Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Knitting With Variagated Yarns.

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I’ve always loved variegated yarns. The mystery of the pattern and the striping, or pooling, or even flashing is intriquing. That being said, not everyone likes these surprises. There are some who want perfect stipes with no pooling, and no flashing, just perfect stripes in their projects. That’s ok too. One of the wonders of variegated yarns. Toddle on over to any LYS or even department store craft section and you’re sure to find at least a minimum of selection on the this versatile yarn.

How do you knit with this stuff? Me? I throw caution to the wind and just love to see the way the colors knit up. Everything from drop dead gorgeous, to eewwwwwww, what were they thinking.

Currently I’m working with some sock yarn, Flat Feet from Conjoined Creations. I don’t like the colors in the flat, just not my style, but knitted up they are cool. Very blue-jeany, almost desert southwest-y colors that I normally wouldn’t wear, but I do like them. And yes, there is pooling, striping and flashing but that’s ok. When they are finished, my socks will not be identical, but hey, I call it a good day when I can find two that match anyway.

I recently found a really good site with information on working with variegated yarns. Keeping You In Stitches publishes this article, it’s here:  http://variegated.k1p1keepingyouinstitchesstudio.com/asi1.html And guess what? she’s got lots of free patterns there for dishcloths etc.

Check her out here:  http://freepatterns.k1p1keepingyouinstitchesstudio.com/

Comments

  1. I am currently in love with Bernat’s Baby Jacquards. (I knit newborn caps and donate them to my local hospital.) I’ve used three of their variations so far. Photos of the first, “Boo Berries,” knit into a cap can be found on my blog: http://www.karlakrafts.com. I’ll post photos of the other two soon.

    The third variation I used, “Spearmint Candy,” didn’t come out quite as neatly as the first two. I think it’s because of where I started. I use the long tail cast on, and when I start the next cap, I think I’ll make sure I begin in the middle of a large section of a solid color. We’ll see! In the meantime, hats, I mean caps off to Bernat!

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.