Learn What to Do with All those Great Gradients

Gradient yarns are having a moment, and with good reason. People love the ease of being able to work from one ball of yarn and have amazing color changes appear before their eyes, or using mini skeins in a range of colors to create projects that look a lot more complex than they are.

But the process of using gradient yarns can be a little daunting. How do you know what kinds of stitch patterns will look best, or even what kinds of garments to make with those skeins?

Tanis Gray is here to help with her book Gradient Knits: 10 Lessons and Projects Using Ombre, Stranded Colorwork, Slip-Stitch and Texture.

The book is not only a helpful guide to the world of gradient yarns and how to use them, it all serves as a primer for basic-and-beyond knitting skills.

Each chapter covers a particular technique:

knit and purl
slip stitch
alternating stripes
thrumming
cabling
fair isle
intarsia
lace
modular knitting
wrap and turn short rows

A tutorial on this basics is given, then a pattern using the technique helps you build your skills.

I’m not seeing the book on Ravelry yet (it’s technically out Oct. 1, but Amazon has it shipping already) but you can see some of the pretty patterns on the cover. I especially like the lace shawl worked in a ombre with long color runs so that each part of the pattern is worked in a different color. It was designed by Mindy Wilkes. (Several designers contributed to the book.)

This book is a lot of fun if you like colorful knits without a lot of work. Some of the patterns are a little harder than others, but none of them are beyond advanced beginner to intermediate knitters. And if you’ve got a lot of mini skein sets or gradient yarn balls on your shelf and are wondering what to do with them, this book will give you a few ideas!

About the book: 144 pages, paperback, 10 patterns. Published by Barron’s Educational Series, October 2017. Retail price $21.99.

Next Pattern:

The felted slipper craze that began last year doesn’t seem like it’s fading away. The Sailor Slippers, often striped knit and felted slippers made with super bulky yarn, because the project of the moment late last year (check out more knit slipper options in this post all about sailor slippers) and they’re still consistently popular with knitters.

Which makes sense because they are fun and fast to knit, and seeing them go from this giant thing to something that actually fits a foot feels a little magical.

I have always loved felting (in fact my first book was about felting knitting) and it’s always fun for me to see people rediscover this technique.

If you’ve knit enough plain slippers to fit all the feet you know, maybe it’s time to stitch up some tabi style slippers instead.

Maymade Knits has designed these cute tabi ballerina slippers, made with bulky yarn and felted. They’re worked flat at first and then in rounds, and are available in 10 EU sizes (the Internet tells me add 31 to your American shoe size to get your EU size). The designer says the slippers are meant to have a close fit and you should choose a size a little smaller than your foot for the ideal fit.

The pattern includes a video tutorial along with the written pattern.

You can grab this pattern on Ravelry. The same designer has her own version of the striped felted slipper as well, called Sarah’s Striped Slippers. These are worked in super bulky yarn and have a contrasting foot and a striped body. These are knit flat and seamed and there are 7 size options available. Check that pattern out here if you’re looking for a more traditional slipper shape. They also look roomier so you can wear them with socks if you like.

[Photo: Maymade Knits]

Next Pattern:

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