Free Pattern Friday – Superwash hats!

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Parfait and Here and There hats_DeluxeWorstedSuperwash_blog

Today, a little love for both the knitters and the crocheters!  Both use Deluxe Worsted Superwash (220yds/100g), the popular machine washable version of our Deluxe line of wools.

Here and There hat_DeluxeWorstedSuperwash_blog First, the knitted Here and There Hat.  Amy Gunderson uses right and left twists to create colorful slanting columns up the length of this cap.  A Luxury Fur Pom-Pom tops it off with an extra pop of color.  I love these pom-poms.  They’re pre-made with an attached thread that you can just tie onto your work.

Parfait Hat_DeluxeWorstedSuperwash_blogNext, the crocheted Parfait Hat.  Two colors of Deluxe Worsted Superwash topped off with a Luxury Fur Pom-Pom.  Adorable!  I tried this one on, and it looked really cute.  Sometimes it’s hard not to steal the garments for myself!

On the other hand, making my own would be another excuse to crochet, and that’s always a good thing.

Happy crafting!

 

Throwback Thursday – Jenna Cardigan

It’s Throwback Thursday!

TT JennaFall is almost here – or so they tell me.  Those of us here in the South still have a little longer to wait.  Maybe knitting a lovely cool weather design will help hurry things along!

Enter the Jenna Cardigan.  Originally knit in Dolce Merino, this would look great in both Merino XF and Deluxe DK Superwash wool.  The nice thing about the substitution is that while this would have taken 16 balls of Dolce Merino for a size 2X, it uses fewer than eight balls of Deluxe DK Superwash.  I love a beautiful sweater that won’t break the bank!

We wish you breezy fall weather – and happy knitting!

 

AFGHAN KNITALONG – BLOCK THIRTEEN

Block Thirteen is live!

13 Afghan Knitalong Plaid to the Bone

Plaid!  I don’t know why I didn’t think about this as an option, but I love it.  Little squares within the square.

Plaid to the Bone uses elongated stitches to create raised lines that cross the surface of the stitch and give texture.  Amy shows us how that works.


Just a few extra wraps, dropped on subsequent rows.  Easy peasy.  I must confess to having gotten a little sneak at the next block, which is also a variation on plaid, and I can barely wait for everyone else to see it too.

As always, you can share your blocks (and feedback) with us here, on Facebook, or in our Ravelry group.    Check back in two weeks for the next block in the series!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Croc-a-Scarf!

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Croc-aScarf in Classic Shades

Rawr!  It’s the Croc-a-Scarf in Classic Shades!

This crochet piece is worked lengthwise in crocodile stitches, creating a crescent that follows the shape of your shoulders.  Self-shading Classic Shades, shown here in colorway 733 “Jubilant,” provides effortless color.  What a vibrant and fun crochet project!

Throwback Thursday – Back to School Vest

It’s Throwback Thursday!

TT Back to School Vest

Today, we feature the Back To School Vest.  This vest was originally designed for Deluxe Worsted Concord Tweed, a member of the Deluxe Family that had flecks of color throughout.  It was exactly the same weight as Deluxe Worsted and Deluxe Worsted Superwash 100% wools, making it a perfect match for those yarns.

If you’re looking for a more tweedy look, I have to mention Llamalini. I mention it because it’s a gorgeous yarn, but also because we just got in four new colors and really, I’ll take any excuse to knit something out of Llamalini’s blend of linen, royal llama, and silk bourette.  So luxurious.

The Back to School Vest is knitted in the round up to the armholes, then back and forth to the shoulders.   This is pictured as a top, but would also work well as a layering piece.  I can see this with a pair of jeans over an untucked shirt for a look that says, “yes, I look this good without even trying.”

Happy knitting!

Honeymoon

I’ve seen it in myself many times before, and it’s been so much fun to see it in my coworker, Katie: the New Craft Addiction Honeymoon Period. After we had a little learning session here in the office with basic warping and weaving, Katie took home the 15″ Cricket to play with. It was quite evident from the three (yes, 3!) scarves Katie finished over the course of just one week, that Katie had been bitten by the weaving bug. Today, I want to talk about two of these scarves.

Both scarves were taken and adapted from Jane Patrick and Stephanie Flynn Sokolov’s book, “Woven Scarves”, and both used an 8 dent reed.

WovenScarves_cover

The first was based on the “Chunky Check” pattern from the book. It’s a plain weave technique that’s all about strategic color change in both warp and weave. Katie used our Ready to Dye angora blend yarn for warp and weft. Half was undyed, and half was dyed using…get this…Crystal Light packets! I’ve heard of Kool-Aid dyeing before, but never Crystal Light. Makes sense it would work in the same way!

Houndstooth_1

Here’s an in-progress pic. Katie is obviously a natural – her selvedges look perfect.

Houndstooth_2

Off the loom. Katie opted for hemstitching at each end with tied fringe. This scarf took only about a third each of her two Ready to Dye hanks.

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And beauty shots here in the office. Katie gets tired of hearing me harp about the importance of blocking. But look what a difference it makes! With a few exceptions, I never consider a knit, crochet, or woven project to be complete until either wet or steam blocking have happened.

Scarf number two is based on the Posh Plum scarf from “Woven Scarves”. This project is another excellent illustration of how plain weave can often look anything but plain. Two yarns, in this case Llamalini and Whisper Lace, both from our Fibra Natura collection come together in an indescribable harmony. Colors are 204 Cloudy Morning in the Whisper Lace, and 101 Birchbark in the Llamalini.

Because Whisper Lace is a laceweight yarn, working this project on an 8 dent reed made for an extremely light, airy scarf.

striped_1 Striped_2

 

Here it is on the loom, and just off the loom. Katie also went with hemstitch and fringe finishing on this scarf. After handwashing, it measures 80″. Can you believe she used less than a ball/hank of each yarn?

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As you can see, Heather really likes this scarf; lots of glamour shots! I must say, I covet this one myself.

Stay tuned for next time when Weaving Wednesdays breaks into fall projects!

 

 

Free Pattern Friday – Idyll Hat and Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

_DSC0075_Ariana hat and cowl_blog

Today, the Idyll Hat and Cowl in Ariana.

We just got a new yarn in, and as so often happens, we got super excited and had to make something new!  Ariana (100g/91yds) is a unique yarn.  It’s a kind of a mesh tube made of bamboo with a squishy polyamide filling.  Based just on the pictures I’d seen, I knew it would have excellent stitch definition, but I wasn’t expecting it to be so soft to the touch.  I’m always up for a bulky-weight squeezable yarn!

The pattern is both written and charted, and works up quickly on US size 10 needles (size 9 for the hat).  Maybe my “to knit” list is getting too long, but I don’t care, this is getting added.  There’s always room for a super-soft hat and cowl!

 

Throwback Thursday – Garter Rib Cowl

It’s Throwback Thursday!

TT Garter Rib Cowl

Today, we share the Garter Rib Cowl.  Originally designed for Cashmere Fleur de Lys, this pattern would provide plenty of style in any worsted weight yarn, particularly one with a bit of spring to it.

This would be a great two ball project in Uptown Worsted 100% anti-pilling acrylic, as well as Deluxe Worsted or Deluxe Worsted Superwash 100% wool.  It would be a three ball project with a bit more drape in Llamalini, but with the heathered tones of that linen/llama/silk bourette blend, it would be a great look.

I’ve got some Deluxe Worsted left over from my 30 Day Sweater KAL project, and this looks like the perfect project for it.  A simple two-row repeat on size 9 needles sounds like a great break from back-to-school insanity.  Let’s all knit and relax!

Afghan Knitalong – Block Twelve

Block Twelve is live!

12 Raising Cane with title_blogLove it!  Raising Cane (ha!) builds on the single twists of Block Eleven, bringing in a crossover twisted main stem.  But this block adds a couple of new techniques.

First, there’s twisting stitches by working through the back loop.  Amy Gunderson demonstrates with this video, showing how to work both knits and purls through the back loop to create a twisted stitch that really stands out from its background.  This is a very effective technique when used with a smooth yarn like Uptown Worsted.

Next, there’s the matter of crossing over!  You may recall that last time we shared a video on adding right and left traveling twists to your knits.  This time, we build on that by adding right and left traveling purls.  This lets those twisted stitches that pop so well move to outline the leaves.

I don’t know about you, but I learned something!  And I’ll definitely keep twisted stitches and right and left twists in my knitting toolbox as a method for outlining other designs or adding more texture to my projects.  Very exciting!

We’d love to see your blocks!  You can share with us on Facebook, or in our Ravelry group.

Check back in two weeks for the next block in the series, and a new technique!

Free Pattern Friday – Back to School Backpack

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Back to School Backpack 1 blog

Are you ready for school?  Me neither!  But the Back To School Backpack is a reminder that it’s time to gear up for Fall.

Back to School Backpack 2 blogI love the combination of  self-shading yarn with a solid Deluxe Worsted Superwash accent and tie.  The entire backpack is worked in one piece.  Begin by knitting the back piece from the center out.  Next, work the side and bottom sideways and attach to the back piece as you go.  Stitches for the front piece are worked from the outside in.  Voila!  A minimum of seaming!

This design is made in our brand new Classic Shades Metallic (175yds/100g).  When I say “brand new,” I mean that we literally just got our first shipment from the mill a few minutes ago.  Classic Shades Metallic has the gorgeous self-shading tones and sheen of Classic Shades, plus metallic thread for extra bling.

Now that it’s arrived, there goes my productivity for the day.

Business Cat ball of yarn

Happy knitting!