Knitting

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Darn Good Yarn!

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dgyI recently aquired some of this yarn. It’s recycled, handspun silk sari yarn, gorgeous stuff. Currently I’m knitting a bag, and I’ll let you know how that goes. It’s fun to knit with, and knits up quickly (the size 13 needles probably help a bit!).

Darn Good Yarn prides itself on providing you with fairly traded and child labor free yarns. Falling back on her experience with Around the Om Nicole takes that mission seriously. As DGY continues to grow so will our yarn selections, which we promise will be earth friendly, fair trade, child labor free, unique and fun to craft with! Namaste!

I’ll write more later on this stuff, including pics of my bag-to-be, and of course the pattern as I make it up.

Check out the website, pretty cool stuff, and a blog too (can’t go wrong with a site that has a blog)!  http://www.darngoodyarn.com

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  1. Just in case you visit the site, you can use coupon code DGYLOVE and you’ll get 5% off your entire order!

Have you read?

Knit a Spiky Balaclava

Not too long ago my daughter and I had a discussion about what a chestnut really looks like. The nut itself is small and brown, of course, but on the tree they’re covered with this weird kind of spiky, kind of fuzzy shell. It’s a wonder anyone ever figured out they were edible.

If you didn’t know that, you might wonder why this project is call Chestnut balaclava, but now you know.

This fun design from Yevheniia Pyroh is covered with spikes just like a chestnut shell, and is even the same color, though of course you can make yours whatever color you like. It uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held together (which it says is fingering weight but you could try a light/DK yarn and see if you get gauge with it if you’d rather).

There are two different design options in the pattern. One is a more fitted balaclava style hat (it doesn’t cover the face but does go around the neck) and a looser fit hood.

It’s worked primarily in garter stitch, with shaping done by knitting and purling in the same stitch and through various decreases (including a knit 3 together).

The pattern is charted but also explained in words. It’s worked flat to the size you want, and then joined into a hood shape with ribbing at the neck. The opening for the face is finished with I-cord.

This hood/balaclava would definitely be a conversation starter and in different colors it might read more dinosaur than chestnut, which could also be fun. The sizing is totally custom so you can make it fit whatever head you’re stitching for.

If you want to try it for yourself (and I’d love to hear about it if you do!) you can download the free pattern from Ravelry.

[Photo: Yevheniia Pyroh]

Balaclava Knitting Patterns

Colorwork Balaclava Knitting Pattern [Knitting]