Free Pattern Friday – Interrupted Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!Interrupted Cowl wrapped blogToday, the Interrupted Cowl in Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

Recently we received a new color in Bamboo Bloom Handpaints, our limited edition color 323 Hashi.  I grabbed a hank to swatch with, but of course once I started swatching I realized I needed to make something.  This yarn is just so pretty!

This cowl uses a popular technique for Bamboo Bloom.  It’s the same technique we used a few years ago in our Bloomin’ Hat and Scarf set.  We’ve also seen it in some great independent designs like the STASH Lounge’s Simple Rules Cowl and the lovely cowl from NC yarn shop The Tail Spinner shown at right (great addition of a solid at the edge).  You can find some fabulous one-ball hats, scarves, and cowls using Bamboo Bloom’s unique texture on Ravelry.

The technique?  As you come to the thin parts of the yarn on your left hand needle, knit them.  As you come to the thick parts of the yarn on your left hand needle, purl them.  It sounds very “internet” to say “just one simple trick!” but it’s true.  That one simple trick makes the color really pop.

Jannie with Cowl_blogIt seems to be a technique that many of the creative minds at local yarn shops came up with independently that’s spread like wildfire.  And no wonder – it’s a great easy way to get a lot of pizzazz without a lot of effort.

Here at Universal, this yarn has turned the heads of some of our newer knitters, like graphic designer Jannie.  She learned to purl just so she could make this cowl.  Way to go, Jannie!

We hope you add a little pizzazz to your life this weekend.

Happy knitting!

Interrupted Cowl long blog

 

Free Pattern Friday – Ellery Reversible Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Llamalini Ellery Cowl_blog

Today, the Ellery Reversible Cowl in Llamalini silk/linen/royal llama blend (50g/109yds).

This yarn is a favorite around the office for its lovely heathering and soft feel.  The blend of luxury fibers gives it a rich depth.  And it’s well suited to this design, which I love for many reasons – not the least because it’s reversible.

Llamalini Ellery Cowl wrapped blogWhat look like cables are really faux-cables.  No cable needle required.  Wear it long or wrap it for warmth – Llamalini is quite toasty!

We hope you craft something luxurious and wonderful this holiday.  Whether it’s for you or someone else, the process itself is such a joy.

Happy knitting!

Holiday Helper – Quick Cowls

Breathe in… breathe out…  knit one… purl two…

Everybody calm?  Good.  Let’s stay relaxed, because there’s still plenty of time to knit some lovely gifts for the holidays.  This week, let’s focus on quick and chunky knits.  Fortunately, we have an entire free e-book devoted to exactly this kind of pattern.

Quick Cowls collects five patterns in bulky weight yarns that look good and work up quickly.

Get To The Point Cowl Classic Shades Frenzy_Facebook

The Get To the Point Cowl in Classic Shades Frenzy is always popular when we send it out for trunk shows.  In fact, it’s on the road again this month for a showing at Bourgee Boutique in Claremont, CA.  If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and see it.  Variegated Classic Shades Frenzy does the heavy lifting in making a striking design.  Just one ball on US Size 11 (8mm) needles does the trick.

Quick Cowls Ethereal Lace Cowl Mohair Mountain_Facebook

The Ethereal Lace Cowl is a lovely soft lace pattern that gets you a lot of bang for your buck.  One ball of Mohair Mountain (660yds per ball) will make five cowls on US Size 11 (8mm) needles.  That’s a lot of gifts from just one ball.  The pattern is both written and charted, so pick whatever you’re comfortable with.

Quick Cowls Everyone Likes Stripes Cowl DChunky_Facebook

The Everyone Likes Stripes cowl is another that knits up quickly on size 11 (8mm) needles.  With more than 120 colors of the called-for Deluxe Chunky 100% wool, this is a very easy piece to customize for your giftee.  This is also one that I would have to put away after knitting because otherwise I’d keep it for myself.

Quick Cowls Hairpin Cowl BBloom HP_Facebook

Hairpin!  This technique isn’t used as often as it should be!  The Hairpin Lace Cowl uses one skein of Bamboo Bloom Handpaints for the vibrant variegated stripes and one skein of Deluxe Chunky for the solid center and edge.   Unusual and beautiful.

Quick Cowls Lava Flow Cowl Superwool_Facebook

Finally, the Lava Flow Cowl uses just one skein of Superwool on size 17 needles.  We call it Superwool because it’s super stretchy.  This is a warm and soft cowl with a lot of “sproing” to it.  I’ve made this one myself – it’s a very fast and satisfying knit.

Breathe in… breathe out… we’re calm, right?  Let’s all keep knitting and we’ll all get to the holidays together in great shape.

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Crinkle Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Cotton Gold Crinkle Cowl blog

Today, the Crinkle Cowl in Whisper Lace and Cotton Gold.

This is a great example of how bringing two different things together can result in something spectacular.  Light and airy Whisper Lace is a laceweight wool/silk blend from our Fibra Natura line of natural luxury fibers.  It’s a great choice for delicate, light projects.

Pair that with sequined Cotton Gold from our Rozetti line and you’ve got the perfect amount of bling to turn a light confection into a glamorous accessory perfect for party season.

Knit it flat on size 5 needles, work the light shaping to help it sit gracefully on your shoulders, then seam it up.   Next step: be prepared to answer the sea of “where did you get that?” admiration with “What, this?  I made it myself.”

As much as I love this in black, I’m wondering how it would look in Whisper Lace 113 Tango and Cotton Gold 1092.  More to the point, I’m wondering how I would look rolling up to the office holiday party in a black jacket with this draped artfully around my neck.

Black’s a classic, but don’t limit yourself.  You do you!

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Snowlander Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Ariana Bamboo Glam Snowlander set_blogToday we’re featuring Snowlander, a design created by Linda Davis, who owns the fabulous LYS Tail Spinner in Richlands, NC.

Linda says, “Since the cowl seems to be a big thing from the Outlander series on Starz, I thought about doing one that was a little more classy.  I used two skeins of Ariana and one skein of Bamboo Glam held together to do the pictured cowl.  I’m calling it Snowlander.

I made a 5-stitch I-cord with the leftover Bamboo Glam, put on a pendant, and grafted the ends together to use as a neck piece.   It can be worn with the cowl or alone.”

Ariana Bamboo Glam Snowlander necklace blog

Ariana Bamboo GlamSnowlander cowl blogTail Spinner is in Eastern NC, not that from from the ocean, making Linda’s choice of focal point for the pendant even more fitting.  I can see quite a few options for the pendant and the cowl, together or apart.

As a fantasy fan, I’ve been looking for another show to add to my lineup.  If Outlander is inspiring gorgeous designs like this, I’m adding it to my queue tonight – and keeping my needles nearby.

Thank you so much for sharing this, Linda!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Goldfish School Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Ravelry Goldfish School Cowl 2

Today, a “pay” pattern set free!  Michael del Vecchio’s Goldfish School Cowl appears in Bamboo Bloom Book 1: Backyard Blooms.  When we brought it to a knitting retreat the participants were so taken with it that we decided it should be released into the wild.

Ravelry Goldfish School CowlMichael has wisely used a simple pattern to let the yarn shine.  A basic 1×1 rib looks very striking in the thick/thin matte/shiny Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

We’re glad that last weekend’s knitters were so enthusiastic.  They were right.  This pattern needs to be shared!

Thanks for your hospitality, Baskets of Yarn.  And keep knitting!

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!

Sunday Swatch – Poems Forte

Today’s swatch is in Poems Forte.

Poems Forte swatch

I say “swatch” but it seems to have turned into a scarf.  I cast on at my local knit night and with all the good conversation and company, my little swatch ran away from me.  I found myself at the end of the ball, wondering where the time had gone.  And no wonder – on 10mm(US15) needles, this yarn knits up quickly.

Sunday Swatch - Poems Forte

This 12-stitch swatch used one ball of Poems Forte (colorway 1003 English Garden) and turned out to be 5 inches wide and 50 inches long – the 90 yards of super bulky wool went a long way.

Camilla from Poems Windfall

This is a yarn I’ve been wanting to work with for a while.  Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton uses Poems Forte in her popular design Camilla from Wisdom Book 4:  Poems Windfall.  I love the way she uses a system of yarn overs to create a fabric that is both thick and airy.  What a lovely texture.

Miller 1218's Swirling Cowl

While poking around on Ravelry, I also stumbled across this gorgeous cowl knitted by raveler Miller1218.  She modified the Swirling Cowl, a super-superbulky design to work on size 13 needles with less than a ball of Poems Forte in color 1007 Bursa, and the result is fabulous.  This would be great to knock out at the next knit night.  Based on experience, I know it’ll go quickly.

Free Pattern Friday – Rambling Crochet Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Rambling Cowl in Classic Shades Frenzy

Today, we share the Rambling Crochet Cowl.  Just two balls of bulky Classic Shades Frenzy on a 6.5mm hook means that this works up in a flash.  We love the texture that the double crochet clusters provide, and the way the cowl looks wrapped up snug or hanging freely.

Rambling Cowl in Classic Shades Frenzy unwrapped

We’re really feeling the crochet love today, so let’s make it a two-fer.  Check back in later today for another free pattern!