This week we are releasing the Whirligig Cardigan, designed by Afifa Sayeed, which captures all of the whimsy and colors of spring! Two bold shades of Cotton Supreme collide with two punchy colors of Cotton Supreme Speckles to create swirly pinwheels all over.
Cotton Supreme is a ridiculously soft, worsted-weight, 100% cotton yarn. It’s available in a whopping 45 colors and is a dream to work with and wear, but its versatility is the real kicker. It’s suitable for homewares like baby blankets, washcloths, stuffed toys, and more. However, Cotton Supreme truly is most popular for garments and accessories worn close to the skin. It’s an approved yarn for sensitive skin types, and is used by many for chemo caps, like the Hope Hat.
Cotton Supreme Speckles is the variegated counterpart to Cotton Supreme. It has the same 100% cotton base and weight, and comes in 6 zippy colors, which can pair with their solid sisters in fun and exciting ways. The Whirligig Cardigan, and the Below blanket show off these complimenting abilities beautifully. If you’re unsure of which colors to pair up, rest assured that Cotton Supreme Speckles looks fabulous as a stand-alone-stunner. Check out the free Wildflower Tee pattern for inspiration!
We love all of the ways you can pair these yarns, and are so excited to feature them in this week’s Free Pattern Friday. The Whirligig Cardigan is an Easy pattern, suitable for adventurous beginners. It’s constructed of 52 individual squares that are knit on the bias. Once completed, they are sewn together based on a schematic, and finished with picked up stitches for sleeve hems and edging. I personally love projects that assemble from smaller pieces – they are so transportable! This is a great cardigan to make on-the-go.
So, what do you think you’ll make with Cotton Supreme or Cotton Supreme Speckles? Get both for your stash with our weekend sale! Today through Sunday 4/21 both of these yarns are 20% off on our website. Share your projects with us here in the comments, or send photos on social media – we love to see what you’re working on!
Spring has sprung, and we’re thrilled to share some of our favorite yarns for the season with you! There are many things to look out for when searching for the perfect yarn for spring, including fiber content, weight, and color palette. If you haven’t heard of the yarns below, let today be the day you try something new! Let’s go ahead and get started with the newest addition to the Uptown Family of Yarns!
Uptown Bamboo DKSubtle Shell Ruana
Uptown Bamboo DK is a fiber blend of 80% anti-pilling acrylic and 20% bamboo in a DK weight. Each 100g skein has 284 yards of yarn, with 38 different colors to select from. Bamboo fibers are highly breathable and moisture-wicking, allowing you to keep cool in warmer weather. Uptown Bamboo DK is machine-washable, making it an excellent option for wearable pieces and baby projects. The color palette of this yarn includes plenty of beautiful hues for spring, like 515 Wisteria and 528 Breeze.
Cotton Supreme SpecklesWildflower Tee
Cotton Supreme Speckles is the newest member of the Cotton Supreme Family, and it’s already receiving so much love! This yarn is made up of 100% cotton fibers in a worsted weight, just like Cotton Supreme, but with speckles! Cotton is a plant-based fiber that is excellent for spring and almost any project you can think of. Due to the durability of cotton, Cotton Supreme Speckles is phenomenal for homewares, like the Seedling Washcloths. Additionally, this yarn makes for beautiful wearable pieces, like the pictured Wildflower Tee.
Bamboo PopSabal
Naturally, we wanted to include one of our staple yarns, so say hello to Bamboo Pop! We already talked through the benefits of bamboo and cotton fibers, and guess what? Bamboo Pop is a blend of both! With that being the case, this yarn is breathable, soft, and exceptional for any project. One of our favorite things about Bamboo Pop is the versatile color palette. Both solids and multis are available, and many pair faultlessly with each other! Try a fun accessory with this staple, with the pictured Sabal poncho. Plus, if you love to make baby projects, you will want to add Bamboo Pop to your stash; it’s a customer favorite for such patterns!
Rico Design Baby Dream DKBesties
Speaking of baby projects, Rico Design’s Baby Dream DK is next on deck! With a fiber blend of 50% polyacrylic and 50% polyamide, Rico Design Baby Dream DK is incredibly soft and easy to care for. Solids and multis are available in this yarn, with a range of gorgeous colors, especially pastels. The polyacrylic and polyamide fibers mean that Baby Dream DK is machine-washable, so it’s ideal for your little one. We love the idea of a baby blanket or cardigan, like the pictured Besties pattern!
Rico Design Creative Fluffily DKPattern 1016 Top and Shawl
You may have never heard of Rico Design’s Creative Fluffily DK, but we’re thrilled to introduce you! With a fiber blend of cotton, polyester, acrylic, and wool, Creative Fluffily DK is sensationally soft, machine-washable, and includes a subtle sparkle! Each 150g cake of this yarn contains 459 yards of yarn, making it great for larger projects like pullovers and shawls. There are 14 shades to choose from, and we can’t wait to see what you will make with Creative Fluffily DK!
Which one of these yarns would you work with first? Let us know in the comments! We can’t wait to hear your response.
Happy Free Pattern Friday, Friends! Today, we bring you the Mimosa Poncho, the ideal transitional accessory for Spring.
The Mimosa Poncho is a light and airy layering piece that uses a simple zigzag lace for maximum effect. The poncho is knit flat from the bottom up, working along the narrowest side. Creative seaming after completion transforms a rectangular piece into a dazzling lightweight accessory.
This pattern makes the most of our highly variegated Sugar Saki yarn. Sugar Saki is a 50/25/25 blend of superwash merino, bamboo, and nylon and comes in a cheerful colorful palette of 5 colors inspired by sweet treats. The simple construction allows the yarn to do most of the work here, and the bamboo content gives your finished piece just the right amount of drape. This yarn is perfect for socks and lightweight accessories alike.
This weekend only, get 20% off Sugar Saki through Sunday, March 31st. Don’t miss out on your chance to get your hands on this fun yarn at a special discounted rate while you can.
Hi fiber friends, and happy Friday to you! It is officially spring and, we have a precious pastel blankie fit for the season. The Hugs and Kisses Blanket, designed by me, Ashley Jane McIntyre, is a crochet cutie that you can whip up in a flash.
This blanket uses simple double crochet and chain stitches to create an X’s and O’s stitch pattern throughout. It’s worked flat from the bottom up, then a double crochet border is added around the edge. If you are new to crochet, or just want a palette cleanser between projects, then this sweet blankie is for you! Give it as a gift, or keep it for your own little one. Wherever it lands, it’s sure to be a cherished keepsake for years.
This project features two skeins of Major in the color 124 Mermaid. This yarn is Oeko-Tex 100 Product Class 1 certified against harmful chemicals and substances, making it safe for your home and health. It’s a bulky weight yarn made of 100% acrylic, making it machine washable and easy to care for, and packs 328 yards per 200g skein. Major is available in 41 self-shading colors, each with depth and vibrancy suitable for any project!
I hope you enjoy this week’s Free Pattern Friday! Now through Sunday, March 24th at 11:59 PM EST, get 20% off Major. You can grab two skeins of any color for the Hugs and Kisses Blanket, or any other project you can dream up! Let us know in the comments what you’ll create with Major!
That’s all for now. Happy Stitching! Ashley Jane McIntyre
Hi friends, and happy Friday. This is the last Friday of January, so it’s time for a FLASH pattern! That means we are giving a normally paid pattern to our audience for FREE! Today we bring you the Forest Slipper Socks, designed by Rachel Brockman.
These slippers combine Bamboo Pop Sock Solids and Minou for a wonderfully warm combination for your tootsies. Bamboo Pop Sock Solids comes in 100g balls made of 37% cotton, 55% bamboo, and 8% pbt. It’s available in 22 shades, some of which match perfectly with the featured, fuzzy carry-along. Each 50g ball of Minou is made of 40% baby alpaca, 8% merino wool, 52% nylon and is available in eight bespoke colors. Both yarns called for are held together through the whole project to create the fur-like texture.
The Forest Socks Slippers are knit from the cuff-down, in the round, with a heel flap and gusset. The heel is shaped using short rows and stitches are grafted together for the toes to finish the project seamlessly.
To get the Forest Slipper Socks pattern 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, 1/28.
Winter is the season of magic and mystery. The cold weather is a shock to the senses, and beautiful snowfall is one of nature’s quiet little miracles. For yarn crafters, it is a season full of project inspiration. From cozy sweaters, to snuggly scarves, winter calls us to create.
At Universal Yarn, we offer an expansive line of yarns suited to all types of yarn crafters. The patterns we release are primarily for knitters and crocheters, but we celebrate all fiber arts. Occasionally, we work with indie designers, fiber artists, and social media influencers to create unique projects using our yarns to help inspire our customers. This winter, I wanted to commission a creative project and blog post featuring a yarn craft that is resurging in popularity: locker and latch hooking. We worked with a local artist, April Lee, for this project.
Our Winter Wonderland wall hanging, made by April Lee.
April Lee is a custom fiber artist based out of Charlotte, NC, and has been a lover of fiber arts since she was 15 years old. During the pandemic, April tried out the locker hooking craft, and the rest was history. In 2021, she launched Latched By Lee, LLC, which is a custom fiber art business specializing in one-of-a-kind art pieces using various textiles. Every item is handmade using latch and locker hooking techniques. Here is what April had to say about locker and latch hooking.
‘Locker hooking is a technique that uses a tool with a crochet hook on one end, and a needle eye on the other. It creates loops of yarn that are pulled through the backing of a mesh canvas to create a design. The loops are locked into place using the yarn that is threaded through the needle eye. Locker hooking originated in England in the 19th century, and at that time was primarily used to make rugs. Stripes of fabric that were no longer suitable to use for clothing were used to create floor mats, rugs, and quilts. Since then, locker hooking has expanded greatly. You can create wall hangings, bracelets, baskets, purses, chair cushions, pillows, and much more! I love exploring all of the different things I can create using the locker hooking technique.’
Cliffs Of Moher was used to make the trees and candy canes, while Bella Chenille was used for the snow, and Uptown Worsted was used for the background.
We asked April to create a wall hanging art piece inspired by the idea of a winter wonderland. April chose a variety of our yarns to use for this project, and I have to say I was SO intrigued to see how all of these different fibers would work together in the piece. Here is what April had to say about some of the yarns that were used.
‘I thoroughly enjoyed using the various types of yarns from Universal Yarn to create this project. Bella Chenille’s polyester fibers are the perfect fit to create a fluffy and realistic looking snow texture. The Cliffs Of Moher yarn from Yarn Vibes was one of my favorites because the wool created tight loops that gives a different feel on the canvas. A helpful tip while locker looking is to double up thinner yarns to make the loops more secure, and it also helps to close any gaps on the canvas.
I loved April’s choice to add some sparkle to this piece with the rhinestones and beads. Winter is the season of sparkle!
Deluxe Bulky Superwash was very smooth, making for a great transition when locking loops in place. I used the Rico Design Soft Merino Aran virgin wool yarn to create the snowcapped mountains. Terrain was essential to this project because it added layers and dimension to the piece. For the background, I used Uptown Worsted in Royal Blue, and it did not disappoint. The blue allows for the other colors to shine and gives the true winter wonderland appearance. I appreciated the tightly woven Ricorumi yarn because I used it as the locking yarn (the yarn through the needle eye) to help secure the loops in place. Finally, I added a few beads and rhinestones for embellishments to give a ‘pop’ to the piece, because what is a winter wonderland without some sparkle?
You can really tell how the different yarns create a unique texture with the locker hooking technique. Cliffs Of Moher is 100% wool and makes tighter loops than the acrylic fibers of Uptown Worsted do.
Overall, I really enjoyed creating this piece and exploring the different textures of the yarn. Universal Yarn has quality yarn that can be used for many different yarn crafts.’
This picture shows the piece along with some of the different yarns that April chose to use!
To get started with locker hooking, April recommends some materials that you will need: a latch hook mesh canvas with 3.75″ squares, a locker hooking tool, the yarn of your choice, and of course, your creativity! If you are local to the Charlotte area, April offers classes and workshops throughout the year. Her next class will be in March 2024 at the Craft Fest hosted by Petty Thieves Brewing. You can find out more about April’s work on her website www.latchedbylee.com and be sure to follow her on Instagram @latchedxlee .
I hope that this post has given you some winter wonder-ful inspiration to try something new. This could be a great hobby to explore in between large knitting or crochet projects, and to use up some of your stash yarns! Learning a new craft can also be a fun way to beat the cold weather blues. Wishing you all a fabulous 2024!
We hope you accomplished all the crafting goals that you set out for in 2023, but if not, 2024 is a new opportunity! Our team has gathered together to come up with exciting personal crafting goals for the new year, and we want to hear yours as well. We invite you to take a peek below to check our teams aspirations for the year ahead!
Aubrey: “In 2024, I hope to get back into doing more hand embroidery on knitwear and ready-to-wear clothing! I loved designing the Verbena Pullover and getting to do the hand embroidery on that sample, so it would be exciting to expand my knowledge of hand embroidering on knits this year. We have some yarns in our line that will work fabulously for this, like Magnolia. This fingering weight yarn is delicate enough to show off complex embroidery designs and has a silky-smooth finish. Embroidery adds a touch of uniqueness to your projects or your everyday clothes, and the customization element makes them feel extra special and artistic.”
Verbena PulloverMagnolia
Ashley Jane: “I am a crocheter, but I have been taking on more and more knit projects. This year, my big resolutions are to try some new projects that would help me grow my knitting skills! First up, I want to try out the Forager Socks, designed by Rachel Brockman. They feature some beautiful lacework, which I have yet to try, so I am very excited about them. These socks call for Filly, which is a blend of 46% cotton, 33% superwash merino, 12% polyamide, and 9% PBT. It comes in 6 self-shading hues that are perfect for springtime. I think the color choices, along with the open lace design will make for a perfect warm-weather pair.
FillyForager Socks
The other skill I want to try is cables, so I want to make myself the Carillon sweater, designed by Aubrey Busek Gray. I adore the twisting design on the front, and the overall elegance of this piece, which is enhanced by the 100% wool yarn, Deluxe Worsted. This yarn is available in over 80 colors, some of which are natural, undyed marvels. While the cabling may be a new challenge for me, I think the hardest part of this sweater will be choosing a favorite color!”
CarillonCarillon
Afifa: “I knit my very first pair of socks last year and am now obsessed and want to hone my sock-knitting skills. I am excited to work on the Tempera Socks designed by Aubrey Busek. I love the combination of stripes and lacework in this pattern. The pattern is designed for Uni Merino, a blend of soft superwash merino wool and nylon, perfect for socks. With the wide range of shades available, the potential color combinations are endless. Here’s to having a drawer full of hand-knit socks by the end of the year!”
Tempera SocksUni Merino and Uni Merino Mini
Robert: “As someone who never crafted much before my time here, 2023 was full of trying new things. As 2024 continues, I would like to take more time to weave and crochet, as I find these crafts relaxing. Universal Yarn has a beautiful display of yarns, but I am eyeing Zesty Sock for a few squares on the Zoom Loom.”
Zesty Sock
We want to hear from you! What are your crafting goals for 2024? Let us know in the comments below.
We love to see customer projects! Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see the creativity that exists in the crafting community. Plus, use #universalyarn when using our yarn for a chance to be shared in stories or on our feed!
On the last Friday of every month, we give away a paid pattern for free! It’s a always fun to grab a freebie, but this month is especially wonderful as it’s the LAST Flash Pattern Friday of the year! We are sending off 2023 with the festive Cladonia sweater.
The striking colorwork brings to mind holiday ornaments twinkling on a tree, and the rich burgundy color evokes a desire for sweet mulled wine by a fire. The yarn called for is Fibra Natura Kingston Tweed, a soft and warm blend of 50% wool, 25% alpaca and 25% viscose. It comes in 19 nature-inspired hues, spun up in 50g hanks of 194 yards each. This DK (light) weight yarn is perfect for texture and colorwork, creating items with a natural look and feel. For project inspiration, check out our collection of patterns featuring Kingston Tweed at this link.
Cladonia is knit in the round from the bottom up. The front and back are separated at the sleeves, where the sleeves are then picked up and worked in the round from the top town. Short rows shape the shoulders and neckline, which is designed to sit higher in the front than in the back, enhancing the femininity of the sweater.
To get Cladonia 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 Tuesday, January 2nd, to coincide with our Be Bright sale!
Enjoy more savings during the sale by purchasing the Cladonia Kit! From Friday, 12/29 – Tuesday, 1/2, we are celebrating New Years with 20% off of all kits and muud items. It’s the perfect time to have your pattern, and make it too!
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.
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!
