Universal Yarn Creative Network
Inspiration By Design
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Graphite Tank in Radiant Cotton.
What a lovely piece for summer!
This swingy A-line tank is worked from the bottom up in pieces and then seamed. Fibra Natura Radiant Cotton keeps it nice and cool.
Although we’ve made this monochrome, It could look really cute with different colors at the hem. For instance…
So many possibilities.
Have a great weekend – and happy knitting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Blissful Tee in Cotton True Sport.
Just looking at this top makes me happy. It’s a charming design in our Fibra Natura Cotton True Sport, a 100% Pima cotton that’s quite pleasant to work with. It’s the kind of basic top that would look great with jeans or a skirt, plus maybe a little silver jewelry. The lace detail at the top, which is charted and written, keeps it from being too plain.
Work it from the hem up in two pieces, then join together. We call for a US Size 4 (3.5mm) needle for the body, but of course use whatever will get you gauge – 6 stitches per inch in this case. It makes a lightweight cotton fabric that’s perfect for summer.
We hope you enjoy this bit of knitted bliss.
Happy crafting!
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!
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!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Zephyr Tank in Flax and Flax Lace.
I. Love. This. Because I don’t know what it’s like where you are, but here, it’s starting to get hot. All I’m saying is, this cat has the right idea.
But I still want to knit! Enter Flax and Flax Lace.
100% linen in DK and laceweight. I feel cooler just looking at it.
The Zephyr Tank has a body knit in Flax. It flares out at the hips for a nice silhouette. The Flax Lace edging at the hem is knitted on the same size needle as the body, giving it a nice drape.
Knit it in pieces, then whipstitch the contrasting edging to the wrong side of the hem afterward. Lovely.
The pattern runs from bust size 35¼ to 51¼. It’s written, and contains a schematic for assembly.
We hope you have a fantastic weekend, and that you enjoy this free pattern.
Happy knitting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Kaye Pullover in Cotton True Sport.
You may remember last Friday’s free pattern, the Kaye Cardigan. It took its inspiration from the mother of one of our LYS owners here in town. Well, we loved the way her cardigan turned out, and we thought it would make a great pullover. So, voila!
The Kaye Pullover is a nice warm-weather piece, with its openwork in Cotton True Sport (197yds/50g). Unlike the cardigan, the pullover has a picot neckline for an extra decorative touch. It keeps the same diamond patterning just above the cuffs and hem.
It’s such a great feeling to be able to customize a beloved design to make it work perfectly for you. We’re glad we were able to take inspiration from Kaye’s closet, and we’re delighted to be able to share it with you.
Happy knitting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Kaye Cardigan in Cotton True Sport and Garden 10 Metallic.
Today’s pattern takes its name from the lady who inspired it, Kaye. She’s the mother of Lyn, who owns a LYS just up the road from us, Cottage Yarn in Mint Hill, NC. Kaye had a cardigan that she just loved, and she wondered if we might come up with something similar. This is a family of knitters, after all, so it’s only natural that they’d want to take something special and customize it.
We were happy to oblige, and the Kaye Cardigan was born. We made this design in Fibra Natura Cotton True Sport, a great choice for the open laciness of the fabric. Then we added Garden 10 Metallic, because… bling! Held together, Cotton True Sport 108 Island Blue and the metallic 702-28 Turquoise were a dead-on match.
Kaye’s original cardigan had one button at neckline, but we added a full row. You could easily modify the pattern back to the original one-button design if you wished.
Next week we’ll dive back into Kaye’s closet, with another modification. Can’t wait!
Happy knitting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Bienne Tee in Flax Lace.
This tee is named after the town of Bienne, Switzerland. Both German and French are spoken there, and with its old Gothic architecture and modern high rises, the city is a beautiful blend of rustic and sophisticated.
Likewise, the Bienne Tee is a lovely mix of cables and lace in sturdy Flax Lace 100% linen, a classic plant fiber that softens with every wash.
It’s easy to see how good this would look over a tank or cami, with contrasting color capris or jewelry. Although it’s a classic in color 101 Taupe as pictured, I’m wondering how something more colorful might work. There are a lot of lovely tones to choose from.
Happy knitting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today’s pattern is My Poncho in Fibra Natura Radiant Cotton.
I will confess to having to fight a bias against ponchos. It stems mainly from having lived through the Bicentennial in 1976, when red, white, and blue crocheted acrylic ponchos were all the rage.
I mean absolutely no disrespect to those crafters who made such things. You just have to imagine a young girl decked out in these things in July in the South to understand my dismay.
Fortunately, both fashion and yarn have come a long way.
When this poncho showed up on my desk to photograph for Free Pattern Friday, my immediate response was, “mine.” This is the kind of poncho I can get behind. Or, more accurately, get in to.
“My Poncho” is made in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g), a long-staple 100% Egyptian cotton that’s a delight to work with. Work it in two pieces from the bottom up, then seam at the shoulders.
I’m considering my color options here – Radiant Cotton has pastels, neutrals, and some very saturated tones. It’s hard to know which way to go, but I’m leaning toward 801 Crocus.
I suppose I could always make more than one.
Happy knitting!
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.
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!
