Medal Madness with Jimmy Bean’s Wool and Lorna’s Laces

Everybody’s a little giddy about the Olympics this year, and the folks at Lorna’s Laces and Jimmy Beans Wool have teamed up with a special yarn at a special price that will have us all shouting “USA! USA!”

Lorna’s Laces has made up a special London 2012 colorway that’s available in Shepherd Sock, Shepherd Worsted and Honor yarns. It’s a lovely colorway that includes all the colors of the Olympic rings.

Purchase the yarn now and it will ship after the Olympics. The price that is listed (ranging from $19.67 for the worsted to $23.67 for the others) is not actually the price you will pay because the price goes down every time the United States wins a medal.

For each gold, the price goes down 5 cents, while it drops 3 cents for a silver and a penny for a bronze. As I write this we’ve got three golds, five silvers and four bronzes, which would knock 38 cents off the price if I can do my math right. No one will actually be charged for the yarn until the Games are done, but it is a limited addition colorway so if you want to get it on your needles, order now while there’s still some available.

This is such a fun idea! Have you been watching the Games? Sadly I’ve only seen a snippet of the parade of nations so far; I guess that’s what happens when you’re trying to limit your toddler’s TV intake! I do hope to catch some today, with needles in hand!

[Photo by Lorna’s Laces/Jimmy Beans Wool.]

Next Pattern:

I happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere, but I know we have a lot of Southern Hemisphere friends, too, who are heading into the cooler months as we are warming up. Whichever one of the seasons you’re in, you might want to stitch up this sweet little hood.

This pattern by saskie&co is called snug hood and it uses two colors of yarn to make a close-fitting pixie style hood (almost a balaclava but it doesn’t cover your face, though there is a neck covering portion to keep you a little warmer). You can use the fingering weight wool and mohair held together that are called for in the pattern, or use a single strand of DK weight yarn.

The neck portion and the edging around the face are worked in ribbing in a single color, while the body of the hat includes an allover colorwork flower pattern. The project is worked both flat and in the round and there is colorwork that is knit flat, which means you’ll have to purl in colorwork (which some people don’t like; also, you can’t see what you’re doing as well on the back of the work).

The pattern comes in one size and the colorwork is charted. Testers noted this is a quick and easy project and a great way to learn some new skills (chart reading, working stranded colorwork flat) if you’ve never tried those things before. They noted the hood is cute, comfortable and warm, and a few said it didn’t take as much yarn as the pattern suggests, so bear that in mind if you’re trying to use stash.

Speaking of the pattern notes, check out all the cute color variations in the projects on Ravelry. From pink and red to blue and white to gray and cream, there are lots of great options to think about.

You can buy this pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: saskie&co]

Next Pattern:

Have you read?