October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a moment to recognize the toll that this disease has taken, and continues to take. According to cancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women and about 1 in 833 men will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetimes.
This means most of us know someone who has been affected. For me, it was my friend Pat. She was a fellow crafter, and a beautiful person. She had an easy smile and big laugh. I still miss her.
But while I miss my friend, I still take hope. She passed a long time ago, and survival rates for women over 50 have steadily increased every year since 2000. The increase is partly due to advances in treatment, and to greater awareness leading to early detection. We’d like to do our part to raise awareness by sharing this new design.
Rachel chose Cotton Supreme for this stunning stranded hat. Along with Cotton Supreme DK, it’s an approved yarn for chemo caps, because it’s very soft on sensitive scalps. Its machine washability also makes it a great choice, because if you’re dealing with cancer, or caring for someone affected, you may not want to spend your time and energy handwashing. We love Rachel’s choice of three harmonious shades of pink: 628 Super Pink (A), 510 Magenta (B), and 512 Hot Pink (C). They work very well together!
Because there have been so many advances in the field of breast cancer care, the guidelines for screening can be difficult to keep up with. Personally, I take this as a hopeful sign that we continue to improve our understanding day by day. To help you make your best decision, here is a pdf that the Centers for Disease Control has put together, sharing screening recommendations from six well-respected organizations, to help you decide what’s right for you.
Women of different ethnicities have different considerations as well. For instance, Black women have higher rates of breast cancer mortality in the USA, so a desire for earlier screening may play a role in your health care decisions. The bottom line is, we all need to stay educated, and to take control of our health.
Happy crafting, friends. We wish you good health for many years to come.
Rachel Brockman’s latest design is destined to be a wardrobe staple. The Riverstone Sweater is comfortable and casual, but can still be dressed up for effortless elegance.
Rachel made excellent use of Wool Pop’s crisp stitch definition and beautifully coordinating colors. Plus, Wool Pop’s composition makes it a great three-season yarn. This sweater can easily carry you through those days when the weather starts out cool but ends up warm.
The combination of stripes and color blocking is on trend. Ribbing at the edges moves beyond plain K1,P1 to continue the “practical and pretty” vibe. It’s a great blend of form and function.
We hope you have a fantastic weekend, full of beautiful things. Happy crafting!
Hello crafters! As we’re entering the autumn season, all of us at Universal Yarn are thinking about cool weather projects, and the cozy yarns we want to make them in. We recently brought in Creative Melange Chunky from German brand Rico Design, and I thought today was a great opportunity to give a bit of a spotlight to this new and colorful yarn.
Creative Melange Chunky is a plump yarn packed full of stunning color that self-shades as you knit, crochet, or weave. Comprised of virgin wool and acrylic, this yarn is incredibly soft thanks to the springy wool and plush single-ply construction. Quite pleasant to work with, it is well suited to both complex and simple stitch patterns, and makes for unique garments and accessories you’ll treasure for years to come.
This yarn comes in 50g skeins priced at $8.00 each on our web store, making it a great choice for smaller projects like hats and cowls in addition to adding variety for colorwork projects! I must admit, I fell in love with this yarn when I first saw it. The possibilities are virtually endless; there are so many different ways to incorporate a self-shading yarn into a design and create very unique projects! In fact, I am already planning a design of my own for Creative Melange!
Sweater 952 – free pattern from Rico Design
For a free pattern option, we have this downloadable PDF for Sweater 952 (shown above)- a ribbed stitch pullover with balloon style sleeves. Although Rico Design may not have the most *creative* names for their patterns, they always make fashion-forward designs that still feel extremely wearable. I love how this sweater’s shape shows off the yarn’s ability to retain structure, but still look soft and cuddly. Since the yarn self-shades as you work, a simple design like this is often the best way to enhance the yarn’s naural beauty.
Triangular Shawl 768
For accessory knitters, this paid pattern for Triangular Shawl 768 is stunning. The textural stitch pattern really shows off the stripes the yarn makes as you knit. A wide, triangle-style shawl like this is perfect for styling in many different ways. This shawl is quite wide (about 90″), so it is a perfect design for wrapping around your neck and snuggling up on cold days, and since Creative Melange is chunky weight, it works up quickly!
Jacket 781
The last of our new pattern options for Creative Melange Chunky is Jacket 781. This outerwear design is perfect for layering, and the cables on the sleeves show off the incredible stitch definition that this yarn has. You can also see from this pattern to the previous ones just how broad the available color range is! We currently have 20 colors in stock, everything from a grayscale to bright options like this one pictured (#058) featuring green and blue shades. Although I love bright colors and typically fall for pinks and reds, some of the more dark and earthy tones we have (see below photo) really catch my eye. They are beautiful in a different way than the brighter colors, but would also pair quite easily with other autumn and winter wardrobe staples.
The other amazing news is that Creative Melange Chunky is a fabulous substitute yarn for our now discontinued Classic Shades Frenzy! For favorite patterns like the Abari Pullover, simply substitute Creative Melange where Classic Shades Frenzy is called for. Do be mindful when substituting that Frenzy came in 100g skeins, while Creative Melange comes in 50g skeins, so you’ll need to adjust the required amount of yarn for the difference.
Closeup image of the Abari Pullover, where Creative Melange could be substituted for discontinued Frenzy
Do you like self-shading yarns like Creative Melange Chunky? Tell me what you’d make with it for the coming winter season!
Happy Thursday! Today I’d like to spotlight a pattern I designed that was recently published in the Deep Fall 2021 issue of Knitty. It’s bright, a little quirky, and a ton of fun to knit. Say hello to Lipsky!
I designed the Lipsky (pattern link) vest in late June and knit this baby in less than two weeks. Sure, part of this was due to a fast-approaching deadline, but it’s also because it’s simply a fast project! Amy Singer and Jillian Moreno, the geniuses behind Knitty, asked me to create a vest that’s perfect for layering. While vests have traditionally been worn in more preppy or minimalist fashion, the Lipsky vest is quirky and contemporary. A leading trend this fall is the statement vest and Lipsky celebrates it by incorporating other trends such as color blocking and checkerboard patterning.
I chose DK-weight Fibra Natura Dona for the project. This plump and super soft extra fine superwash merino yarn features a broad palette of deeply saturated colors. I whipped up a quick sketch with colored pencils, but I wasn’t confident in my color selection. I asked Talya, the creator of our videos, TikTok content, and Reels, to give me her opinion. Together we came up with the combination of #102 Daffodil, #119 Clear Day, #127 Real Teal, #114 Camellia, and #135 Buttercup.
This vest incorporates a variety of colorwork techniques. You’ll pretty much get to dip your toes into everything! It includes intarsia worked flat and in the round, stranded knitting, and a touch of stripes. Don’t be intimidated, though! The intarsia is completely uncomplicated and the stranded colorwork is a breeze to memorize.
One concern I had while designing was that the intarsia portions at the top would be jarring with the different colors used in the stranded colorwork portion. My solution to this was simple – pepper the edgings with the teal and vibrant pink, and add stripes of sky blue and yellow to the hem. Incorporating these colors together in this manner helped to create harmony throughout the piece. It’s those details that really make me love this vest.
While I tend to be partial to seams because of the structure and longevity they provide, I know that many knitters prefer seamless, top-down sweaters. I wanted to give the people what they want, so I switched up my norm and designed Lipsky to be top-down and seamless. You start at the shoulders, working the back first and then returning to the shoulders to pick up stitches for the left and right front. After you complete the neck and armhole shaping, you’ll join the fronts and back, then work in the round for the rest of the vest.
And there you have it – a quick rundown of my new pattern! I’ve been so excited to share this project with you and hope you find it to be just as playful and fun as I do!
Do you love statement projects like this one? What colors would you choose? Let me know in the comments!
Have you seen our recently published free pattern, the extra special Pebbled Pathways in Cobblestone? Well, today we’re going to give it some well-deserved spotlight!
Pebbled Pathways (pattern link) has been in the works since late Spring, and I am so excited to finally be able to reveal this unique, gorgeous pattern! It is designed by Gabi van Tassel, who is known for her stunning pin loom designs. Her work has been published regularly in weaving publications, includingLittle Looms andHandwovenmagazines. We touch base on a semi-regular basis, and she always has wonderful things to say about our yarns and is such an enthusiastic fiber artist. As soon as we received Cobblestone, I knew I wanted to partner with her for a truly special project. I essentially sent her yarn, asked for some kind of wrap, and this colorful stole is the result! But, in addition to asking her to create this design, I asked her to write a guest post for our blog. So enough of what I have to say…let’s hear from Gabi herself!
From Gabi:
“It was a thrill when I received a small package from Universal Yarn a few months ago, with some brand-new Fibra Natura yarn and the question “Would you like to weave something with this?” I sure would!
Cobblestone in #102 Precious Jewels
But let me quickly share with you how we got here: Among other crafts, I like to weave hexagons on pin looms. My first design using Universal Yarn was a Grape Table Topper, published in Easy Weaving with Little Looms 2018. I used Universal Yarn Classic Shades [now discontinued, but Colorburst is a great substitute] at the time, which provided the perfect color run to express grapes.
Back to the package that I received: The yarn was a sample of the new Cobblestone yarn, which hit me like a rocket with inspiration. The name reminded me of the old streets in Germany, where I grew up. I always loved the calming geometry of those streets, and I often thought about how each of these stones was carefully put in place by skillful crafty hands. I wanted to capture that meditative thought in a shawl with the new yarn.
In case you are not familiar with pin loom weaving, it is a form of weaving where the crafter uses a small handheld loom to create shaped fabric pieces. Traditionally, pin looms wove 4” squares, but today there are many shapes, including rectangles, triangles, diamonds, and hexagons, in multiple sizes.
Just because these looms are small, doesn’t mean that you can’t craft serious projects. Pin loom weaving is modular weaving. Join the smaller woven units to make any item that you can imagine … for example, Pebbled Pathways!
Hexagon Pin Loom
The shawl is designed to make the best use of two balls of Cobblestone. The put-up is a generous 200-gram ball boasting 612 yards of 2-ply, 100% merino wool. The project requires one ball each of colors 103 Mardi Gras and 104 Tulip, with about 1 oz of each left over in the end. You can choose any other two colors of course. I recommend that you pick colors with contrast, to maintain the cobblestone characteristics in the design.
Weaving is easy. All of the hexagons are plain weave, worked on the Original TURTLE Loom™ in “F-fine sett”. The vivid color changes of the variegated yarn make each hexagon unique. The colors are well-curated and distributed in a way that the hexagons blend in with each other to make a smooth fabric.
The yarn is a delight to weave. It is soft and glides well while pin loom weaving. It has just the right amount of elasticity, not stiff and not too stretchy. The light twist is perfect to gently bloom into a nice, soft fabric with a good drape.
Crafters sometimes hesitate the task of joining pin loom woven shapes. However, hexagons are actually easy to join because they have smooth edgings. The sides are short enough to hold by hand: just match up two hexagons by their sides and sew them together with about 10-12 whip stitches.
If you would like some help with joining hexagons, check out the video “Joining 101: Sewing Two Hexagons Together” (https://youtu.be/PuD2wv1DdIo). Or, if you are interested in the mattress stitch, see the joining part of “Making an Elf Basket”.
If you don’t feel like weaving through two whole balls of Cobblestone, let the modular character of pin loom weaving come to the rescue! You can make a slimmer wrap by weaving only four rows instead of six (blue marks).
You can shorten or extend the length of the shawl by easily adding or subtracting a repeat of three hexagon columns (green marks).
Or – if you wish to make a small project at first – you can make a cowl, two rows high and nine hexagons in the round (yellow marks). Now, if you decide to make a cowl … and you like it … make another one for a friend … make a few as holiday gifts … Did I mention that there is a rabbit hole here?
Sparkle Windows woven scarf by Amy Gunderson
Many of Universal’s yarns are well-suited for weaving, and the Pebbled Pathways wrap just might be the beginning of more “oh, look what you can make” weaving projects. There is already Amy Gunderson’s beautiful Sparkle Windows shawl in Universe.
Next, Bamboo Pop is a popular yarn in the rigid heddle looms community because of its ease to weave, the lovely drape, and the stunning color effects. Then, there is also Ravello for a project with a touch of luxurious cashmere. Or, you could try the very practical Rico Design Creative Bubble that inspires pin loom woven kitchen and bath accessories.
Got a loom? Let’s weave! “
Me again (Rachel)! I’m so glad Gabi was able to share not only this beautiful design, but her thoughts on the inspiration, our new Cobblestone yarn, and even more yarns to explore weaving with! We have a small, square pin loom here in the office, and I am pretty tempted to start playing with it. The idea of a fringed scarf or cute cowl is awfully tempting!
I hope you love Pebbled Pathways as much as we do. Have you woven before, or are you now inspired to? 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!
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!
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?’
Homestead Tank in Flax color 12 Tarragon
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.
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.
Image from Pinterest
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!
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 Pipsqueak, crocheted in Bella Cash (Ravelry link here).
Pipsqueak is actually two-for-one, since the pattern includes both the hoodie and the little friend! Worked in cotton-candy tones of Bella Cash, they’re a delightful duo to make.
This design is also part of a neat kids’ collection in Bella Cash called “Writing on the Wall.” We felt this pattern was timely, since we’re starting to look forward to fall wardrobes for little ones – and a new little friend to match your clothes is just such a cute idea!
Bella Cash is great for children’s projects like this one, because it’s soft (it’s got that hint of cashmere!), long wearing, and machine washable. That last one is particularly important for projects that may see a bit of rough and tumble play!
We picked sweet pastels for this project to accent the main color of 108 Ebony, but with 26 colors in Bella Cash’s palette, you could go in any number of directions!
Pipsqueak’s stripes are softened by a spike stitch that brings the MC into the body in a fun way. The cardi is sized from 2-12 years. The mouse is one size, but will happily snuggle with anyone of any size.
To get Pipsqueak 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.
Have you ever had a favorite sweater that you loved, and were sorry to put away when the weather warmed up? That’s the origin of today’s beauty, the Holiday Jay.
Our Managing Director Yonca Ozbelli was in love with the Jay Sweater, designed by Rachel Brockman in Kingston Tweed.
Shown in Kingston Tweed 110 Beryl (MC) and 102 Calcite (CC).
Yonca’s not alone – this sweater’s gotten a lot of love from the knitting community. We were so taken with it that we had to make more than one .
Shown in Kingston Tweed 101 Talc (MC) and 108 Amethyst (CC).
When temperatures started to climb here in North Carolina, Yonca decided to adapt the pattern in one of our favorite summertime yarns, Cotton True Sport.
She opted to call this short-sleeved version the Holiday Jay, because the colors and Fair Isle yoke feel very wintry. We love it when Yonca wears her “Christmas in July” sweater – it’s inspirational to see all the ways we can make a pattern just right for our own tastes and circumstances!
Shown in Cotton True Sport 102 Bright Red (MC) and 117 Bright White (CC)
Like the original Jay sweater, Holiday Jay is sized from XS through 5X. Yonca’s chosen red and white combo is delightful, although this would look equally striking in many other bright/dark contrasting combos. Maybe 112 Boysenberry and 118 Marshmallow, to make a bubbly cobbler a la mode version?
…and just like that, I’ve talked myself into another project. Can’t wait to cast on!
