Review: Self-Striping Yarn Studio

I love working with self-striping yarns, and actually have a whole chapter in my colorwork book on the subject (and my favorite sweater ever, which is in that book, is made with self-striping yarn). But I’ll admit it’s not always easy to work with self-striping yarn, or to know what to make with it.

Carol J. Sulcoski’s Self-Striping Yarn Studio is packed with information about how self-striping, self-patterning and gradient yarns work, how to use them in projects and how to deal with them when your project don’t turn out exactly the way you wanted. It also has 24 patterns from a variety of designers for sweaters, scarves, hats, shawls, mitts and more using self-striping yarn and lots of fun techniques that show off the colors in interesting ways. Check out a few of the projects on Ravelry.

The projects are arranged by yarn weight, which makes it easier if you have some self-striping yarns in your stash you’d like to use for a particular project.

Some of my favorites include the colorful, lacy Celebrate shawl by Barb Brown; Sulcoski’s Wyldhaven Yoke Sweater, a simple top-down, circular yoke sweater worked in sock yarn that makes the colorwork look more complex than it is (her Belrose Striped Tam is pretty great, too, and could be a stash-busting project); the Fairfax Baby Jacket, also by Sulcoski, which uses a great, bright colorway and pieces worked in different directions for a stripy coat with lots of swing; Erika Flory’s easy Tracks Scarf, which combines a solid and a self-striping yarn for high contrast; and Sulcoski’s Sugartown Sweater, which uses odd balls and a tweedy background for a super casual garment.

This book is a lot of fun whether you’ve worked with self-striping yarns before or are new to their wonders, and you’re sure to find a few colorful projects to try out.

About the book: 144 pages, paperback, 24 patterns (11 rated easy, 11 intermediate, 2 advanced). Published by Lark Crafts, August 2016, suggested retail $19.95.

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.

Have you read?