It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, Little Patriot in Bamboo Pop (pattern here).
Here in America, tomorrow is the 4th of July! Well, technically it’s the 4th of July in many countries, but here it’s significant because that’s when we celebrate our Independence Day!
USA! USA! USA!
In honor of the holiday, we’re making the formerly pay-only Little Patriot pattern in Bamboo Pop free!
This cute summertime tee is sized from 1-12 years. Work it flat, seam it up, then add the star appliques. Voila! Warm-weather adorableness!
We hope you have a socially distant, safe, and happy Independence Day!
Happy crafting! Are you quite done?
It’s Free Pattern Friday!
Today, Ravine in Fibra Natura Lina (pattern link here).
We’re very aware that some parts of the continent are still blessed with cold weather. But here in North Carolina, we’re moving into the holiday weekend with what meteorologists are calling a “death ridge.”
Picture ants under a magnifying glass.
Are we going to let that stop us from knitting? Heck no! We just have to adjust our projects, that’s all.
A little overripe works best.Step one: prepare for the heat. Toss some grapes in the freezer before you hit your LYS. Also, be sure your ice cube trays are full. You’ll be glad you did later.
Step two: choose a short-sleeved, breezy project. Ravine fits the bill. Cool and comfy, this classic wide-necked tee is perfect for summer.
Step three: pick a heat-friendly yarn. Lina is a linen/cotton blend that’s perfect for summer, and it’s going to feel great in a top like Ravine. Other possibilities: Cotton True Sport or Little Bird.
Step four: Cast on and chill out. The grapes are a fitting snack for this, because your hands won’t get grimy and you can keep knitting as you nosh. The ice cubes? If you’ve got a blender, try Kool-Aid slushies – super cheap and refreshing.
We hope you have a safe and relaxing weekend and Memorial Day.
Happy crafting!
How’s your summer going? Are you still looking for that perfect project that will be satisfying to make but not stifle you in the heat?
Voila! Amy Gunderson’s Mars Tee! Crocheted in the round from the bottom up, this beauty is sized from XS to 4X, with shaping that starts out a little bigger at the base, for those of us with a bigger… um… base. The point is, this is comfortable and cool.
Double-crocheting three together makes cute little eyelets without making the fabric too lacey-loose.
From personal experience, I can tell you that the Cotton Supreme family is easy on the hands to use. Go with either the called-for Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray, or try solid Cotton Supreme DK. How cute would this look striped?
Cotton Supreme DK Seaspray
We hope you have a great weekend, with lots of time for you to take care of yourself.
This tee is named after the town of Bienne, Switzerland.  Both German and French are spoken there, and with its old Gothic architecture and modern high rises, the city is a beautiful blend of rustic and sophisticated.
Likewise, the Bienne Tee is a lovely mix of cables and lace in sturdy Flax Lace 100% linen, a classic plant fiber that softens with every wash.
It’s easy to see how good this would look over a tank or cami, with contrasting color capris  or jewelry.  Although it’s a classic in color 101 Taupe as pictured, I’m wondering how something more colorful might work.  There are a lot of lovely tones to choose from.
What a great blend of knit and crochet! Â First, the front squares are crocheted, then the front, back, and sleeves are knitted, then the whole top is assembled and a crochet picot edging is added. Â I’m excited – I’ve done a knitted picot edging before, but not a crocheted one, and it looks so much easier!
The choice of Saki Silk (440yds/100g) for this was a good one.  The monochrome 301 Shadowscape body matches the gray in 304 Giverney, but Giverney’s addition of purple gives it the pop of color it needs.
 This would also look great with the front panel in 307 Hidden Lagoon (above), with its blend of gray and blue.  Cool in several senses of the word.
Mmmm.  Lovely lace.  Sometimes that can be hard to do in a variegated yarn.  Who wants all their hard work to be lost in a sea of color?  Fortunately, the tonal offerings in Infusion Handpaints are a little more subtle than some.  We think this design would look great in any of these six “shade on shade” colors.
The design itself is smooth sailing. Â Knit the ribbing on smaller needles, then switch to US size 6/4mm needles (or whatever gets you gauge) and work up from hem to neckline. Â Do the same for back as you did for the front, then block, seam, and you’re ready to go.
This is a tee, but with a couple of tiny mods to the neck this would be a great vest to go over a button-down.  Hmm… should I think of summer for this piece, or look ahead to Fall?  Decisions, decisions…
As I was writing this post, our sales manager Yonca came in and saw the tee and smiled.  I wanted to share what she said.
“This is the design that made me want to have this yarn.  I saw a tee knit up and fell in love with the look and feel.  It’s just perfect.”
So there you have it: this is the tee that inspired the yarn.  The yarn in question is Ariana (100g/91yds), a smooth, sleek knitted tube that looks quite polished, especially in this ribbed tee.
The Raglan Tee is knit from the bottom upon circular needles. Â Separate at the armholes for the raglan shaping, then add the sleeves (knit separately). Â K1 p1 ribbing is very stretchy, and on US size 10 1/2 (6.5mm) needles this will go quickly.
It’s a great example of a simple design that doesn’t go out of style.
