Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Get the Goods on Gradient Yarns

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gradient knits book review

The winner is Linda.

Last week I shared a review of a brand-new book from Tanis Gray all about gradient yarns and ombre mini skeins. Gradient Knits not only provides great lessons in using these colorful skeins, it also offers 10 lessons in knitting skills, particularly as they pertain to colorwork knitting.

If you’d like a chance to get a copy of this book for yourself, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, Oct. 8.

I’d love to know if you’ve used any gradient yarns or multicolored mini skeins in a project before. I have some of these yarns, and I had an idea I wanted to try with one of them, but I’ve since forgotten what it was so I haven’t broken it out just yet. Typical.

Thanks for visiting and commenting, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. I would love to learn how to use gradient yarn properly. I used a multi colored yarn for a project a while back and I didn’t really like the look of it. So winning this book would be so awesome!

  3. I have two sets of mini skeins, neither is a gradient set. One was a hat kit, and the 5 colors work together, wonderfully. The other was a “grab bag” and while they might be forced to work together, they certainly weren’t picked with that in mind.

    I haven’t tried any modern gradient yarns, but as far back as the 70s I made the gradient effect by holding two or three strands together, trading out colors (or shades of the same color) every so often. For instance 3 of A, then 2A and 1B, then 1A and 2B, 3B, 2B and 1C, and so on for as many colors as you like. Of course, it works best with finer yarns. I still see this method pop up every now and then. It cracks me up when designers act as if they’d invented it, because that’s what I felt like the first time I did it. Thanks for the giveaway.

  4. I have made a shawl with a gradient yarn and I love the way one color blends ino the next . This would be an awesome book to learn more about gradient yarns. Thank you for the chance to win.

  5. I have some gradient yarns just waiting for the perfect project. This book looks to be full of useful ideas!

  6. gradient & avoiding pooling – my math just isn’t up to them yet, despite my prolific reading & math attempts!

  7. I haven’t knit with a gradient set. I won a gradient set as a door prize at a knitting retreat this past summer and have been trying to decide on the best use for it. This book would sure help me pick the perfect project!

  8. Hi – I haven’t really used any gradient yarn yet. I’ve done many projects with Noro yarn and love the color-changing effects of their yarns. I’m excited to learn more about the projects in this book. Thanks for another great giveaway!

Have you read?

Add a Little Lace to Your Knitting Patterns

If you’re new to lace knitting or just aren’t sure how to incorporate the technique into garments, check out these tops and sweaters that use lace as a decorative element.

The easiest lace out there is eyelets, and you can practice them plenty with this eyelet covered sweater from Knitcro Addict. It uses light/DK weight yarn and is worked in four pieces knit flat. It’s intended to be a little cropped and a little oversized, and includes sizes XS to XXL in the pattern.

If you’re in parts of the world where it’s getting colder as you read this, the Nora sweater from Bummbul might be a good choice. This is actually a great one for learning lace because it’s worked in super bulky yarn, which makes it easier to see what you’re doing and makes the lace super graphic. This one just comes in one size, with a 42 inch (106) cm bust, but that could fit a variety of people depending on how much ease you like.

Minimi Knit Design has a cute allover lace cardigan worked in one piece from the bottom up. It’s worked in lace weight mohair held double, which maybe isn’t the best for those new to lace (because it can be hard to rip out) but it sure is pretty. Sizes range to fit from 30 to 66 inches/76 to 168 cm bust measurements.

If you’d rather not have lace all over your sweater, you can knit the Lumi sweater from Originally Lovely, which has a chevron lace pattern on the yoke and is otherwise worked in reverse stockinette stitch. (It’s worked inside out so you don’t have to purl every stitch.) The pattern has 9 sizes from XS to 5XL and uses worsted weight yarn.

Or try the super romantic sookie blouse from Trust the mojo (available on Ravelry). This sweet top is started working flat from the bottom up and has a V-neck and I-cord edgings. The sleeves are worked separately in the round, and the pieces are all joined together to work in one piece to finish off the top. It comes in eight sizes and is available in English and French.

You can also pair lacy sleeves with an otherwise plain top, like on the Starflower Wrap from Annelise Driscoll Gingrow. This intermediate pattern makes a wrap sweater with generous lacy sleeves and a double wrap belt. The pattern has nine sizes, from XS to 5XL, and is available for free from Hobbi.