Free Pattern Friday – Bienne Tee

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!

 

 

Free Pattern Friday – My Poncho

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

aqua knitted poncho

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.

vintage red white and blue fringed crochet poncho
On the other hand, it does show how long acrylic lasts.

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.

closeup of aqua knitted poncho with wooden necklace

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.

side view of aqua poncho

“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.

hanks of Radiant Cotton yarn

I suppose I could always make more than one.

Happy knitting!

closeup view of aqua poncho shoulder

Free Pattern Friday – Box of Blocks

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Box of Blocks in Major.

Log cabin designs are classic for good reason.  They’re simple but visually interesting, and they look great in self-shading yarns like Major.

For this little baby blanket, start at the middle, then pick up along the edge and work the next strip.  Then pick up along the edge of what you’ve already made and knit the next strip.  Keep going until… well, until you’re done!

We hope you enjoy this sweet and simple classic design.

Happy knitting!

 

Free Pattern Friday – Augustine Scarf

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.

We’re not affiliated with Jul. We just think her stuff is pretty.

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!

 

Bamboo Pop Accessories Inspiration

Have you have seen our new Bamboo Pop Accessories eBook?

 

Part of the idea behind these patterns was to help keep your knitting and crochet mojo going strong through the warmer months…any project from this collection would be perfect for working on poolside. It was such a blast designing this collection. I was inspired in part by all the colorful, tropical knitwear being shown by many designers in their 2017 Resort collections and a recent trip to Hawaii helped provide the names for the designs.

The bright colors and fiber content of Bamboo Pop are perfect for creating knit and crochet items that wear well throughout the spring and summer. Bamboo Pop makes these projects soft and cool against your skin, great for those days of going in and out of overly air conditioned buildings.

Anuenue Sampler: The Hawaiian word for rainbow is a perfect fit for this scarf. As a sporadic crocheter, I love working on projects where I get to try out a bunch of different stitches and techniques, so I knew my first crochet design had to be a sampler. This design also is perfect for anyone, who like me, has difficultly choosing just one color! Different colors, stitches and edging will keep you entertained.

Awapuhi: Named for wild Hawaiian ginger, the plaited stripe pattern mimics the texture of the flowers which start out white and then turn red as they mature. White and Lily Pad blend beautifully in the textured stripes, adding additional dimension, with the bright pops of Lime Green for the ribbing. This scarf will go perfectly with summer outfits, taking you from breezy walks on the beach to dinner and drinks!

Kukui: Hawaiians extracted oil from the kukui nut and burned it in a lamp called kukui hele po, which means “light, darkness goes.” This shawl transitions from light to dark with bands of White, Silken and Black divided with bands worked in a slip stitch pattern using all three colors. To create the asymmetric shape, you’ll begin at the smallest point with just a few stitches increasing gradually to the widest edge. The elongated shape is easy to wear in many different ways.

Lilikoi: Also known as passionfruit – from its gorgeous flower to delicious fruit, I could not get enough lilikoi when I went to Hawaii! This shawlette creates a fun blend of solid and variegated colors with a slip stitch pattern that helps mix the colors between sections. Garter stitch makes for a lovely, squishy fabric and also makes the knitting a breeze. The shape is a shallow triangle, in a size that is perfect for draping around your neck kerchief style.

Philodendron: Fun, bright and just a little quirky. Philodendrons are having a bit of a moment right now – from knit, fabric and print versions to real fronds showing up in home décor. The cowl is worked with a combination of a striped background and instarsia fronds, creating a wonderful statement piece for your warm weather wardrobe.

Plumeria: Plumeria are also known as the “Lei flower,” sure this cowl is a little more substantial than a lei, but you still get flowers draped around your neck! Stranded knitting is usually reserved for winter projects and I thought it would be fun to incorporate that into a warm weather project. A brighter color palette and a combination of floral and wave designs make this stranded project summer ready.

Tiny Bubbles: These tiny bubbles will make you feel fine! This scarf is a fun way to combine a solid and variegated color, or if you like, you could make each row of bubbles a different color. The bubbles are created by stripes and dropped stitches, not stranded knitting, so you are only working with one color at a time. This is another great piece to work on, wear, and add a little Pop to the warm season.

I hope you enjoyed taking a little peek behind the scenes and learning a bit about the collection and the inspiration behind it! What projects are you planning to make with Bamboo Pop?

Halos of Hope – Healing Vibes

One of the nice things about going to crafting shows is that we get to see in person how generous our crafting community can be.  We were reminded of this again with the Halos for Hope booth at StitchesWest.

Halos of Hope partners with LYSes and local guilds to collect and distribute chemo caps.   These caps are practical, and also serve as a personal reminder to a person going through a difficult time that yes, they are cared for.

We were moved to design new patterns for our Cotton Supreme family, which is a great choice for chemo caps.  It’s incredibly soft and won’t irritate chemo patients’ scalps, which are often more tender than usual.

Amy Gunderson brings us our first offering, Healing Vibes in Cotton Supreme DK.

Amy says she thinks of this as a knitted representation of rays of radiation zapping cancer away.  Such a lovely idea – meaningful, but still very pretty in its own right.  We hope someone wearing this will feel the strength and energy Amy has put into this design.

This pattern has a bit of personal significance to me.  It was released on the 9th anniversary of the day my mother was declared free of ovarian cancer.  Mom has had no recurrence – she’s still energetic enough to run rings around me.   She’d be the first to tell you to know the signs, and to go see your doctor if you have any concerns.  I, for one, am very glad that she took early action.

If you’d like to l earn more about Halos of Hope, their website has info.  Their Facebook page is also chock full of patterns and ideas.

We hope that you enjoy this free pattern, and that while you take care of those around you, you take care of yourself, too.

Happy and healthy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Sunday Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Sunday Cardigan in Radiant Cotton.

Universal Yarn is headquartered in Harrisburg, NC, just outside of Charlotte.  It was a balmy 72 degrees here yesterday.  Let’s take a look at the forecast for the rest of the week, shall we?

Dress in layers. Lots of layers.

So tell us:  is it Spring?  Is it winter?  What’s a crafter supposed to do with this??

I think what we’ll choose to do this week is hit the LYS for any wool we need to finish cold weather projects, but also pick up some cotton because warm weather is coming, no matter what.

Enter the Sunday Cardigan in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g).  It’s a classic knitted lace sweater, perfect for the warmer weather we know is just around the corner.

This pattern is written and charted, and contains a schematic.  It has the classic construction – knitted flat and seamed.   Right twists give the Tight Braid pattern extra interest.  This is a great everyday piece, or one that works to dress up a plain outfit on the weekends, as the name suggests.

I love this in the pale pastel of 807 First Bloom, but I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if you turned up the saturation a little bit, maybe with color 806 Calypso.

It’s going to be hard to go wrong with this design.

No matter what the weather is doing in your neck of the woods, we hope you enjoy this charming free pattern.

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Rising Tide Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Rising Tide Scarf in Major.

You’ve got to love the ones that are easier than they look.

This slip-stitch knit pattern is worked in two colors of our bulky Major acrylic.   Because this yarn comes in big 200g/328yd skeins, you only need one skein of each color.  Even though it’s a wide scarf, it’s made on a size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needle so it goes pretty quickly.

It’s always gratifying to see the next color come up in a pattern with self-shading yarn, isn’t it? The travelling slipped stitches mean the color carries up into the next row, even though each section only uses one color of yarn at a time.  Knit it lengthwise, add the fringe, and voila!  A lovely accessory.

We hope you enjoy this project and your weekend.

Happy knitting!

Free Pattern Friday – Chapel Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Chapel Stole in Radiant Cotton.

Depending on where you are, either it’s warm enough for Spring projects, or you’re dreaming that it’s warm enough.  It’s time to get a little headstart with this beautiful lace wrap.

Knit on US Size 7 (4.5mm) needles in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g),  it’s a generous 84″ (seven feet!) as shown.  It would be easy to lengthen or shorten – just add or remove a repeat or two from the central section.  The crocheted picot edging is applied after finishing the piece.

This lovely sampler also comes in a narrower scarf version at about half the width.

There are some really bright Spring colors in Radiant cotton that would look lovely with this.  Maybe 819 Sky Blue?

Or maybe something lighter and more delicate, like 807 First Bloom.

It’s a good feeling to be spoiled for choice.

Happy knitting!

Allegro Back to Basics Socks

Everybody say hi to my dad.

Hi, Dad!
Hi, Dad!

As you may have guessed, it’s not a recent picture.  However, he’s still got that youthful spirit and twinkle in his eye.  He still has a wicked sense of humor.  And he’s astonished (in a good way!) that his little tomboy grew up to be such a prolific knitter.  What’s better, he appreciates my knitting.

We all know there’s nothing like crafting for someone who truly cherishes what we’ve made. Dad’s great about that. When I made him his first pair, he proclaimed they were “like butter” and that he never knew socks could feel that good. Obviously, this is someone knitworthy.

Ball of Allegro yarn

When we got our first shipment of Allegro, a no-wool sock yarn, I knew this is what I’d be using for his 2017 birthday.  It’s so smooth!  I chose color 803 Slate Minstrel.

Knitting in the grass in summertime. Bliss.

Although there’s no wool content, Allegro has a bounce to it that makes it perfect for socks. They stay up and keep their shape nicely. Allegro would also be great for any projects where wool allergies are a concern, or for those who simply want to avoid animal products.

Ready to close the second toe!

As you can see,  there was plenty in one ball to make a pair, and the striping matched pretty much perfectly. There’s enough left over that I could have extended the cuffs or made a larger size with no worries.

No, these are not my father’s legs.

My go-to pattern is Back to Basic Socks, a free pattern on our website for a cuff-down heel flap sock.  It goes fairly quickly and stands up well to wear.  It’s also a great starting point for those who want to customize by adding, say, an eye-of-partridge heel or patterning along the leg.  For Dad’s socks, though, I kept it basic.  Ribbed leg, plain heel, nice and simple.  I knew he’d appreciate them just as they were.

Also not a recent picture of my Dad.

Dad’s birthday was at the end of January.  Alas, I don’t have a picture of my dad with the socks, so please enjoy this picture of a previous birthday.  Once again this year, he was delighted by his hand-knitted socks.  And I am once again picking out yarn for his next pair.

We wish you joyful knitting for an appreciative audience.

(And happy birthday, Dad!)