Bright but not saccarine-sweet, this is a design that marries sophistication with whimsy.
Winter doesn’t have to be drab and gray. Today’s free pattern proves that!
Colorburst color 119 Bursa
Colorburst’s big, beautiful 660-yard “beehive” style balls make it easy to create this design with just one ball of each colorway. Designer Rachel Brockman alternated two different colorsto give maximum impact. She chose one light tone – 112 Romance, and one dark – 119 Bursa, for strong contrast between the stripes.
Beautiful geometry and rhythm, offset by gentle changes within the shades.
Simple stripes are broken by mosaic-knit squares, the “Turkish Delight” confection that gives the shawl its name. They add interest to an already fascinating shawl!
If you follow us on social media you might have noticed that this week we’re putting the spotlight on one of our most beloved yarns, Bamboo Pop! Knitters, crocheters, and weavers alike love working with this yarn and it’s easy to see why. Bamboo Pop is a beautifully balanced blend of 50% bamboo and 50% cotton with a broad palette of solids, multis, and speckles. The yarn itself features the subtlest heather, gentle sheen, and creates fabric that is smooth, soft, and perfectly drapey.
Bamboo Pop in #117 Emerald and #114 Super Pink.
We have an array of patterns available to support this yarn: accessories, garments, and more! With so many options available, sometimes it can be hard to pick the perfect pattern for your next project. So, today we thought we’d kindle some inspiration by sharing our five best-selling patterns in Bamboo Pop over the last year. Let’s get started!
Areca designed by Yonca Ozbelli.
#5 Areca
Coming in at #5 on our list is Areca (pattern link), designed by our amazing managing director, Yonca Ozbelli. Yonca has a knack for creating designs with simple silhouettes that really stand-out, and Areca is no exception. I love how this top casually caps the shoulders but isn’t a true cap-sleeve. It’s somewhere between a cap-sleeve tee and a tank, and it’s perfect for warm spring and summer days. The timeless color combination of black and white makes it so easy to pair this top with anything. Areca features graphic mosaic motifs that are offset by solid side panels. Knit flat from the bottom-up, there is actually no seaming involved! Instead, a three-needle bind-off joins the shoulders and side seams.
Palmetto designed by Aubrey Busek.
#4 Palmetto
Looking for an absolute show-stopper? Look no further than Palmetto (pattern link). I am so glad that Aubrey joined our design team back in 2019. She has such a thirst for learning new things, taking creative risks, making bold design decisions, and letting the “extra” in her shine through. Although by design Palmetto is a rectangular stole, Aubrey opted for a variety of engaging stitch patterns to make this eye-catching accessory. You’ll be a mosaic knitting expert by the time you finish. While the mosaic portions decorating each end demand a bit of your attention, you’ll be rewarded with rest during the garter stripes and slipped-stitch sections in the center of the wrap. Finish this piece with fun tassels on each corner, wrap it around your shoulders, and show it off to all your friends!
By the way, both Areca and Palmetto are part of the Modern Mosaic ebook (link), published in Fall, 2020. This collection as a whole tied with Palmetto for #4 on the list. The ebook compiles four delightful designs featuring mosaic knitting. Don’t miss the other amazing designs in this collection! Buy just one pattern, or get Areca, Dypsis, Palmetto, and Sabal together when you purchase the ebook!
Staggered Shawl designed by Amy Gunderson
#3 Staggered Shawl
Next up is the Staggered Shawl (pattern link). Playing with color is just so fun with Bamboo Pop. The palette is broad and the variegated colorways were designed to pair perfectly with the solids. Designer Amy Gunderson loves adventurous designs and she knows how to transform simple knits and purls into something truly special. In this case, she used intarsia to create an exhilarating effect in this otherwise simple triangular shawl. It’s primarily garter stitch, so this accessory will fly off your needles, too. The Staggered Shawl has been a hit since we first published it, so much so that our customers demanded a kit (link) with options for different colors!
No. 1 Pullover designed by Amy Gunderson
#2 No. 1 Pullover
At #2 on our list, we have yet another genius design by Amy Gunderson. I remember when we first received this sweater from our sample knitter. I fell in love immediately and was so thrilled to see the Bamboo Pop multis used in such a clever way (plus, it reminds me of Fruit Stripes gum). The multi creates short blips of color breaking up the thick graphite stripes and each edge is trimmed with a tidy, stripey I-cord. Nope – you don’t need to change colors mid-row for this effect – the multis do all the work! I love the oversized and boxy shape of the body with fitted, 3/4 length sleeves. The silhouette perfectly illustrates the drape of Bamboo Pop. It’s breezy, lightweight, and perfect for springtime. The No. 1 Pullover has been a hit at shows and we’ve seen many interpretations of the design. No matter what color combination you choose, it’s sure to yield exciting results!
Kukui designed by Tori Gurbisz
#1 Kukui
Finally, at #1, our best-selling Bamboo Pop design is Kukui (pattern link), designed by Tori Gurbisz! I’m pretty sure I’ve seen someone wearing a wonderful iteration of the Kukui shawl at every Stitches show I’ve attended, and I swear I’m not exaggerating. Our local yarn stores routinely ask to borrow our sample for their trunk shows. It’s a clear favorite among all of our customers and it’s easy to see why. The slipped stitches are striking next to the blocks of solid color. It’s a boomerang-shaped shawl, meaning that it’s knit on the bias. Personally, this is my favorite shawl shape because they’re fun to knit, easy to style, and they have a more modern appeal than traditional triangular shawls (don’t get me wrong, I also really love classic triangular shawls!).
There you have it – our five best-selling patterns in our best-selling yarn, Bamboo Pop! Have you made any of these great patterns, or are you planning to add them to your queue? We’d love to know!
Oh, and one more thing – we’re sharing more Bamboo Pop inspiration on our Instagram and Facebook pages this week and next week. Be sure to follow us so you can see it all!
This week, we are celebrating the release of another new collection: Modern Mosaic. This collection includes 4 mosaic knits in Bamboo Pop. Bamboo Pop is our 50/50 bamboo and cotton blend yarn that is perfectly suited to warm weather garments and accessories. It is light and cool, with a vibrant color palette of solids, multis, and dots to choose from. I often hear that Bamboo Pop is many people’s favorite yarn, and I can see why. If you haven’t tried it yet, now is the perfect time!
Areca in 112 Black and 101 White
Mosaic knitting is a really interesting type of color work. It utilizes two contrasting colors of yarn, knitting the stitches on each row in the dominant color and slipping the stitches that are in the contrast color. You work two rows with a dominant color, and then it changes for the next two rows. The charts in each pattern tell you which color is the dominant one for that set of rows. Mosaic knitting lends itself well to geometric patterns, and creates really bold and stunning color work. I have to admit, I was a bit intimidated to do my first mosaic designs, but now I love it!
Areca in 112 Black and 101 WhiteAreca was inspired by black and white tile work and features a bold pattern throughout the front and back. Designed by Yonca Ozbelli, this top is sized from A-K and has a modern, boxy fit. Areca is perfect for those who love an interesting construction; the front and back are joined at the shoulder with a three-needle bind-off, and then the side panels and edging are created by picking up stitches along the left and right sides. I love the bold and graphic look of Areca, it’s an ‘all eyes on you’ kind of design.
Dypsis in 134 Blue Whisper and 127 Brambles
For those interested in dipping their toes into the mosaic knitting waters, Dypsis may be the perfect choice for you. Designed by Rachel Brockman, Dypsis features a traveling mosaic pattern on the hemline that is repeated again for an unexpected shoulder detail. Dypsis is knit in the round from the bottom up, so the mosaic pattern is perfectly seamless. The front and back are separated at the underarm, then worked flat. They are joined at the shoulders with a three-needle bind-off, and a garter edging is picked up and knit for the neckline.
The thoughtful choice of the mosaic hem and shoulders really makes Bamboo Pop shine, and the design looks timeless and sophisticated. Mosaic knitting can seem intimidating if you haven’t tried it, but I think Dypsis would be perfect for just about anyone. I’d throw on a fun necklace with this and let the gorgeous pattern do the talking!
Palmetto in 102 Cream, 114 Super Pink, and 212 Bright Spot
One of my contributions to the Modern Mosaic collection is Palmetto. I’m never shy about the fact that I’m a ‘more is more’ kind of person. When I was prompted to design with mosaic, I knew I wanted to design something that featured a few different patterns. I have a serious affinity for textile design and was inspired by Ikat fabrics from Indonesia for Palmetto. The tassels on the ends are one of my favorite touches too. Everything is better with tassels.
My Ikat inspiration blossomed into a stitch sampler style stole that is oversized and sure to get lots of love from everyone who sees you made it. You can wear Palmetto so many different ways, and it will add joy to any outfit you choose. I wear pink year-round, but I think this would look equally great in a blue and white combination.
Sabal in 106 Turquoise and 121 Lily Pad
My second design for Modern Mosaic is Sabal. This is an open front jacket/poncho that has a relaxed, bohemian vibe. I stuck with my textiles inspiration for this one, but instead, looked at tropical locale home interiors. I wanted a soothing color combination and a geometric style mosaic pattern that felt meditative.
My favorite thing about Sabal is the construction. It is worked starting at the back in one piece. After you get to the neckline, you work across one side, bind off the neck stitches, then work each of the fronts separately. You pick up and knit an edging for the sides, and then the garment is folded in half and seamed, while and I-cord is worked over the fronts and neckline. Sabal is just so relaxed feeling, and I love that you can wear this as a jacket to go out, a cardigan around the house, or a beach cover up!
Now that you’ve seen the patterns in our Modern Mosaic collection, here’s even more exciting news. Two lucky winners will receive a pattern of their choice from the collection, and enough Bamboo Pop to make the pattern in their chosen size and colors. We love Giveaways!
All you have to do to enter is follow us (Instagram), like our page (Facebook), like and comment on the giveaway post or another post from the collection. Only one entry per name, and the giveaway closes at 5 pm EST on 9/14. We will choose and announce our winners (one from Facebook and one from Instagram) on 9/15. You can enter on both social media platforms, but you can only win once. Good luck!
Love colorwork but not Fair isle? This one’s for you!
Rachel Brockman used self-striping Adore Colors to do the heavy lifting in the body and sleeve stripes. Then she used mosaic knitting in solid Adore to create the design around the waist. Only one color is used per row. The design appears by slipping stitches in different colors, and voila!
Beautiful.
We hope you enjoy this lovely bit of Fall-to-come.
