Tag: accessory

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Free Pattern Friday – Tamara Triangle

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Tamara Triangle in Papyrus (pattern link here).

There’s a sweet story behind today’s sweet design, so I’m going to let designer Rachel Brockman tell it in her own words.

“The Tamara Triangle is named after a dear friend of mine – one who inspired me to learn to knit (and one who has been pining for an oversized shawl).

“As such, this pattern goes out to all of the people in our lives who have inspired and encouraged the craft of knitting – whether it’s a family member, a friend, a local yarn shop, or yourself – I think we can all agree that it’s great to reflect and feel grateful for those influences. ”

The shawl is worked from the top down in cotton/silk Papyrus, beginning with a garter tab cast-on. Most of the shawl is worked in stockinette stitch, making it excellent for a knit night with friends.

The edging requires a bit more concentration, as the lace is worked on the right and wrong sides of the work. Fear not, though, the pattern is a repeat of just six rows. As a bonus, the lace is aesthetically reversible. If you prefer the look of reverse stockinette, flip it around.

We hope you have an excellent weekend, and find time to connect with old friends.

Happy crafting!

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Small Pleasures – Blue Oak Shawl

A couple of weeks ago, I very briefly mentioned our new e-book, Small Pleasures.  It’s a set of designs using what is fast becoming a favorite, Bella Cash.

e-book cover titled Small Pleasures showing hands wearing blue knitted fingerless mitts

This collection is perfect for me, because I am all about the accessories.  I like instant gratification, and I’m always paranoid that I’m going to get to the end of a sweater and I will have miscalculated somewhere and it won’t fit. Not that this has ever happened to me.  Ahem.

But let us not dwell on the failures of the past, let us move on to newer and more beautiful things – namely, my new shawl obsession, Blue Oak.

Woman in woods wearing blue and gray knit shawl

I asked designer Rachel Brockman about this, and she kindly shared her original swatch and concept.

pink and white knitted swatch on wooden background

“It all started with my playing with slip stitches and stripes, but wanting it to have a little something special. I’m a sucker for triangular shawls, too. They are easy to wear and soothing to knit. It was never my plan to make this in pink and white, as shown in my swatch – but I think it gets my design through quite well and I was thrilled about the final results.”

Blue Oak Tree

Rachel’s concept for the edge lace was inspired by the Blue Oak tree. The triangular shape of the shawl itself mirrors that.

Woman walking away down wooded lane wearing knitted shawl

Soothing indeed.

Woman looking at camera while holding edges of her worn Blue Oak Shawl

It sits nicely on the shoulders worn loose to the front…

…and is long enough to wrap for other styling options as well.

The grain pattern in this top-down piece is just a 4-row 2-stitch repeat.  I cast on for this yesterday and knitted a bit, and it only took about five rows after the garter tab before I didn’t have to think about it any more.

Peach and dark purple balls of Bella Cash yarn and knitted slip stitch swatch
Colors: 122 Amethyst and 119 Apricot.

Lace border of knitted Blue Oak shawl

The pattern is broken up by a band of contrasting color in the middle and in the ending lace.  Everything in the pattern is written and charted, except the grain pattern, which needs no chart.

Rachel offers some Bella Cash color suggestions:

“My choices for a personal project would have to be 126 Forest combined with 106 Oat or 116 Sage, as used in the sample. Of course, there is always 121 Cabernet and 124 Mustard (shown) if you’re feeling the Gryffindor love!”

Well, now I’m not sure whether to keep going with what I’ve got, or maybe go Ravenclaw blue. Decisions, decisions.

The Blue Oak Shawl is available on Ravelry as a single pattern, or as part of e-book Small Pleasures.  This won’t be the last time we talk about this e-book.  I’m a sock fiend, and there’s a pair in there I’m dying to cast on for.

Happy crafting!

Closeup of texture on knitted Blue Oak Shawl

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Free Pattern Friday – Incarnadine Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Crocheted pink striped shawl

Today, the Incarnadine Shawl crocheted in Alpaculence (pattern link).

Combine a top-down triangular shell stitch pattern with self-striping yarn, and what do you get?

Gradually widening color repeats in a beautiful shawl.

The border is added afterwards, for narrow bands of color in glittering superfine Alpaculence.

You can easily adjust the size of this shawl, taking care to ensure you’re starting from a multiple of 8 plus 2 chain stitches.  The pattern is both written and charted, for your convenience.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend full of beauty.

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern – Halfway Home Shawl

When we launch a new yarn, as we did this year with Finn, we also publish free patterns made in that yarn so that crafters can have instant inspiration.  Halfway Home was one of several published this Spring that never got their day on the blog.  Time to fix that!

Woman looking over shoulder wearing purple knit lace shawl

This is Amy Gunderson’s Halfway Home Shawl in Finn (pattern link).

Violet shawl knitted in Finn yarn.

It’s lovely worn, but I also had to take a picture of it here in the studio just to show its striking shape.

Woman outdoors wearing garter stitch and lace knit shawl

The corner that the model is holding is the starting point for this slightly oblong shawl.  It begins with just 7 stitches. Five Herringbone Lace Columns grow out of the left side of the shawl and are continued up to the top edge.

Young woman modeling knitted triangular purple shawl

Increases occur only at the left side of the piece, creating a right triangle shape. The lace pattern is an easy-to-memorize 4-row repeat.

Two balls of Finn yarn from Universal Yarn

We use Finn, a blend of acrylic, superwash merino, and enough alpaca to give it a bit of a halo.  It’s a nice touch of luxury.

Detail closeup of purple shawl crafted in Universal Yarn Finn

It’s easy to customize size in this shawl, as most of the body is maintained in garter stitch. Just be sure to reserve enough yarn for the final 10 rows of garter stitch and you’re good!

Have a great week – and happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Tidal Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Variegated blue shawl knit in Little Bird and Little Bird Colors yarn

Today, the Tidal Shawl in Little Bird and Little Bird Colors (pattern link).

Shawl knitting in the summertime? Yes, please.

rear view of triangular knitted blue striped shawl

We hate to give up an entire category of projects, just because the temperature’s risen a little.  That’s what makes Little Bird and Little Bird Colors great for this project.  They’re 100% microfiber acrylic, so you won’t overheat with the project in your lap while knitting.

Close up of eyelet stitch pattern in knitted Little Bird shawl

The Tidal Shawl uses one solid color and one self-striping, for a nicely coordinated feel.  A textured stitch is combined with little eyelets for a texture that lets individual stitches of the solids and stripes show through each other – a nice blending of colors.

Woman's hands holding edge of shawl knitted with i-cord bind-off

Work it top-down, and finish with a neat i-cord bind-off.  Presto.  A gorgeous shawl you can wear year-round.

I love the blues that give the Tidal Shawl its name, but you might like something different.  Maybe a Sunshine Shawl?

103 Angel Peach
208 Twirl

Or a Blues and Berries Shawl?

109 Peacock
202 Harmonize

There are boundless possibilities.

Happy crafting!

woman laughing wearing knitted blue shawl

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Free Pattern Friday – Malawi Earrings

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Malawi Earrings in Yashi and Yashi Iro (pattern link here).

Hot enough for ya? It is here, so we’re looking with delight at some of the great designs in Yashi and Yashi Iro 100% raffia that are out there.  We saw Gwen Buttke McGannon’s First Light Rug in the Summer 18 issue of Interweave Crochet and thought, “yes.  that’s what we need.”

Something cool and light.  And as always, designer Rachel Brockman does not disappoint.

These fun summer accessories don’t take much work, but they look great.

All the notions  you need are some jewelry findings, and a crochet hook to pull your favorite colors of Yashi into a loop.

If you can make fringe, you can make this jewelry.

A few beads to finish them off, and you’re set.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend, and that you stay cool.

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Right Turn Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Right Turn Shawl in Bamboo Pop (pattern link).

This is Amy Gunderson’s design, but she kindly let me name this shawl Right Turn.  At the time, it reminded me of a particularly colorful city street.  However, I may have mis-named it.  Sure, it looks like it veers sharply, but that’s not what the construction actually does.

You start at the top, and do an increase on either side of the center spine and at each edge.  So really, it’s more like a gradual broadening of the horizon as you keep going.

Begin with garter stitch, then move to slip-stitch to easily make the two-color stripes.  Back to garter, then polish it off with an i-cord bind-off.

It’s made in Bamboo Pop, a great summertime yarn that has 52 colors.  It’d be easy to have the stripes accent whatever color is most prevalent in your wardrobe.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Nebula Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Blue and white brioche knit stole in Classic Shades Sequins Lite yarn

Today, the Nebula Stole in Classic Shades Sequins Lite (pattern link here).

I’m a big fan of one-color brioche, but I had never done two-color brioche before tackling Rachel Brockman’s Sweet Little Cowl in Cottonwood.  I don’t know why I thought it was going to be hard.  It’s not.  Rachel shares another brioche pattern here, this one knitted flat.

brioche knit fabric held in place by Jul Designs shawl pin
Shawl pin by Jul Designs

The great thing about the Nebula Stole is that it’s reversible – it’ll look stunning with either side facing out, which opens up a world of possibilities in styling.

Brioche knitted stole wrapped around dressform

The texture in this pattern really help the sequins in Classic Shades Sequins Lite catch the light.

Detail including sequins in yarn of two color brioche knit stole

Whether your idea of “nebula” is this…

Composite image of the Crab nebula
The final frontier.

…or this…

Watch out, Thanos.

…we think this celestial project fits the bill.

Have a great weekend, and happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Citrus Pouch

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Citrus Pouch in Good Earth and Good Earth Multi (pattern link here).

I’ll tell you, we’re lucky to have found designer Rachel Brockman.  Here, she has created a practical and cute little notions pouch in Good Earth cotton/linen blend.

The pouch is worked in two separate rectangles which are seamed together.  Then add the zipper, and voila!

The orange sections are a 10-stitch repeat that’s charted in the pattern.   For those who loved last week’s Spring Stripe Rug but wanted some practice on tapestry crochet first, this is a great little project that uses the same technique.

We hope you have an awesome weekend.  Now I’m off to fix up a little Springtime Citrus Cooler – the Citrus Pouch gave me a craving!

Happy crafting!