Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Technique – Yarn Substitutions.

by 8 Comments

I ran across an awesome resource a long time ago, and I use it so often that it’s just assumed that everyone knows what it is. What is it? Well, hang on there, it’s so awesome that it deserves an introduction like no other.

So you find this great pattern you just have to knit, but would love to knit it in something other than the yarn called for. What to do? Unless you’re a walking yarn encyclopedia you just log on to this wonderful resource, bring up the yarn specified in the pattern and it will tell  you the weight, yardage, company, fiber content and just about everything else you’d want to know about it. Is it Ravelry? Well, yes, Ravelry is an awesome resource unto it’s own, but for the “everything you ever wanted to know about just about every kind of yarn out there” there’s none other than…..

Yarndex! Try it!yarndex_logo5

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Comments

  1. I have some old Needleworks magazines and they have some great patterns but the yarns are no longer available. Any ideas of how I can knit these or finding out about older yarns?

  2. Hi,
    See if you can do an internet search for these yarns. You might not be able to buy them, but if you can get a general idea of what weight yarn and how many yards/meters per skein or hank, you can go to http://www.yarndex.com and find a substitution there.
    Good luck!
    Terrye

  3. I have a pattern for a round baby afghan (42″ in diameter) using Baby Sport – H crochet hook, if . . .

    I use a Bulky weight yarn and increase the hook to an N might that be okay to use the same pattern? (ie: be about 64″ in diameter). Or does someone have a round/circular pattern for and adult?

    The baby pattern I have is found on the Bernat website and it’s called Round Blanket to Crochet.

  4. I put in all the information and it either gave me the “sorry” line or it matched it up to itself. Not helpful.

  5. I am trying to find a substitute yarn for Lion Brand Organic Cotton Worse weight to knit a baby hoodie can you help

  7. I am trying to get to Yarndex.com, but several different links take me to LoveKnitting.com. Can you help?

  8. Yarndex was a project of Yarnmarket, which was purchased by LoveKnitting. I think they just got rid of that URL at some point and made it forward to their main site. You can search for it on the Internet Archive (archive.org), or maybe Ravelry can help answer your questions.

Have you read?

Book Review: Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit & Crochet Blankets

Blankets are a great blank slate project that you can change up in a million different ways. From color to stitch pattern to size, the possibilities are almost endless.

Jared Flood, the designer behind Brooklyn Tweed, was inspired by a log cabin quilt his mother made in 1995 to re-create that design in knitting, which led to more blankets and ultimate Brooklyn Tweed’s Knit and Crochet Blankets, which includes 25 patterns from an array of designers using different skills and techniques to make cozy, pretty blankets.

The patterns are divided into three aesthetic themes: traditions, minimalism and colorplay. The patterns are rated on a scale of one to five, with one being the easiest, and there aren’t any pieces rated five. Two blankets are rated one, 14 are two, eight are three and one is four. 

In addition, three of the 25 patterns are crocheted, but they either use single crochet or granny stitch, so they are pretty easy even if you don’t do a lot of crochet. You can see all the patterns on Ravelry.

Some of my favorites include Rattan by Rastus Hsu, a chunky blanket worked in knits and purls with simple crossing stitches to make a raised woven look; Homewood by Seth Richardson, covers in dramatic, loopy cables; Ainur Berkimbayeva’s Tessellate, one of the beginner projects that doesn’t really look beginner but is totally worked in knit and purl stitches; Warp + Weft by Aist? Butkevi?ien?, which is mostly knits and purls but makes a fun woven look fabric that blew my mind a little bit; and the same designer’s Canyonland, a multicolored blanket with wavy stripes.

The patterns tell you how to resize them for different dimensions and include information on pattern repeats where it is possible to make a totally custom size.

Many different techniques are included here such as cables, lace, shadow knitting, intarsia and other colorwork techniques, as well as modular knitting and lots of sewing pieces together. The patterns are all presented with charts, but there are line by line written instructions available on the Brooklyn Tweed website if you need them.

The book ends with a deep dive into log cabin knitting, telling the story of the quilt Jared’s mom made and how he made it in knitting, as well as the multitude of variations you can make if you want your own log cabin style design.

The back of the book includes a little written information about some of the special techniques needed, but there are no photos.

This is a lovely book full of inspiration for knitting and crochet blankets for any skill level. If you like to make blankets as gifts or aspire to have a handmade blanket in every room of the house, these designs would be a great place to start.

About the book: 192 pages, paperback, 25 patterns. Published 2024 by Abrams Books, suggested retail price $24.99.

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