Find Your Fluff

November 10, 2021November 10, 2021

Find Your Fluff

As the weather cools down I’m starting to plot all of the dreamy ways I can make an extra cozy sweater. I’ve really been liking some of the pieces I’ve seen that carry soft fluffy yarns along with a base, like this gorgeous sweater, Love Note, by Emily Wessel seen on the blog Tin Can Knits.

Just the thought of a soft halo of Mohair, or something equally as fluffy, brings a huge grin to my face. So, I’ve set out on a mission to find my perfect fluff! I already knew that our yarns Penna or Minou would be perfect place to start when experimenting. Both are a fine enough weight to carry along with any other weight yarn, and have their own unique textures and compositions that add something special to a project. The other piece to this puzzle is determining the base yarn. I chose Deluxe Bulky Superwash to have some fun with mixing and matching a big squishy yarn. I grabbed my size L/11 crochet hook and got right to it!

Deluxe Bulky Superwash is 100% superwash wool, and is already a can’t-stop-touching-it yarn. Giving it a bit of extra “oomph” is an easy choice albeit a bit unnecessary! Check out how it works up by itself. I really enjoy working with this yarn because anything you make with it feels quick and the stitches are so easy to see.

*Deluxe Bulky Superwash color 939 Burgundy*

The first combination I tried was mixing Deluxe Bulky Superwash with Penna. I was most excited to try this out because Penna is a luscious blend of 50% Suri Baby Alpaca, 28% Extra Fine Merino, and 22% Nylon. Holding a ball of it is like holding a teeny personal cloud!

This combination had exactly the feel I was hoping for, although visually it doesn’t have quite the impact that carrying with a finer weight yarn would have. To achieve both a soft feel and a billowy halo appearance, I think I would try this out again with a sport weight yarn like Donnina. Despite the larger base, there is definitely still an extra element of visual interest in my swatch along with the heavenly feel.

*Deluxe Bulky Superwash color 939 Burgundy + Penna 114 Bordeaux*

The next combination was to carry Minou along with Deluxe Bulky Superwash. This yarn is a lovely take on eyelash yarns, having all the fun texture elements while incorporating ridiculously soft materials. Minou is composed of 40% Baby Alpaca, 8% Merino Wool, and 52% Nylon. Holding this yarn is like hugging a cute lil’ kitten!

This combination definitely added some extra softness to the base, but I was most excited about the visual effect! The Minou added a cool, modern look to the swatch compared to the look of the Deluxe Bulky Superwash by itself.

*Deluxe Bulky Superwash color 939 Burgundy + Minou color 108 Tanager*

When it’s all said and done I love all of it! It’s really hard to say which combination I would use for my big fluffy dream sweater. I like the Penna combination most for it’s overall feel, but I really like the Minou for it’s look!

*Left to right: DBS + Penna, DBS + Minou, DBS by itself*

What combination would you try out? Aside from the obvious texture decision, what about colors? Would you try out mixing, or matching like I did? There are SO many fun possibilities when trying to find your fluff!

That’s all for now – Happy stitching!
Ashley Jane

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021

Rico Spotlight: Fashion Light Luxury in Crochet

Hello there, Welcome back my second installment of “AJ’s Crochet Corner!”

I’m slowly swatching my way through various yarns and infiltrating our knit-heavy office to inspire envy and the desire to switch skills amongst all I meet! Now that you know my evil plans to motivate my coworkers to share my craft, you can help give me feedback on what types of yarn and patterns I should try out and show off next!

Today I tried out Fashion Light Luxury by Rico Design, which is a wonderful brand that we recently started to distribute. Unfortunately, we haven’t had the chance to incorporate their yarns into our pattern collections just yet, but keep an eye out later in the year for new patterns from us featuring Rico Design yarns. This blog post felt extra special, because I was the first one in the office getting to swatch some stitch patterns in Fashion Light Luxury! This particular yarn is made from 74% Alpaca, 22% Wool, and 4% Nylon. It is ultra fluffy so you have a lot of room to play with techniques, gauge and texture.

*Rico Design Fashion Light Luxury in Powder 009*

For example, our site notes that a recommended hook or needle size is a US 10 or 6mm, to accommodate the fibers as a bulky weight yarn. However, I wanted to get funky and see if I could work up some visible texture, so I scaled down to a US 6 or 4mm hook. It still worked well, as the base yarn housing the fluffy fibers is quite fine.

*Rico Design Fashion Light Luxury in Light Blue 018*

I worked up a swatch in a Honeycomb stitch, which turned out lovely! The smaller hook wound the fibers into the stitches more and helped to create a unique texture. I would definitely recommend a metal hook for this, as the yarn was a bit grippy when I tried a wooden hook. The overall effect was worth it though! Between the color, the swirls of the pattern, and the bouncy material I’m reminded of sea foam on the shore of a stormy ocean.

I mentioned earlier though how this yarn is meant to be treated as a bulky weight. When you size up your hook, you have more room for the intended airy halo, and get a satisfying drape to boot. Check out the Crochet Cardigan and Shawl designed by the Rico Design Team below!

*Rico Design Fashion Light Luxury Cardigan in Pastel Green 024*

*Rico Design Fashion Light Luxury Shawl in 7 various colors*

Here you can see that the fabric made is not as dense as my swatch, and that there is a bit of a cozier quality overall. Ultimately I feel that Fashion Light Luxury is really versatile for the different looks you can manipulate, and for the adaptability of its blend. It’s extremely lightweight, yet very warm, and the nylon gives it enough strength to handle making garments.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this experiment with gauge and a unique yarn! Let me know what you think you’d try to make out of it! Please also drop a comment if there are any specific yarns, or techniques that you’d like to see in crochet.

That’s all for now!

Happy Stitching, Ashley Jane

August 25, 2021August 25, 2021

AJ’s Crochet Corner – Pick Three

Hello there!

My name’s Ashley Jane, also known as AJ here at Universal Yarn. I’m avid crocheter, lover of dogs and all things outdoors, drinker of teas, and the newest member to the design team! My first few weeks here have been a whirlwind of learning our product line, organizing and revamping our Trunk Show Program, and making the cutest ever sample of our Ricorumi Kits!

While settling into my new role, I have had the chance to stitch and swatch a few of our yarns to get to know them. I narrowed down my selection to Bella Cash, Ravello, and Penna. I wanted a chance to play around with some of our softer yarns while seeing what types of texture and feel I could produce with crochet. I loved my results – keep reading on to see my take on these fabulous fibers.

Sample Pennants in Bella Cash 116, Ravello 115 and Penna 106

Bella Cash: Grippy on the hook, and springy to the touch. Using a 3.75 mm hook, I tried out the Lemon Peel stitch to see what type of texture I could get while working with it and wasn’t disappointed. Made from 60% Superwash Merino, 10% Cashmere, and 30% Nylon, this fine-weight yarn has great structure and stitch definition. Plus it feels nice and soft, and the hook size I used created a thick but malleable fabric. Bella Cash is easily one of my favorites to work with so far and would be fantastic in a full sweater with some texture and fine detailing, like the Bellissima Cardi, or the Holiday Lights Shawl.

Ravello: Smooth to work with, and wonderful for making textures that have a nice light fluff to the finished piece. Using a 3.75mm hook for this fine weight yarn, the fabric has a delightful drape, and a soft airy quality to it. I played around with petal and reverse petal stitches for the pennant below. I loved it so much that I’ve decided to make my first Universal Yarn pattern from it, so be on the lookout for the Petal Shawl, coming soon! With a blend of 75% Cotton, 16% Extra Fine Merino and 9% Recycled Cashmere this yarn is lovely for summery tops like the Riviette Tank or the Lorelei sweater.

Lastly, Penna: Fluffy and Fun! This lace weight yarn is quite fine with lots of airy soft fibers, made from 50% Suri Baby Aplaca, 28% Extra Fine Merino, and 22% Nylon, so the stitches stand out in almost a ghostly fashion. Each twist and turn of your stitch can be seen through the fluff which I find looks beautiful with basic stitches, so I chose to whip up a simple pennant of Half Double Crochet’s using a 3.75 mm hook. An easy way to incorporate Penna into a piece is to hold it with another yarn like the Ariosa pattern suggests. This adds just the right amount of softness for that cozy, can’t-stop-touching feel. By itself, this is a standout yarn for lacework as seen in the Pluma stole.

All in all, these yarns are unbeatable for their quality and price points. I look forward to experimenting with more yarns and trying them out with crochet and other crafts.

That’s all for now – Happy Stitching!

Ashley Jane

October 26, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Poems Ribbed Stripe Scarf

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Wisdom Yarns Poems.

The weather has finally turned the corner from summer to Fall here in the South. Coming home from work, I had to smile at the smell of smoke from my neighbor’s fireplace wafting through the neighborhood.

When I was selecting my next project, I couldn’t shake that memory. Even with no fireplace in my own home, I can still knit something that reminds me of cool evenings outdoors.

Wisdom Yarns Poems was the obvious choice. 100% wool in self-shading tones just felt right for the season. The lighter color is 605 Lofoten, a colorway designed by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton. It reminds me of smoke and ash – and maybe toasted marshmallows, too.

The darker color is 607 Hearth, recently added to the Poems line when we had requests to expand our reds. True to its name, it has overtones of embers and flame.

The scarf itself is a simple 1×1 rib, slipping the first stitch of each row for a neater edge. Make two rows in each color – k1p1 to the end, k1p1 back, then switch colors. Couldn’t be easier. A US 8 (5mm) needle over 32 inches produced a scarf 5 inches wide. One ball of each color made a full length scarf for short me. Casting on 28 or 30 would get more length for a taller person.

The colors are varied but not wild – they’re just perfect to go with the earth tones and browns of Fall. I look forward to wearing this on a stroll up the street tonight. It’ll be my own bit of comfort and warmth.

Happy knitting!

September 19, 2014

Free Pattern Friday – Wall Candy

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Understated and elegant! Wall Candy is a straightforward knit packaged in a unique way.

Four strands of Deluxe Worsted 100% wool are knitted into a 10×10 stockinette square. Thick wire is run around the edges, then the square is framed. Don’t worry, the pattern contains directions and pictures showing how to attach the frame. If you’ve ever run blocking wire through the edge of a shawl, you can do this. If you haven’t… it’s time to learn!

Although this pattern is written for Deluxe Worsted, I’m looking back over some of my Sunday Swatches to see what else I might have suitable for framing. Maybe some Nettle Lana? Hmmm…

Universal Yarn offers many thanks to Suzy, the Sweetest Dog in the World for her kind hospitality on this photo shoot. Who’s a good dog, Suzy? You are!

Happy knitting, friends!

August 10, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Saki Bamboo

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Saki Bamboo color 101 Crayon Box.

Saki Bamboo is a soft machine washable blend of superwash merino, rayon from bamboo, and a little nylon for extra durability. I love how crisply this yarn stripes up.

I picked this yarn because there’s a project I’ve been wanting to start, and Saki Bamboo seemed like the perfect fit. The Mystik Spiral socks use short rows to create a diagonal band across the foot and leg of a sock, ideal for a strong self-striping yarn. Sure enough, it’s looking pretty great.

I’m delighted with how well the stripes are turning out, and how soft the bamboo content makes these socks. This is definitely going to be the project I keep in my purse on vacation this year.

Happy knitting!

July 13, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Cirrus Cotton

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Cirrus Cotton.

I know, we just did Free Pattern Friday in Cirrus Cotton (50g/109yds), but I found it inspirational! The multis and the solids in this light and fuzzy yarn coordinate so well that it got me thinking about color work. A baby blanket in a bulky and soft yarn seems like a good combo.

Based on this color selection, I’m thinking about a landscape – a variegated green grass with a blue sky and creamy clouds. Maybe add a yellow sun with an embroidered face for extra charm. Something bright and sunny for the nursery!

Happy crafting!

July 6, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Llamalini

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Llamalini color 106 Lotus.

Yes, it looked like a smiley face, so I had to take a picture of it like that because I am a big old dork. But I can’t help it, I’m smiling too. I got to knit with Llamalini! This particular swatch is the stitch pattern from this week’s Throwback Thursday, the Zig Zag Lace Scarf. It worked up nicely on US Size 7 (4.5mm) needles and was quite an easy pattern to keep track of.

Llamalini (50g/109yds) is a blend of linen, royal llama, and silk bourette that’s just as decadent as it sounds. The linen gives it a little drape, and the silk bourette provides a tweedy texture for added visual interest. The royal llama is there for extra fabulousness.

Llamalini is featured prominently in our Contrarian Shawls e-book, but I also want to show off a free pattern designed for it. The Diagonals Tee is a popular design with an interesting yoke. The only sewing is stitching up the underarms, which you can see are quite short. Raveler Nytate (real name, Latisha) did a great version of this top (pictured right), and in fact is doing a KAL/class on it at her local shop, Sheep’s Clothing in Kennewick, WA. Nice work!

Have a great weekend, and happy knitting!

June 8, 2014June 8, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Garden 3

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Garden 3.

This crochet swatch in Garden 3 is actually a WIP by a member of our sales team. It’s a piece that she’s made the front of already, and is now making the matching back for. I’ve seen it in person, and it’s beautiful!

Garden 3 is excellent quality 100% mercerized Egyptian Giza cotton, smooth with a bit of a sheen. Garden is part of our popular Nazli Gelin line and is available in both 50 gram balls and 500 gram cones perfect for larger projects.

Our diligent salesperson is using a US E/4 (3.5mm) hook and it’s working out beautifully, as you can see above. Another of my favorite Garden 3 designs, Sarah Read’s Love Ewe Nesting Dolls to the right, works up on smaller hooks. It’s available as a free download (yay!) with website signup from CrochetMe.com. Here’s the link.

Happy crafting!

June 1, 2014June 1, 2014

Sunday Swatch – Bella Chenille

Today’s Sunday Swatch is in Bella Chenille colors 109 Blueberry and 111 Clover.

Bella Chenille is a superbulky supersoft chenille. I dare you to pick up a skein and not squeeze it. It’s also available in a multi version with sweet pastel tones.

We love this yarn for baby knits. Not only is it very soft, but it’s also machine washable. The swatch shown above ran through my front-loader before being laid out to dry, and as you can see it came through with flying (vibrant!) colors.

The pattern above was originally meant to be a circle, although unblocked it came out more of a soft flower shape – it almost reminds me of a poppy. It’s based on instructions in the Alyoops! blog post linked here, although this swatch used two size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) circular needles rather than double-points. Wouldn’t this make a great throw or baby blanket? I can even see sewing a few ribbons on the edges to make a “wooby” for a toddler to carry around.

There are more free ideas for kid projects on our website, like the Lil’ Lightning Baby Blanket in Bella Chenille and Bella Chenille Multi at right.