Flash Pattern Friday – Pilger

It’s Flash Pattern Friday!

On the last Friday of the month, we take a beautiful paid pattern and set it free for a limited time on Ravelry. Today, it’s Pilger in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash (Ravelry link)!

Pilger is part of e-book Rustic and Refined, a collection of classic knits in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash. There’s a lot to love in this collection, but we picked Pilger for today because the weather has finally turned cooler here, and it’s a classic autumnal look.

Pilger is definitely not a boring project! An assortment of textures at the color-blocked hems become twisted cables in the sleeves and body (no cable needle required) to keep your mind engaged.

In addition to being a pleasant knit, Pilger is very wearable. Sized men’s XS to 4X, the sweater features clever design touches that further elevate the piece, like that handsome shawl collar. Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash provides a the perfect touch of rustic charm, as well as making this beautiful pullover easy to care for.

To get Pilger 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. Not a Ravelry user? Drop us a line by the end of 9/26 and we’ll get you taken care of.

Have a great weekend, and happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Damascus

young man wearing gray sweater

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Young man wearing gray Damascus sweater knit in Kingston Tweed

Today, Damascus in Kingston Tweed (pattern link here).

After adorable Easter Earl earlier this week, we’re moving to something classic and refined.

Young man in profile wearing gray Damascus sweater knit in Kingston Tweed

Damascus is named after the ancient metalworking technique that created the strong and beautiful patterned designs known as Damascus steel.

Closeup of Damascus steel sword blade

It’s an apt name. At first glance, this unisex pullover might appear plain, but look closer – Kingston Tweed’s blend of wool, alpaca, and viscose gives it extra interest and a lightly tweedy, almost heathered feel.

Closeup of Kingston Tweed yarn hank in color Basalt 112

The sweater pictured is knitted in color 112 Basalt, one of a selection of sophisticated tones in Kingston Tweed.

Rear view of young man wearing gray Damascus sweater knit in Kingston Tweed

Knitted on US6 (4mm) needles, Damascus is a lightweight three-season sweater that works well on its own or as a layering piece.

Shoulder detail of young man wearing gray Damascus sweater knit in Kingston Tweed

Work this design seamlessly in the round from the top-down. The body and sleeves are separated at the armhole and worked separately.

Young man wearing gray Damascus sweater knit in Kingston Tweed

We’re delighted to present this versatile piece for free.

Have a fantastic weekend, and happy crafting!

Image of Kingston Tweed yarn skein and wound ball

Design Spotlight: Mahakam in Deluxe Worsted

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love Deluxe Worsted. Today, we’re excited to share that we’ve given this yarn a facelift. We’ve narrowed down the color palette to be more cohesive and, excitingly, we are now able to offer this yarn at a more accessible price point. Deluxe Worsted is a gorgeous, 100% non-superwash wool yarn that is a stash staple. You should see my own stash – there is plenty of it!
I love Deluxe Worsted for its versatility. It looks great in every stitch pattern – from cables to colorwork, you simply can’t go wrong. It is a round, 4-ply yarn that is smooth and soft without compromising durability. That’s why I chose it for my recently published design, Mahakam.
My husband, John, in his Mahakam pullover.
Published in the First Fall 2020 issue of Knitty, I designed this pattern specifically with my husband in mind. It needed to be a great layering piece, but more interesting than a plain stockinette stitch sweater. It also needed to be knit in a color he’d love wearing on a regular basis. After all, if something is going to be handknit, it needs to get a lot of love!

Although John definitely isn’t afraid of a little color, I wasn’t too surprised when his attention went straight to the neutrals. His top choices were #12172 Dark Crystal and #12178 Turkish Coffee. Although the colors are similar in tone and value, Dark Crystal is cooler and more grey while Turkish Coffee is a warmer, black-brown hue. It was hard to choose between the two, but who can resist a color that references the Jim Henson masterpiece, The Dark Crystal? After all, both of us love puppets (and Muppets, obviously), and take at least an annual trip to the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.
Deluxe Worsted #12172 Dark Crystal
After selecting the color, I knew the fabric needed to be rich in texture, so I turned to slip stitch cables to feature throughout the body and sleeves. I made some little swatches first, just to make sure John was happy with them. Even when using such a dark color, the texture isn’t lost thanks to the wonderful stitch definition of Deluxe Worsted.
The textural slip-stitch cables are also featured on the sleeves and body.
John was adamant about this sweater being relaxed and a bit oversized – pretty much as cozy as possible. However, I also wanted to create a design that could look great worn either way – relaxed and casual or more form-fitting and tailored. So, I also asked my friend, Michael, to model the sweater. I love how the fit is a bit tidier on him. It’s always nice to see how garments look on various body types. Both John and Michael loved the sweater, so I feel like my design was pretty successful.
Michael chose a pop of orange to peek out from beneath this sweater. A stylish and autumnal touch.
Mahakam is knit from the bottom up in pieces and seamed. I love seams because they add structure and longevity to knitwear. It features raglan shaping and a K1, P1 Rib hem, sleeve cuffs, and neckband. The slip-stitch cables decorate the front, back, and sleeves.
Deluxe Worsted shines in textural stitch patterns, like those used in Mahakam.
Naming patterns is one aspect of design that is fun, but also a bit challenging. While sometimes I know what I want to name a sweater during the early stages of designing, other times I don’t know until the sweater is finished. The latter was the case with Mahakam. Given that it’s delightfully woolly, I couldn’t help but think of this pullover as the perfect piece for trips to the mountains this time of year. Mountains led me to think of mining, and mining led me to think of dwarves. In short, this combination paired with my current obsession with all things related to The Witcher, I decided to name the sweater Mahakam after the mountainous region where dwarves live and thrive.
The textural pattern is also featured on the back of Mahakam.
Although the pattern as written could easily be considered unisex, I’ve been thinking about designing a women’s version of this sweater. It might be nice to give the waist subtle A-line shaping and crop it a bit. A split hem would also be a nice touch. If I decide to move in that direction, I think I’ll use #12281 Clay, which is a lovely terra cotta hue.
Deluxe Worsted #12281 Clay
I hope you enjoyed hearing a little more about this design. If you’re interested in knitting Mahakam, you can find the pattern on Ravelry (link) and in Knitty (link). Don’t forget, Deluxe Worsted is now available at a more accessible price point! You can find Deluxe Worsted at your local yarn store, or on our website, where you can see all of the colors. Which color would you choose?



Needles Out! Knits for Guys with Sweater Envy

Have we all seen Knives Out? Or at least seen photos of Chris Evans wearing The Sweater?

Mend those holes!!

This pullover became such a rage on the internet that Evans wound up getting one for his dog for Christmas.

Chris Evans and his dog wearing cream sweaters
Who wore it better?

Fortunately, as crafters, we can create this look on our own, no costume department needed. If you or someone you know has sweater envy, we’ve got five sweaters (and one vest) for the knitter who wants to cast on some fashionable cables!

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1. Infinite Diamonds

Image of man in black and blue cabled sweater knit in Dona yarn

We’re starting with the one that requires the least cabling, to ease into things. Infinite Diamonds (pattern link here) is knit in Fibra Natura Dona, a 100% superwash extrafine merino with a tight twist that really makes stitches pop.

No cables on the back, just plain stockinette. Infinite Diamonds is knit flat in pieces and seamed.

We love the windowpane effect given by the cables inside cables on the front panel. This is part of e-book The Dona Collection, featuring bold use of color blocking to create dramatic modern pieces. For a standalone design, though, let’s move to the world of magazines.

2. Anchorage Cardigan

© Interweave / Harper Point

Published in Interweave Knits Winter 2018 issue, the Anchorage Cardigan (Ravelry link) shares a few features with Infinite Diamonds. Both are designed by the amazing Amy Gunderson, and both feature Dona yarn.

© Interweave / Harper Point

The differences, though, are obvious. The Anchorage Cardigan features a textured back (in fact, a textured everything).

© Interweave / Harper Point

Saddle Shoulders create a lovely line. As you might guess from the shoulders, this sweater is worked in pieces and seamed.

© Interweave / Harper Point

Carrying the pattern onto the pockets is a thoughtful design detail. If you’re confident working twisted stitches without a cable needle, you need never have to use one at all. Let’s move on to another cabled cardi, from an entire collection full of cabled designs.

3. Greensboro Cardigan

Unlike the previous sweaters, the Greensboro Cardigan (pattern link here) is worked in Deluxe Worsted wool, on US size 7 (4.5mm) needles as opposed to size 6 (4mm).

This stitch pattern is very stretchy – something to keep in mind when picking your size.

As with the Anchorage Cardigan, if you’re proficient with crossing stitches, you can do this without using a cable needle. Amy Gunderson even has a blog tutorial for this design (and others from the Deluxe Cable Collection) on creating the set-in pockets and installing a zipper. She even made a special chart for the sleeve increases to help a new knitter here in the office.

4. Wesley Heights

For my money, this pullover is the most “Knives Out” one we’ve seen so far. Wesley Heights (pattern link here) is part of the same Deluxe Cable Collection that the Greensboro Cardigan above is in. (And friends, there are 17 designs in that e-book for $20, so if you love cables… I’m just saying.)

Like the Greensboro Cardi, this is a very stretchy stitch pattern knit in Deluxe Worsted wool. This one has a greater variety of stitch patterns, though, to satisfy your knitting itch.

Amy Gunderson knitted this one for herself, and shares little tips (do you know how to spit-splice?) on our blog.

5. Kerf

Image of man wearing green cable knit pullover

Kerf (pattern link here) is knit in Deluxe Worsted Superwash, the machine washable sibling to the Deluxe Worsted used in Wesley Heights, above.

Columns of classic cables are split by welting for a well-defined look.

LOVE the detailing where the shoulders meet the collar.

This was one of our most popular sweaters of the year, and it’s not hard to see why. Kerf is available on its own or as part of the Deluxe Men’s Collection.

…and one more for luck.

The Chapel Hill Vest (pattern link here) is a free pattern on our site!

Knit in Deluxe Worsted, the vest is worked in two pieces and seamed. Stitch patterns are written and charted.

The center cable is a fantastic focal point, surrounded by smaller cables and twisted stitches. Fabulous.

We hope you’re inspired to get your needles out, and cast on something warm and wonderful.

Happy crafting!

Free Pattern Friday – Chapel Hill Vest

It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, the Chapel Hill Vest in Deluxe Worsted (pattern link here). This is the second week in a row we’ve released a favorite Deluxe Cable Collection pattern for free. This one’s a favorite for several reasons. First, the name.
The Old Well at UNC-CH
Chapel Hill is home to the oldest public university in the United States. It’s also my alma mater. (Go Heels!)
The Quad, facing Wilson Library
In the best kind of coincidence, it’s also the alma mater of the model of the Chapel Hill sweater!
Rah rah, Carolina-lina!
The second thing to love here is the versatility of this piece. This is the perfect “dressy casual” piece for Fall. Sized Small to 3X, designer Amy Gunderson notes that the stitch pattern is very stretchy, making this suitable for a wide range of frames.
For me, the lattice along the sides calls to mind the brickwork paths that crisscross campus. The Chapel Cable in the front is both written and charted, and is reminiscent of old oak branches. It’s an absolutely stunning cabled knit, and I’m delighted that it’s now free.
We hope you have a relaxing weekend, full of good memories and wonderful new starts. Happy crafting!