Meet a Local Yarn Shop – Grandma’s Spinning Wheel

We love every opportunity to highlight the local yarn stores because they are the backbone of our business. This month for our “Meet a Local Yarn Shop” initiative; we went (virtually) to Tucson, Arizona to meet the wonderful people at Grandma’s Spinning Wheel. They are the featured store of the month for December!

Picture of the storefront of Grandma's Spinning Wheel in Tucson, Arizona
Outside of Grandma’s Spinning Wheel in Tucson, Arizona!

If you ever find yourself taking a trip to Arizona, we highly suggest you stop by Grandma’s Spinning Wheel. The name itself is so inviting, and we know Vicky and the rest of the family will be happy to see you. Vicky and Michael Konecky are the owners of Grandma’s Spinning Wheel, which opened in Tucson, Arizona fifteen years ago (happy anniversary!!)

A former teacher, Vicky, decided to open a yarn shop upon retirement from the school system. One day she pulled up to the building in the above image, saw a “for rent” sign, and the rest is history. A lot can happen in 15 years of business ownership, but Vicky’s constant has been family. Her daughter, Cassondra, is now also very involved with the day-to-day at Grandma’s Spinning Wheel.

We know, you want to hear about the yarn that is inside of this wonderful store. Keep reading below to learn more about this shop, and see the yarns that are stocked on their shelves!

Picture of the colorful fiber wall of Grandma's Spinning Wheel
The Fiber Wall of Grandma’s Spinning Wheel features exciting colors for your next projects!!

Due to the climate of Arizona, Grandma’s Spinning Wheel features a lot of light-weight yarns, and breathable fibers. You can find several of our summer yarns on their shelves, including Clean Cotton, Clean Cotton Multi, and Cotton Supreme. In our interview with them, Vicky and Cassondra mention that it can get as hot as 120 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer, so it benefits their customers greatly to have yarn options well suited to the heat.

Picture from the register at Grandma's Spinning Wheel, showing plenty of yarn and finish projects
This store is full of yarn, and resources to set all different types of fiber artists up for success!

Wool in Arizona? You better believe there is wool in this shop. Wool is an excellent option for all climates because it is naturally moisture wicking and breathable. They mention that Deluxe Worsted is one of the favorites at the store and is often used for felting projects since it is 100% non-superwash wool.

Major is another favorite that it is often used by their customers to create baby blankets. This yarn features so many fun colorways, plus a soft and smooth texture that makes it great for all types of projects!

Picture of the weaving yarns on the wall that are available at Grandma's Spinning Wheel
At Grandma’s Spinning Wheel, you can find plenty of weaving yarn and supplies as well!

When a customer completes their project, they are invited to bring it to the shop for it to be photographed, and then the shop shares the customer’s FO (finished object) in a post on their website. It’s a great way to “show and tell.”

That’s not the only way they give back to their customers, though. The shop offers many classes to grow customer skillsets. Examples of their offerings include “Beginning Spinning” and “3-D Needle Felting.” There is something for everyone!

Spinning wheels inside the store, perfect for those that want to spin their own yarn
In addition to offering yarn, this shop sells supplies to spin your own. From spinning wheels, to fiber, Grandma’s Spinning Wheel has everything you need to get started.

We were absolutely honored at the opportunity to interview Vicky and Cassondra. We got to learn more about the inspiration that their store has provided the crafting community of Tucson, Arizona, and were particularly touched to hear about so many people making lifelong friends through connections at the shop. We hope that you give them a visit, whether in-person or virtually, via their website (where they sell to anywhere in the country), and check out their Facebook for even more!

If you are a local yarn shop interested in being featured by Universal Yarn, please reach out to us – we would love to interview you! Please email rferrel@universalyarn.com if you would like to be featured!

Check out our full interview with Vicky and Cassondra of Grandma’s Spinning Wheel!

Dreamy Yarns for Midsummer

As knitters and crocheters, we sometimes overlook the summer stitching season or wish away the heat in favor of sweater weather. Of course, that’s understandable considering we all spend so much time lovingly making sweaters, hats, shawls, and other cozy projects. But we don’t need to wish away the long, sunny days. We can beat the sweltering heat by choosing yarns perfect for the height of summer. So, although back-to-school is around the corner and fall will come in the blink of an eye, I still want to celebrate our staff picks for our favorite summer yarns.

Aubrey

“My favorite summer yarn is going to be a classic: Cotton Supreme. 100% cotton that is buttery soft means that anything you make is going to be comfortable to wear when the days are hot. And we all know how hot it gets here in the south! The matte look of this yarn makes it perfect for any project, dress it up or dress it down, and the extensive color palette offers so many options. I’ve wanted to design a knit dress, and this could be the perfect summer option.

Ashley Jane (AJ)

“My favorite summer yarn is Truva. The marled and heathered look is so unique and its cotton/cashmere blend is soft and lightweight to work with.  I love the idea that even a simple summer garment, like a tank, will undoubtedly turn out looking and feeling luxurious. I also can’t get over the colors! There may only be eight to choose from, but I still can’t pin down a favorite. Each one has a little something special to it that keeps me falling in love over and over again.”

Heather

“This may be an obvious choice since *everybody* loves this yarn, but I think my favorite warm weather yarn is Bamboo Pop. It’s so cool and smooth! Of the projects that I’ve made in this yarn, my personal favorite is the Maya Scarf. I’m friends with designer Amy Gunderson, and she was kind enough to help me pick out some good cool tones. It was an easy pattern to get into the rhythm of, and the yarn was so refreshing to knit with. I love the drape of the plant fibers and the sheen that the bamboo gives my projects! It’s easy to see why Bamboo Pop is so popular.”

Yonca

“Mine is Flax. With the perfect color palette from brights to pastels – Flax gives me lots of color options. I love the crisp sense of it while  I am working with it and love the fact that it will get softer over time. It is perfect for keeping me cool during hot Carolina summers while still looking sharp. I am hoping to knit another summer top with it this summer. “

Rachel

One of my favorite things about Universal Yarn is the strong lineup of summer options. We honestly have such an amazing range of yarns perfect for warmer climates in a variety of fabulous fibers. It’s so challenging to choose a favorite – but since I asked everyone else to choose, I must also choose! My favorite summer yarn has to be Magnolia. This blend of modal and cashmere is one of the loveliest yarns I’ve had the pleasure of working with. It’s silky smooth, lightweight, and has perhaps the best drape of any yarn out there. I really mean that! The color palette is so juicy and fresh – with excellent options for neutrals. For a splash of color, don’t miss our gorgeous Sunkissed Summer collection!

And there you have it, folks, our favorite summer yarns! I hope you’ve enjoyed hearing a little bit about what makes each of these yarns special to us, and why we love working with them. What are your favorite summer yarns? Let us know in the comments!

Happy Crafting!

-Rachel

Free Pattern Friday – Hope Hat

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Hope Hat knitted in Cotton Supreme (pattern link here).

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a moment to recognize the toll that this disease has taken, and continues to take. According to cancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women and about 1 in 833 men will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetimes.

This means most of us know someone who has been affected. For me, it was my friend Pat. She was a fellow crafter, and a beautiful person. She had an easy smile and big laugh. I still miss her.

But while I miss my friend, I still take hope. She passed a long time ago, and survival rates for women over 50 have steadily increased every year since 2000. The increase is partly due to advances in treatment, and to greater awareness leading to early detection. We’d like to do our part to raise awareness by sharing this new design.

Rachel chose Cotton Supreme for this stunning stranded hat. Along with Cotton Supreme DK, it’s an approved yarn for chemo caps, because it’s very soft on sensitive scalps. Its machine washability also makes it a great choice, because if you’re dealing with cancer, or caring for someone affected, you may not want to spend your time and energy handwashing. We love Rachel’s choice of three harmonious shades of pink: 628 Super Pink (A), 510 Magenta (B), and 512 Hot Pink (C). They work very well together!

Because there have been so many advances in the field of breast cancer care, the guidelines for screening can be difficult to keep up with. Personally, I take this as a hopeful sign that we continue to improve our understanding day by day. To help you make your best decision, here is a pdf that the Centers for Disease Control has put together, sharing screening recommendations from six well-respected organizations, to help you decide what’s right for you.

Women of different ethnicities have different considerations as well. For instance, Black women have higher rates of breast cancer mortality in the USA, so a desire for earlier screening may play a role in your health care decisions. The bottom line is, we all need to stay educated, and to take control of our health.

Happy crafting, friends. We wish you good health for many years to come.

-Heather Hill

Flash Pattern Friday – Seastar in Cotton Supreme

It’s Flash Pattern Friday!

On the last Friday of the month, we take a gorgeous paid pattern and make it free for a limited time! This week, it’s Seastar, knitted in Cotton Supreme (Ravelry link here).

Why did we pick Seastar? Because today is the birthday of the designer, Aubrey Busek, and we think of her as the bright star on our design team! We also press Aubrey into service as a model sometimes, as with these free crocheted Ribbon Mitts in Kingston Tweed. Work it, Aubrey!

Seastar appeared earlier this year in the Seaside Supreme collection, and it really shows off Aubrey’s design sensibilities. It’s fun, upbeat, modern, and has great little details. Aubrey’s choice to echo the star’s color on the edging really pulls this design together.

The choice of soft, 100% cotton, worsted weight Cotton Supreme gives the top great breathability, and makes it very wearable for warm weather!

Seastar is sized from XS to 5X, and it includes options for short and long sleeves, for even more flexibility. We’re delighted to be able to offer this beauty for free this weekend!

To get Seastar free, use the buy it now or add to cart links on the Ravelry pattern page. Then enter coupon code FLASH where you see the “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase.

Aubrey Busek’s Seastar shown with Rachel Brockman’s Yawl.

We hope you have a phenomenal weekend.

Happy crafting!

Pattern Inspiration to Celebrate World Ocean Day

It’s World Ocean Day! The ocean is our planet’s life source. Covering about 70% of the Earth’s surface, our oceans produce more than half of the world’s oxygen, absorb carbon from the atmosphere, and are home to at least a million species, though we don’t really know the true number. We can all agree that a resource so vital to our well-being should be cared for and celebrated. So, in honor of World Ocean Day, we’re sharing some sen-sea-tional patterns inspired by our oceans and a few tips on simple actions you can take to help preserve this precious resource.

Seastar in Cotton Supreme

Did you know that sea stars can live up to 35 years? Amazing! These colorful invertebrates are one of the most recognizable sea creatures, so it’s no surprise that so many designers have created patterns inspired by them. In fact, we have three super cute patterns where starfish are the star of the show.

Our own Aubrey Busek took inspiration from these aquatic creatures when she designed Seastar (pattern link) for our Seaside Supreme ebook. This graphic sweater is a statement knit featuring intarsia and lace. It is knit using our popular Cotton Supreme yarn. I love that this pattern is written with both long and short sleeve options, making it easier to personalize.

As fiber artists, we have the power to create many long-lasting, durable items that are inherently less wasteful. For example, that handmade sweater is destined to last much longer than any sweater you buy in a department store. It’s an heirloom piece that you can wear for years and pass down, minimizing some of the waste created by fast fashion. Is there a sweater in your wardrobe you don’t wear often anymore, or perhaps that doesn’t fit the way you imagined? Instead of taking that sweater to the thrift store, consider unraveling it and recycling the yarn for another project. You can even make dryer balls from old sweaters and non-superwash yarn, like our Deluxe Worsted.

If you want something a little more whimsical that’s a nice complement to your collection of seashells, consider making the cute and free Seahorse and Starfish set (pattern link) by Michele Wilcox. Like Seastar, this pattern uses Cotton Supreme. One skein will take you very far with this pattern. I think it would be adorable to string several of them together to create a garland or mobile to decorate your home, reminding you of the ocean even if you live far from it!

Looking for a cute scrubby pattern for yourself or a loved one? Look no further than the Starfish and Shell patterns (link) by Rico Design using Creative Bubble. This yarn is perfect for creating scrubbies that are more durable and eco-friendly than disposable rags or sponges. They work as well for scrubbing your countertops as they will for exfoiliating your skin. Plus, your little one will love these projects as bath toys!

Narwhal & Seal from the Ricorumi Wild Wild Animals book.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Arctic. It amazes me that life can exist in parts of the world so frigid and seemingly barren. Yet, some creatures have evolved to be perfectly equipped to brave the harsh climate. With a knack for creating charming patterns, Rico Design pays homage to polar-dwelling seals and narwhals in the Wild Wild Animals pattern book (link). Both of these crochet amigurumi projects use Ricorumi Cotton DK. The Narwhal pattern is even available as a kit! Eco-conscious tip: instead of using poly-fil for your stuffed animal projects, try using scrap yarns and fabric instead!

One of my favorite books as a young child was The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister. This cute storybook about sharing mesmerized me with its beautiful illustrations. Perhaps thanks to that book, I’ve always been excited to spot a fish in any body of water and had a fishtank of my own growing up. I still love visiting the aquarium to marvel at their colors, shapes, and sizes. With that inspiration in mind, I designed the free Betta Swetta Set (pattern link) in Adore. This duo was inspired by all of the fishies in the ocean.

The Atlantic Ocean, as seen on a rainy November day at Daytona Beach.
If you want to learn more about World Ocean Day, you can explore the website here (link).

Many of the species these patterns celebrate are threatened, and it’s our responsibility to do what we can to preserve the health of the ocean. You can create reusable bags for carrying the grocery items that will allow you to say “goodbye” to plastic bags for good. As I mentioned earlier, many of the handmade washcloths, towels, and other home items are more durable than store-bought or disposable options. Plus, you probably have the skills to mend your handmade items (and store-bought items) on your own, making them last even longer! If you’re looking for more inspiration, don’t miss my recent blog post about our most eco-friendly yarns and accompanying patterns.

I hope you’re feeling inspired to honor the ocean today, and every day! Do you have any tips you’d like to share on how to make your crafting more environmentally friendly? Do you have a favorite type of project that helps eliminate waste? We’d love to know!


Free Pattern Friday – Watermelon Blanket

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Watermelon Blanket in Cotton Supreme (pattern link here).
Simple and sweet are the words that apply to this charming little throw.
It’s an easy knit on size US8 (5mm) needles, in a quickly memorized stitch pattern. Machine washable Cotton Supreme makes it super practical, too!
Cotton Supreme 510 Magenta and 607 Blush
There are a lot of ways you can go with the colors for this pattern. If you choose not to stick with watermelon, tone on tone to match someone’s nursery would be a nice choice.
We hope you enjoy this soft, calming blanket. Have a safe and pleasant weekend! Happy crafting!

Trick or Treat!

Happy Halloween to all you ghoulies and ghosties out there! We’re not sure what’s better: a large bag filled with candy of all kinds, or a fun crafting project to get us in the holiday spirit. Sadly, we can’t provide you candy via the web, but this Halloween, we have plenty of fun crafting projects to offer! So park your broom, sit a spell, and decide which project to start working on today.
Two Halloween-themed baskets knit using Uptown Worsted filled with candy.
We want all the candy!

To hold all of that aforementioned delicious candy, we have the Neon Pumpkin and Skull Baskets in Uptown Worsted (pattern link here)! Though these baskets are knitted in soft yarn, they feature a ‘magical’ plastic needlepoint canvas inside to keep their shape for many Halloweens to come (and all those candy grabbing hands)! We know you’ll enjoy the whimsical Fair Isle patterns on these as much as we do.
Young woman with vampire fangs wearing a black cape knit in Uptown DK.
Spooky and stunning in Uptown DK
Next up, for a fun adult costume idea, we have the Batcape in Uptown DK (pattern link here). Throw this on with a black or red dress, some fangs, a little fake blood, and you have an instant Vampire costume! The chevron pattern is gorgeous to knit up, and it has a red contrast I-Cord bind off. You could always wear this with a winter outfit for an edgy-cool everyday look too. ‘Ve vant’ you to knit this pretty cape!
A crochet alien-themed children's hoodie in Cotton Supreme laying flat on a starry background.
Bleep-Bloop
Everyone loves aliens and monsters right? We certainly do. Halloween is the perfect time to work up a fun creature inspired project. For kids, we have the Bleep Bloop Sweater in Cotton Supreme (pattern link here) which is an adorable alien-themed hoodie that can double as a great costume! This is from our Stellar Supreme collection, so if you’re a fan of outer space-inspired patterns, that is the one for you.
Three brightly colored crochet monster hats in Uptown Worsted pictured laying flat on a table.
Do the Monster Mash!
For the whole family, we have Clarice, Chunk, and Clyde in Uptown Worsted! These monster hats are adorably fun to crochet and make a great last-minute costume.
Uptown Worsted Spirit Stripes yarn in color MVP
Candy corn- love or hate it?
Want a Halloween colored item, but not into the whole costume thing? Try the Crochet Color Pooling Scarf in Uptown Worsted Spirit Stripes color MVP. This yarn is also perfect for team color projects!

Cover of book 50 Knitted Gifts
‘Boooooooooooooook’ -Winifred Sanderson
In the realm of books, we have 50 Knitted Gifts for Year Round Giving . This is a collection of patterns for every holiday on your list, and the Halloween offering sure doesn’t disappoint. Feel like making a felted trick-or-treat bag? Check. Boot Warmers? Check. This one has you covered for Halloween and all the holidays beyond.
Orange knitted boot toppers with spiderweb embroidery
Spiderweb Boot Toppers (Ravelry link here)
Knit felted Jack-o-lantern Halloween decoration
Felted Trick or Treat Bag (Ravelry link here) Hopefully, this has given you all the inspiration to start working on some whimsical and spooky projects for Halloween or any day of the year you choose to enjoy these! Now, kick back with your crafting and your candy corn and start watching Hocus Pocus. Happy Halloween!

Stellar Supreme

Last week we released an exciting new ebook – Stellar Supreme – a collection of patterns in the Cotton Supreme family. The ebook features six new patterns for future space explorers. We’ve been so excited about this collection because of its galactic theme.
A children's yoke sweater in Cotton Supreme DK and Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray
Blast-Off Tee
Just take a look at Blast-Off: a colorwork yoke tee worked up in Cotton Supreme Seaspray and Cotton Supreme DK. Vibrant rockets are featured on a “starry” background.
A crochet children's cardigan featuring a fun, alien-themed hood.
Bleep-Bloop
Or how about the in-house favorite: Bleep-Bloop. This alien-hoodie is so much fun. Crocheted using Cotton Supreme, this zippered sweater serves as a costume as much as everyday wear. The structure of this design is pretty basic, but the applied eyes, ears, and horn really make this piece by Amy Gunderson special.
A rainbow-colored blanket knit in Cotton Supreme.
Spectral Throw
Amy and I always wanted to include some home-decor to the collection. Stellar Supreme features one crochet and one knit blanket. The Spectral Throw nods to astronomy and plays with the electromagnetic spectrum.
A crochet throw using Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Batik.
Galactic Blanket

The second decor item is the Galactic Blanket, which emulates the swirls and spirals of galaxies both near and far. This crochet cover is worked up using both Cotton Supreme Batik and Cotton Supreme.

A girl's knit skirt using Cotton Supreme DK and Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray.
Nebula Skirt
This little skirt incorporates slip-stitches at the hem to create alternating rows of stars. An elastic waistband gives the Nebula Skirt a professional finish. The Nebula Skirt uses both Cotton Supreme DK and Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray.
A girl's tank top with a lace hem knit in Cotton Supreme.
Starfall Tank
Finally, we have Starfall. A tank-top knit in Cotton Supreme featuring cute shoulder ties. The lace hem was inspired by the movement of falling stars.
So, which one of these delightful patterns will be the next thing on your needles? We hope you love the new collection as much as we do! You can find the entire collection on our website (link) and on Ravelry (link). Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Picot Sundress

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Picot Sundress in Cotton Supreme Batik (pattern link here). We’ve been having a good time recently looking through the pattern archives and finding cute designs that we think should be shared more widely. This adorable piece originally published in Cotton Supreme Book 2: Summer Supreme is one of them!
Self-striping Cotton Supreme Batik makes this dress great for summertime. Front and back are knit separately to keep the stripes nice and wide, but if you wanted much narrower stripes you could always modify this to be worked in the round.
As a bonus, this tea rose applique crocheted in Cotton Supreme is included in the free pattern! We put this on a pin back for the photo. Wouldn’t it look cute on a barrette or headband? We hope you have a fantastic weekend, full of green growing things and joy. Happy crafting!

A Free Pattern – and a thank you.

Friends, we’re deeply touched by everybody who has contacted us to be sure we’re okay.  Why wouldn’t we be okay, you may ask?

Right now it’s beautiful outside, but it’s going to be a long weekend.  On the work front, we’re preparing early – there WILL be a Free Pattern Friday (and it’s gorgeous) – and we’re battening down all the hatches.  On the home front, it’s time to get ready:

pick up anything outdoors that can turn into a missile

stock up on non-perishable food (our power company estimates 1-3 million Carolinians will be without electricity)

have a plan for pets

brush up on safety tips

DO NOT drive through standing water

All of that said, Charlotte is in as good a shape as it’s possible to be.  We’ve had a bit to prepare. Our water system is very reliable, our local breweries are stocking up (on water, people!), and we’ve got plenty of emergency personnel on standby.  Our office plans to stay open for regular business, but if things look dicey, we’ll put staff safety first.  And a memo was sent this morning to clean out the office fridge, just in case!

And again, we are moved by everyone who has checked in.  So, here’s a thank you.

Go to the pattern page on Ravelry (here’s a link), and enter coupon code NAVIGATE by using the  “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase.

This pattern is part of Beach House, a collection of five designs to knit in Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Batik.  Amy Gunderson cleverly used self-striping Cotton Supreme Batik to create the rays coming from the center along the garter stitch portion.

This is a good three-season project, and the name.. well, the name is just perfect, as we navigate this storm.

An important crafter’s tip for those of us who may be without electricity for a while – print anything you want to work on now, while you can!

We leave you with our current live webcam addiction – the Ocean Cam on Frying Pan Tower, located off the coast.

We hope that flag keeps flying.  Stay safe and dry, everyone!