Pattern – Page 48 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

June 26, 2014June 26, 2014

Throwback Thursday – Tea Party

It’s Throwback Thursday!

Awww! I love a cute kid in a cute sweater. Of course, this pattern is from 2008, so to fit this moppet now you’d have to knit the largest size!

Regardless of when it was first published, the pattern remains adorable. Originally meant for discontinued Bellagio, we’re recommending Cotton Supreme (100g/180yds) as a substitution. While Cotton Supreme won’t have quite the same sheen as the original yarn, it is soft and machine washable, making it a great choice for kid knits. And on size 7 needles, the gauge should work out just fine.

Tea Party is knitted flat and seamed, with the lace pattern both written and charted. All in all, a great knit for any little tyke.

June 20, 2014June 20, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – Lotus Shrug

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

I love knitting lace, but realistically there are only so many lace shawls I need, so I’m delighted to see the Lotus Shrug in Whisper Lace!

Whisper Lace (50g/440yds) is a member of our luxury Fibra Natura line. 70% wool + 30% silk = 100% love. It’s a joy to work with. And it’s a perfect match for a project that hits right in the sweet spot of my personal taste.

Knitted flat side to side, the arm seams are joined, then the edges are picked up along the edge of the body in the round to add the lace. Knitting outward from the edge creates a great sense of motion in the finished piece.

For me, it doesn’t hurt that it’s on size 5 needles, so I can see progress faster than on some lace projects. This one’s going in my queue.

Happy knitting!

June 15, 2014June 15, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Bamboo Pop

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Bamboo Pop colors 108 Lime Green, 208 Pink Joy, and 102 Cream.

Today’s swatch started as an experiment to see just how thick various i-cords were in Bamboo Pop. Bamboo Pop is one of our most popular yarns, a lightweight blend of 50% cotton and 50% bamboo.

The entire flower was knit on size 4 needles. The petals of the flower are one long 4-stitch i-cord, the stem is a 3-stitch i-cord, and the center is a 2-stitch i-cord curled around itself.

I took a picture of the back side so you can see how it’s assembled. I had hoped to put a chenille stem (pipe cleaner, for those of my generation) into the center for stability, but the i-cord was just a little too narrow to fit the jumbo-sized chenille stem that I had on hand, so instead I used some very thick floral wire for stability. The extra wire extending from the bottom lets it stand upright without causing the i-cord to push up on itself and wrinkle.

The leaves were a last-minute addition, but they’re a nice touch. Here’s the leaf pattern, done on size 4 needles:

CO 4

Row 1: k1, (kfb) twice, k1. (6 sts total)

Row 2: purl

Row 3: k2, (kfb) twice, k2 (8 sts total)

Row 4: purl

Row 5: k3, (kfb) twice, k3 (10 sts total)

Row 6: purl

Row 7: k1, k2tog, k4, ssk, k1 (8 sts total)

Row 8: purl

Row 9: k1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k1 (6 sts total)

Row 10: purl

Row 9: k1, k2tog, ssk, k1 (4 sts total)

Row 10: purl

Row 9: k2tog, ssk,(2 sts total)

Row 10: purl 2 tog (1 st total)

Pull yarn through remaining stitch to bind off.

I have some bits of Bamboo Pop in other colors, so I’m considering making an entire bouquet for an empty flowerpot. It would be a nice maintenance-free addition to the front porch.

Happy knitting – and gardening!

June 13, 2014June 13, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – Bodrum Beach Cover-up

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Everybody say hi to Yonca!

Yonca is our sales director, and also the designer of today’s free pattern, the Bodrum Beach Cover-up in Garden 3. You may recognize part of this pattern from this past week’s Sunday Swatch (right).

Yonca wanted to make a gift for her sister-in-law in Turkey, so she whipped up this colorful number in our Garden 3 cotton thread and graciously shared her pattern with us. Garden 3 ( 136yds/50g) is 100% mercerized Egyptian Giza cotton, a favorite for durable and beautiful garments and a great pick for this breezy summer project.

It’s called the Bodrum Beach Cover-up after the town of Bodrum in Turkey, a beautiful resort with gorgeous weather, a medieval castle, and of course the beach. I was so happy Yonca told us about this place – it’s one more spot to put on my bucket list.

We couldn’t resist sending Yonca on a virtual trip there, if only for this blog post. Have a great time, Yonca, and keep crocheting!

June 12, 2014June 12, 2014

Throwback Thursday – Ruffled Shoulder Bag

It’s Throwback Thursday!

The Ruffled Shoulder Bag is a great project any time of the year. Originally knit in Links cotton from our Fibra Natura line, we suggest substituting another non-wool yarn like Cotton Supreme (100g/180yds) or Uptown DK (100g/273yds).

The frills are simple semi-circular strips sewn on after knitting the bag proper, making it easy to customize with or without ruffles as you wish.

I’m thinking this might be a good thing to work on at my local Worldwide Knit In Public Day – making a bag big enough to hold my WIPs seems like a fitting project!

June 9, 2014June 10, 2014

Afghan Knitalong – Block Seven

Block Seven is live!

Cables! I love ’em. They can give flow and movement to a piece that is hard to achieve any other way. But they’re also one of those things that some knitters never try, just because they seem intimidating. Nothing could be further from the truth!

For Block Seven “Echolate” we’ve got a video to walk you through the process of knitting both right and left-leaning cables using a cable needle. If you don’t have a cable needle, grab a spare double-point and use that instead!

In this block, I’m particularly fond of the little rippling cables at the left. I may incorporate that into more of my knitting!

This block also calls for a few M1 (make one) increases on row 7. As a bonus, Amy Gunderson has put together a short video demonstrating exactly how this kind of increase works. Easy peasy!

We hope you enjoy this foray into the world of cables. We’ll see you in a couple of weeks with another block that builds on this technique.

Happy knitting!

June 6, 2014June 6, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – Sunflower Dress

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, something bright and summery for the crocheters! The Sunflower Dress in Garden 10 is a sunny delight.

Written and charted, this crochet confection uses our Garden 10 100% mercerized Egyptian Giza cotton thread. Garden comes in both 50 gram balls and in 500 gram cones, handy for larger projects.

This is exactly the kind of design that inspires me to stretch my wings when it comes to crochet. Just gorgeous.

Happy crocheting!

June 5, 2014June 5, 2014

Throwback Thursday – Rainforest Cardigan

Welcome to the first Throwback Thursday!

Starting this week, we’re going to be featuring designs in retired yarns that would still look great now!

Today we’re featuring the Rainforest Cardigan, originally in Sea Song.

Sea Song was a member of our Fibra Natura line of luxury organic yarns. It consisted of cotton and seacell, both plant fibers which give this garment a relaxed feel. We’re recommending another plant fiber yarn for this garment, Bamboo Pop.

The sideways construction of this cardi makes it especially well-suited for variegated yarns like Bamboo Pop, which also comes in solids. Although slightly thinner than the original yarn, Bamboo Pop will still give 5½ stitches to the inch, the required gauge for this pattern.

This is an easy to knit, easy to wear piece that would be a great accent for mild weather. It’s a classic design with a current look.

Happy knitting!

May 30, 2014May 30, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – Netted Tank in Cotton Supreme

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today’s offering is the Netted Tank in Cotton Supreme.

I don’t know about where you are, but here in North Carolina today it is hot with a capital H-O-T. Great timing, then, for a breezy cotton tank!

The Netted Tank uses Cotton Supreme 100% cotton and a simple (k2tog, yo) repeat to create an open and airy mesh that’s a great coverup on a warm day. The twisted ribbing hem in a contrasting color is a great touch!

A great summertime knitting project is just the thing to distract from the heat. I’m thinking I may whip up a batch of something cool with my very favorite lemonade recipe (hint: cut the sugar just a bit), then sit out on the back porch and sip and knit. Ahhhh…

May 23, 2014May 23, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – A Week of Babies!

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, it’s a two-fer! We present the Professor Pullover (left) and Love Patches (right). How adorable are those little elbow patches? Both cute baby sweaters are knit in lightweight machine washable Little Bird 100% microfiber acrylic (344yds/100g). This yarn is exceptionally soft, making it a great choice for baby projects.

These two designs cap off an entire week of free baby and kid patterns. Sometimes it’s hard to find things that aren’t too froufrou for little kids, so we focused mainly on designs that didn’t have too many lacy details.

First, the Over and Out Vest in Infusion Handpaints wool/acrylic. Two skeins makes a sophisticated vest for a tyke who needs dress up a little but still keep those arms free for making mudpies. Did we mention Infusion Handpaints is machine washable?

Next, the Lil’ Grandpa Cardigan in Deluxe DK Superwash 100% wool. Sized for ages 1-10, this machine washable cabled cardigan would look very dignified paired with a bubble pipe and a golden retriever.

The Snowbaby Set is a snuggly soft hat and sweater in Bella Chenille. Sized for 3-24 months, it’s a simple project to knit in the round. The snap flap at the shoulder makes the sweater very easy to pull over baby’s head.

Finally… okay, something a little more frilly, because how could we resist? The Cutie Cardi is knit in Little Bird Colors 100% microfiber acrylic with a solid Little Bird crocheted border. The pleated pockets are an adorable accent.

We hope you find some inspiration from these sweet designs for little sweethearts!