The Contours Cowl features lofty, all-over cables. If you thought cables make for a dense fabric, think again – Alaska is featherweight and soft as down, countering the density you might expect from the usual cabled cowl. It’s perfect to loop around your neck once or twice – and each styling option will keep you warm and cozy.
Knit seamlessly from the bottom-up, this cowl features an easily memorizable cable and slip stitch pattern on a background of reverse stockinette.
We hope you enjoy this week’s free pattern! Have a wonderful, craft-filled weekend!
This is part 12 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 2 Edition.
Day 12 – can you believe it? Today we reveal the final installment of the Universal Yarn 12 Days of Winter Kit Collections – Series 2! Say hello to the Solstice Shawl.
Can I be honest? I am really proud of this design – in my opinion, it’s one of my best designs and I sincerely hope you love it.
This isn’t a very complicated design, but what I feel proud of is the balance of simplicity and intricacy in the piece. This shawl combines cables, stripes, and intarsia. It is worked from tip to tip, starting and finishing with the same number of stitches (just two!). Finally, it’s finished with a very simple contrast color border.
Part of what makes this project special is the yarn used: Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash. I love this yarn. It’s rustic and the tweedy nubs add interest to every type of pattern – from simple garter to cables, lace, and stranded colorwork. (If you need convincing, just take a look at the recent collection in this yarn, Rustic & Refined).
I’m keeping this post short and sweet, but before I sign off, thank you’s are in order! Like last year we had a really wonderful time putting this collection together. It is a team effort, for sure. So thanks to everyone on our team for putting in so much hard work! And thank you so much for supporting our company, your local yarn shops, and for following our posts for this collection. We appreciate it so much!
Remember, you can find the 12 Days of Winter Kit patterns on Ravelry.
The scarf gets its name from the plump yarn and extra-long length. Despite the length, this scarf knits up so quickly! Can you believe you only need to cast on 20 stitches?
This scarf mixes intarsia and self-striping Uptown Super Bulky Amplify for exciting results. We think this pattern is great for beginners looking to learn a new skill. Intarsia is easy, we promise!
Complimentary colors forever!
Be careful – if your outfit matches a free pattern too closely, your colleagues may insist that you model it!
It’s okay, though! I’m totally up for wrapping myself in knitwear all day, every day! Plus, I’m almost always cold! We wrapped this scarf around my neck many times. Perfect for the snowy weather the north has been experiencing this week!
We hope you enjoy this week’s free pattern! Have a fabulous weekend!
This is part 10 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 2 Edition.
Today I’m happy to introduce the Cardamom and Clove Cover – an ultra-cozy wool blanket that’s perfect to wrap around your shoulders while drinking a warm and wintry beverage!
I grew up in a place where it actually snows (when I say “actually” I mean unlike the meager, quick-to-melt amounts that we receive here in Charlotte, NC). To this day I find there is a lot of magic to snow days, and that was especially true when I was a child.
Living in a rural area, just by the border of a state park, snow days first meant shoveling the driveway followed by playing in the snow-covered woods for hours and hours. I rarely came inside until the tips of my hair were completely frozen and my feet couldn’t hand the cold anymore. Then, I’d make my way back home. While my siblings and I pulled off the six million layers we wore to stay warm, my mom prepared hot cocoa.
What’s nicer than enjoying a warm beverage with a cozy blanket on your lap after spending hours in the cold? So, to accompany this design reveal I thought it would be fitting to share a perfectly spiced hot cocoa with a touch of cardamom and clove. This recipe isn’t overly sweet, but it is very rich.
Ingredients – serves four
12 Days of Winter Kit Collection – Cardamom and Clove Cover Kit
6 oz very dark chocolate (I used 90% cocao)
4 cups of coconut milk (or your milk of choice)
1 pinch cayenne
1 pinch ground cloves
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly ground sea salt
1 Tbsp maple syrup
First – knit, knit, knit! How are you going to cuddle up and drink hot chocolate under your blanket if you haven’t knit it?! Okay – I admit, hot chocolate is just as good for knitting this kit, so you don’t need to complete this step first!
Pour the milk into a saucepan. Set the stove to low heat. Add the chopped chocolate and stir, slowly bringing the temperature to medium. When the chocolate is melted add the cayenne, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, sea salt, and maple syrup. Stir, sip, and adjust spices and sweetener to taste.
Add marshmallows – or don’t, it’s up to you! It’s a pretty basic recipe that can be adapted however you’d like. I encourage you to have fun. Heck – add some nutmeg in there if you’re feeling really crazy!
Never enough knits – the Mistletoes and Cardamom and Clove Cover are perfect companions for hot chocolate.
Worried about spilling your cocoa on your beautiful blanket? Don’t! The Cardamom and Clove Cover Kit uses Deluxe Worsted Superwash, so it’s incredibly easy to care for.
Remember, you can find the 12 Days of Winter Series 2 patterns on Ravelry.
This is part 8 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 2 Edition.
Say hello to the Glisten Cowl (link here). Winter, more than most seasons, elicits a desire to adorn ourselves with something sparkly. It’s probably because of all the bright lights, the glow of snow, and – as my dear friend Yukon Cornelius puts it: “gold; and silver!” So if you’re in the mood for sparkly seasonal splendor, I invite you to treat yourself to the Glisten Cowl.
Cables, lace, and sparkles – what more can you ask for?
The yarn is what truly makes this design special. Amphora and Cotton Gold are held together to create a fabric with a soft halo and radiant sparkle. It’s perfect for every special holiday event you attend.
The front part of the cowl is an intriguing cable and lace pattern, while the back is simple garter stitch. The garter section allows your mind to rest before diving back into the patterned section. The difference between the two sections is also visually pleasing allowing the intricate cables to shine more brightly.
The popular winter carol – Winter Wonderland – inspired the name of this cowl, so it’s only fitting that a knitters’ version of the song exists. I struggled a bit and recruited Heather’s talent for words. Get ready because it’s pretty amazing. I’m only sorry that we don’t have a recorded version of her singing it – I learned today that she has a lovely singing voice!
Would you look at those stitches? Magnificent – I tell ya!
Winter Wonderland – Knitters Edition
Needles click, are you listening You can see this cowl glistening A beautiful sight We’re happy tonight Knitting in a winter wonderland
We make sure, to do swatching So our gauge, we’re not botching Our tension’s not wrong As we finally cast on Knitting in a winter wonderland
In the meadow, we can knit a snowfolk Then pretend she runs our LYS. She’ll say, “did you mean to drop that stitch, dear? Don’t you fret a bit, I’ll fix your mess!”
Later on, we’ll admire As we knit by the fire The cowl that we’ve made In just the right shade Knitting in a winter wonderland.
Three cheers for Heather – she’s an invaluable part of our team!
Remember, you can find the Series 2 12 Days of Winter Kit Patterns on Ravelry.
Yesterday the opportunity to enter the giveaway for two skeins of our latest yarn, Bella Cash Worsted, came to a close. As promised, we have two winners: Cass and Kim T! A heartfelt congratulations to both of you!
That’s right – “cash” is short for cashmere. Mmmm
Curious what these lucky winners plan to make?
Cass commented: “I would make a shawl and matching fingerless gloves for my sister!”
We love that you’re planning to treat yourself and a loved one. That’s what crafting is all about, right?
Kim said she “would love to make some fingerless gloves” and that she’s “been trying to find the right yarn for this project.” Problem solved!
Thank you so much to everyone who entered the giveaway. It has been so fun to read about the things you’d like to make. Here’s a breakdown of some of your project plans:
With 21 comments about cowls, they seem to be the top choice! Like we mentioned before, the Cayuga Cowl was designed just for this yarn, so it’s the optimal choice!
Cayuga Cowl in Bella Cash Worsted
Fifteen of you plan to make a scarf.
Might we suggest the Broken Garter Scarf by Amy Gunderson? This simple scarf has some really gorgeous results! The yarn is a bit thicker than the recommended Deluxe Worsted Superwash, so you might want to grab a third ball of each color, but how cozy would it be to wrap that scarf around your neck this winter?
Thirteen of you plan to make some mittens or fingerless gloves. We have a pair of mittens using this yarn coming your way, but we also think the Nutmeg Mittens would look great!
Nutmeg Mittens
Eight of you plan to make a hat. We’re busy working on pattern support for this yarn, and I can tell you we have a lovely hat design by Heather Hill coming your way very soon.
Can’t wait to cast on? We have some other options, too! Maybe you’re a cable fanatic? How about the Cold Mountain Hat or the Hazy Hat? Both of these would look beautiful in Bella Cash Worsted.
Cold Mountain Hat
What an excellent variety of accessories! We hope you’ll share your projects with us. Thanks again for entering our giveaway!
Both yarns are a blend of fine merino superwash, cashmere, and nylon for strength. Bella Cash & Bella Cash Worsted are machine washable, so they’re perfect for gift and baby items. They’re soft with excellent stitch definition and are so pleasant to knit and crochet with. I am in love with both of these yarns and want all the sweaters knit out of them!
Bella Cash (sport weight) already has two great pattern collections out.
We blogged about kids collection Writing on the Wallhere. It’s a collection of whimsical knits for little people.
Small Pleasures is an ebook with small accessory projects perfect for such a soft yarn that begs to be worn against the skin.
I sent crochet maven Ellen Gormley some Bella Cash Worsted to play with and she made this wonderful video. She has some really nice insights about the yarn and lots of interesting things to say. Check it out!
We are busy working on patterns for Bella Cash Worsted which will be released in the coming weeks. Right now, we have the Cayuga Cowl, made with just two skeins. And it’s a free pattern on our website!
Knit from the top down, this cowl can be worn and styled in a variety of ways. It’s a quick knit for yourself or as a gift. Cue giveaway time!
Here are the details:
This is a contest for two lucky winners that will each receive 2 skeins of Bella Cash Worsted
To enter, leave a comment on this blog post letting us know what you think you’d make with your winnings
Entries will close in one week, Wednesday, October 31 at 12 pm (noon) EST, so you must leave your comment by that time
It’s that time of year! Little ghouls and ghosties run amok in the neighborhood, and we love crafting fun things for them – and for us! Let’s take a look at a few free patterns.
We want candy. More candy. And not the cheap stuff.
There is so much personality in these three crocheted monsters! Sized for children through adults, these friends are free patterns in machine washable Uptown Worsted. We decided to make ours in the adult size, so we could have some fun here in the office!
(L-R: Amy, Rachel, and Heather, always up for some wholesome fun)I *guess* you can have some.
These Fair Isle knits have a piece plastic needlepoint canvas inside to help them hold their shape. It’s optional, but we go through a lot of candy here, so we thought it was a good idea to help them stand up to the frequent “walk-by grabbing.”
We released the Batcape last week and blogged about it. Maybe you saw it, but if you didn’t, we don’t want you to miss it. 🙂
Moving to printed patterns, there are some real gems in the book 50 Knitted Gifts for Year-Round Giving, from Sixth and Spring. The book features great projects suitable for any occasion. The Halloween selections do not disappoint!
Perhaps my favorite collection we’ve released for fall so far is Light & Shadow. It’s a collection of gorgeous, incredibly wearable patterns knit in anti-pilling Uptown DK.
A lot goes into planning our pattern collections, and it’s always so exciting to see designs develop. Amy and I begin with a mood board. Then we move on to creating rough sketches. You can see a few of mine from our recent collections below:
From left to right: Small Pleasures using Bella Cash, Vibrance in Lace using Finn, and Light and Shadow using Uptown DK.
Naturally not every sketch makes the final collection. Amy and I work on numerous ideas separately, then we meet to share our ideas, select the designs that will be a part of the collection, and choose colors. Then we get hard to work on making these ideas a reality.
So, which designs made the final cut for Light & Shadow?
I have three designs in the collection. First up: Crossroads.
If I had to choose a favorite, this might be it. This design started with a bold cable from Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook. I didn’t want to just slap the pattern onto a sweater. I opted for a relaxed, cozy fit with drop shoulders, garter ridges, a split hem, and understated bishop sleeves.
The sleeves sit at bracelet length on our fantastic model, Jarin, however; it’s super simple to lengthen them as the shaping occurs just before the cuff.
I wanted to create the perfect, infinitely wearable turtleneck. I know not everyone loves turtlenecks, but I sure do! Northbound was initially imagined as a proposal for a print magazine before I started working at Universal. I loved it, so I held onto the idea – the Light and Shadow collection seemed to be a perfect match.
Northbound has some of my favorite design elements: set-in sleeves, saddle shoulders, seed stitch, and cables. If you love a simple design with thoughtful details, this pattern is for you.
My final design is perhaps the most unique: Topography.
Topography features sculptural welts that move diagonally across the sleeves. The effect is simpler to construct than you might expect.
The sleeves feature traveling twisted stitches that are used as a guide to creating the welts. After you’ve knit the sleeves, stitches are picked up stitches along the legs of the twisted stitches. Then you simply knit and graft. Easy-peasy. Not a fan of the welts? Just stick with the twisted stitches and you have a simple wardrobe staple.
Just a quick shout-out to our winners of our Unity Giveaway, Susan and Patty. Congratulations, ladies!
Your delicious skeins of Unity are en route to you this very moment. Enjoy!
Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment and learn a little more about this scrumptious yarn. We will certainly be having more contests in the future. Be sure to subscribe to our blog for updates so you don’t miss out on the next one!
