scarf – Page 7 – Universal Yarn Creative Network

May 26, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Rivulet Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

It’s not hard to see how this got its name. Crochet rivulets ripple the width of this scarf, glittering in Universe like sunlight on the water.

We use three shades of Universe for bands of color to provide additional interest, but you can use as many or as few shades as you wish.

The scarf is knit in two halves from the center out for symmetry, with the rivulet pattern written and charted.

We hope you enjoy this sparkling crochet piece.

Happy crafting!

May 5, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – BFF Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the BFF Scarf in Uptown Bulky and Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

We’re calling this the BFF scarf because there are so many elements that play together as friends here. First, there’s the blend of multi-hued Bamboo Bloom Handpaints held together with solid Uptown Bulky.

Second, there’s the combination of two big yarns and US Size 17 (12 mm) needles, so the whole thing knits up fast.

And third, there’s the designer, Sandy Harris. A talented crafter and knitting teacher, she’s always been a friend to Universal, designing beauties like the One Side Cowl in Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

Put it all together and you have a pattern that’s fun, quick, and easy. It’s a home run.

Happy knitting!

April 28, 2017May 2, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – KISS Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the KISS Scarf in Cotton Supreme Splash.

A while back, we had a request for a super-simple lace scarf for a beginner. Well, it doesn’t get much simpler than this. The KISS Scarf is a few rows of garter stitch, followed by a one-row k2tog,yo repeat with a garter stitch border on the edges. It’s fully reversible, and it only takes one half of a ball of Cotton Supreme Splash (100g/180yds) meaning it won’t take forever, even for a beginner.

(Edit: I was so excited about this pattern that I accidentally wrote k2, yo instead of k2tog yo*. The pattern was right, but the article was wrong – it would have led to a dramatically increasing row every time. Thanks to all of you eagle-eyed knitters!)

This pattern would work well with any of the yarns in the Cotton Supreme family. Cotton Supreme and Cotton Supreme Batik both have the same yardage per ball, so they could be used interchangeably here. Go down a needle size for a slightly skinnier scarf (or just cast on more stitches in an even number) and use Cotton Supreme DK or DK Seaspray.

The remaining half a ball of Cotton Supreme Splash is sitting on my desk right now, tempting me. I could knit another… or I could use it to teach someone else to knit. Decisions, decisions.

Happy knitting!

March 24, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Augustine Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Augustine Scarf in Whisper Lace.

I was so excited to see this piece in our office. Fibra Natura Whisper Lace (440g/50yds) is one of my favorite yarns, and accessories like this, which are gorgeous but still very achievable to the novice lace knitter, are always welcome.

When the time came to photograph this, I brought a shawl pin from home. I picked up this JulDesigns shawl pin from an LYS here in Charlotte, and have been waiting for the perfect occasion to break it out. Jul’s designs are so beautiful, and I wanted to show what the right accessory can do for an already lovely garment.

We’re not affiliated with Jul. We just think her stuff is pretty.

But back to the scarf! The stitches are simple – knit, purl, yo, and ssk (slip, slip, knit). The 4-row pattern is written and charted. The scarf is knit on the bias, and once you’ve done a couple of repeats it’s easy to see what’s coming up next.

This is also a great example of what blocking can do for a scarf. Look at how wide it gets! There are plenty of options with a fabric this sheer. Spread it wide or gather it for a more casual look.

If you’re looking for something that’s simple but delicate, this is a great choice. We hope you enjoy it.

Happy knitting!

March 3, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Rising Tide Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Rising Tide Scarf in Major.

You’ve got to love the ones that are easier than they look.

This slip-stitch knit pattern is worked in two colors of our bulky Major acrylic. Because this yarn comes in big 200g/328yd skeins, you only need one skein of each color. Even though it’s a wide scarf, it’s made on a size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needle so it goes pretty quickly.

It’s always gratifying to see the next color come up in a pattern with self-shading yarn, isn’t it? The travelling slipped stitches mean the color carries up into the next row, even though each section only uses one color of yarn at a time. Knit it lengthwise, add the fringe, and voila! A lovely accessory.

We hope you enjoy this project and your weekend.

Happy knitting!

February 24, 2017February 24, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Chapel Stole

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Chapel Stole in Radiant Cotton.

Depending on where you are, either it’s warm enough for Spring projects, or you’re dreaming that it’s warm enough. It’s time to get a little headstart with this beautiful lace wrap.

Knit on US Size 7 (4.5mm) needles in Radiant Cotton (203yds/100g), it’s a generous 84″ (seven feet!) as shown. It would be easy to lengthen or shorten – just add or remove a repeat or two from the central section. The crocheted picot edging is applied after finishing the piece.

This lovely sampler also comes in a narrower scarf version at about half the width.

There are some really bright Spring colors in Radiant cotton that would look lovely with this. Maybe 819 Sky Blue?

Or maybe something lighter and more delicate, like 807 First Bloom.

It’s a good feeling to be spoiled for choice.

Happy knitting!

February 10, 2017March 17, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Suddenly, Gradiently!

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, it’s Suddenly, Gradiently! in Deluxe Bulky Superwash.

We loved the way this simple color-changing scarf looked, so we knitted up several options to see how it looked in different colors. It was no hardship. The pattern is easy enough for a beginner and is worked on US size 10 1/2 needles in our Deluxe Bulky Superwash wool.

I’m a sucker for blues and greens, so the five-color version in those tones really speaks to me. Those who want to go bolder might try the six-color version, shown in purple, pink, and green. And those who want something classic and understated can knit the three-color version in shades of white and gray.

We’re not kidding when we say the welting pattern on this is easy. It’s a four row repeat knitted flat which goes: knit a row, purl a row, purl a row, knit a row. Great for beginners, or for those who want a project to knit that doesn’t require their full attention. (I still haven’t gotten to see the latest season of Sherlock; this would be ideal for that!)

As I look at this scarf, I also wonder how it would look with a couple of different colors of a self-shading yarn, like Poems Chunky. I’ve been searching for the perfect project for our newest color.

Hm. I think my queue just got longer.

Happy knitting!

February 3, 2017

Free Pattern Friday – Pomtastic Hat and Scarf

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Today, the Pomtastic Hat and Scarf in Major.

We like this combo for two reasons.

First, it’s a neat example of how to work the same stitch pattern flat or in the round. Row one is the same on both, but of course when you’re working in the round things are a bit different because you’re never reversing directions. In row 2, stitches are knitted for the flat back-and-forth of the scarf, but purled in the round for the hat.

The second reason to like this set:

It’s pretty cool what you can do with a pom-pom maker and a self-striping yarn like Major. You can plan out the colors, or just go with the flow. This little half-and-half topper happened organically.

Plus, let’s face it, what isn’t improved by the addition of pompoms?

We rest our case.

Happy knitting!

December 13, 2016

Summit Scarf – Triple Knotted Fringe

The Summit Scarf from our Colorful Commute e-book features triple knotted fringe. It is an easy way to add a lot of visual interest to your project. It may look complicated, but it’s really quite simple and doesn’t take much more time or effort than plain fringe. Today I’ll show you how to do it!

summitscarf4_classicshadesfrenzy_web

Step 1: Begin as you normally would when adding fringe to a project, for this scarf I cut 21” strands of yarn. Then, holding two strands together as one, I attached groups of fringe to the edge of the scarf, about one group every other stitch.

Step 2: Take half of one group of fringe knot together with half of next group of fringe 1” below first row of knots. I did not split the first and last groups of fringe.

fringe1

fringe2

fringe3

fringe4

Step 3: Repeat for another row of knots. To finish, trim fringe evenly.

fringe5

fringe6

fringe7

fringe8

That’s all there is to it! You can keep adding more rows of knots to create some really amazing and intricate looking fringe, use longer strands of yarn when increasing the number of knotted rows. Beads can be placed above the knots (or even in place of the knots) to add some sparkle – there are so many possibilities.

November 23, 2016November 23, 2016

Weaving Wednesdays – Herringbone Sampler

I’m pretty excited about this current weaving project. For years now, I’ve wanted to weave my own fabric for a custom-sewn jacket. And finally, I’m going to make it happen. In fact, I’m making two of them! Yonca, our sales director (and my boss) caught wind of my plan and requested a jacket for her own. You be able to find us at next January’s TNNA in our matching jackets.

Years ago, I sewed a moto jacket from this Burda pattern.

Here I am wearing my version, circa 2009 or so.

I’ve been wanting to weave with our Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash ever since we introduced it earlier this year, and I decided this would be the perfect project for it. I toyed around with a few ideas for the type of weaving draft I’d use, but in the end I decided on a herringbone tweed. I love the idea of classic herringbone and tweed modernized in the ultra-cool moto jacket.

Before beginning, I knew I need to make a sample of my woven fabric. I mean, if I’m going to be weaving yards upon yards of fabric for two jackets, I need to know I’m going to like it, right? I was also having trouble deciding on colors, and saw this as a perfect example to introduce a little plaid into my tweed and herringbone.

First, I selected five colors from the Deluxe DK palette that I’d been considering:

Next, I set out to warp my loom with a section in each color. I read that it’s a good idea to use a denser sett (ends per inch) when weaving twill, so that’s what I did. For a DK weight yarn such as Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash, I would normally weave with a 10 dent reed. But for this project, I opted for a 12 dent.

I’m using a four harness loom which makes weaving twill a breeze. But with if you have a rigid heddle loom, with the use of pick-up sticks this is totally achievable.

As you can see, my warp has 5 different colors. I also wove with the same 5 colors to see how they all interacted with one another. I found it interesting that the same 2 colors played differently depending in which was warp and which was weft. The color that is the warp (in this particular twill) shows as being more dominant that the weft.

It’s nice to do a “practice” piece of weaving that I’ll actually use and wear!

The colors that I ultimately selected for my jacket are the two that I would have picked anyway, but I’m so glad I did this exercise. It also gave Yonca a chance to see the different colors so she could make her choice as well.

Stay tuned for more herringbone twill and moto jackets!