Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Take it Easy with a Bulky, Textured Sweater

by

If you’re looking for a sweater that embodies afternoons sitting by the fire, reading and knitting with a favorite warm beverage at hand, it might just be the Easy-Going Sweater from Bernat.

It’s worked in chunky roving yarn, with an ample funnel neck, boxy shaping and an allover texture pattern. I think you’d call it a variation of fisherman’s rib, as it’s worked by knitting in the row below on some stitches in one round of the four-round repeat.

The sweater is worked from the bottom up in pieces, starting with twisted ribbing. The shoulder seams are sewn together, then you pick up stitches around the neckline and work the collar piece in the round before finishing sewing the rest of the project together.

It comes in six sizes and is meant to have a lot of positive ease. The actual size of the sweater ranges from 41 to 64 inches at the bust, or 104 to 157.5 cm. But the smallest size is meant to fit an actual chest measurement ranging from 28 to 34 inches, or 71 to 86.5 cm. If you’re in the middle of the sizing you may be able to choose a size that would give you less ease if you prefer, but it is meant to be a super cozy, oversized design.

The pattern page includes a video tutorial that walks you through how to do your swatch and demos a tiny version of the sweater in case you need any help working any of the stitches or putting it together. I would have said this wasn’t ideal as a first sweater because of the textured stitch pattern and because roving can be a little tricky to work with, but the video definitely helps if you have any questions.

The pattern has a skill level rating of easy and is available for free on the Yarnspirations website.

[Photo: Yarnspirations]

A Cabled Sweater to Span the Seasons

Go Bold with the Goran Sweater Knitting Pattern

Next Pattern:

Have you read?

Michaels Acquires Joann Intellectual Property; Joann Website Now Forwards to Michaels

 

 

Craft retailer Michaels has acquired the intellectual property and private label brands of now-defunct retailer Joann, according to a media release, and the Joann website now forwards to Michaels. 

The releases states that Michaels will be developing the “beloved Big Twist® brands as part of the Michaels portfolio.” It also notes plans to expand its offerings in the fabric, sewing and yarn categories, with more than 600 new products being added. 

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to welcome JOANN customers into our creative community and are committed to delivering the selection, value, and inspiration they are looking for at Michaels,” David Boone, CEO of Michaels, said in the release. 

Specific to yarn, the company notes it has plans to expand its yarn selection by 25 percent this year, including releasing more than 60 new private-label Loops & Threads products beginning this month, expanding offerings of Lion Brand and the Yarnspirations family of brands, and welcoming Big Twist yarns. 

The release specifically mentions Big Twist Value Plus, Big Twist Twinkle, Big Twist Posh and Big Twist Baby Bear, and notes that the offerings are “now being developed as part of Michaels portfolio of brands and will be available in-stores and online later this year.”

No word on what this means for Herrschners, which previously announced it would carry Big Twist. Its page announcing the news still says “at this time we are not able to release details on specific Big Twist varieties or colors, or the exact date the yarn will be available to order” and encourages signing up for email updates.

This news comes just days after the final closing of the last Joann locations and the appearance of a message on their website talking about “stitching up something new.” The Joann website now forwards to a landing page for craft retailer Michaels. 

“Welcome Joann customers,” it says at the top. “We’ve got your go-to essentials and so much more.” The page also notes “everyone is welcome at our craft table” and says the website is a source for “fabrics, yarn, notions & more.”

Further down the page it says “With JOANN stores closing, Michaels is excited to welcome new makers, crafters, and sewing enthusiasts into our community” and has a string of links to product categories these shoppers might be looking for. It says Michaels carries “many of the favorites that Joann customers love” including patterned fabric, yarn, ribbons and notions. 

The release calls this a “dedicated landing page” with a “curated assortment of products” they think are relevant to the Joann shopper. 

If you go directly to Micheaels.com, you see their regular website but there is a link at the top of the page for Joann customers that leads to the same page linked above. 

The release doesn’t mention opening any new stores in towns left without a craft store thanks to the Joann closure. It does note they have 1,300 stores in 49 states and in Canada, and they have both US and Canada-facing websites. 

What do you think of this news? It’s not the exciting future I’d hoped for with Joanns cryptic announcement, but I know legions of knitters and crocheters will be happy to know Big Twist will live on, and other crafters will probably be happy about expanded selection at Michaels.