Lace – Page 5 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

September 3, 2021September 3, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Autumn Oak

Happy Free Pattern Friday!

Aubrey looking spectacular in the new Autumn Oak Hat!

It’s September, which means the official end of summer is mere weeks away and the season of all things woolly is upon us. For me, that means hats, hats, and more hats! I’m sure I’ve said this before, but hats are one of my favorite things to design and knit. I love everything about the process – they’re an excellent playground for a variety of techniques, quick to work up, and make wonderful gifts. That’s why I’m thrilled to share my latest design with you: the Autumn Oak Hat (pattern link).

The large leaf motif nods to the rounded lobes of White Oak leaves.

Autumn Oak is knit using plush and cozy Posh Alpaca, a blend of wool, superfine alpaca, and acrylic. This single-ply yarn is a super bulky weight but feels surprisingly light and springy. The palette is full of gorgeous neutrals and autumnal hues, and the colorway that simply sings to my heart is #112 Carotene, used in the Autumn Oak Hat. Orange, especially burnt orange, is perhaps my most favorite color, so I knew I needed to design something with it. This autumnal orange immediately conjured images of brilliant fall foliage, especially that of oak trees.

Fiery, red-orange leaves of a White Oak tree.

The Autumn Oak hat features a singular, large leaf motif that simply pops off the background of reverse stockinette stitch. It is complemented by twiggy lace motifs around the rest of the hat. These elements make this an engaging pattern that offers a bit of a challenge in a small package – again, hats are a perfect playground for learning new skills!

The lace motifs flow elegantly into the crown shaping, making this piece look great at every angle. It’s topped with a fluffy pom pom, and let me tell you, Posh Alpaca makes a really plush and fluffy pom pom!

Even though Posh Alpaca only contains 98 yards, it goes a long way. This hat is just a one-ball project, even with the pom pom. It works up fast, so you can knit one for yourself and for your friends and family in no time! It would look gorgeous knit up in any of the other colors, but I’d love to see versions of it using the colors inspired by trees: #101 Birch, #102, Oak, and #111 Hemlock. Whatever color you choose, you simply can’t go wrong!

I hope you love this hat as much as I loved designing it. Let me know which color you’d choose in the comments!

Until next time, happy crafting!

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021

Homestead Tank – Musings on the ‘Cottagecore’ trend

Hello crafters! I wanted to start this week off by discussing a really fun topic: design inspiration. In particular, the growing Cottagecore trend, and how it inspired the Homestead Tank free pattern.

It is no secret that the past year has been tough on every single one of us. From spending way more time at home than we’re used to, to the general effects of the pandemic on society, we’re all searching for bright spots in our day-to-day. Over the last year, many people have either picked up or returned to their knitting hobby, as it is mindful and often quite stress relieving. I find myself consistently drawn to simple silhouettes and rhythmic stitch patterns for new designs, as I feel these elements are well suited to the needs of today’s knitter.

Homestead Tank in Flax color 12 Tarragon

When I set out to design a tank top pattern using our Flax yarn, I knew I would use lacy stitches, and a breezy, oversized silhouette. The color Tarragon (12) was my first choice for the design, as it is a beautiful shade of green that I think would flatter anyone. Combining these ideas with the inspiration of the Cottagecore trend, the Homestead Tank was born.

So, what is Cottagecore? It is an aesthetic I have always been drawn to, rather unknowingly, because I love feminine and romantic styles inspired by nature. Over the last couple years, we have seen it blossom into a widespread trend for both fashion and homewares. And what a lovely trend it is! Cottagecore is rooted in an idealized view of countryside living. It is an excuse to ‘escape’ our chaotic modern reality, and be inspired by a slower, more thoughtful way of life that is enriched with the beauty of nature and handmade things.

Image from Good Housekeeping article ‘What is Cottagecore?’

The Homestead Tank embraces the idyllic beauty of the Cottagecore inspiration. A breezy and boxy silhouette allows you to easily layer this tank top over a flowy dress and run through a field of wildflowers. The stitch pattern is reminiscent of a checkerboard plaid, but with eyelets worked throughout. Although the pattern does use lace stitches, it is a simple and easy-to-memorize repeat. A v-shaped neckline is perfect for catching some warm rays of sunshine on your skin as you enjoy a relaxing afternoon by a lake.

Our Fibra Natura Flax yarn is made of 100% linen fiber that softens every time you wash it. This yarn’s gentle and natural beauty is suited to both textured and lace stitches. Wonderful for garments and accessories for warm weather, there are 34 colors of Flax to choose from. Even if the Tarragon green color (12) isn’t your favorite, I am sure you’ll find a shade that you love. I think Lilac (07) would be a great alternative color choice for this pattern, because it reminds me of a bouquet of Lavender from an herb garden; just perfect for the Cottagecore inspiration.

Image from : The Spruce article on Cottagecore

The Homestead Tank is a seamed top, so you’ll make the front and two back pieces separately. I am especially fond of seamed knitted garments, as they add strength and structure to the finished piece, ensuring it’ll keep its shape through many years of wash and wear. Part of the Cottagecore trend is embracing a slower way of life, and making handmade garments falls perfectly into that. When you knit something for yourself, you’ll treasure it in a way you never would something store bought!

My favorite part of this design is the button up back. Pick up and knit the placket after you seam the pieces together, and hand sew the buttons on upon completion. We chose handcrafted wooden buttons from Katrinkles for this design. I alternated the buttons between the Sunburst and Palm designs down the placket, to add a bit of whimsy to the overall look.

Whether you love being outside, making delicious treats to eat, or crafting something for yourself like the Homestead Tank, the Cottagecore trend has something for you. In a high stress world like ours, it is an invitation to indulge in all things slow, mindful, and natural. Try baking bread, plant lovely flowers on your patio, or take some time to knit or crochet outdoors. Even these small things can give you a little bit of the ‘escapism’ that Cottagecore encourages.

What would you do to bring this aesthetic into your day-to-day life? Tell us in the comments!

Happy Crafting!

August 20, 2021August 20, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Midnight Top

Happy Free Pattern Friday!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

Happy Crafting!

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021

Flash Pattern Friday – Seastar in Cotton Supreme

It’s Flash Pattern Friday!

On the last Friday of the month, we take a gorgeous paid pattern and make it free for a limited time! This week, it’s Seastar, knitted in Cotton Supreme (Ravelry link here).

Why did we pick Seastar? Because today is the birthday of the designer, Aubrey Busek, and we think of her as the bright star on our design team! We also press Aubrey into service as a model sometimes, as with these free crocheted Ribbon Mitts in Kingston Tweed. Work it, Aubrey!

Seastar appeared earlier this year in the Seaside Supreme collection, and it really shows off Aubrey’s design sensibilities. It’s fun, upbeat, modern, and has great little details. Aubrey’s choice to echo the star’s color on the edging really pulls this design together.

The choice of soft, 100% cotton, worsted weight Cotton Supreme gives the top great breathability, and makes it very wearable for warm weather!

Seastar is sized from XS to 5X, and it includes options for short and long sleeves, for even more flexibility. We’re delighted to be able to offer this beauty for free this weekend!

To get Seastar free, use the buy it now or add to cart links on the Ravelry pattern page. Then enter coupon code FLASH where you see the “use a coupon code” links that appear during purchase.

We hope you have a phenomenal weekend.

Happy crafting!

June 11, 2021June 11, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Marion Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Woman outdoors wearing silvery lace wrap knitted in Flax yarn

Today, the Marion Stole knit in Flax Lace (pattern link here).

Ah, there’s nothing like linen for lace.

It wafts with the wind, light and breezy, keeping you cool on a warm day.

Rear view of woman outdoors wearing silvery lace wrap knitted in Flax yarn

For this delicate lace stole, Aubrey Busek chose 100% linen Flax Lace. Just two hanks are required.

Image of six skeins of cool-toned Flax Lace yarn

Cast on, and knit end to end. The center and edge lace patterns are written and charted for your convenience.

Perfect summertime lace in linen, just waiting for you to create.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.

Happy crafting!

May 14, 2021May 14, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Celeste

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

woman wearing light blue poncho crocheted in Papyrus yarn

Today, Celeste crocheted in Papyrus (pattern link here).

Celeste is a lovely springtime layering piece with a straightforward construction.

Woman wearing Celeste poncho crocheted in Papyrus yarn

Two rectangles are worked, with a tidy double double crochet at the borders for a neat finish. The rectangles are seamed, leaving space for the arms and neck (of course) to create a simple, classic silhouette.

Closeup of crochet stitch pattern in Celeste poncho

As for the stitch pattern, it’s a gorgeous all-over lace that’s written and charted. You’ll get the rhythm of it in no time.

We used Fibra Natura Papyrus for this design. It’s a luxurious warm-weather blend of cotton and silk with an interesting texture.

Closeup image of light blue green Papyrus yarn color 229-19 Ether

The poncho is shown in 229-13 Celestial, but because I’m a sucker for blue-green, I’d probably make mine in the 229-19 Ether shown above. Either way, with that stitch pattern, the final result will be divine.

Rear view of woman wearing poncho crocheted in Papyrus yarn.

We hope you have a fantastic weekend, full of beauty and joy.

Happy crafting!

April 16, 2021April 20, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Welkin

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Woman wearing blue and white shawl knitted in Nymph

Today, Welkin in Rozetti Yarns Nymph (pattern link here).

If you’re wondering about the name of this week’s pattern, “welkin” comes from an old English word meaning the vault of the sky.

Rear view of woman wearing blue and white shawl knitted in Nymph

It’s an appropriate name for this shawl, with its cirrus-cloud stripes of white against the sky blue.

Graceful wings are formed by increasing from the starting tab on both right and wrong sides of the fabric, another nod to the lighter-than-air feel of this accessory.

Detail of lace edge of blue and white knitted striped shawl

And at the widest edge, lovely lace edged with crochet picot puffs resembling tiny clouds in a blue sky

Knitting this shawl in soft, downy Nymph, gives the piece an even more cloudlike quality. Cotton blend Nymph has a chainette construction, with fiber blown through its center for a lighter weight fabric on US 7 (4.5mm) needles. The yarn has a beautiful fuzz that softens the lines of Welkin’s stripes.

It’s a beautiful look for the season. And don’t limit yourself to blues and white – perhaps your Welkin will be a field of violets, or an ocean wave about to break. There are limitless possibilities.

Woman holding blue and white shawl knitted in Nymph

Have a wonderful weekend, full of light and life.

Happy crafting!

March 10, 2021March 10, 2021

Pattern Spotlight: Subtle Spring

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!

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.

You can find the Subtle Spring Tee in the Spring 2021 issue of Interweave Knits and on Ravelry. To get your hands on Ravello and start knitting, head to our website or at your local yarn store.

February 26, 2021February 26, 2021

Free Pattern Friday – Anemone Shawl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Rear view of woman wearing triangular shawl knit in Major

Today, the Anemone Shawl knit in Major (pattern link here).

Here at Universal, this time of year always leaves us feeling torn. On the one hand, the chill in the air lets us keep knitting with warm yarns, which is one of the joys of wintertime. On the other hand… we’re ready for spring! And spring is exactly what designer Aubrey Busek was thinking of when she created the Anemone Shawl.

Field of anemone flowers — Photo via https://www.dutchgrown.com/

The anemone shawl is named after the delicate anemone wildflowers that bloom spring and fall. What a wonderful way to bring some color inside!

This lovely triangular lace shawl is knit from the top down, starting with a garter tab. The lace sections are both written and charted for your convenience. The entire project will take just two balls of Major.

While Aubrey chose color 136 Caladium to mimic the spring greens and purples of the anemones, there are other floral tones you could use.

135 Toile has beautiful peach/apricot vibes with seafoam accents…

…while 128 Valentine is a glorious array of roses.

Regardless of your choice, this floral-inspired shawl is a perfect bridge between the seasons. We hope you enjoy it.

Happy crafting!

November 27, 2020November 27, 2020

Free Pattern Friday – Concord Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Woman wearing scarf knit in purple Deluxe Worsted yarn.

Today, the Concord Scarf in Deluxe Worsted (pattern link here). We’re going to keep this short and sweet today so that I can spend the day after Thanksgiving in the time-honored way: scarfing down leftovers. My daughter was inspired by the Great British Baking Show this year and now we have a lot of pie. With just the three of us from the immediate household for dinner this year, I’ll have to really work to eat my share. Such a sacrifice. But before grabbing a plate, let’s take a look at this gorgeous pattern!

The Concord Stole is called a stole because it can work well scrunched up as shown, or stretched wide to its full 20″ (51cm) width for more coverage. Designer Aubrey Busek cleverly used two complementary tones in Deluxe Worsted wool. 15002 Violet Rustic is the lighter main, and 15003 Grape Rustic is the stripe.

The Rustic colors in Deluxe Worsted are spun in an almost marled way, making them especially well-suited to work together. If purple’s not your bag, you might pair 15004 Teal Rustic & 15005 Turquoise Rustic, or if you’re a lover of subtler contrast and blue like I am, 15009 Blue Rustic & 15008 Twilight Rustic.

Regardless of color choice, this sweet stole is a satisfying project. An easily memorized four-row repeat worked on US size 8 (5mm) needles makes for rhythmic, calming crafting, something we could all use right now.

Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a piece of pie with my name on it in the fridge. Literally, since I stuck a note to it. We hope you have a safe and pleasant weekend. Happy crafting!