It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, Blooming Chorus in Uptown Super Bulky (pattern link here).
Blooming Chorus was originally part of the popular collection, Uptown Favorite Afghans 2.
There are some real beauties in here, both knit and crochet, all using the Uptown family of 100% anti-pilling acrylic yarns.
Personally, I love Uptown Super Bulky. I’ve made several Coffee Beans and Sugar Cubes hats in this, and the yarn is so thick that they fly by. And since this blanket is crocheted on a US Size K-10 ½ (6.5 mm) hook, it ought to go pretty quickly too.
There are two sizes included here, the smaller on the child’s bed, and the bigger one in red/grey/navy/white above.
What a fun bit of texture! And if you’re thinking of trying your own color combo, the pattern comes with its own coloring page to let you try it out before putting your hook into motion.
If this blanket is a blooming chorus, what song do you think it sings? Personally, I think it might be this one. (Hey, if I can’t have fun on the Friday before a 3-day weekend, then when can I have fun?)
Have a safe and happy Labor Day.
Happy crafting!
This week I want to chat a little about one of our favorite staple yarns: Adore. Comprised of 55% superwash merino and 45% anti-pilling acrylic, Adore is soft and easy to care for. It is exactly the type of yarn you reach for repeatedly because it ticks all the boxes. It has a broad palette of beautiful colors making it great for multi-color projects. This four-ply yarn is round and springy, giving it excellent stitch definition. It’s there for you whether you want to create a selfish sweater or the perfect gift for that upcoming baby shower.
Speaking of perfect for baby projects – let’s take a look at some of the great baby patterns we have for Adore.
Crosscut (sweater) and Parallelogram (blanket)
I’m pretty sure the quintessential handmade gift for babies is a blanket. Knit or crochet, if you’re a fiber artist, you’ve probably made one for a little one in your life. It’s easy to see why. Baby blankets tend to be fast (certainly faster than an afghan!) and you can be sure the little one won’t grow out of a blanket in a month or two.
Parallelogram in Adore: #130 Cream, #105 Cloud Grey, #111 Banana, & #110 Turquoise
For the knitters, we have Parallelogram. This is one of my designs, and it was inspired by quilts. It’s modern and graphic but is primarily comprised of garter stitch. It’s an incredibly easy pattern. It is knit in six strips that are sewn together. The way the stripes are arranged in each strip creates the larger blocks of color in the finished piece. If you’re looking for a mindless project with a bit of impact, Parallelogram is right for you.
Oasis Blanket in Adore #105 Cloud Grey, #101 Peony, #110 Turquoise, & #103 Capri
For the crocheters, we have the Oasis Blanket. This one is a personal favorite. Admittedly, I haven’t finished mine (yet!), but it’s so fun! It is created by making granny square motifs, sewing them together, and then working a border around the edges. What I love about this project is how portable it is. You can whip out your yarn and knock out a square any time and in any place.
Besties
Although blankets may get used for longer than a sweater, you can’t argue with the fact that lil’ babes are ADORE-able (see what I did there?) in sweaters. And baby sweaters are extremely satisfying projects. Raise your hand if you like saying you completed a whole sweater in a few days!
We have no shortage of cute baby sweaters that use Adore. If you enjoy combining garter stitch, stripes, and cute buttons, you’ll love the Besties cardigan. This simple pattern is seamless and quick. With Adore’s broad palette, the color options are endless.
Crosscut in Adore #105 Cloud Grey
If you’re looking for a sweater pattern with interesting construction, why not try Crosscut? This sweater is knit from cuff to cuff and has a striking cable panel along the sleeves and seed stitch along the neck and hem. We love the way Adore makes the cable and texture pop.
Cozy Kid Set in Adore #102 Pale Pink
Lovers of texture and twisted stitches will find the Cozy Kid Set on their needles in no time. This zippered cardigan is a great layering piece for fall and has a coordinating hat, too!
Special Gift Jacket in Adore #111 Banana
The Special Gift Jacket is a precious, crochet wrap cardigan. Scrunch stitches give it a beautiful, all-over texture. The delicate side ties might be my favorite detail!
Don’t have time to make a sweater or blanket? No worries! Why not try out the Mini Mittens or Toasty Toes? Better yet, why not make both? These are so fast! You can work them up in a matter of hours and they are sure to be your go-to projects for every baby in your life.
So, those are my picks for baby patterns using Adore. There is more where that came from, too, so be sure to peruse our website for patterns that suit all ages! Happy crafting!
When I was 17, I was lucky enough to go to Majorca (or Mallorca), the Spanish island this top takes its name from.
Yes, it’s that pretty. Couldn’t you just dive right in? No wonder the designer chose this as the inspiration for the gorgeous warm-weather lace top in cotton/linen Lina.
Mmm… Lina. I feel relaxed just looking at it.
Majorca’s lace sails traverse both front and back, as well as each sleeve. A loose V-neck keeps this light and comfortable.
And those bell-shaped sleeves! So many beautiful touches on this piece.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to dive in.
Have a relaxed, safe, wonderful weekend. Happy crafting!
Today, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at an upcoming design and gush about one of our lovely new yarns: Penna.
Penna in 110 Dovetail.
You might have noticed Penna pop up in your local yarn store recently. This lace-weight yarn is light as a feather, ridiculously soft, and has a beautiful halo. It is a blend of 50% baby Suri alpaca for a hazy effect, 28% extra fine merino for softness, and 22% nylon for strength. This yarn is a great alternative to laceweight mohair yarns, to which some people are more sensitive. The palette contains sixteen gorgeous colors.
Plume Cowl, shown in 111 Whisper, 112 Rose Kiss, & 113 Raspberry Tart.
One reason we brought this yarn in is because of its versatility. You can hold it as a single strand or as a carry-along with another yarn. If you’re holding it single, we recommend using a large needle for a loose, airy gauge. That’s what really makes this yarn shine. Take the Plume Cowl, for example. Knit at a gauge of 16 stitches over four inches with a suggested needle size of US 8 (5 mm), this accessory is like a cloud for your neck and shoulders. It’s as simple as can be – just seed stitch in the round, with a few color changes to create a nice gradient.
Penna in 113 Raspberry Tart placed on top of the Plume Cowl.
Personally, one thing I love about this yarn is that it pairs well with other yarns. I think it would look beautiful to add a halo to stash staples like Deluxe Worsted, but I wanted to see what Penna was like when held together with a self-shading or self-patterning yarn. We have quite a few of those, but the one that struck me as the most suitable match for Penna is Whisper Lace. Both yarns are so fine, the fabric they create together will still be lightweight. A blend of wool and silk, Whisper Lace is great for warmer weather and the transitional seasons – add the warmth and haze of baby Suri alpaca to that, and you can create perfect projects for autumn and winter.
That brings me to the original point of this post. I’m working on a design that pairs Whisper Lace and Penna. I’ve chosen Whisper Lace in 213 Cool Ripples – a blue and grey multi, with Penna in 110 Dovetail – a soft, warm grey. I love the way Penna and Whisper Lace are playing together. Solid-colored Penna softens the transitions from one color to the next in the Whisper Lace.
The beginnings of a crescent-shaped shawl knit in Whisper Lace and Penna.
You can see the humble beginning in the photo above. I decided a shawl would be the perfect project. Lately, I’ve been really into crescent-shaped shawls, so that is the shape I’ve chosen for this design. Four stitches are increased on each edge every right-side row, and two stitches are increased on each edge every wrong-side row. This is what creates the dramatic curve. I’m letting the yarn speak for itself here: nothing more than simple Stockinette stitch for most of the shawl. I plan to finish this project with an applied lace border. I’m undecided on whether I should use a solid, contrasting color for the border, or if I should stitch to stick to the pairing used throughout the rest of the shawl. Only time will tell, but I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know in the comments below.
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Piquilla Shawl crocheted in Wool Pop (pattern link here).
How beautiful is this?
This two-color crochet pattern was named after piquillo peppers, a sweet variety that won’t burn those of us with more delicate taste buds (by which I mean me).
There’s a sweet bit of shaping at the front there, too. The arrangement of stitches along the neckline can give a neat collar effect…
…or simply help it to lie flat and be more comfortable around the neck.
Three skeins of the MC and two of the CC in wool/bamboo Wool Pop makes a lovely shawl with great drape. It’s a fun yarn to work with, too!
We hope you have a safe and fun weekend. Happy crafting!
Perfect Summer Tote!
Happy Free Pattern Friday everyone! Today, we have a fun accessory for you: the Midsummer Tote. You can find the pattern here.
Tote bags are a summer essential, and why not make your own? The Midsummer Tote is crocheted using Yashi, our 100% raffia yarn. We recently released new colors in Yashi, so you can pick your new favorites for this project. We think the color combination in this bag would look fantastic with any summer outfit.
The Midsummer Tote is crocheted seamlessly in the round, with a mesh pattern nestled between sections of single crochet. We love how these textures work together in the finished bag!
Now where’d I put my keys?
Whether you decide to use this as a handbag, beach bag, or grocery bag, you really can’t go wrong with the Midsummer Tote.
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I thought I’d make a confession. I have a new love in my life, and it’s Fibra Natura Ravello. One of our new spring yarns, this is quickly becoming a favorite (I know, I shouldn’t pick favorites!). It’s a blend of cotton, extra-fine merino wool, and recycled cashmere, making it a fabulous yarn for multi-season garments and accessories. Ravello is soft, drapey, and has a subtle halo. These qualities are pretty irresistible!
Ravello in 104 Soft Clay
I’ve been having so much fun designing with this yarn. So, just in time for Valentine’s Day, we’re introducing the Ciri shawl. This is a large, asymmetrical shawl knit in two coordinating colors that nod towards Valentine’s Day without being obvious.
The main color is 108 Tuscan Pepper, a rich burgundy that shows off the lace beautifully. It is paired with 104 Soft Clay as the contrast color. After years of resisting pink, I’ve recently become more and more drawn to warm, less saturated shades of pink. Swaths of lace in the main color are interrupted by garter stitch stripes that are worked with the contrast color. It is finished with a crochet picot bind-off that adds a touch of romance. Ciri is knit on the bias, creating an asymmetrical shape. It begins at the tip and slowly increases to the widest edge. The shape and loose gauge make a drapey fabric you’ll love to wear. Each end of the shawl gently spirals downward when you place it over your shoulders.
This shawl is quite large. You can wrap it around your neck multiple times for maximum coziness.
Just look at that picot trim and gorgeous drape – we’re smitten!
Whether you’re knitting this for your Galentine, Valentine, or yourself, the Ciri shawl is the perfect cast-on this week.
Gardenia is knit is 101 Ocean Fog.
Oh, and just in case you’re looking for a little more Ravello inspiration, don’t forget about Gardenia. Lace and delicate cables would make this sweet little hat another lovely Valentine’s Day project, especially knit up in 106 Malbec or 107 Balet Slipper.
Top: 106 Malbec Bottom, left to right: 107 Balet Slipper and 104 Soft Clay
We hope you have a wonderful holiday – filled with chocolate, yarn, and your favorite people!
Ah, strawberries – I love them! Strawberry season has always been one of my favorite times of the year. It conjures fond childhood memories. I spent many, many days at my grandparents’ farm growing up. I helped out with chores, played on roundbales, petted the cattle, explored the land, collected eggs from the hens, helped bale hay – you name it, I probably did it!
We love how breezy and airy the fabric of this scarf is.
Every May we celebrated the strawberry season by plucking strawberries from the plant, placing them into a little wooden carton (eating many more along the way), and carrying them back to the house. We’d help my mother and grandmother prepare the strawberries for freezing. My sister and I would sell excess berries at a little produce stand we set up at the end of our driveway. When I was in my early teens, my grandparents moved to the mountains and extended family took over the farm. That meant we no longer picked our strawberries there, but that didn’t stop us! We simply picked our strawberries at another local farm instead.
This fabric drapes effortless around the neck and shoulders.
My long-winded story brings me to the real point of this post…it’s National Strawberry Day and we have a pattern that celebrates these sweet fruits! We’re highlighting the Strawberry Kiwi Scarfarita – a free pattern from our website!
Strawberry Kiwi Scarfarita
This pattern is perfect for spring and summer. It is knit using Fibra Natura Lina – a delightful blend of linen and cotton. This is the kind of accessory you could easily toss on during early mornings of strawberry picking come May – or as you plant your seeds well before! We know the air is still cool – heck it’s very cold in many places – but that doesn’t mean we can’t dream about the coming spring and summer.
Lina is just right for spring and summer knitting, and now is the perfect time to cast on!
Seasons Greetings from the Universal Yarn Team! Today, we’re pleased to share a special free pattern with you for the Christmas season: the Carolina Holly hat (pattern link)! Holly – like poinsettias, mistletoe, and ivy – conjures images of the holidays. The spiky plant is evergreen and beautiful, and it was the inspiration for the Carolina Holly hat.
Playing with pine cones, as one does.
This free pattern is a load of fun to knit. It takes three skeins of Deluxe Worsted – and that’s enough to make two hats. Of our line of yarns, Deluxe Worsted might just be my favorite. It’s excellent for every type of project, creates long-wearing fabric, and perfectly balances softness with the crunch of pure wool that I love. Plus, there are so many colors to choose from. For this hat I chose Sangria, City Turf, and Slate, but there are so many shades of red, green, and grey in the palette. I encourage you to find the combination that leaves you feeling inspired! Prefer superwash wool? You’re in luck – our machine-washable Deluxe Worsted Superwash would work perfectly as a substitute.
Baby Bobbles!
I wanted to give this hat some special touches. A double-thick brim ensures a warm and comfortable fit. A row of mini-bobbles knit in a rich red create little holly berries, and a large red pom-pom balances out the pop of red. Finally, to incorporate the grey used in the brim, the same color is used to add speckles to the pom-pom. The speckled pom-pom idea was not my own. I was inspired by designer Kiyomi Burgin, who has used this technique in her own work. You can find her post on speckled pom-poms here (link).
Subtle grey speckles in a big, poufy pom-pom – what’s not to love?
For your convenience, I’ve also created a tutorial. I hope you find it to be helpful! You’ll need to make your pom-pom before starting. If you haven’t done this before, don’t worry! You can find Amy’s tutorial on how to make pom-poms here (link).
To get started you’ll need a pom-pom, scissors, tapestry needle, and contrast color yarn. Step 1: Cut your contrast color yarn into lengths of approximately 12″. In the pattern I’ve directed you to cut 15 pieces. Fold each piece in half. Step 2: Keeping the strand of yarn folded, thread the tapestry needle.Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle through the center of the pom-pom. Step 4: Pull one end of the strand through the pom-pom, but be sure to secure the other end.Step 5: You should be able to hold each end of the strand as shown. Repeat Steps 1-5 until you’ve used each of the strands you cut. If desired, add more! When you finish you’ll have a medusa-looking pom-pom. Give your pom-pom a trim so that the contrast color ends are flush with the rest of the pom-pom. Finished! Now you can secure your pom-pom to the hat.
