Bamboo Bloom Handpaints – Limited Edition 329 Fugu

New and beautiful this season…

We had such a great time with our last limited edition Bamboo Bloom Handpaints that we decided to do it again. This time, it’s 329 Fugu.

Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish.  One minute it’s sleek and streamlined…

Hi there!

The next minute it’s quite a bit bulkier!

HI THERE!!

So it is with Bamboo Bloom Handpaints, transitioning from smooth and silky to fluffy puffs and back again.  And given the cool blue ocean tones of this color, we thought it was appropriate.

When I got my hands on this, my immediate thought was, “this would make a beautiful Hanasaku Cowl.”  It led to a lot of joy, sorting through our stock of Poems to see what would pair well.  In the end it came down to two choices.

Poems 616 Chevron looks great with it, and I was curious to see how that yellow would interplay with the greens.  In fact, Yarn Bazaar in NJ has kitted up this combo!

In the end I went a different way.

I liked the darkness and overall violet-blue of Poems in Arles 601, and am pleased with how this turned out.

I still may go back and make one in the other combo.  Honestly, these slip-stitch cowls are fun and quick to make.  It’s a great go-to project for something colorful and impressive-looking.

The Hanasaku Cowl is available for sale on Ravelry – but if you hit your local yarn shop, they can download it for free for you.  You might want to grab a skein of Fugu while you can, too.

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Hibiscus Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Hibiscus Scarf in Garden 10.

It’s summertime, but that’s no reason to skip the pretty accessories! This scarf calls for two balls of Nazli Gelin Garden 10 mercerized cotton, using one of the variegated shades in that yarn. The colors in this cotton are rich and saturated.

The body of this shallow shaped scarf is knitted at the same time as its border. As with all stockinette, this scarf will curl some, allowing bits of the lace to peek through depending on how you wear it.

This is a lovely lightweight piece that won’t sit heavy on your lap as you work it.

We hope you have a great weekend.  Happy knitting!

Free Pattern – Dulcet Wrap

It’s Free Pattern… Sunday?

Sure, why not?

Today. the Dulcet Wrap in Bella Cash.

We couldn’t stop with just one Bella Cash pattern this week.  The Dulcet Wrap is over six feet long, with a drapey fabric on size 5 needles.  Bella Cash merino/cashmere/nylon gives it a lovely wispiness.

In order to knit the single stripes of the body, you’ll want circular needles.  Knit a row in one color, then slide your stitches back to the end of the needle and knit a row in the second color.  It gives a lovely effect.  The wide mesh lace is a 4-row repeat.  End it with Jenny’s Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off for a nice elastic edge.

We hope you enjoy this charming, fine-weight shawl pattern.

Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Vane Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Vane Shawl crocheted in Cotton True Sport.

Summertime can lead to a bit of crafting doldrums.  We may not feel like covering our lap with a huge in-progress blanket when the days are long and warm.  But there’s no reason to put down the hook and needles – there are plenty of great warm-weather yarns and projects out there!

Take today’s for instance.  The Vane Shawl calls for an E-4 (3.5mm) hook and 6 balls of Cotton True Sport, a light 100% Pima cotton that practically radiates “cool.”  The pattern itself is my favorite kind of shawl – worked from the top down.  Fewer repeats on rows as you get to the final point means that progress gets faster as you go.

The fringe is a fun, summery detail.  A nice touch on a pleasant project that won’t weigh you down.

We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Skylark Capelet

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Skylark Capelet in Radiant Cotton.

A few days ago we had someone on Facebook point out (correctly) that we’ve been offering more knit than crochet patterns, and that we need to be sure to show our crocheting friends some love.  It’s a point well-taken, and I was delighted that we had something coming up so quickly that fit the bill!

The Skylark Capelet calls for three hanks of Radiant Cotton, a smooth 100% Egyptian cotton with a light sheen somewhere between mercerized and matte.  It’s a pleasure to work with.

What I love about this capelet is that just by varying the number of buttons and where you choose to fasten them, you could easily turn this from a capelet into a buttoned cowl, or really into any shape you wish.  The edging lends itself particularly well to buttoning.

There’s no limit to what you can do with this versatile crochet piece.

We hope you have a great weekend, and take time to make something just for you!

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Rivulet Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Rivulet Scarf in Universe.

It’s not hard to see how this got its name.  Crochet rivulets ripple the width of this scarf, glittering in Universe like sunlight on the water.

We use three shades of Universe for bands of color to provide additional interest, but you can use as many or as few shades as you wish.

The scarf is knit in two halves from the center out for symmetry, with the rivulet pattern written and charted.

We hope you enjoy this sparkling crochet piece.

Happy crafting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – BFF Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the BFF Scarf in Uptown Bulky and Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

We’re calling this the BFF scarf because there are so many elements that play together as friends here.  First, there’s the blend of multi-hued Bamboo Bloom Handpaints held together with solid Uptown Bulky.


Second, there’s the combination of two big yarns and US Size 17 (12 mm) needles, so the whole thing knits up fast.


And third, there’s the designer, Sandy Harris.  A talented crafter and knitting teacher, she’s always been a friend to Universal, designing beauties like the One Side Cowl in Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

Put it all together and you have a pattern that’s fun, quick, and easy.  It’s a home run.

Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – KISS Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

red lace cotton scarf on a tan dressform

Today, the KISS Scarf in Cotton Supreme Splash.

red lace cotton scarf tied at the neck on a dressformA while back, we had a request for a super-simple lace scarf for a beginner.  Well, it doesn’t get much simpler than this.  The KISS Scarf is a few rows of garter stitch, followed by a one-row k2tog,yo repeat with a garter stitch border on the edges.  It’s fully reversible, and it only takes one half of a ball of Cotton Supreme Splash (100g/180yds) meaning it won’t take forever, even for a beginner.

(Edit: I was so excited about this pattern that I accidentally wrote  k2, yo instead of k2tog yo*.  The pattern was right, but the article was wrong – it would have led to a dramatically increasing row every time.  Thanks to all of you eagle-eyed knitters!)

This pattern would work well with any of the yarns in the Cotton Supreme family.  Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Batik both have the same yardage per ball, so they could be used interchangeably here.  Go down a needle size for a slightly skinnier scarf (or just cast on more stitches in an even number) and use Cotton Supreme DK or DK Seaspray.

 

The remaining half a ball of Cotton Supreme Splash is sitting on my desk right now, tempting me.  I could knit another… or I could use it to teach someone else to knit.  Decisions, decisions.

Happy knitting!

A red lace scarf with one end thrown over the shoulder of a dressform. A silver shawl pin fastens the scarf together.

 

Free Pattern Friday – Augustine Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Augustine Scarf in Whisper Lace.

I was so excited to see this piece in our office.  Fibra Natura Whisper Lace (440g/50yds) is one of my favorite yarns, and accessories like this, which are gorgeous but still very achievable to the novice lace knitter, are always welcome.

When the time came to photograph this, I brought a shawl pin from home.  I picked up this JulDesigns shawl pin from an LYS here in Charlotte, and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to break it out.  Jul’s designs are so beautiful, and I wanted to show what the right accessory can do for an already lovely garment.

We’re not affiliated with Jul. We just think her stuff is pretty.

But back to the scarf!  The stitches are simple – knit, purl, yo, and ssk (slip, slip, knit).  The 4-row pattern is written and charted.  The scarf is knit on the bias, and once you’ve done a couple of repeats it’s easy to see what’s coming up next.

This is also a great example of what blocking can do for a scarf.  Look at how wide it gets!  There are plenty of options with a fabric this sheer.  Spread it wide or gather it for a more casual look.

If you’re looking for something that’s simple but delicate, this is a great choice.  We hope you enjoy it.

Happy knitting!

 

Bamboo Pop Accessories Inspiration

Have you have seen our new Bamboo Pop Accessories eBook?

 

Part of the idea behind these patterns was to help keep your knitting and crochet mojo going strong through the warmer months…any project from this collection would be perfect for working on poolside. It was such a blast designing this collection. I was inspired in part by all the colorful, tropical knitwear being shown by many designers in their 2017 Resort collections and a recent trip to Hawaii helped provide the names for the designs.

The bright colors and fiber content of Bamboo Pop are perfect for creating knit and crochet items that wear well throughout the spring and summer. Bamboo Pop makes these projects soft and cool against your skin, great for those days of going in and out of overly air conditioned buildings.

Anuenue Sampler: The Hawaiian word for rainbow is a perfect fit for this scarf. As a sporadic crocheter, I love working on projects where I get to try out a bunch of different stitches and techniques, so I knew my first crochet design had to be a sampler. This design also is perfect for anyone, who like me, has difficultly choosing just one color! Different colors, stitches and edging will keep you entertained.

Awapuhi: Named for wild Hawaiian ginger, the plaited stripe pattern mimics the texture of the flowers which start out white and then turn red as they mature. White and Lily Pad blend beautifully in the textured stripes, adding additional dimension, with the bright pops of Lime Green for the ribbing. This scarf will go perfectly with summer outfits, taking you from breezy walks on the beach to dinner and drinks!

Kukui: Hawaiians extracted oil from the kukui nut and burned it in a lamp called kukui hele po, which means “light, darkness goes.” This shawl transitions from light to dark with bands of White, Silken and Black divided with bands worked in a slip stitch pattern using all three colors. To create the asymmetric shape, you’ll begin at the smallest point with just a few stitches increasing gradually to the widest edge. The elongated shape is easy to wear in many different ways.

Lilikoi: Also known as passionfruit – from its gorgeous flower to delicious fruit, I could not get enough lilikoi when I went to Hawaii! This shawlette creates a fun blend of solid and variegated colors with a slip stitch pattern that helps mix the colors between sections. Garter stitch makes for a lovely, squishy fabric and also makes the knitting a breeze. The shape is a shallow triangle, in a size that is perfect for draping around your neck kerchief style.

Philodendron: Fun, bright and just a little quirky. Philodendrons are having a bit of a moment right now – from knit, fabric and print versions to real fronds showing up in home décor. The cowl is worked with a combination of a striped background and instarsia fronds, creating a wonderful statement piece for your warm weather wardrobe.

Plumeria: Plumeria are also known as the “Lei flower,” sure this cowl is a little more substantial than a lei, but you still get flowers draped around your neck! Stranded knitting is usually reserved for winter projects and I thought it would be fun to incorporate that into a warm weather project. A brighter color palette and a combination of floral and wave designs make this stranded project summer ready.

Tiny Bubbles: These tiny bubbles will make you feel fine! This scarf is a fun way to combine a solid and variegated color, or if you like, you could make each row of bubbles a different color. The bubbles are created by stripes and dropped stitches, not stranded knitting, so you are only working with one color at a time. This is another great piece to work on, wear, and add a little Pop to the warm season.

I hope you enjoyed taking a little peek behind the scenes and learning a bit about the collection and the inspiration behind it! What projects are you planning to make with Bamboo Pop?