Tag: Pattern

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Free Pattern Friday – Tiltawhirl Cowl

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Tiltawhirl Cowl in Classic Shades Frenzy (link here).

I have to say, as its creator, I’m feeling pretty good about today’s Free Pattern Friday.  It was incredibly easy – just knits and purls – but you’d never know it to look at it.  For that, credit goes to the yarn, Classic Shades Frenzy.

a ball of multi-colored yarn with a label reading CLASSIC SHADES FRENZY.

a closeup of a diagonally ribbed purple knitted fabric

It’s a thick yarn with enough variation in color to give a simple design additional interest.

This cowl uses a diagonal rib pattern.  The beauty of doing this in the round is that if you wish, you can simply cast on the required number and k2p2 all the way around every row until you’ve reached the desired width of your cowl.  This took just one ball, and it made a cowl long enough to wear loose or to wrap once for extra warmth.

For mindless knitting, I tend to favor simple designs on big needles that I can work on while chatting or watching TV, and this fits the bill.  Now that the weather’s turned, this would be a great knit-night project!

Have a wonderful weekend, and be sure to make time for yourself.

Happy crafting!

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Spice Box Color Kit: The Stratification Shawl

One of the yarns I’ve fallen most in love with since joining the Universal Yarn design team is Fibra Natura Dona. This yarn is simply gorgeous. It is soft, plump, and has excellent stitch definition. We have a variety of great kits that use Dona, but I was excited when Amy asked me to contribute to our Color Kit lineup. My design is the Stratification Shawl.

I love the Spice Box palette. These are, without a doubt, my kind of colors. I love warm colors and earth tones. I spend much of my free time outdoors and draw inspiration from the colors and textures of landscapes. I already knew that I wanted to incorporate stripes into the design, so I revisited some photos for further inspiration.

The Spice Box palette made me reminisce about a trip I made to Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area outside of Las Vegas, Nevada. During my trip, I was mesmerized by the beauty in the strata, or rock layers, in the landscape. Similarly, I loved the way flora sprinkled pops of color into neutral desert landscapes. I’ve included some of the photos that inspired me to include the bold green and coral stripes into the shawl.

This shawl is a pretty straightforward project. It features top-down construction and increases occur along the sides to create a crescent shape. An alternating sequence of simple stripes is elevated with a knit-purl stitch pattern. Dona shows off the stitch pattern perfectly. Finally, the shawl is finished with an I-Cord bind off. It is an excellent project for both beginning and more advanced knitters. I sincerely hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I enjoyed designing it!

 

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Free Pattern Friday – 18 Petals

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, 18 Petals in Classic Shades Big Time (pattern link here).

What a neat design!  It combines a soft, bulky yarn – Classic Shades Big Time – with a bright Spring colorway, the new 819 Botanica.  It’s a healthy dose of color as winter rears its head.

Each of the 18 “petals” is shaped through short-rows and decreases. After the lower petal section is complete, ribbing is worked upward from the straight/unshaped edge.  The flexible edge formed by the ribbing’s tendency to gather makes this a fun piece to wrap around however you like.

We hope you have an amazing weekend, and find time to make something fun!

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Mossbank Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday! 

Today, the Mossbank Cardigan in Major (link here).

The leaves are falling from the trees, but we want to hold onto all things green just a little bit longer.  The Mossbank Cardigan is a lovely A line sweater, knit from the bottom up in pieces and seamed. The buttonbands are worked as one with the front pieces, so no picking up stitches later for this!

Best, self-shading Major does the colorwork for you, gently striping up the length of the body and sleeves.

We hope you have a restorative weekend, and find time to make something beautiful.

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Button Up Hat and Scarf

It’s Free Patterm Friday!

Today, the Button Up Hat and Scarf in Dona (link here).

The weather’s cooling off here, so it’s time to dust off all those “winter is coming” images…

…and to cast on for something toasty!

The Button Up Hat and Scarf is a matched set in Fibra Natura Dona superwash merino. This cozy cabled set is brightened by the pop of color of a buttoned garter stitch band.  Thread the scarf through to keep it snug.

The written and charted all-over eyelet and cable pattern creates a raised texture that’s quite warm.

We hope you enjoy this taste of winter!

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern – Cancer Comfort Cap

We are proud to share this free pattern with you, although we wish there were no reason to do so.

This is the Cancer Comfort Cap in Cotton Supreme DK (pattern link here).

We designed this cap at the request of Yonca, our sales director.  When she requested this cap, it was for a friend who is about to undergo chemotherapy for breast cancer.  Unfortunately, since then, another friend of hers has also been diagnosed.  According to breastcancer.org, 1 in 8 American women will develop invasive breast cancer in the course of her lifetime (as well as 1 in 1000 men).  This is a disease that hits close to home.

Yonca wanted to write something for her friend to add to this post, but she finally had to admit defeat. She felt that everything she wanted to say was inadequate.  In the face of a life-changing diagnosis, it can be hard to find the words to express our pain and love.  But just reaching out to say “I’m here, I’m with you,” can sometimes be enough.

We offer this hat as a way to say “I’m with you” when words won’t quite do the trick.  It’s knitted in the round in our Cotton Supreme DK, which we picked because it’s very soft, and chemo scalps can be quite sensitive – something to keep in mind when choosing yarn.

If you have questions about breast cancer detection and treatment, the American Cancer Society has a helpful page.  Mammogram guidelines can also be found at CancerCare.org.

To all of our generous-hearted crafting friends, we wish you good health and every happiness.

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Free Pattern Friday – Almas Poncho

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Almas Poncho in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash (link here).

Fall is upon us, and we felt the need for something toasty!

Almas is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down. It can act as a shoulder/bust warmer for a brisk walk in the woods, or can be scrunched up and worn as a cowl paired with your favorite winter coat.  We like the rustic quality that Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash gives this cozy piece.

As a short poncho or capelet, it can be worn collar up or down, as you wish.

With just a touch of stranded knitting, this project is a nice introduction to the Fair Isle method of changing colors in your work.

We hope you have a delightful weekend.

Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Shaded Stripes

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Shaded Stripes in Major (pattern link here).

There’s a lot to love about this easy pullover.  The way the stripes look in reverse stockinette, the comfy fit, the interest provided by two colors of self-shading yarn… we could go on.

This is a good, basic sweater pattern that goes fairly quickly on US size 10 (6mm) needles.  Knit it in pieces, then seam.  If you’ve been a little leery of trying a sweater, this would be a good one to start on.

An image of a black and gray ball of yarn labeled MAJOR.

The sweater uses Major in two colors – 126 Honeydew and 117 Graphite (shown).   You could go wild with color combinations, or keep it grounded by sticking with monochrome 117 Graphite for one of your shades.  There are a lot of possibilities here.

We hope you have a stellar weekend.

Happy crafting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Collar Cowl in Major

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Collar Cowl in Major (pattern link).

Don’t you love it when a yarn does half the work for you?  Self-striping Major makes this knitting project super colorful.

This collar cowl is perfect as an extra layer just beneath your coat during blustery winter days. The cowl is worked in the round from the bottom-up with shaping intended to perfectly hug the neck and shoulders. The result is an especially warm accessory.

Worked in bulky-weight Major, this cowl is also a quick knit. Since one skein is enough for two cowls, why not make one for yourself and another as a gift for someone special?

We hope you have a fantastic weekend.  Happy knitting!

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Free Pattern Friday – Garter Baskets

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, Garter Baskets in Yashi and Yashi Iro (link here).

It’s been a while since we’ve shared something for the home.  These baskets are a quick and easy knitting project.

Worked from the center to edge, judicious placement of “wrap and turn” every few rows forms a curved edge.   100% raffia Yashi (solid) or Yashi Iro (multi) give a nice texture to the finished bowl.

We hope you enjoy this tasteful and decorative project.

Happy knitting!