Free Pattern Friday – Insulate Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Insulate Cardigan_blogToday, the Insulate Cardigan in Superwool.

Insulate Cardigan back blogYesterday on the blog we were talking about how slowly knitting could go with tiny needles and tiny yarn.  This, on the other hand, could not go faster.  The cardigan is actually knit as one rectangle.  That’s it.  Knits and purls, worked straight from end to end, then folded and seamed, creating this neat swallowtail hem.  If you’re looking for a quick and easy project, we’ve got you covered.

Insulate Cardigan mannequin_blogSuperwool (100g/66yds) is a super-bulky, springy wool blend that stretches and moves with you.  This is a great project to wrap yourself up in, nice and cozy.

Our sales manager Yonca designed and knitted this cardigan, and we passed it around the office modeling it.  Our accounting manager tried it on upside down, and guess what – it still looked great!  Here it is “upside down” on a mannequin.  Pretty versatile for one long rectangle.

Happy knitting!

 

 

Holiday Helper – Quick Cowls

Breathe in… breathe out…  knit one… purl two…

Everybody calm?  Good.  Let’s stay relaxed, because there’s still plenty of time to knit some lovely gifts for the holidays.  This week, let’s focus on quick and chunky knits.  Fortunately, we have an entire free e-book devoted to exactly this kind of pattern.

Quick Cowls collects five patterns in bulky weight yarns that look good and work up quickly.

Get To The Point Cowl Classic Shades Frenzy_Facebook

The Get To the Point Cowl in Classic Shades Frenzy is always popular when we send it out for trunk shows.  In fact, it’s on the road again this month for a showing at Bourgee Boutique in Claremont, CA.  If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by and see it.  Variegated Classic Shades Frenzy does the heavy lifting in making a striking design.  Just one ball on US Size 11 (8mm) needles does the trick.

Quick Cowls Ethereal Lace Cowl Mohair Mountain_Facebook

The Ethereal Lace Cowl is a lovely soft lace pattern that gets you a lot of bang for your buck.  One ball of Mohair Mountain (660yds per ball) will make five cowls on US Size 11 (8mm) needles.  That’s a lot of gifts from just one ball.  The pattern is both written and charted, so pick whatever you’re comfortable with.

Quick Cowls Everyone Likes Stripes Cowl DChunky_Facebook

The Everyone Likes Stripes cowl is another that knits up quickly on size 11 (8mm) needles.  With more than 120 colors of the called-for Deluxe Chunky 100% wool, this is a very easy piece to customize for your giftee.  This is also one that I would have to put away after knitting because otherwise I’d keep it for myself.

Quick Cowls Hairpin Cowl BBloom HP_Facebook

Hairpin!  This technique isn’t used as often as it should be!  The Hairpin Lace Cowl uses one skein of Bamboo Bloom Handpaints for the vibrant variegated stripes and one skein of Deluxe Chunky for the solid center and edge.   Unusual and beautiful.

Quick Cowls Lava Flow Cowl Superwool_Facebook

Finally, the Lava Flow Cowl uses just one skein of Superwool on size 17 needles.  We call it Superwool because it’s super stretchy.  This is a warm and soft cowl with a lot of “sproing” to it.  I’ve made this one myself – it’s a very fast and satisfying knit.

Breathe in… breathe out… we’re calm, right?  Let’s all keep knitting and we’ll all get to the holidays together in great shape.

Happy knitting!

Sunday Swatch – Superwool

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Superwool.

Sunday Swatch Superwool_blog

Superwool is one of those yarns that you touch, then you pause and squeeze because you can’t quite believe what you’re feeling.  Superwool is super stretchy!  It’s an acrylic/nylon blend that’s specially spun to provide a lot of give.  Frankly, as, shall we say, a “substantial” knitter I am delighted to find a yarn that’s going to be kind to my curves – especially a super bulky one that knits up quickly.

Quick Cowls Lava Flow Cowl Superwool_blogThis swatch is a cable taken from the Lava Flow Cowl pictured at right, a one ball pattern that’s part of our free Quick Cowls e-book.  It works up very quickly on size 17 needles.  I knitted this swatch in a coffee shop and foolishly left my cable needle at home, so I wound up using a Sharpie magic marker to hold my stitches.  I felt quite resourceful.

If I hadn’t had my tools, I still could have made a quick project – this yarn works great for arm-knitting.  It’s simple to make this 50″ long “Supercowl” using just your hands and one skein.  Superwool’s elasticity makes it a natural fit for arm-knitting.  It’s very easy to move the yarn over your wrists.

I just might unravel this swatch and use it to teach my daughter how to arm-knit.  What a fun project in a fun yarn!