Tag: Sweater

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A Week of Major Patterns!

week-of-major-blog

Yes!  Our new Major yarn (no pun intended) is here, and we’re shipping it off to LYSes as we speak!  We love this yarn.  It comes in a big, beautiful, squeezable skein.  How big?

Peekaboo!
Amy shows she’s behind Major 100%.

Big.  200g/328yds of bulky self-striping goodness.

We love this yarn.  We’ve already had a great time designing with it, as with the Pineapple Peacock Shawl at right.  Two balls of Major on aUS Size K-10½ (6.5 mm) hook makes a really dramatic and satisfying piece.

But to really celebrate, we’re sharing a new free pattern in Major every day this week!  Today: the Blue Heartstrings Pullover.

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Knitted in pieces and seamed, this sweater features crossed cables are repeated on the front and back (back view shown at right).

The yarn quantity given is enough to complete the project for that particular size.  However, if you want to be doubly sure to match the striping on the front/back and sleeves, you may wish to purchase an extra ball in order to start at the same place in the color patterning in the yarn ball.

Tune in tomorrow to see what’s next!

Happy crafting!

major-cable-pullover-detail-hi-res

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Free Pattern Friday – Storytime Cardi

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

ddk-tweed-storytime-cardi_square

Today, the Storytime Cardi in Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash.

Is it storytime, then?  I think it is!

dw-tweed-and-dk-stacked-100Once upon a time, there was a yarn named Deluxe DK Tweed Superwash.  It was just a bit smaller than its big sibling, Deluxe Worsted Tweed Superwash.  DK wondered, “What can people make with me?  I’m littler than you are!”

And DW answered, “Ah, but you’re just right for so many things!  Lots of people want a littler yarn for littler people!”  And DW was right!  People did want DK for kid projects.

Continue reading “Free Pattern Friday – Storytime Cardi”

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Free Pattern Friday – Spring Pullover

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Bamboo Bloom Handpaints Spring Pullover square hi-res GRAPHICS

Today, the Spring Pullover in Bamboo Bloom Handpaints.

What a great look for Spring, eh?  Cap sleeves, open neckline, and some lovely waist shaping for a more polished look.

You can juuust see the double eyelets accenting the neckline.

Bamboo Bloom Handpaints Spring Pullover detail_blog

This pattern is knitted flat.  Turn the hem up and stitch it to the inside for a nice non-rolly stockinette edge.   This is a great piece for warm weather, and the bright colors of Bamboo Bloom Handpaints really help set a bright mood.

We hope you find something colorful and fun to do this weekend.

Happy knitting!

UY YMN Bamboo Bloom

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Free Pattern Friday – All-Star Pullover

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Cotton Supreme Little Star Top blog square

Today, the All-Star Pullover in Cotton Supreme.

Recently we had a shop mention that we hadn’t had a Free Pattern Friday in Cotton Supreme lately.  Well, we can’t have that; we love this yarn!

I don’t know about you, but I’ve knitted with some cottons that left my hands feeling like they’d been through the wringer.  Nobody should feel like crafting is something to slog through.  It should be a pleasure.  Fortunately, I’ve never had that problem with Cotton Supreme (180yds/100g).  It’s easy to work with, machine washable, and the colors are to die for.  All of which makes it a great choice for this little kid’s pullover.  Knit it flat, seam it up, and send your little all-star out to play.

This one would be really easy to customize, too.  Can’t you imagine this in team colors?  Or… and this is just my inner geek talking… move the intarsia star to the chest and you’ve got a little Captain America.

Captain America colors blog
Sky Surf 927 and White 502, and add 509 Red if you wish. I could knit this all day.

I’m filing this idea away as a potential gift for superhero-loving parents and kids.

We hope you have a safe Memorial Day weekend.

Happy knitting!

Cotton Supreme Little Star needles crossed_Instagram

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Free Pattern Friday – Waves Cardi

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

WavesCardigan_Lumen_front_blog

Today, the Waves Cardi in Lumen.

Feather and Fan is a classic for a reason.  It gives motion and texture to an otherwise plain knit.  And in this pattern, the addition of a few well-placed increases gives shape to a lovely cardi.

WavesCardigan_Lumen_front_detail_blog

Lumen 3 ball stack blogWe’ve chosen Lumen (134yds/50g) for this design because its blend of fibers goes well with open lace to create a great warm-weather piece.  A mix of matte cotton and shiny viscose sections gives this garment a little extra shine to take it to the next level.

We hope you have an uneventful Friday the 13th, and a great weekend!

WavesCardigan_Lumen_back_180

 

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Free Pattern Friday – Swirling River Cardigan

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Swirling RiverCardigan_front_blog

Today, the Swirling River Cardigan in Uptown DK.

This is a great light sweater for Spring in a lovely lightweight yarn.  Uptown DK (273yds/100g) is 100% anti-pilling machine washable acrylic.  Even if you’re a fiber snob, as I confess I sometimes am, you’ll be surprised by just how pleasant it is to work with, and just how nicely it knits up.

SwirlingRiverCardgan_back_blogThis cardi is traditionally constructed, knit in pieces from the bottom up.  The collar and button band are picked up and knitted after finishing the garment.  The Little Swirl and Big Swirl lace repeats are both written and charted.

We love this sweet piece, perfect for the cusp of the changing seasons.  We hope you do too.

Happy knitting!

 

 

 

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Knitspiration – Red Birds in Snow

More snow’s in the forecast – could you use a little knitspiration?

Red Birds in Snow 1959 composite
Red Birds in Snow by Adolf Dehn, 1959

Our snow is over (for now) on the Eastern Seaboard, but there’s a blizzard forecast for the Midwest.  I love snow, but I’m sure most folks have had enough of it.

Photo: Snowy Perch by Nate Zeman

We feature Red Birds in Snow because it’s a nice nod to our state bird here in North Carolina, the cardinal, which gives a lovely burst of color to the monochrome landscape.  I also love it because it’s a good reminder that noticing the things around us is a good antidote to the winter doldrums. Seeing something so bright in an otherwise gray day can snap the world back into focus.

When we’re feeling trapped behind closed doors, it’s important to notice the things around us to bring texture and color back into our lives. These designs are perfect examples. Continue reading “Knitspiration – Red Birds in Snow”

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Free Pattern Friday – Landscapes Sweater

It’s Free Pattern Friday!

Poems Sock Landscapes Sweater_blog

Today, the Landscapes Sweater in Poems Sock.

Happy Selfish Knitting Month! Yes, it’s January, and all the gift knitting is done, so it’s time to do something just for you.  Enter, the Landscapes Sweater.

This entrelac pullover is based on another popular design we had in a discontinued yarn.  We couldn’t let the sweater go, so we re-wrote it into the sock-weight version you see here and made it available for free!

I had to take it outside into the sun. So pretty.
I had to take it outside into the sun. So pretty.

The yarn is Poems Sock (459yds/100g), a strand of 75% wool/25% nylon that moves smoothly from shade to shade.  I really like the choice of color 971 Earth and Sky for this.  It works well for a full-sized garment – colorful but still grounded.

The Landscapes Sweater is constructed in pieces.  The sleeves are worked lengthwise, so the stripes run the length of the arms.  The entrelac front and basic stockinette back and sleeves are worked flat and then seamed.  Sized from XS to 4X, the whole sweater takes from 3-6 balls of yarn.

We hope you enjoy this “just for you” pattern, and that you keep striking the right balance between challenging yourself and just kicking back and enjoying your projects.

Happy knitting!

Poems Sock Landscapes Sweater rear_blog