Lion Brand Yarn Celebrates the Next Generation

Most knitters and crocheters have heard of Lion Brand Yarn, but I’ll best most don’t know much about the company’s history. It is the oldest American hand-knitting yarn brand, and the company was founded in 1878. But what’s really cool is that it’s been owned by the same family all this time, and that family is now into its sixth generation of littles involved in the company.

To celebrate the next generation the company has released 23 new knit and crochet patterns called, appropriately enough, Next Generation, all of which are modeled by the literal Lion Brand family.

My favorite may be the Next Generation Crewneck Dress, shown here. It’s a super easy striped dress that fits kids from extra small to extra large (23 to 34 inch chest measurement).

The patterns all call for Lion Brand Heartland, an acrylic yarn made in America with colors named and inspired by iconic places and things in America.

See anything that catches your eye? I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo via Lion Brand Yarn.]

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Sometimes I feel like knitters get intimidated to try new things because they think they need to start with a big project. Your first time working in the round doesn’t need to be a sock, and your first colorwork doesn’t need to be a sweater, for example. You can find little projects that use the skills you want to learn to build your confidence before you move on to something that requires more time commitment.

This adorable knit bunny, for example.

The colorwork bunny from Knit Picks was designed by Amy Munson and is a kind of bowling pin shaped bunny complete with a knit hat, contrasting inner ears and a little stranded colorwork on its body. Note that the ears are attached the the hat not the bunny, but you could stitch them to the bunny if you’d rather.

It’s worked from the bottom up and also has a tiny pompom tail you can’t see in the picture but it’s a really cute touch. There are a variety of little fair isle patterns to choose from to make the best bunny for you.

The bunny comes out about 8 inches tall (or just over 20 cm) and use several colors to complete the colorwork, depending on the design you choose.

You can purchase the pattern by itself from Knit Picks, or make a kit that includes sport weight yarn in all the colors you need for your creation. There are gray and brown options for the main body of the bunny, but of course if you’re using your own yarn you can make it whatever color you like.

Once you’ve tried colorwork (maybe also working in the round and shaping if those are skills you haven’t used before) in a little project like this you’ll be ready to take on something bigger in no time.

Check out the pattern on Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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