Tag: Lace

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Free Pattern Friday – Lotus Shrug

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

LotusShrug_blog

I love knitting lace, but realistically there are only so many lace shawls I need, so I’m delighted to see the Lotus Shrug in Whisper Lace!

Whisper Lace (50g/440yds) is a member of our luxury Fibra Natura line.  70% wool + 30% silk = 100% love.  It’s a joy to work with.  And it’s a perfect match for a project that hits right in the sweet spot of my personal taste.

Whisper Lace Shrug cu 1_blogKnitted flat side to side, the arm seams are joined, then the edges are picked up along the edge of the body in the round to add the lace.  Knitting outward from the edge creates a great sense of motion in the finished piece.

For me, it doesn’t hurt that it’s on size 5 needles, so I can see progress faster than on some lace projects.  This one’s going in my queue.

Happy knitting!

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Afghan Knitalong – Block Four

4 lace block Tree Family_blog

Block Four is called “Tree Family” (link here).

How did your first lace square go?  Feel like you have a handle on the basics?

Yonca Square Three_blog Heather Square 3_Blog

We had a good time with the last square in the office.  Once the chart reading “clicks” it really does make knitting lace easier.

Our new block is also lace with a good helping of stockinette, but it introduces one new stitch – the center double decrease.  You’ll slip two as if to knit, then knit a stitch, then pass those two slipped stitches over the stitch you just knit.  This is a way of reducing three stitches into just one.  If you saw yesterday’s Sunday Swatch in Classic Shades Big Time, the mitered square used a centered double decrease to create the line of V-stitches running diagonally up the center of the block.

If this is your first time with this stitch, no worries!  Amy has put together a video on the center double decrease, as well as a handy tip on creating some decidedly low-tech stitch markers.

Amy also reveals the technique featured in our next block.  It will be… drumroll… slip stitch colorwork!

As always, you’re welcome to share what you’ve done here, on Facebook, or in our Ravelry group.  We can’t wait to see what you do!

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Swingy

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Swingy in Bamboo Pop

Today, Amy Gunderson brings us Swingy in Bamboo Pop.

Swingy sleeve detailAfter releasing our E-Book Bamboo Pop Kids we had quite a few requests for an adult pattern in Bamboo Pop (292yds/100g), our popular cotton/bamboo blend.  This lightweight swingy cardi fits the bill.

Worked with raglan shaping from the top down, there is no seaming involved.  This is the kind of loose, drapey jacket you reach for when you want comfort as well as style.

Happy knitting!

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Sunday Swatch – Cotton Supreme DK

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Cotton Supreme DK.

Sunday Swatch Cotton Supreme DKAh, Spring.  Time to plant the garden, spruce up the house, and experiment with cooler fabrics.  Hence the paint job on the fence – and today’s Sunday Swatch.

Cotton Supreme DK is a lighter weight version of our favorite worsted weight Cotton Supreme.  It knits up nicely on a US Size 5 or 6 needle.

Sea Breeze by Yumiko AlexanderThe Cotton Supreme family isn’t tiring on the hands as some cottons can be – I knitted the Sea Breeze top shown at right for my daughter out of  Cotton Supreme and would happily do it again.

This design is part of Yumiko Alexander’s Warm Earth Book 3, which until recently was only available in print.  We’re delighted to release the book and its patterns for sale as digital downloads from Ravelry and Craftsy.  Yumiko’s patterns are always a pleasure to make, and we look forward to sharing more of them with you electronically.

If you’re looking for something free, there’s always the popular Fleurette Lace Pullover designed for Cotton Supreme DK.  Long sleeved but lacy on both front and back, it’s perfect for this time of year.

Happy knitting!

 

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Free Pattern Friday – Leaf by Leaf Triangular Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Leaf By Leaf Shawl in Soft Payette

I know, I know.  I’m squealing too.

This is the Leaf by Leaf Triangular Shawl in Soft Payette.  Formerly available only as part of a printed pattern collection, today we release it “into the wild” as a free pattern.

Sequined Soft Payette (224yds/100g) adds the perfect amount of sparkle to this gorgeous lace shawl, which knits up quickly on US Size 9 (5.5mm)needles.  I like the model shown in 158-02 Pearl, but am leaning toward 158-16 Lapis for my own.  Those blue sequins on blue yarn are just my style.

Have fun making this shawl your own.  Happy knitting!

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Afghan Knitalong – Block Three

Step Up Your Game block

How’d your intarsia go?  Ready for something new? How do you feel about lace?

Block 3 is called “Step Up Your Game” (link here).  It’s both written and charted so you can do whatever you prefer – but if you haven’t tried reading a chart before, we hope you’ll give it a go.  Once you get the hang of it, it’s a handy skill to have.

Amy shares a video with us in which she talks about charts and walks us through the basic increases and decreases.  Try out her modified ssk (slip, slip, knit) – it lays flatter than the traditional version for a neater look.

Continuing our theme of building blocks (no pun intended), our next square will be more lace, with one additional type of decrease.

We hope you learn something new – and have fun!

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Free Pattern Friday – Amphoras Tank

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

AmphorasTank_CottonGold

Today, we present the Amphoras Tank in Cotton Gold.  If ever there were a perfect marriage of pattern and yarn, this is it.

Cotton Gold is a thread of cotton with some extra sparkle.  A strand of metallic glitter is wound around the cotton, and the whole affair is generously strung with glittering sequins.  You don’t have to imagine what this does for a lace pattern, you can see.  It dazzles.  This is another yarn that we love so much that we are expanding the color palette.  You can see sneak peeks of the silver, purple, and blue on our website.

The Amphoras Tank is a very stretchy top designed to fit with up to 4″ of negative ease.  The yarn is held doubled throughout.  The Amphoras Lace repeat is written and charted – follow whichever is most comfortable for you.

We hope you enjoy this bit of glitter in your day!

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Free Pattern Friday – Lace Edge Garter Stitch Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Lace Edge Garter Stitch Shawl

Do you recognize this shawl?  Today, we’re releasing a “pay” pattern into the wild! The Lace Edge Garter Stitch Shawl is a popular design also found in our leaflet Poems Sock Shawls and Accessories.  This is a pattern we get a lot of requests for, and we’re delighted to be able to share it with you for free.

The shawl is knit from the top down, letting the Poems Sock self-shading yarn create a dramatic effect as the color repeats thin out while the stitches on the rows increase. The charted lace edging is knitted on at the end.

This would be a great project to occupy your hands when you need to focus your attention elsewhere.  The garter stitch isn’t hard to do, but leads to a great finished object.  The perfect project!

 

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Free Pattern Friday – Little Bird

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

You know, I love show season, don’t get me wrong. Stitches, TNNA, VKLive, they’re all great opportunities to show our stuff and to reconnect with other knitters and crocheters. But man, do they take a lot of work! I guess this is my way of saying I apologize for missing the last couple of Free Pattern Friday posts. Now that show season has waned a bit, things should get back to normal here. To make up for it, let’s do two free patterns for baby today!

Little Dreamer Pullover

First, the Little Dreamer Pullover. It’s a charming baby sweater knit from the bottom up. The raglan sleeves are easy, and anybody who has ever tried to dress a baby will appreciate a v-neck that slips easily over a little squirmer’s head. The slipped stitches in solid Little Bird (344yds/100g) give a lot of interest along the stripes where the color changes. It’s an easy technique that looks great – one of our favorite tricks. We’ll bet this would look great in Little Bird Multi (284yds/100g), too!

Little Bird Lace Sampler Baby BlanketNext up, the Lace Sampler Baby Blanket by Amy Gunderson. Knitted in the round from the center out, it combines several different lace patterns into a lacy heirloom. This design is also in Little Bird solids. Little Bird is a soft and smooth 100% acrylic yarn that is machine washable. It’s a great choice for a project you want to stand the test of time.

How about you? What’s your favorite kind of knit or crochet for baby?