Lion Brand Unveils Wonders of the Yarn World at CHA

This weekend was a big one for crafty trade shows, with The National NeedleArts Association having its winter show and the Craft Hobby Association hosting what’s billed as the world’s largest crafting show. These shows are an opportunity for manufacturers to go all out, unveil new products and show off a little of what can be done with the things they sell.

This year for CHA Lion Brand Yarn commissioned an amazing display called the 7 Wonders of the Yarn World. The pieces are actually crocheted by Nathan Vincent, but I thought you all would like to see them because they’re so amazing and just show what you can do with yarn, patience and a lot of imagination.

These “wonders” were also reflected in the company’s fashion show at the event, where they described the seven wonders of the yarn world as cables, lace, granny squares, chevrons and stripes, embellishment, colorwork and texture. I love it!

Check out this post on Craft Test Dummies that shows all the pieces in great detail. I’ve love to hear which one you like best! I love the leaning tower of Pisa and Stonehenge.

[Photo via Lion Brand Yarn.]

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I love a good stash busting project, and that’s the first thing I thought of when I saw the Brilliant Brickwork Wrap by Amy Crumpton.

It’s actually designed to use mini skeins of fingering weight yarn, but I feel like you could use scrap yarns in harmonious colors to get the same kind of effect.

The pattern was written to use 24 colors of 10 gram skeins, as well as a 100 gram/400 yard skein of yarn. But there’s a design modifications section in the pattern that talks you through using 12 colors in 20 gram increments, 10 gram scrap balls or even three full skeins of yarn if you’ve got bigger amounts of pretties you want to use.

The wrap is worked in garter stitch and it’s sort of a log cabin style, where stitches are picked up from the edges of previous sections to build the next piece. It is worked in two sections that are joined in the middle with no seaming required. The pattern includes row by row written instructions and end of row stitch counts so you can keep your place easily.

The designer rates the skill level as for adventurous beginners and beyond. You’ll need to know how to knit, slip stitches and pick up stitches from a slipped stitch edge.

I do love the look that minis give you in this project because they are designed to work well together. (Check out more patterns great for mini skeins and advent calendar yarn.) But being me I’m always thinking about ways to use your yarn stash, and I think with proper planning this would be a great project for getting rid of some of those odd balls. You could also work the wrap in a different weight of yarn for a different look depending on what yarn you have that you need to use.

As written is measures about 14 by 60 inches, or 35.5 by 152.5 cm, but you can adjust the length without too much trouble.

Check it out and grab your copy from Ravelry.

[Photo: Amy Crumpton]

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