We’re halfway through December, so it’s time to bundle up! There’s nothing quite like a knit scarf you can wear for a night out ice skating with loved ones. Free Pattern Friday is here with Chamarel, designed by Patty Olson, and we can’t wait to see your very own version. Let’s learn more about this accessory packed with gorgeous hues!
When you get your hands on Rico Design’s Creative Melange Chunky, you can’t help but be inspired. This self-shading blend of virgin wool and acrylic looks beautiful in garment and accessory projects, like Charamel. The captivating slip-stitch colorwork pattern uses three colors of this yarn to create a bulky scarf you can wear on the coldest winter nights!
Creative Melange Chunky from Rico Design is a must-have for fiber artists! This self-shading yarn is full of vibrant hues, both bright and subdued. Its bulky weight makes it excellent for winter projects, like sweaters, hats, and scarves!
This yarn is sensational for all types of stitch patterns. Creative Melange Chunky looks incredible in cables and textured patterns while also standing out in simple stockinette and garter stitch. This weekend, save 20% off your order of Rico Design Creative Melange Chunky. This offer expires on Sunday, December 17th at 11:59 PM EST.
It’s Flash Pattern Friday and we have a treat for you! A very special holiday pattern – Coco.
Coco is from Series 4 of our 12 Days of Winter collections and is available as a kit at this link. This adorable stuffed toy would make the perfect gift for any little one. Coco features contrast-colored paws and the cutest little embroidered face. The fun doesn’t stop there, Coco’s fashion-forward striped accessories are designed to be removable for versatility.
Coco is knit using Uptown Worsted, our best-selling 100% anti-pilling acrylic yarn. This machine-washable yarn is an excellent option for any item that is sure to get a lot of love. It glides smoothly over your needles and is a delight to work with. Plus, the yarn takes color like a dream, giving Coco’s accessories the perfect saturation.
To get Coco for free, use the “buy it now” or “add to cart” links on the Ravelry pattern page. Once the pattern is in your cart, enter the coupon code “FLASH” where you see the “use coupon code” link that appears during purchase. This offer is valid through Sunday, December 10th!
As an added bonus, Uptown Worsted is buy three, get one free through Sunday, December 10th! That means 25% off! With a wide variety of rich and vibrant hues available, this is the perfect opportunity to stock up on your stash of this beloved yarn. For project inspiration, check out our collection of free patterns featuring Uptown Worsted at this link.
Hello, December! It’s that time of year again, when we present to you our annual 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection. And, with bittersweet news, this is our last kit collection of this type. Join me today as I reflect on year’s past and share the exciting refreshed and new kits we are offering for 2023.
The cover from our very first edition of the 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, from 2017.
In 2017, when I first began working at Universal Yarn, we conceived the exciting idea to create twelve wintry accessories featuring a variety of our yarns to support our local yarn stores through the gift-giving season. These kits were designed to be beautiful, thoughtful finished objects to give a loved one, or to be a present for your best fiber friend. The designs were all centered around winter, and primarily meant to be useful beyond the holiday season. We dreamt of frozen lakes, snowy forests, the warmth and crackle of the fireplace, and twinkling lights. Then, we took that imagery and created a collection of twelve designs to inspire.
Top Left: Series 1 Snowflake Mitts / Top Right: Series 2 Mistletoes Middle Left: Series 3 Mountain Pines / Middle Right: Series 4 Chai Latte Set Bottom Left: Series 5 Crochet Cinnamon Swirl Stole / Bottom Right Series 6 Hubble the Winter Wolf
Pictured above are some of the highlights our the past six years of 12 Days of Winter. In those years, we have published a total of 76 knitting and crochet patterns to celebrate the season. From mitts and hats to scarves and stuffies, we truly have something for everyone in these collections. As we reflected on which of these patterns were best loved for Series 7, we wanted to rekindle the joy they brought you. With that said, we are so proud to share our latest 12 Days of Winter Kit collection, which features old favorites and new patterns alike.
The Cover of our 12 Days of Winter 2023 Kit Collection
First, let’s talk about some of the oldies but goodies. Eight of the patterns in this collection were revisited from previous years. We’ve refreshed them with exciting new yarns. Take Aspen, for example. This beloved classic cabled scarf was a hit during our third year of the kit collection. It’s intricately winding cables are impressive, but easier to achieve than one might expect. This year, we’ve paired it with a yarn destined to shine in cables: Yarn Vibes Cliffs of Moher. Its rustic, plump hand gives the cables such a warm and woolly texture.
AspenForest Garland
The popular Forest Garland, which has both a knit and crochet version, was reimagined using our Cotton Supreme and Cotton Gold yarns held together. The shimmering sequins of Cotton Gold make it look just like twinkly lights or beautiful bulbs decorating a Christmas tree.
New yarns are just part of revisiting our previous years of patterns. As you can see so far, we’ve been swapping colors as well. That’s the case for each of these patterns, and I especially love how it worked out for the Blue Spruce Socks and Snow Day Set. We opted for unexpected yarns and icy shades to maximize the wintry impact. The Blue Spruce Socks use two strands of Uni Merino together, and the Snow Day Set takes Rico Design’s Fashion Cotton Light and Long Tweed on a frosty adventure!
Snow Day SetBlue Spruce Socks
Originally from Series 2, We Three Hats and Snowfolk were especially favored among our in-house team and our customers. We kept the yarn for We Three Hats the same, but played around with cool shades of sugarplum and icy blues. This outstanding kit is like three in one, because you’ll have enough Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash to make all three hats and enjoy a sampling of fun techniques! Similarly, one kits gets you all three Snowfolk, lovingly named Agnes, Dorothy, and Maureen. This year, these ladies got a makeover with all new accessories in best-selling Uptown Worsted to keep cozy on a cold winter’s day.
We Three HatsSnowfolk
Although all of the kits we’ve revisited so far were featured in previous 12 Days of Winter Kit Collections, not all of those from this year are. In fact, we’ve taken two stunning kits from discontinued yarns and gave them new life! The Holiday Stockings and the Illuvia Shawl were once part of our Dona color kits. Their techniques made them a perfect fit for the collection. The stranded Holiday Stockings, now knit in Rico Design Baby Dream DK Uni are a joyful home décor project just waiting to be stuffed with little trinkets. The colorful Illuvia Shawl, now knit in Wool Pop, features a sampling of exciting stitches that will delight you as you knit, and impress your giftee!
Holiday Stockings
Finally, we’re happy to introduce some brand new patterns to you! The last four kits I’ll touch on were designed to round out this year’s collection. The first two, Mini Marshmallow and the Twilight Socks, are special because they combine different yarns for impact. Mini Marshmallow is actually a tiny version of his big brother, Marshmallow, from Series 5. This little best friend would make the sweetest gift for your little one. I can easily see their little body popping out of the aforementioned Holiday Stockings on Christmas morning, just waiting to be hugged! Mini Marshmallow is knit using plush, soft Bella Chenille, and their stylish sweater is knit with colorful Rico Design Creative Melange Chunky.
The Twilight Socks are the advanced sock knitter’s dream. The intricate motif combines twisted stitches and mosaic knitting, and the results couldn’t be more jaw-dropping. Here, we’ve paired the variegated marls of Cobblestone with the saturation of Uni Merino into one amazing pair of socks.
Mini MarshmallowTwilight Socks
The next two accessories will keep your neck and shoulders toasty and warm all season long! Crochet enthusiasts will absolutely adore Milky Way, a cozy cowl featuring the brilliant self-shading hues of Colorburst. The spike stitches blend the colors together and create a finished piece as impressive as the galaxy we call home. Unlike the kaleidoscope of colors seen in Milky Way, the knitted Snowstorm scarf looks a bit more neutral in Kingston Tweed. Gray and navy tones in a mosaic colorwork pattern will remind you of a nighttime blizzard, and the soft pink edges bring to mind rosy cheeks out in the cold.
Milky WaySnowstorm
There you have it – our designs for the final edition of the 12 Days of Winter Kit Collections. We deeply appreciate all of your enthusiasm for these patterns and kits over the years. We hope each one has filled you with warmth and holiday cheer. And if these collections were something you looked forward to each year, fear not – we promise we will have many more festive treats in store for you in the years to come!
Be merry, my fiber friends, and have a wonderful holiday season! -Rachel
It’s Flash Pattern Friday! On this holiday weekend, we’re sharing Peri (link), knit in our sumptuous Truva yarn.
Peri is part of our On the Line pattern collection, available at this link. This top-down, seamless pullover with raglan shaping has gentle bishop sleeves that are gathered at the wrists. The yoke is dotted with striped seed stitch to create textural interest. Purl ridges divide the seed stitch from the rest of the sweater, which is worked in stockinette stitch and K1, P1 ribbing using solid colors.
Like I mentioned earlier, Peri is knit using our 50/50 cashmere/cotton blend, Truva. This yarn is easily one of my favorites for its heathered hues and soft hand. The blend also makes it a wonderful choice for garments worn Autumn through Spring. For a yarn with so much depth in color, its smooth structure lends itself to excellent stitch definition, so we love it in patterns with simple texture. You can see this in Peri, but also in each of the other pieces in the On the Line collection.
To get Peri for free, use the “buy it now” or “add to cart” links on the Ravelry pattern page. Once the pattern is in your cart, enter the coupon code “FLASH” where you see the “use coupon code” link that appears during purchase. This offer runs through Monday, November 27th.
The deals don’t stop there, though! In addition to getting Peri for free, you can pick up any of the patterns you’ve been eyeing in our Ravelry store for50% off, no code needed. And while you’re sorting out your pattern queue, stock up on yarn, needles, and notions on our website, where we’re holding a sale! Take 30% off yarn, kits, and muud products, and 15% off ChiaoGoo products. All of these deals last through Monday, November 27th. We’re thankful for you, and you deserve these savings!
What do you plan to cast on this weekend? Tell us all about it in the comments below!
Happy Free Pattern Friday! Autumn weather is well under way here in North Carolina. It is getting colder outside, the leaves are falling, and everything feels just a tad bit more cozy. So, it is only fitting that we release a beautiful pullover this week that will keep you warm as the temperatures continue to drop. Say hello to Laurel!
Laurel was designed for us by Adrienne Larsen. You may recognize this designer’s name from previous patterns like the Aspen Scarf in our 12 Days of Winter kit collection. Adrienne’s designs have a touch of elegance that always makes me want to knit them, and Laurel is no exception!
This pullover is knit in the round from the bottom up, and separated at the underarms. You’ll create gussets for each sleeve, and then attach them to the body and work it as one piece. The sleeve edgings and turtleneck are both picked up and worked as the finishing steps. This pattern is written for sizes Extra Small – 5X, or 32″-64″ chest sizes, respectively. Laurel is a perfect pattern choice for the adventurous knitter looking to try something new!
To me, what makes the Laurel pullover stand out are the bold stripes and the beautiful texture of Rico Design Fashion Light Luxury. This yarn is a sumptuous blend of alpaca, wool, and nylon that has an on-trend brushed texture. Fashion Light Luxury is designed to be worked at a bulky weight gauge so that the brushed alpaca fibers fill looser stitches, creating a squishy soft fabric with stunning drape.
Fashion Light Luxury offers a color palette with options for anyone’s personal taste, so you can pick the pair that best suits your wardrobe. Personally, I’d make the Laurel pullover using colors 025 Purple and Light Blue 018.
The Laurel pullover would be perfectly suited to any upcoming holiday party, so why not grab your yarn and cast on now? You can get 20% off Fashion Light Luxury this weekend only.
Happy Wednesday fiber folks! We hope you’re enjoying your autumn so far. Crisp, breezy days paired with fiery foliage add to the fall magic, and we’re all looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday next week. To celebrate, we’ve decided to revisit an oldie but a goodie: the free Wee Pumpkin pattern (link), designed by Amy Gunderson.
Originally designed in 2014 for the now-discontinued Poems yarn, we thought the pattern would be the perfect match for Rico Design’s Creative Melange Chunky. This machine-washable blend of virgin wool and acrylic is a soft, cushiony single ply yarn. It’s a joy to knit because of the self-shading print that makes every stitch exciting as you travel from one color to the next. Creative Melange features a palette of 31 colors, and one of the newest colors seemed like the ideal match for the Wee Pumpkin pattern – #075 Autumn. The warm harvest shades of this colorway reminded us of the many varieties and colors found in everyone’s favorite fall fruit: the pumpkin!
The pattern is a fun knit for adventurous beginners and seasoned knitters alike. Skills to indulge in include wrap and turn short rows, picking up stitches, basic increases and decreases, and seaming. The Wee Pumpkin begins with the pumpkin body, which is worked sideways and features wedges shaped with short rows. If you haven’t tried short rows before, this pattern would be great for dipping your toes into the technique. After the body is complete, a little seaming around the sides and base forms the pumpkin body. Then, stitches are picked up from around the top to create the stem. It’s finished with an adorable curlicue and leaf that are sewn to the top of the pumpkin.
Requiring just over one ball of Creative Melange, you’ll get a pumpkin that’s a bit larger than “wee.” The finished piece is about 7″ tall and 8″ in diameter. It’s the perfect size to decorate your fireplace mantel. Or, use it with other fall decorations to make a show-stopping centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table. You could even add some safety eyes and make it a precious little pumpkin to give your own little one.
Remember, you can download the Wee Pumpkin pattern for FREE at this link. And while we’re on the subject of pumpkins, allow me to recommend this smashing pie recipe to bake this Thanksgiving. While you’re waiting for the pie to bake, you can work on stitching this project! We’d love to know your favorite thing about pumpkins – let us know in the comments!
As the weather gets chillier outside, there’s never been a better time for a woolly Free Pattern Friday! This weekend, we are thrilled to release the Mermaid Shawl, designed by Tori Gurbisz, featuring Deluxe DK Superwash and Colorburst. This oceanic-inspired shawl is wearable year-round thanks to the wool fibers and DK-weight of the respective yarns. Let’s dive right in and learn more about this gorgeous piece!
The Mermaid Shawl DK contains a solid upper portion using solely Deluxe DK Superwash, allowing the bottom of this shawl to stand out. The lower portion shows off slip-stitch edging as you combine Deluxe DK Superwash with Colorburst, creating the gorgeous mermaid scales that make this shawl so desirable!
The Mermaid Shawl DK is knit from the top down in relaxing stockinette stitch, with increasing throughout for shaping. Deluxe DK Superwash color 834 Cream provides the perfect canvas for your favorite hue of Colorburst to shine in this pattern. With two wool yarns for the Mermaid Shawl DK, you’ll want to sport this shawl year-round!
Now through Sunday, November 12th, Deluxe DK Superwash and Colorburst are 20% off! These two yarns have teamed up before to make beautiful creations like Slant, Virtuoso, the Ruby Shawl DK, and more! The superwash wool of solid Deluxe DK Superwash is the perfect match for the superwash fine merino and acrylic blend of self-shading Colorburst. Explore the color palettes of these respective yarns and let your imagination inspire your next project.
Make sure to share your creations with us on social media for a chance to be featured in stories or even on our feed!
Inspired by city lights and New York City’s High Line park, the High Line Shawl is the perfect project to add to your knitting needles this season. The luminescent pop of color in each version of the shawl is reminiscent of the glow of a city at night, with electrifying lights in an array of colors. The lace motif creates striking diagonal lines parallel to one another, traveling across the shawl like the tracks of the historically active rail line that has been converted to a beautiful public park.
Large Version of the High Line Shawl
Let’s talk yarn! No doubt about it, neon colors have returned and surged in popularity. Whether it’s because our world is growing increasingly digital, 90’s nostalgia, or a longing for endorphin-inducing brights to add a bit of cheer to stressful times in the world, we’re fully embracing the trend here at Universal Yarn. So much so that we recently introduced Uni Merino Neons to our lineup! This 4-ply sock yarn is comprised of soft, smooth 75% superwash merino wool and 25% nylon. It has excellent stitch definition and comes in five saturated, acidic shades. Although it’s stunning by itself, we’ve amped up the impact of this shawl by adding a strand of luxurious Essentials Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk by Rico Design. The 70% super kid mohair and 30% silk blend adds an ethereal, fluffy halo and makes projects even more insulating, which is ideal for the cold months ahead. This laceweight yarn is an excellent carry-along companion for Uni Merino Neons, and the yarns are held together throughout the project. There are plenty of coordinating colors to use with Uni Merino Neons, too. It’s a match made in heaven!
While the upbeat bright colors and luxe yarn may be enough to give you the itch to cast on the High Line Shawl, the knitting itself is just as enticing. This shawl features an all-over lace motif that will captivate your attention. The lace pattern is a simple eight stitch by eight row repeat, with lace worked on both the right side and wrong side of the work. It’s a great way to dip your toes into more complicated lacework while keeping things approachable. The results are also well worth the effort because the stitches create a striking, open fabric that will turn heads.
Another unique feature of the shawl is its asymmetrical shape. Like many shawls, it is triangular, but the increases in this pattern create more of a scalene triangle. Yarnover increases are worked every right side row on one edge, and every other right side row on the opposite edge. The lace motif is framed by a simple garter stitch edge and border. This pattern also provides instructions for both a small and large size, and each size makes the most of each yarn.
Ready to get started on the High Line Shawl? Lucky for you, both yarns required for this project are 20% off on our website (link), today through Sunday, 10/22/23, only! Get your needles ready and cast on today!
Friday means a new free pattern just for you! Grab your knitting needles and get ready for an autumn-inspired project you won’t soon forget. The Windy Ridge Cardigan, designed by Mary Stowe, is what we’re showing off this week. From irresistibly soft fibers to a captivating stitch pattern, let’s learn more about today’s Free Pattern Friday!
The Windy Ridge Cardigan uses one of the softest yarns you’ll ever find: Rico Design’s Fashion Cotton Light and Long Tweed DK! This piece is sized from XS to 5X, with yarn requirements included based on each size. Pick your favorite color of this yarn and get started on this engaging textured stripe pattern.
As seen in the photos, this stitch pattern is rhythmic and pleasing to the eye. To make the the Windy Ridge Cardigan, you’ll knit the sleeves, front and back in separate pieces from the bottom up. The front panels will incorporate exciting features like the V-neck shaping and button band. Once your pieces are done, you’ll seam everything together to create this stunning piece.
This weekend, 10/6 through 10/8, save 20% when you purchase Fashion Cotton Light and Long Tweed DK. This gorgeous yarn is perfect for all types of wearable projects, including sweaters, cardigans, shawls, and more! This yarn is a blend of cotton, acrylic, polyamide, and viscose that is as soft as can be. Each 50g skein contains 202 yards, so it’s an excellent choice for smaller projects like mittens! Explore the beautiful pastel palette, each with self-shading colors throughout, and grab your preferred hues today.
My name is Afifa, and I joined the Universal Yarn design team in February. I’ve been knitting since I was 10 years old and started designing in 2016 (you can follow me on Instagram here and see my portfolio of work here). I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to be introducing myself with a Halloween post! Spooky season is my absolute favorite time of the year with the dip in temperature signaling sweater weather.
And, boy, do I have a sweater for you to cast on while getting cozy and binge-watching The Lord of the Rings Trilogy! Say hello to the free Shelob Sweater knit in Deluxe Worsted. Nothing embodies spooky season for me more than the frightening creatures portrayed in this epic high fantasy trilogy. From Gollum lurking around corners, jumping out, and yelling ‘my precious’ to the Orcs and the great spiders of Mirkwood. The mother of these spiders, Shelob, was the inspiration for this sweater. This ancient creature’s lair lies in Cirith Ungol (the pass of the spider) leading into Mordor, avoided by all but Gollum. While her offspring terrorize all who dare to enter the forest of Mirkwood.
The Shelob Sweater is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It starts with a dramatic drop stitch mesh pattern that mimics a spiderweb and is inspired by the extensive webs woven by the sweater’s namesake. The yoke incorporates both circular and raglan shaping, allowing the yoke to lay like a capelet on the shoulders. This mesh pattern also brings in one of the hottest trends in knitwear – openwork. Layered over simple everyday pieces, this trend keeps you warm and insulated on crisp autumn mornings and evenings, but cool and comfortable in the afternoon.
Shadowy spiders representing Shelob’s spawn drop down from the yoke to add to the spooky aesthetic of this statement piece, with additional spiders on the cinched cuffs of the balloon sleeves. The spider motifs are made using only knits and purls, worked from a chart, and decorate both the front and back of the garment. Deluxe Worsted truly accentuates every aspect of this design. From the 1×1 ribbing to the dropped stitch yoke to the spider motifs, I love how the smooth, 4-ply structure of this base creates exquisite stitch definition.
This was my first experience knitting with Deluxe Worsted. And, let me tell you, this 100% non-superwash wool yarn is a pleasure to work with. It’s soft, pillowy and blooms beautifully after blocking. In addition to that, this yarn is extremely durable – something I tested out while unraveling the dropped stitches and pulling apart the ones that ‘stuck’. This sturdy yarn will stand the test of time, allowing your stitches to stay crisp and you’ll be able to wear your Shelob Sweater year after year!
Even with 90 colors to choose from, it was easy to pick the colors for this project! Though black is traditionally associated with spiders and the spooky season in general, with a little help from Rachel, our Creative Lead, we settled on Rhapsody, for a more modern twist on Halloween. Pumpkin seemed like the obvious choice for an accent color to really tie the spooky theme together. This lovely bright orange screams Halloween and plays beautifully with the rich purple of Rhapsody. For my next Shelob Sweater, I chose Blue Splash and Bashful Pink as a subtle nod to the fictional Marvel character Ghost Spider. What colors will you pick?
