Pattern – Page 36 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

May 4, 2015May 4, 2015

Knitspiration – Bannai Taku

It’s a glorious Monday morning. How about a little knitspiration?

I have no idea what this piece by Bannai Taku is called. It’s difficult to find information about this Japanese illustrator’s work, since I don’t speak Japanese. But something about this speaks to me.

Some of it is the fresh colors…

And some of it is the spirit of freedom in the outdoors.

It brings a feeling of lightness and peace.

When’s the last time you climbed on a bike and just rode? Were you still a child? Did you feel like you were flying?

Can you still capture that sense of joy in the world around you?

I hope that sometime today, you’ll step outside and pause for a moment. Look up. Take a deep breath. Let your mind be still and be in the moment.

Then take another deep breath and move through your day with a smile.

Edited to add: A reader who cycles informs us that the Japanese text for our cycling illustration translates to… Cycling. Thank you for letting us know!

May 1, 2015May 1, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Acid Wash Pullover

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Acid Wash Pullover in denims.

If there’s a yarn that has captured the imagination of our customers this season, it’s denims. A bulky cotton/wool tape with hues ranging from sky blue to indigo, it’s perfectly on-trend for the current year. Looking at this pullover, you can see why it’s so popular.

This bulky-weight pullover knits up on 6.5mm needles, but the cotton content means you won’t swelter. Right twists and cables run the length of the body to a 1×1 ribbing at the hem and collar. The contrasting sleeves are a nice touch, as is the lowered back edge.

Worked in pieces and seamed, this pattern is both written and charted and contains a schematic. The right twists are easy as pie to do.

Having just finished a quick one ball project in this yarn, I’m eager for more. This would fit the bill nicely.

Happy knitting!

April 24, 2015April 24, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Picket Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Picket Cardigan in Little Bird.

More than one person walked by my desk this week and picked this up to fondle it. Little Bird (100g/344 yds) gives it a lovely sheen, and the smoothness of the fiber really makes those cables and ribs stand out. It’s not stiff or bulky at all, but very soft and comfy. The machine washability makes it a home run for baby knits.

This cardigan is knit in pieces and seamed. The back and sleeves are worked in plain stockinette stitch, while the fronts are cabled. The pattern is written and charted and contains a schematic.

This would look great on a little girl or a little boy. The buttonholes can be placed on either side – although truthfully I always forget which is which. Eh, the baby won’t care.

Happy knitting!

April 20, 2015April 20, 2015

Lluxurious Llamalini

For me, there are more than a few yarns here in the office that inspire daydreams of beautiful projects. One of those is Llamalini, a decadent blend of linen, royal llama, and silk bourette. I’m not the only one – designers are picking up on this gem too. May we show you what our own Amy Gunderson has done recently?

Dichotomy looks great with the very in-style color blocks that meander up the body and across the arm. Worked flat in pieces from the bottom up, it uses a circular needle strictly to accommodate the large number of stitches required for a pullover with up to 10″ of positive ease. Sleeve cuffs are worked by picking up stitches off the sides of the body piece and knitting downward.

Color changes are achieved with the intarsia method. The contrasting “line” is formed by working increases and decreases in the blocks of color – no cabling required.

You can purchase this pattern on Craftsy or Ravelry. (Puppy not included)

In the Spring/Summer 2015 knit.purl, the Swingback Hoodie is turning heads. Amy wrote an in-depth guest blog post about her design process for this piece.

A dramatic feather-and-fan panel makes a pointed back hem. The hood, fronts, and back are worked from the top down, while sleeves are worked from the bottom up.

As part of the knit.purl blog post, Lisa Shroyer asked for Amy’s suggestions for personal styles that would work well with this cardi. We got a little happy in the studio with Amy modeling. We couldn’t resist giving you all a little taste of the fun we had.

Happy knitting!

April 17, 2015April 17, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Color Block Scarves

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Three Color Scarves in Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray.

It’s hard to believe that something so simple can look so stunning. We use the phrase “let the yarn do the work” a lot, but it’s very applicable here.

This is a very basic four row pattern consisting solely of knits, purls, and slipped stitches. It creates a pebbled texture – not quite a stockinette, not quite a garter stitch. A subtle pattern to match a subtly variegated yarn, Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray (230yds/100g).

This 100% cotton drapes beautifully. The DK weight means it’s light enough to work for warmer weather, and to wrap around with adding a lot of bulk.

This scarf was a delight to style on our mannequin (we call her Molly), to the point that I had to stop myself from finding more ways to wear this. Three coordinating colors brighten up any outfit – mix and match to suit your style.

Happily, each scarf only takes about 40 grams of each color – less than half a hank. So you could easily get two scarves out of your color choice. Above, we use 306 Storm, 305 Ink Blue, and302 Sun Lime. Below we use, 301 Carmine, 304 Blue Skies, and 302 Sun Lime.

Not only is this going into my queue, I’ll also be recommending this to the newer knitters I know. There’s nothing like an easy project that looks smashing to build confidence.

Happy knitting!

April 10, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Kauai Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Kauai Cardigan in Alana.

Summertime… and the livin’ is easy. This cardi makes me feel like I should be strolling on the boardwalk in my sandals with a frosty beverage in my hands. Maybe I could wear a giant Yashi Sunblock hat with it.

It’s made in Alana (164yds/100g) , a tropically colorful viscose blend. It’s a great choice for bright color with a sheen. Speaking from personal experience, I haven’t noticed pooling or flashing – just bright colors and happy hues.

And since we’re talking about free patterns, here’s one that flew under the radar!

The Butterfly Scarf is also in Alana. We released this fun broomstick lace design a couple of weeks ago, but never actually made it part of a Free Pattern Friday. Consider it a bonus wish for warm, leisurely days.

Happy crafting!

April 3, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Solitaire Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Solitaire Stole in Lumen Multi.

Wow. If there’s a match of design and yarn more suited to Spring, then I don’t know what it could be. Lumen (right) and its variegated sibling Lumen Multi (134yds/50g) are both a great warm-weather blend. Mostly matte cotton with stretches of shimmering viscose, it’s got just the right amount of shine to be eye-catching. While it’s perfect in the pastel 204 Reflect, I’m also wondering how it would look in a solid – or even with a variegated body and a solid border, picking up a new color as you knit across.

This rectangular stole is worked sideways in one piece. The Diamond Border pattern begins with 25 stitches. On WS rows 2-24, 1 stitch is increased at the beginning of every row. On rows 25-47, stitches are decreased back down. The border pattern is charted and easy to anticipate without referring to the pattern once you’ve got the hang of it.

This is a great wrap for a brisk evening, when the weather’s a little uncertain but you still want to be prepared. This is going on my list – after our Rocked knitalong is done!

Happy knitting!

March 27, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Diamond Cross Pullover

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Diamond Cross Pullover in Ariana.

Things I love about this pattern:

The way the lace crosses over each other, as if it’s woven.
The fact that it’s made on 6.5mm needles, so it’s a quick knit.
The choice of yarn is Ariana (91yds/100g), so it’s a bulky weight yarn in lightweight materials.

Ariana color 108 Grape Ariana is a bamboo tube with light polyamide fibers inside, achieving its size without a lot of weight to stretch and drag. It’s great fun in accessories like the 2 ball Rivel Cowl (free pattern!) and in larger garments as well.

Sometimes laceweight is great, but sometimes, I want to knock out something gorgeous in a hurry. I’m keeping this pattern in mind next time I get that urge.

Let’s hear it for big yarn!

PHAT KNITS BY BAUKE KNOTTNERUS — Phat Knits by Bauke Knottnerus

Happy knitting!

March 13, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Billow Sweater

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Billow Sweater in Good Earth.

Billow_GoodEarth_detail_rt What a great fit for the changing of the seasons. Big and slouchy, but in the cool cotton/linen blend of Fibra Natura Good Earth (204yds/100g) so it won’t be sweltering in the Spring. I love the natural, relaxed look of this piece – so comfy with a pair of jeans.

This is a lovely piece, but not a hard one. Front and back pieces are worked from the bottom up. Stitches are cast on for sleeves and worked up in a single piece with front and back. The hems feature 2×1 knit/purl ribbing moving up into a garter stitch body. A seed stitch panel along the sides and along the outside of the arms keeps the design interesting.

This design would be as relaxing to make as to wear. It’s calming just to think about. Maybe tonight I’ll have a glass of mint tea and knit a swatch. Bliss.

Happy knitting.

March 6, 2015

Free Pattern Friday – Varia Pullover

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Varia Pullover in Llamalini.

I may have mentioned this before, but Fibra Natura Llamalini (109yds/50g) is a favorite around here. A blend of royal llama, linen, and silk bourette, it has a rich, heathered depth of color. I’ve got a hank of Mulberry on my desk right now that I snuck out of our samples (don’t tell!) just so I can look at it and think about what it wants to be.

Our sales manager Yonca clearly had bigger plans than me when she came up with this design. She’s got a good eye – we note that the upcoming Vogue Knitting has several solid cable sweaters with stripe detailing. This design is very on trend.

The garment is knitted in pieces and seamed, and the pockets are added afterward, so it’s easy to leave them off if you prefer. For myself, I love the bursts of color that they lend, breaking up the line in a way that’s flattering for those of us who might be wearing something, let’s say, a little bigger than the extra-small size.

This is a great transitional piece – the Llamalini is warm but not stifling, and the half sleeves would work well in Spring or Fall.

Maybe I should grab a few more skeins from our samples and dream a little bigger…

Happy knitting!