This is part 8 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 3 Edition.
Although Day 8 of Winter’s pattern is a Rachel Brockman design, I asked her if I could write the blog post for this kit. I just love it!
The tubular cast-on for the edge is a nice touch. Rachel demonstrates it in this blog post.
The Peppermint Bark Hat is the perfect (snow)storm of my favorite things: Fair Isle, knitting in the round, and snow.
The kit comes with yarn and color copy of the pattern. You provide needles and notions.
Actually, there’s one more of my favorite things in this kit: Angora Lace. It’s made of superwash fine merino, with nylon for durability and angora for extra softness. This kit features three balls in colors that match the classic holiday treat, peppermint bark!
Perfect pom-pom.
The colors were well-chosen – look at the rich depth in that Merlot! (For tips on achieving the perfect pom-pom, Amy Gunderson has you covered in this blog post from last year’s 12 Days of Christmas).
I mentioned Fair Isle colorwork. Checking the pattern and the inside of the hat, I see that Rachel has designed this so that no more than two colors are used in a row. And flashing back to last year, Rachel has some incredibly useful tips on Fair Isle in the round in this blog post from Series 2 of the 12 Days kits.
She also shares tips on managing your floats in this blog post – very handy at the very tips of those snowflakes. (See why I wanted to write this? I get to gush about the kit, and Rachel’s done all the hard work for me!)
US Size 1 (2.25 mm) needles are used for the ribbing, with US Size 3 (3.25 mm) for the body.
We generally sell out of all the kits every year. Of course, if we happen to wind up with a Peppermint Bark Hat kit when the season is over, and it mysteriously disappears… well, who could blame me?
Remember, you can find the 12 Days of Winter Kits at your local yarn shop. Happy crafting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Autumn Air Toboggan in Classic Shades (pattern link here).
Some may think of Fall as sweater weather, but for me, it’s finally hat time!
Goofing around in my Cold Mountain Hat.
So when we get a new hat pattern, and it’s this colorful, I am on board!
The Autumn Air Toboggan takes just one ball of self-striping Classic Shades. The easy basketweave pattern adds texture without getting lost in the vibrant colors.
And that pom-pom! I’m a sucker for a good pom-pom. It’s part of why I asked to write the blog post for Day 8 of Winter’s upcoming kit (oops, spoiler!).
Long story short: it’s a new free, one skein, colorful, easy hat pattern that I will totally be casting on for ASAP. Good thing you can never have too many hats. (It’s true, don’t look at me like that).
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Rutherford Beret in Deluxe Chunky (pattern link here).
This month we’re taking a look back at some favorite patterns in our Deluxe yarns. This one’s a favorite of mine, based on personal experience. Will you permit me a selfie?
Amy Gunderson’s Rutherford Beret was originally released as part of the amazing Deluxe Cable Collection. It’s a mammoth e-book of cabled knit patterns, including this little one-skein beauty in Deluxe Chunky 100% wool. We even did an office knitalong with it – super fun!
I say “one skein” but mine only took 3/4 of a skein, max. On US size 10 (6mm) needles, with only single-crosses for the cables, this is the definition of “instant gratification knit.” Deluxe Chunky has over 120 colors, so I’m thinking about making another one, maybe in a heathered color this time.
Deluxe Chunky 91905 Rust HeatherDeluxe Chunky 91908 Woodsy HeatherDeluxe Chunky 91909 Mulberry Heather
“Too many pretty colors” is a good problem to have!
We hope you have a fantastic weekend. Happy crafting!
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Trawler cap in Bella Cash (pattern link here).
I’m a big fan of brioche. Stretchy and sculptural, it looks beautiful, and it’s not as hard as you might think. After my first brioche hat, I felt so proud of myself – I wore it everywhere. But the truth is, once you’re into the rhythm of it, it’s just as easy to “read” in your knitting as standard ribbing.
In this seafarer-inspired cap, Rachel Brockman uses two colors of fine Bella Cash held together on a US4(3.5mm) needle for a marled, denimy effect.
So, here’s my confession: up until now, when I’ve done brioche in the round, I’ve winged the decreases and just kind of… hoped they came together okay. Rachel, however, has beautiful decreases marching neatly toward the crown. This is going to be a great technique to learn.
Bella Cash 122 Amethyst and 118 Orchid
I’m considering using different colors, though – maybe something violet? Amethyst and Orchid look awfully nice together.
We hope you have a great weekend. Happy crafting!
St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us, my fiber friends! For most folks celebrating this Irish holiday, this is going to mean green, green, and more green!
I can remember showing up to elementary school one day (yes, a very long time ago) on March 17th sans green. I quickly learned that this was quite dangerous, as anyone who noticed was pinching me relentlessly! I found a green marker and made several green shamrocks on my hands, arms, and face so that I could avoid the torture of the pinch.
If you’re finding yourself with nothing green to wear this year, why not crank out a knitted green hat? Patty’s Hatty is knit in extrafine superwash merino DK weight Dona. Dona is soft and squishy and feels great on the skin.
You’ve got a few days left – what are you waiting for?
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Cable Cross Cap in Uptown Super Bulky (pattern link here).
Hello, Valentine! We’re going to keep today’s post short and sweet, because we’re still stuffed full of chocolates. Yes, Thin Mints count as chocolates. And yes, if you buy them for yourselves, it still counts as Valentine’s Day candy, and therefore there are no calories. It’s science.
Serving size: one sleeve
Following up on Rachel’s Valentine’s Day Post yesterday, we’re offering something pink and perfect.
The Cable Cross Cap works up fast on size 13 needles and takes just two skeins of Uptown Super Bulky, our thickest anti-pilling acrylic. It’s smooth and squeezable – a delight to work with.
Also, Thin Mints are vegan, so they’re health food.
What were we talking about again? Right! Knitting! The pattern is written and charted – really, a lovely quick cabled knit for when the mood strikes.
Speaking of the mood striking, did you know that you can locate Girl Scout cookie booths near you online? Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need more yarn. And cookies.
Happy crafting!
Earlier this season we released e-book NoDa Knits (Ravelry link), a collection of knitting projects in colorful Classic Shades Frenzy. But we didn’t want to leave out crocheters!
So here is the crocheted Colorburst Cap, the grand finale free pattern of the year!
Ooh… aah…
This pretty project takes 1-2 balls of variegated Classic Shades Frenzy, one of our favorites to design with. The pattern is written and charted. Work it sideways, flat, for vertical stripes, then slip stitch the edges together.
Gather up the top, and you’ve created a lovely slouchy accessory to carry you through the seasons. Magnifique!
We hope you have a fantastic weekend. We’ll see you in the new year with even more beautiful designs and patterns!
How’s everybody doing? All caught up on your handmade gifts?
There are two kinds of crafters.
If you are, then good for you! If you’re not… join the club! Fortunately, there are still some quick, good-looking projects that you (and I) can make at the last minute. And if you still can’t quite finish, well… we have some options at the end of this post.
I made one of these myself, and it was fun and easy. The Classic Shades Frenzy is a smart choice because it lends visual interest without extra work – always a consideration when you’re on a deadline.
I actually wound up keeping this one.
As a little holiday gift, we’re running a giveaway of the Latta Park Hat and Mittens. (Also, consider signing up for our newsletter. Subscribers already heard about this!)
You can enter this coupon code by going to the Latta Park Hat and Mittens page on Ravelry, and entering FRENZY at the “use a coupon code” link that appears during purchase. Use it by 12/23.
Finally, if you’re just not gonna make it, we still have some options. How about a card to let your giftee know that their gift is on the way? We made a few printable options for you.
Regardless of how your holiday gifting turns out, we hope you’ll be able to make time to slow down and enjoy the season as best you can.
Giving back: it’s something everyone seems to think more about this time of year, and something we could all probably think about a bit more. That’s why we have created the new pattern, Thy Neighbor (pattern link).
Thy Neighbor – A pattern to benefit the Refugee Support Services center in Charlotte.
We recently began donating some of our time and resources to the RSS: Refugee Support Services here in Charlotte, the city Universal Yarn calls home. This organization is doing amazing things, and we want to support them in every way we can.
Stranded colorwork has an interesting effect when worked with a loom because of the twisted stitches.
Each Thursday, a group of wonderful women and volunteers meet at the center for English lessons, knitting, community-building, and to take advantage of the many resources the facility has to offer.
My in-progress Thy Neighbor hat, worked on a loom with Deluxe Bulky Superwash. Colors shown are 901 Rosy Mauve & 932 Icy Grey.
Many of the women make hats on round knitting looms. Loom knitting is really accessible. Anyone can pick it up in just a few minutes, which might be why it’s a popular knitting method at the center. Although we had never knit using looms before, we wanted to meet participants where they are. So we got some looms to practice and will now contribute our own knowledge of knitting. Volunteers at the center help the women distribute their handcrafted goods to earn extra income and develop financial literacy. As a way to give back and support their efforts, we designed this Fair Isle hat. We’ll be teaching the participants this technique to spice up their loom-knitting activities. All proceeds from the sale of this pattern will be donated back to RSS.
As I said before, we want to do as much as we can for this organization. It brought us so much joy to sit in a room filled with the chatter of people from all over the world, offering a helping hand, and exchanging kindness with one another. It’s truly special. When you purchase Thy Neighbor, 100% of the proceeds will be donated to RSS. Financial contributions to the organization help make their peer support, educational, legal, and social programs possible. We sincerely hope you’ll join us in helping, and encourage you to explore the RSS website (link) to deepen your understanding of their work.
Topped with a multi-color pom-pom! This pattern really is so much fun!
Thank you so much for joining us in our support of RSS! We hope you have a wonderful week!
Ah, knitting. I love everything about it. However, some techniques sing to me more than others. Cables are one of those techniques. I can never get enough. If I can squeeze them in, I do. They don’t have to be complicated – but they can be. Either way, I love them. I want to knit cables as often as I want to eat Kit Kats or Reeses’ Peanut Butter Cups – all the time!Â
I actually really like using cable needles, but I occasionally lose them. The crevices on my sofa are likely home to several. So what do you do when you don’t have a cable needle or spare DPN handy? Do you find another project? NO! Of course not! You simply cable without a cable needle. I’m going to show you how with a quick tutorial!
Stitches ready for their next twist.
Cabling without a cable needle is just a matter of rearranging your stitches. I’ve highlighted the stitches we’ll be working with using red and green. In this instance, I am going to cross my stitches to the left.
Going behind the first two stitches (red) on the left-hand needle, slip the third and fourth (green) stitches to the right-hand needle. The first two stitches will be in FRONT of the work. If you were working this as a right cross, the red stitches would be in the BACK of your work, and you would slip the green stitches purlwise from the front.
Alternate view – slipping the green stitches purlwise to the right-hand needle.
Don’t be afraid!
If the above photo scares you, just take a deep breath. It’s really not that scary! When you slip the green stitches, the red stitches will fall off your needle. That is okay – that’s what you want!
Scoop the stitches back up with the left-hand needle.
Carefully scoop the red stitches up with your left-hand needle. Breathe a sigh of relief – your stitches are safe again. Notice, we are simply re-arranging the stitches. * If you were working this as a RIGHT cross, the red stitches would be in the back of your work.
Continue to re-arrange your stitches by slipping the green stitches from the right-hand needle back to the left-hand needle.
You’ve rearranged your stitches. Perfect! Now you’re ready to carry on and knit.
After the stitches are all back on the left-hand needle you may continue knitting as usual. You can already see the twist in your work.
TA-DA!
That’s it! You’ve created a beautiful cable without a cable needle.
I realize that I’ve only included instructions for a 2×2 Left Cross here, but my hope is mainly to give you the courage to go forth without a cable needle. In fact, the pattern features left and right crosses; so if you choose to skip the cable needle you’ll have plenty of time to practice both.
Left and right cable crosses are used to create the traveling cables in the hat. The cables in the crown use right crosses.
You can do this on any number of stitches, but I wouldn’t recommend working cables without a needle on anything more than 3×3 crosses. Any bigger than that and things can start to look sloppy and feel fiddly. Cable needles are great and help to maintain an even tension, but the same results can occur without them. Some find that skipping the cable needle feels faster, too. In personal projects, I go both ways. It depends on my mood and whether I can find my cable needle!
Cable stitches are also used in the mittens.
Remember, you can find the 12 Days of Winter Kit patterns on Ravelry.
