This is part 3 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
Do the evenings of winter inspire you to knit more? It’s certainly the case for me. I’ve always loved the magic of a starry night. I know the shorter days can cause some to feel weary, but I find a special type of comfort in the longer, colder nights. I love how early you’re able to see the glittering stars decorate the winter night sky. It’s so fun to point out beautiful constellations and cross your fingers in hopes of catching sight of a shooting star in the cool, crisp air.
The wintry skies of the north were my inspiration for the third installment of this year’s 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection, the Polar Nights Cowl, which I’m thrilled to share with you today!
In this kit, you’ll get to explore the following techniques:
knitting in the round
stranded colorwork
slipped stitches
As I mentioned earlier, I have always loved the starry skies of the winter. But more than that, I’ve also had a lifelong fascination with the polar regions of the world. Yep – it’s a dream of mine to visit both the Arctic and Antarctica and this year I came so very close. So close, in fact, that I’ve been able to tick the Northern Lights off my lifetime bucket list when I visited Alaska in September.
I was so lucky to see the Aurora Borealis. Here are two photos I took near Healy, Alaska.
The experience of seeing the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, is one I’ll treasure forever. The trip, in general, was so impactful and special to me for so many reasons, and I was inspired to design something to remind me of it. Our 12 Days of Winter Kit Collection was the perfect fit for this design!
The Polar Nights Cowl uses three gorgeous yarns: Fibra Natura Donnina and Rico Design Essentials Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk held together as one and Rico Design Ricorumi Lamé DK held on its own. Donnina and Loves Silk held together in a deep, dark navy serve as the background. On their own, each yarn is incredibly soft, but when combined it truly creates a world of magic – Donnina’s plump, soft extrafine merino is pillowy soft, and the feathery mohair and silk blend of Super Kid Mohair Loves Silk adds an ethereal halo. The Ricorumi Lamé DK in a glistening gold is used to create the stranded colorwork motif that’s inspired by beautiful Norweigian Marius sweaters – yet another nod to the polar regions of our world.
I love the contrast between the gold and blue in this cowl. As the light hits the stitches, the shimmering effect is simply stunning. Dare I say this cowl is almost as breathtaking as a starry sky? It’s up for debate, but what certainly isn’t is how much you’ll love knitting this kit!
Here is what our lovely 12 Days of Winter Kits look like – perfect for scooping up as a gift for another knitter, or for yourself!
Remember, these exclusive kits can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Not in stock at your local shop? Ask them about drop shipping – order through them, and we ship to you! Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
This is part 1 in a 12 part series highlighting designs from our 12 Days of Winter, series 5 Edition.
Hello all! 12 Days of Winter is upon us again, and this year marks the 5th year of our kit collection. We’ve gone above and beyond this year to deliver the best kits and patterns possible, and we’ve aimed to showcase as many of our beautiful yarns as we can in the collection. I thoroughly enjoy designing for the 12 Days of Winter because there’s so much variety in designs, all centered around the same thing: the joy of wintertime. I’m a person who loves all things winter and holidays, so I tend to have what feels like endless ideas for these particular projects.
Crystalline Cowl Kit – knit using Dona, Minou, and Universe
For Day 1 of Winter, I designed the Crystalline Cowl. I’m often inspired by nature and color for designs, but in this case, I was inspired by a place I’d love to travel to someday. My absolute ‘dream’ place to visit or even to live would be in the Alsace region of France. This idyllic European region looks like it is the center of a fairytale book series, and I think that would make it such a special place to live. The mixture of the golden lights and the white snowy rooftops in photos of Alsace during winter were my inspiration sources for the Crystalline Cowl.
Image sourced from Travel France Bucket List Crystalline Cowl Side View
Some of the techniques you’ll explore in the Crystalline Cowl pattern are:
knitting in the round
grafting
slipped stitch textures
bobbles
No matter where you live, a hand knit cowl will keep you cozy, warm, and stylish on cold days. One of our newest yarns, Minou , was my first choice for this ‘lights and snow’ inspired design. When we first introduced Minou, we knew it would create an incredible, fuzzy lining for accessories. I decided to make the Crystalline Cowl fully lined with the Minou yarn in the color 101 Borzoi. First, the lining is knit using Minou held on its own. Once you complete that portion of the cowl, you join our Dona yarn in the color 101 Vanilla and begin the ribbed bottom of the cowl body. Dona is a soft and plush superwash extrafine merino yarn, perfect for garments and accessories. This combination of yarns feels like something ideal to wear walking along a charming street of shops on a cold winter day.
Wintertime in Strasbourg, Alsace
Finally, to compliment both of the main yarns, I added glimmering Universe in the color 10-03 Crystal. Universe is a unique, shimmering blend of linen and cotton with a metallic thread wrapped around the base. It adds an ethereal, magical glimmer to any project that reminds me of the reflection of lights on snow. Universe is held with Dona for the main jacquard and bobble pattern worked over the body of the cowl. The cowl is long enough to wear draped over your shoulders, or doubled up for maximum coziness. Once all sections are complete, the lining is flipped inside the main cowl, and the ends are grafted together. Top tip: if you’d like to skip the provisional cast-on and grafting called for in the pattern, you can simply cast on and seam the lining to the main cowl body. There you have it- you’ve made the most squishy, soft, and luxurious feeling accessory ever!
Christmas market in Strasbourg- image sourced from christmas.alsace
I can certainly see someone sporting their Crystalline Cowl while walking around a Christmas market in Strasbourg. Known as the ‘Capitale de Noel’ or Capital of Christmas, Strasbourg is certainly on my wintertime travel bucket list, and I’ll be bringing my Crystalline Cowl with me when I go! Tell us in the comments: what place inspired a knit or crochet project you’ve made?
Crystalline Cowl
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the inspiration for this design, and can’t wait for you to see all of the 12 Days of Winter projects for this year.
Remember, these exclusive kits can be purchased at local yarn store retailers near you. Each kit comes with the pattern, the yarn required to make it, a mini Universal Yarn project bag, and stitch marker. Use our store locator to find your nearest Universal Yarn retailer!
Hi everyone! It has been a while, and by that, I mean literal years since I’ve shared some of my adventures in natural dyeing. In the past, I’ve shared posts about dyeing with lichen, marigold, and even azaleas (link to other posts in our Natural Dye Series), but today we’re going to take a look at one of my favorite sources for natural dye: goldenrod!
In my happy place – gathering goldenrod along the roadside on a gorgeous day.
I recently learned that goldenrod is often mistaken for ragweed, a plant guilty of causing brutal allergies. It’s interesting because the two look dramatically different in my opinion, but apparently the confusion exists! I’ve heard this from our own AJ, and just over the weekend, a friend of mine told me the same thing. That’s too bad because goldenrod is a beautiful plant that attracts pollinators, and it deserves all of the love. The sight of these yellow flowers along the roadside always brings me joy and gives me the itch to dye yarn. Our office happens to be extremely close to some fields of goldenrod that bloom in late October, so I couldn’t resist the opportunity to cut some flowers and play!
Unlike my previous posts about natural dyeing, this time I wanted to try something different, so I opted for our 100% non-superwash wool, undyed Deluxe Worsted Naturals. A woolly classic, this yarn comes in five gorgeous natural shades – from light cream to deep brown. Their heathered appearance got me wondering how neat would it be to see how they compare when dyed together. I certainly wasn’t disappointed!
Although 40001 Cream would make a great base for dyeing, it’s pretty similar in color to our Ready to Dye selection and I really wanted to try something different. So for this experiment, I chose 40002 Millet, 40003 Musket, and 40004 Pewter. I figured these shades would yield the most interesting results thanks to their heathered appearances. They work well together as a gradient undyed, and the natural dye made that gradient all the more magical!
I’m not going to get into a tutorial today, because I followed the same steps I used for marigold dyeing. You can see that post for instructions here (link). I will say the primary difference is that I left some of the greenery on the plants, created the dyebath, and strained it before adding the yarn. Since I dyed three skeins or 300 grams, I needed at least 300 grams of goldenrod to ensure the dye would be saturated enough to have an effect.
Honestly, I’m so smitten with the results. I can’t believe how beautifully they turned our – er, I can, but I’m still awestruck! I want to drop everything and knit a beautiful scarf, cowl, or shawl that takes advantage of the gradient. They make such a beautiful trio. Let’s take a look at how each skein compares to its undyed counterpart.
40002 Millet
Starting with the lightest we have 40002 Millet. This will always be one of my favorite shades of Deluxe Worsted. It took the dye like I expected. It is the brightest of the bunch and most closely resembles the goldenrod blossoms.
40003 Musket
Next, we have 40003 Musket. I think I prefer this result over the Millet – it just has a bit more depth to it that I find very interesting. The gold reminds me of whole grain dijon mustard (yum!) and I’d love to see this knit up into some plump cables.
40004 Pewter
Finally, we have what must be my favorite: 40004 Pewter. I mean, wow! This was the hue I was most unsure about. I wondered whether the dye would really show up at all. To my pleasant surprise, it certainly took and created a color that reminds me of antique brass.
Top to Bottom: 40002 Millet, 40003 Musket, 40004 Pewter
And there you have it – the results of my exploration in dyeing with goldenrod and Deluxe Worsted Naturals! Which color is your favorite? How would you knit or crochet them? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Halloween, folks! We have a few days left of what is the official spooky season. No October would be complete without movie marathons. Whether you’re into feel-good Halloween flicks from your childhood or classic horror, I’m sure you have plans to watch something festive this weekend. I know those of us at Universal Yarn certainly are! So, today we wanted to share what we’re watching and some yarns and projects inspired by those flicks. Our design team – Aubrey, AJ, Heather, and I – are ready to share some of our favorites with you!
Aubrey
“Although I can happily admit I don’t love horror movies, I DO love film and television that has a dark or spooky undertone to it. Combine it with comedy, and I am sold. The Addams are a satirical take on the idealized 20th-century American family, and arguably the best part about them is that they are very much unconcerned with the fact that people find them bizarre or scary. Growing up, I would watch the television show with my parents, and Morticia Addams quickly became an icon of mine for various reasons. She’s stylish, passionate about her family, independent, and confident in herself, which are all qualities I admire. Also, this femme fatale was a knitter! Remember the 3 legged romper?
The 1993 film Addams Family Values is one of my favorites to watch around Halloween, and so I thought I’d share a couple of knitting patterns that I think will help anyone channel their inner Morticia. A dramatic silhouette I could see Morticia loving would be a cape. For our Elevated Essentials collection, I designed the Moria Cape, knit using 100% non-superwash wool Deluxe Worsted.
This cape was a lot of fun to design, and the black and gray color-blocked panels give it a very modern touch. It has a trapeze shape, with an open front and armholes that make it easy to wear out and about. I believe everyone deserves some statement outerwear pieces in their wardrobe, and this cape is meant to be exactly that! Pair this with a billowing blouse or dress and you have a very Morticia-esque silhouette. This pattern combines cable work and shaping, so it is on a more intermediate level. It is worked in pieces and seamed to ensure it lasts for years to come.
Though we might not design our patterns with characters in mind, it is so much fun to think about a character you love and what they might enjoy making and wearing. Morticia Addams certainly seems like the type of woman who would love to make herself some FABULOUS knitted sweaters and accessories!”
AJ
“I have watched Hocus Pocus every year for Halloween since I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of other movies that I love for the season, but this film feels like tradition at this point. My household has watched it enough that my husband and I will spout off goofy quotes like “Dead Man’s Toe!” to each other year-round for absolutely no reason. I know – I’m weird. So anyway, that’s why I love this adorable Witch Legs Scarf pattern by Chelsea Roberts! It has an iconic style spotted in movies like The Wizard of Oz and in Hocus Pocus that just screams “Witch!”
A great yarn to use is our Uptown Worsted, which comes in plenty of vibrant colors and is made in an Anti-Pilling Acrylic that is ultra-soft and super easy to care for. Because of the price-point and variety of color options, this makes for a great gift to thank hosts of Halloween parties, or simply a fun quick project to whip up and wear while passing out candy year after year. I myself received this scarf as a gift during my Craft Guild Fall Gift Exchange, and I wear it for our October Guild Meeting for a bit of quirky costume fun!”
Heather
“I tend to spook easily, so I’m not a big fan of scary movies. However, I have to tip my hat to a classic B-grade horror flick from 1962 called The Brain That Wouldn’t Die. I stayed up watching the late-night creature feature at a friend’s slumber party after everyone else went to bed. A mad scientist keeps his fiancee’s head – and just her head – alive after a car wreck.
You’d better believe this blew my tiny mind. Even now, when I see people in thermal hoods, I think of it. However, this movie did kindle a love of truly awful movies in me, so I thank it for that. For the Brain that Wouldn’t Die, I keep wanting to make a balaclava, for obvious reasons! But to keep it from creeping me out, I think I’d turn the idea on its head (pun intended!) and go with Picklehead by Suzen Statz, designed in Uptown Worsted!”
Rachel
I think I may be the only one here that LOVES horror films. So does my mom, so that’s probably the reason behind it. I’ve been watching horror films since I was probably a bit too young to handle some of them. Even if they were off-limits, I remember sneaking behind the sofa in the living room to take a peek while my mom enjoyed them. I watch scary movies all year on a regular basis – rewatching favorites and savoring the new ones, regardless of whether they’re ridiculous or legitimately good (don’t even get me started, there are too many to name!). My pick for this Halloween is an absolute classic: Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Everything about this movie is great – the visuals and cinematography, ominous music, pace, and the psychological and supernatural tension throughout.
Regarding visuals beyond the set, the costume design is chock full of excellent sweaters. I’ve wanted to recreate several of the sweaters donned by Jack and of course, we can’t overlook (oh yes, the Overlook) Danny’s Apollo 11 sweater. (Take a look at this excellent project by Sabrina Magazine).
However, one of the most iconic images in the film is the carpet. It’s eye-catching, graphic, and unforgettable. So thank goodness The Shining blanket by Kraftling exists. This is described as a beginner-friendly pattern which is great because I know my crochet skills aren’t polished yet. The moment I spotted this pattern I knew it had to go on my “to-make” list – perhaps by next Halloween? For the blanket, I’d use Deluxe Worsted Superwash. Although normally I’m a non-superwash gal, I have to say that I like my homewares easy to care for. You can wash and dry this yarn on low heat without the concern of felting. Easy peasy!
So that’s it for our Halloween movie picks this year! Do you indulge in spooky movies each Halloween? What are your favorites? Do you have any projects recommendations to go along with them? Let us know in the comments!
This week I’m taking a look at our fabulous Elevated Essentials collection. From the moment I saw the photos I instantly fell head-over-heels in love. In a word, the overall style is Luxe. With chic neutral tones and texture-rich detailing in each of the finished pieces, it’s easy to see why the descriptor used in the collection name was “Elevated.”
Carillon in Deluxe Worsted Color 40002 Millet
The yarn used for each of these looks is our Deluxe Worsted and Deluxe Worsted Naturals, which are 100% Wool and come at the affordable price point of $8.25 per skein. Based on the natural composition and budget-friendly qualities, this yarn is deemed the essential yarn to have in your stash.
Deluxe Worsted in 12501 Oatmeal Heather
My favorite sweater is the Eilhart pullover, which gives me some serious craft envy when I see all of the gorgeous cables. Crochet has some ways to mimic this iconic look but when I consider this particular pattern I just don’t think it would compare.
Eilhart in Deluxe Worsted colors 40001 cream, 40003 Musket and 12180 Eggplant
The pattern has a hypnotic flow to it, creating a sleek silhouette drawing the eye down, while intertwining in the center and sides perfectly. The other design element that I love is the deep contrast in color for the sleeves and neck. I would normally think of this style as playful like a baseball tee, but instead it stripped away notions of playtime and had me ready to grab some needles and get to work. The ribbing is enough to be interesting but doesn’t compete with the stunning bodywork. In fact, I feel it further frames the intense center detailing with the drastic color change and subtle texture.
Compare the cables seen above with the crochet ones below. It just wouldn’t quite do the trick.
Let’s not get too caught up in the could you/couldn’t you debate though, and instead continue on to appreciate another marvelous piece.
Moria in Deluxe Worsted 12502 Smoke Heather and 1900 Ebony
The Moria Cape – the name alone stirs up my nerd-brain into a fantastical frenzy, but the design is simply breathtaking. The play on color creates a unique optical illusion that feels as whimsical as its namesake, and don’t event get me started on the perpetual Cable-Envy that this collection offers.
Moria in Deluxe Worsted 12502 Smoke Heather and 1900 Ebony
Well that’s all for now. The next time I’m back it may very well be to announce that the Crochet Corner is being abandoned for a Novice Knit Nook!
Midnight Top in Cotton Supreme DK 718 and Cotton Gold 1097
Today’s free pattern is the Midnight Top, knit using Cotton Supreme DK and Cotton Gold held together. When I designed this top, my inspiration was twinkling stars in the night sky. I grew up in a wooded neighborhood with no street lights, so going out to look at the beautiful stars at night is a childhood memory I cherish, and one that I always find inspiring.
Midnight Top in Cotton Supreme DK 718 and Cotton Gold 1097
Cotton Supreme DK is a fantastic staple yarn for warm-weather projects. This 100% cotton yarn is easy to work with, buttery-soft, and perfect for the whole family. It works up into a fabric that has gorgeous drape and stitch definition, so we love using it for garment patterns like the Midnight Top. I chose the color 718 Black for this design.
Cotton Gold is a fancy yarn that works up into an ethereal, shimmering fabric. It looks lovely on its own for shawls or stoles that are perfect for an event, like the Golden Fans Shawl and the Phantom Shawlette. When carried along with another yarn, it adds some pizazz to an otherwise plain project. The thread base is made of cotton mixed with gold or silver glitter (depending on your color choice), and has small Payette sequins strung throughout that give this yarn its magical appearance. I chose the color 1097 for this design, which is Black with Silver sequins.
Midnight Top in Cotton Supreme DK 718 and Cotton Gold 1097
This pattern uses an eyelet stitch repeat, which creates lovely columns of knit stitches and eyelets, resulting in a stretchy, comfortable lace fabric you’ll be happy wearing all day long. If you’re intimidated by lace stitches, don’t fret! The pattern uses a three-stitch repeat, so it is incredibly easy to memorize as you go. Simple neckline shaping, and an identical front and back make this a very suitable project for the advanced beginner as well as more seasoned knitters.
Midnight Top in Cotton Supreme DK 718 and Cotton Gold 1097
I often think about the versatility of pieces I design. The Midnight Top is designed so that it works well for any outfit you choose. Style it with jeans or pants for a more casual look, or throw it over a dress for an evening out! Cotton Supreme DK also makes this piece suitable to be used as a swimsuit cover-up for days at the beach or pool. The fringe detail on the hemline adds just a bit of flair that makes dressing up or down even easier.
Midnight Top in Cotton Supreme DK 718 and Cotton Gold 1097
I’d love to know, with so many colors of Cotton Supreme DK and Cotton Gold to choose from, what combination would you choose for the Midnight Top?
It’s early June, which means that summer is here (in my book, even if not officially!). And while there are numerous things I love about summer, one thing that’s always exciting is the introduction of new yarns for the upcoming Fall season! For the next few weeks, I’ll be highlighting some of our great new offerings, starting this week with Bamboo Pop Sock – Solids.
Yep, you heard me correctly – solids! We’ve had lots of requests from customers who fell in love with our self-shading version of Bamboo Pop Sock. When we introduced the yarn with eight splashy, self-striping colors in 2019 it was an instant hit, so we swiftly added another eight colors in solid, gradually shifting stripes. This yarn has become beloved for being a wool-free alternative to other sock yarns, so it’s great for vegan knitters or those with sensitivities to animal fibers. This yarn blends bamboo, cotton, and PBT to create a cool, comfortable, and elastic yarn. While it’s fantastic for socks, we’ve fallen in love with it for baby projects, garments, accessories, and more! To celebrate the introduction of our 22 solid colors (20 of which are available now), I want to highlight some beautiful free patterns featuring Bamboo Pop Sock solids.
Fairway in #614 Celestial, #612 Sky, & #616 Fern
I mentioned that people began to love Bamboo Pop Sock for baby projects, like the popular Playtime Dress in color #404 Wildflowers. Aubrey simply couldn’t resist adding to the collection of baby patterns using this yarn, so she designed Fairway (pattern link). This cute little sweater features bold blocks of color and texture using colors that remind me of a sunny day playing Par 3 golf with my dad. It’s perfect! Fairway is sized from 0-6 months through 4 years, and only takes one ball of each color across all sizes.
Crimson Tee in #608 Pomegranate
With an eye for feminine details, Aubrey perfectly finds the balance between elegant and casual apparel in the Crimson Tee (pattern link). It features a botanically-inspired lace motif along the hem, sleeves, and in the panels featured on the front and back. We love it styled with a French tuck (as pictured), allowing the scalloped hem to show along the sides and back.
Lace details on the Crimson Tee.
Looking for an accessory instead? Try the lovely Serendipity shawl (pattern link), also designed by Aubrey. This asymmetrical triangular shawl is knit flat on the bias, and it only takes one ball of yarn! The fabric is covered in a lovely little lace motif. The design illustrates how magical the drape of this Bamboo Pop Sock is. It creates a silky, smooth effect that perfectly hugs your neck and shoulders. Toss this shawl over your favorite summer tank or dress and you’re good to go!
I hope you’ve enjoyed a peek at new patterns in Bamboo Pop Sock! Which of these do you plan to knit first? The yarn and patterns are available now, so be sure to head to your local yarn store or our website to start your new favorite project!
Have you ever had that moment in a yarn store when you find yourself standing before a wall of stunning sock yarn? Solid-color or variegated – the colorful skeins just call your name. As you stand there, you think about the magic of sock yarn. Each skein boasts generous yardage, so a single skein is plenty for shawls, hats, mitts, cowls, and most obviously, socks! I could go on and on about the wonderful sock yarns we offer. We really have something for everyone, but today I wanted to focus on a perfect, potato-chippy, self-patterning yarn: Pix.
Pix in #108 Techno, pictured with the Happy Magic Scarf.
Pix features a classic sock yarn base: a blend of 75% superwash wool and 25% nylon. Both fibers are incredibly durable with just the right amount of bounce and memory. It is a smooth, worsted-spun 4-ply yarn that boasts crisp, well-defined stitches. These characteristics make Pix perfect for hard-wearing accessories. But what really makes this yarn stand out? Well, it’s a self-patterning yarn in a playful array of colors!
Pix Simple Sock shown in #103 Paisley (top sock) and #101 Citrus Slide (bottom sock).
The simplest and most straight-forward way to use Pix is for knitting socks. We prefer a nice vanilla sock because it allows the colorful patterns to shine. Many sock knitters have their own preferences and recipes for plain Stockinette stitch socks, but if you aren’t armed with one, we have you covered. The free Pix Simple Sock (pattern link) is knit in the round from the toe up. It features a classic K2, P2 Ribbed cuff.
Pro-tip: I prefer socks that are sisters and not twins, but if you want your socks to match perfectly you’ll need to wind off the skein so you start the second sock in the same section of the print.
Euphoric in Pix #108 Techno and Whisper Lace #111 Ebony
Socks aren’t the only way to play with this gorgeous yarn. Just take a look at the funky and fun Euphoric scarf (pattern link), designed by Amy Gunderson. This design cleverly pairs Pix with Whisper Lace in #111 Ebony for bold, high-contrast stripes to break up sections of color. The intarsia method is used to create an unexpected, staggered stripe effect. Cute twists of fringe decorate the long edges of this piece. Although it’s pictured with long sleeves above, I think this would be perfect to layer over a simple dress for springtime.
The Happy Magic Scarf in #105 Street Art
The Happy Magic Scarf (pattern link), designed by Heather Hill, magnificently displays how neat the color changes are when you throw in a chevron motif. The stitch pattern is soothing and is easily memorized, making this a great project for unwinding after a long day. This design has been well-loved in the office and by our customers for years now (it was published in 2015!). This one-skein wonder exemplifies just how far 459 yards will take you!
Pix features a palette of 8 fantastic colors – with combinations that include everything from bright and punchy to earthy, soothing, and warm. You’re sure to find a color you’ll love…and I’m sure you won’t stop at one! You can nab some Pix at your local yarn store or on our website. What will you make with it?
If you follow us, you might know that we carry a fantastic line of yarn created with amigurumi projects in mind: Ricorumi DK Cotton. I’m such a fan of these cute mini-skeins that come in a vast range of colors. The Rico Design Team has created an adorable assortment of crochet patterns, kits, and books for the yarn. In fact, they’re even hosting a ridiculously cute Spring Crochet-Along right now. We’ve been sharing their patterns in our newsletter and on social media regularly. However, since we started sharing them more often, I’ve been getting emails from knitters requesting similar projects for those who don’t crochet. With those customers in mind, and with Easter well on its way, I felt some inspiration creep in.
The skeins of Ricorumi DK Cotton remind us of colorful Easter eggs!
Last week I started brainstorming with our other in-house designer, Aubrey, about ideas for Easter. A cute stuffed toy was the obvious choice. However, we already have patterns for a bunny (Coco pattern link) and a sheep (Sheldon the Sheep pattern link). What were we missing? A cute little chick! And just like that, Easter Earl (pattern link) was born!
I’m just going to say it. I love him. He was such a joy to design. I can’t get over his plump little body and all of the fun details – from the tufts of “feathers” on his head, to his bowtie, plush wings, and silly little feet. He’s a real cutie! Honestly, designing toys is so much fun. It’s a bit of a free form and play-as-you-go process, but it’s also a puzzle that requires no shortage of problem-solving. I re-knit some features several times to try and get the right shapes and proportions. Watching Earl evolve from a weird yellow snowman shape into a Spring chick was a blast. There were moments of anxiety along the way because I really wanted to make sure the finished project reflected my vision. Is it an exact match? Nope – but I couldn’t be happier with it!
I wrapped the upper corners of his eyes to create an eyelid effect. It’s one of my favorite details.
With the exception of the bowtie, each piece is knit in the round. That makes it a no-purl project, too! Some of the pieces, like the feet and the beak, are quite small so they can feel a little fiddly and tedious to knit, but it’s well worth the effort. You’ll get to indulge in a variety of techniques for this project. It involves an adjustable ring cast-on, 2-stitch I-cord, and basic increases and decreases. The body is worked in one piece. Then the wings, feet, beak, and bowtie are knit separately. During finishing, each piece is assembled together. The pattern includes written instructions for where to attach each piece, but I think the photos are even more helpful.
Just look at those precious toes!
It only took me two days to make Easter Earl, so he makes a great last-minute gift to place in an Easter basket. He’ll certainly be finding his way into my husband’s Easter basket this year!
Today the sun is shining bright and the temperature is reminding me that spring is well on its way. Here in North Carolina, some of the spring flowers are starting to emerge and I can see buds beginning to appear on the maple tree in my front yard. The days are getting longer and I couldn’t be more thrilled. This early spring weather has me tempted to pull out my warm-weather knits. Or, at the very least, it has me tempted to cast on something perfect for when the weather is consistently warm! I’m not quite ready to say hello to linen, but a nice blend of plant and animal fibers should do the trick!
Ravello in #112 Sage Leaf.
Last year we introduced Ravello, and I immediately fell in love. It is a blend of cotton, extra-fine merino, and recycled cashmere. This blend is the perfect companion for spring weather, keeping you warm during the chilly mornings yet remaining lightweight enough to keep you comfortable when the sun is shining high. This plied yarn features a subtle halo and the palette ranges from soft pastels to rich heathers.
When I saw the submission call for the Spring 2021 issue of Interweave Knits, I knew I had to propose a design that uses Ravello. The mood board features botanical motifs and soft colors. Ravello is beautiful in a variety of stitch patterns, but it excels in lace. So, with my graph-paper notebook and knitting needles in hand, I began brainstorming and playing with some ideas.
Left: My preliminary swatch for Subtle Spring. Right: My digital sketch that was included in the proposal.
A yoke tee seemed like the perfect playground for a lace design. The motif could grow in size – starting small around the neckline and sprouting into something larger and even more beautiful. I looked to leaves and vines for inspiration. Initially, I suggested Sage Leaf for the design – a literal interpretation of sprouting spring plants. As you can see from the swatch pictured above, I thought about using a contrasting color for the hem, neckline, and sleeve cuffs for an added element of interest. Additionally, each sleeve would feature a row of eyelets before the crisp twisted ribbing.
Subtle Spring Tee, image courtesy of Interweave Knits.
Eventually, my swatches and sketches grew up to be the Subtle Spring Tee. The final design stayed remarkably true to my vision. Collaboratively, the editor and I opted to pass on the idea of contrast color ribbing, thinking it might distract a little from the lace motif that decorates the yoke. Instead of using Sage Leaf, we decided to lean towards warmth and romance by choosing 104 Soft Clay instead.
Rows of eyelets border the ribbing along each edge. Image courtesy of Interweave Knits.
I opted to include the row of eyelets to the bottom hem and around the neckband instead of just the sleeves. This sweater begins with a provisional cast-on and is knit from the top-down. During finishing you unpick the provisional cast-on and work the neckband from the bottom-up. I’m so glad I wrote the pattern this way because, in the original draft of the pattern, I didn’t include eyelets around the neckband. When I received the garment from my sample knitter, I decided there needed to be more continuity between the lace yoke and the neckband. So, I unraveled the neckband and added the row of eyelets. Sometimes it’s the little details that bring a design together.
Yoke details on the Subtle Sprint Tee. Image courtesy of Interweave Knits.
I love when a design comes together just the way I envisioned. I hope you enjoyed this peek into my design process.
