra Natura Dona superwash merino. This cozy cabled set is brightened by the pop of color of a buttoned garter stitch band.  Thread the scarf through to keep it snug.

The written and charted all-over eyelet and cable pattern creates a raised texture that’s quite warm.

We hope you enjoy this taste of winter!

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern – Cancer Comfort Cap

We are proud to share this free pattern with you, although we wish there were no reason to do so.

This is the Cancer Comfort Cap in Cotton Supreme DK (pattern link here).

We designed this cap at the request of Yonca, our sales director.  When she requested this cap, it was for a friend who is about to undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer.  Unfortunately, since then, another friend of hers has also been diagnosed.  According to breastcancer.org, 1 in 8 American women will develop invasive breast cancer in the course of her lifetime (as well as 1 in 1000 men).  This is a disease that hits close to home.

Yonca wanted to write something for her friend to add to this post, but she finally had to admit defeat. She felt that everything she wanted to say was inadequate.  In the face of a life-changing diagnosis, it can be hard to find the words to express our pain and love.  But just reaching out to say “I’m here, I’m with you,” can sometimes be enough.

We offer this hat as a way to say “I’m with you” when words won’t quite do the trick.  It’s knitted in the round in our Cotton Supreme DK, which we picked because it’s very soft, and chemo scalps can be quite sensitive – something to keep in mind when choosing yarn.

If you have questions about breast cancer detection and treatment, the American Cancer Society has a helpful page.  Mammogram guidelines can also be found at CancerCare.org.

To all of our generous-hearted crafting friends, we wish you good health and every happiness.

Free Pattern Friday – Almas Poncho

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Almas Poncho in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash (link here).

Fall is upon us, and we felt the need for something toasty!

Almas is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It can act as a shoulder/bust warmer for a brisk walk in the woods, or can be scrunched up and worn as a cowl paired with your favorite winter coat.  We like the rustic quality that Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash gives this cozy piece.

As a short poncho or capelet, it can be worn collar up or down, as you wish.

With just a touch of stranded knitting, this project is a nice introduction to the Fair Isle method of changing colors in your work.

We hope you have a delightful weekend.

Happy knitting!

Dona 2.0 ebook

Topping the shortlist of my favorite of our yarns is Dona, a DK weight housed in the Fibra Natura line of natural fiber yarns. Dona is 100% extrafine merino and soft as butter. And machine washable to boot!

I’d like to introduce you to a few of my favorites from ebook Dona 2.0 which was released this fall:

Traveler’s Sweater

Named for traveling rib and eyelets

 

Side split for ease of movement
Collar can be worn up or folded down

Astray:

Layer with long sleeves or short
Saddle shoulders, asymmetric patterning placement
Flattering A-line shape

Calibrate:

Asymmetric patterning
Knit sideways and seamed in the middle

Pulse:

Oversized boxy shape
Can you tell we like asymmetry?
Super duper cozy!

There are 9 more projects for a total of 13 garment and accessory patterns in this collection. You can see them all on our website here. All patterns are available for download via Ravelry – individually or together in the full ebook. I hope you love Dona as much as I do!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Shaded Stripes

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Shaded Stripes in Major (pattern link here).

There’s a lot to love about this easy pullover.  The way the stripes look in reverse stockinette, the comfy fit, the interest provided by two colors of self-shading yarn… we could go on.

This is a good, basic sweater pattern that goes fairly quickly on US size 10 (6mm) needles.  Knit it in pieces, then seam.  If you’ve been a little leery of trying a sweater, this would be a good one to start on.

An image of a black and gray ball of yarn labeled MAJOR.

The sweater uses Major in two colors – 126 Honeydew and 117 Graphite (shown).   You could go wild with color combinations, or keep it grounded by sticking with monochrome 117 Graphite for one of your shades.  There are a lot of possibilities here.

We hope you have a stellar weekend.

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Little Acorn

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Little Acorn in Adore (pattern link).

Little Acorn comes to us from Anita Closic, proprietor of A Garden of Yarn in Chadds Ford, Pa.  Like so many LYS folks, Anita’s a sweetheart – she also gifted our customer service team (Katie and Angie) with scarves, which they haven’t stopped raving about. Nobody appreciates crafting like crafters!  Thanks, Anita!

Little Acorn is a reference to the seed from which mighty oaks grow. It’s a lovely topper that’s sized from baby through adult, with just one skein of Adore (100g/273yds) required for any size.

The hat is worked from the scalloped brim up, in the round on US size 6 (4mm) needles, or whatever gets you gauge.  Accent it with coordinating buttons for a special touch.

We hope you enjoy this pattern – and if you’re ever in southeastern Pennsylvania, stop in at A Garden of Yarn and say hi to Anita!

Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Collar Cowl in Major

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Collar Cowl in Major (pattern link).

Don’t you love it when a yarn does half the work for you?  Self-striping Major makes this knitting project super colorful.

This collar cowl is perfect as an extra layer just beneath your coat during blustery winter days. The cowl is worked in the round from the bottom-up with shaping intended to perfectly hug the neck and shoulders. The result is an especially warm accessory.

Worked in bulky-weight Major, this cowl is also a quick knit. Since one skein is enough for two cowls, why not make one for yourself and another as a gift for someone special?

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.  Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Pipping Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Pipping in Little Bird (link here).

First things first: how’s everybody doing?  Currently, the projected path of Hurricane Irma is moving west of us, so it looks like Universal Yarn here in NC will miss the worst of it.  But we’re worried about all of you, in the midst of fire and flood.  Please stay safe.

For those wanting to take their mind off things, we offer this crochet shawl in Little Bird (100g/346yds), a lightweight acrylic that’s cottony soft.  Pipping is a sweet crochet confection – a bit of normalcy that we all could use right about now.

This asymmetric shawl starts on its longest edge and decreases along one edge. Cut the ends after each color change, and work them in as you go to save time in finishing.

This is an easy pattern to customize with your own colors – you’re not locked in to just three.  Use as few or as many as you want.  The pattern is both written and charted for your convenience.

We hope you have a safe and restful weekend.  We’re thinking of all of you.

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Garter Baskets

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Garter Baskets in Yashi and Yashi Iro (link here).

It’s been a while since we’ve shared something for the home.  These baskets are a quick and easy knitting project.

Worked from the center to edge, judicious placement of “wrap and turn” every few rows forms a curved edge.   100% raffia Yashi (solid) or Yashi Iro (multi) give a nice texture to the finished bowl.

We hope you enjoy this tasteful and decorative project.

Happy knitting!

E-book Color Fusion at a glance

Have you seen it? Amy Gunderson and Tori Gurbisz have released an e-book of seven colorful patterns designed for Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash.

Color Fusion is available on Ravelry as an e-book or individual patterns.

Take a look!