Tag: home decor

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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!
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Free Pattern Friday – Fresh Air Washcloths

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, Fresh Air Washcloths in Clean Cotton (pattern link here).
Simple and sweet! That’s how we’d describe these quick and easy cloths in our Clean Cotton.
This is actually a picture of Clean Cotton Multi, the speckled companion to solid Clean Cotton. I just think it looks super fun in a simple project like this. We call it Clean Cotton not because it’s great for dishcloths and home dec projects (which it is!) but because it’s 100% reclaimed fibers – the lightweight cotton (and a little polyester) fluff left over from making other yarns, which otherwise would have gone to waste. Clean Cotton is cleaner for the environment by keeping it out of the waste stream.
The cloth itself is a great beginner’s knit. It’s a simple two-row repeat of just knits and purls.
The I-cord border is added in finishing, for a neater edge and to create a nifty hook for hanging. Beginners, this technique is spelled out in the pattern, and it’s easier than you think!
We hope you have a safe and productive weekend. Happy crafting!
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Free Pattern Friday – Aeolis Throw

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Aeolis Throw in Deluxe Worsted Superwash and Classic Shades (pattern link here). What a crocheted beauty!
This beautiful throw was originally part of e-book Classic Shades Book 5: The Plaza Collection. Today, we’re setting it free!
This is the only crochet design from that collection, and it takes full advantage of Classic Shades‘ self-shading quality.
Amy Gunderson used solid Deluxe Worsted Superwash for the main body and the ebony border, then chose Classic Shades color 734 Cool Blazes which had just enough of those tones to tie it together, but still be bold.
The result is a centerpiece of home decor, something to wrap around when you want to keep off the chill but still feel the vibrance of Spring.
We hope you have a warm and wonderful weekend. Happy crafting!
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Free Pattern Friday – Flying V Afghan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Flying V Afghan in Uptown Worsted (pattern link). This modern crochet pattern first appeared in e-book Uptown Favorite Afghans 2.
When we were looking for a colorful crochet pattern to share for Free Pattern Friday, we immediately thought of this collection. It’s easy to see that Flying V is a simple, gratifying pattern that deserves to be shared!
It comes in both large and small sizes, making it versatile for home decor or baby blankets.
Color changes use the intarsia method. Each full chevron requires approximately 35 yds/19 grams of a color. Helpful to know if you’re measuring out lengths ahead of time. And speaking of color changes, the pattern contains schematics for both versions, plus this completely unfilled diagram, so you can grab your colored pencils and try out your own color combos before casting on. Fun!
We hope you have a fantastic weekend. Happy crafting!
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Free Pattern Friday – Lofty Rug

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Closeup of knitted spring stitch fabric in Lofty rug knit in indigo Bella Chenille yarn.
Today, the Lofty Rug in Bella Chenille (free pattern link here). How cool is this? A member of our design team was inspired by the nifty bobble stitch seen in this tutorial at Kristen McDonnell’s Studio Knit, and immediately realized just how soft and springy it would be in plush Bella Chenille.
She was right. It’s soft and touchable, and just perfect for bare feet.
Personally, I’m always looking for new things to try, and this fits the bill. What an interesting tool to have in your repertoire! Here’s Kristen’s video of how to work this stitch. As Kristen says in the video, you’ll make a few mistakes at first. But it looks like you’ll have fun doing it!
We hope you keep a spring in your step this weekend. Happy crafting!
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Free Pattern Friday – Magical Mystery Throw

Image of brightly colored throw knitted in Uptown DK Colors

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

colorful striped square knitted throw draped over chair

Today the Magical Mystery Throw in Uptown DK Colors (pattern link).

We designed this throw to show off one of our three new colors in Uptown DK Colors, a soft, cottony anti-pilling acrylic.

Uptown DK Colors #70322 Tropical

The stripes that work up so evenly in a fixed-width piece do some amazing things when the rows start to grow, as in this center-out throw.

The longer the row, the narrower the band of color.

Until by the end, you’ll end up with multiple colors per row.  Such a great effect!  Of course, you could go with a less varied palette…

Uptown DK Colors #70320 Sapphire Road

….or really pull out all the stops with a rainbow-themed throw to display with pride.

Uptown DK Colors #70321 Rainbowz

No matter what you choose, it’s great fun to see the design emerge as you knit this kaleidoscope of color.

Have a great weekend, and happy crafting!

Image of folded tropical-colored afghan knit in Uptown DK Colors.
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Day 5 of Winter – Series 2 Edition

This is part 5 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, Series 2 Edition.

Meet your new best friends: the Snowfolk (pattern link)! Agnes, Dorothy, and Maureen are a trio of knitters made from Deluxe Worsted. I love this yarn because it’s great for so many things – garments, accessories, home decor – you name it, Deluxe Worsted has you covered! This group of frosty friends is a joy to make, and you’ll have plenty of yarn to make more than three. We encourage you to have fun customizing your very own wintry knitting circle!

Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted
Maureen (left), Agnes (center) and Dorothy (right).

Snowfolk is a collaboration between Amy (our amazing creative director) and myself (Rachel – Amy told me to add that I am also amazing). Between the three snowpeople we designed and the collaboration involved in this pattern (not to mention by our entire team who have made this collection possible), I started thinking about knitting in the company of others. I asked some of my colleagues what their favorite things about knitting with others are.

Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted
Dorothy is chatty at times and gets a bit carried away at her knitting group. As a result, she inadvertently adds some length to her knitting! She doesn’t mind, though. After all, what’s more snuggly than a scarf wrapped several times around your neck?

Here is what Amy had to say:

“I travel to a lot of knitting shows, and so I find myself knitting amongst strangers (or friends) quite often at these events. I love how this one thing that we have in common paves the way for such a strong bond between people. I have made many dear friends through knitting.”

Agnes wearing her colorwork hat. Stranded knitting is her favorite technique and she believes no hat should go without a pom pom. If she’s not knitting her hands are freezing! The muff solves the problem for her!

Heather told me:

“My weekly knitting group is a great way to decompress.  I can share my worries with sympathetic people while also doing something soothing.  Dropping in my with local knitting group has brought me lifelong friends – and a cat when a knitting buddy needed to move!”

Universal Yarn Deluxe Worsted
Maureen: maker of shawls. She also hates having cold ears, so her ear flap hat is the perfect accessory.

Most of the time  I’m someone who revels in knitting at home in the company of my pets, but there is something so nice about knitting with friends or seeing someone you don’t know knitting in public. That commonality often creates an instant bond. I love visiting my local yarn shop to catch up with the owner and her employee as I pass stitches from one needle to the other. Once or twice a year I treasure the moments when I can join one of my dearest friends in person to gush about what we’ve been knitting. A great friend who lives nearby joins me each week to knit and chat. If I’m honest, I don’t accomplish much when knitting with others! I may get through a few rows, but spending that time with those I care about while doing something we love is what’s truly special. 

What do you love about knitting with others? Do you have a weekly knitting circle? Maybe you love attending shows. We’d love to hear about it!

Remember, you can find Series 2 of the 12 Days of Winter Kit patterns on Ravelry.

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Sunday Swatch – Bamboo Pop

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Bamboo Pop colors 108 Lime Green, 208 Pink Joy, and 102 Cream.

SS Bamboo Pop flower

Today’s swatch started as an experiment to see just how thick various i-cords were in Bamboo Pop.  Bamboo Pop is one of our most popular yarns, a lightweight blend of 50% cotton and 50% bamboo.

The entire flower was knit on size 4 needles.  The petals of the flower are one long 4-stitch i-cord, the stem is a 3-stitch i-cord, and the center is a 2-stitch i-cord curled around itself.

SS Bamboo Pop flower back side_blogI took a picture of the back side so you can see how it’s assembled.  I had hoped to put a chenille stem (pipe cleaner, for those of my generation) into the center for stability, but the i-cord was just a little too narrow to fit the jumbo-sized chenille stem that I had on hand, so instead I used some very thick floral wire for stability.  The extra wire extending from the bottom lets it stand upright without causing the i-cord to push up on itself and wrinkle.

The leaves were a last-minute addition, but they’re a nice touch.  Here’s the leaf pattern, done on size 4 needles:

CO 4

Row 1: k1, (kfb) twice, k1. (6 sts total)

Row 2: purl

Row 3: k2, (kfb) twice, k2 (8 sts total)

Row 4: purl

Row 5: k3, (kfb) twice, k3 (10 sts total)

Row 6: purl

Row 7: k1, k2tog, k4, ssk, k1 (8 sts total)

Row 8: purl

Row 9: k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1 (6 sts total)

Row 10: purl

Row 9: k1, k2tog, ssk, k1 (4 sts total)

Row 10: purl

Row 9: k2tog, ssk,(2 sts total)

Row 10: purl 2 tog (1 st total)

Pull yarn through remaining stitch to bind off.

I have some bits of Bamboo Pop in other colors, so I’m considering making an entire bouquet for an empty flowerpot.  It would be a nice maintenance-free addition to the front porch.

Happy knitting – and gardening!