Ok, this is jumping ahead by a month, but I came across this FREEBIE and it seemed like a great option for a casual cardigan, especially for beginner knitters (the only shaping is in the arms, the back and fronts are perfect rectangles). It’s designed with a basic worsted weight yarn, so you’ve got lots of options, depending on your budget and the aesthetic you want. I think it would look STUNNING knit up in a long ombre colourway like Cascade 220 Superwash Wave, it would create a very Missoni aesthetic. It would also be gorgeous made with hand dyed Malabrigo Rios, you can’t go wrong with hand dyed, super soft merino. And of course, I think everything looks better worked up with a standard heathered colour yarn, like Berroco Vintage or Cascade 220 Superwash. Either way, I think this oversized sweater will fit like a BIG HUG!
As I’ve been writing about Rowan Original Denim yarn (ON SALE NOW) a question has come up a few times – what is the black denim like? And what they are really thinking is “will it end up looking like the sexy black jeans that ended up a sad dingy grey?”. The answer is it could if you’re really mean to your denim sweater, but if you take proper care of it you’ll have a “happily ever after”.
I think most people think of denim yarn as a knitterly sibling of denim jeans, but it’s really more of a cousin, so it doesn’t wear the same way, especially since we (hopefully) don’t wear or care for our sweaters in the same way we do our jeans. In high school, I worked in retail selling Levis jeans and became extremely well acquainted with the garment: they’re worn constantly, washed frequently, and cared for poorly. An average pair of jeans is dealt A LOT of abuse. Not so our sweaters: we don’t wear them as much, they aren’t washed as much, and when we do wash them it’s either by hand with a delicate wash like Eucalan or Soak, or in a delicates bag on the delicate cycle (cold) in the machine. Add a cup of white vinegar to the wash to stabilize the dye and you have some very good looking denim knitwear (the vinegar trick works with your jeans too, it’s especially helpful with dark washes).
This is the project that helped open up my perspective on black denim yarn. The pattern, Deschain, was designed with a substantially thicker and heavier yarn, but the garment design is so oversized that it easily scales down to a thinner yarn. The texture looks amazing with lace and works really well with the drape of the oversized aesthetic.
Vale by Kim Hargreaves
In my mind, if super designer Kim Hargreaves is down with it, it might as well as have received royal assent (that’s Canadian parliamentary humour for “it’s legit” … I’m also really pleased that Kim thinks it’s ok to wear a tiara out-and-about, I could use a little more bling in my coif). Like the denim Deschain above, Hargreaves exploits the denim to create a tension between the delicacy of lace patterning and the texture of the yarn. It’s a balancing act that works beautifully and makes for a really interesting garment – definitely one you’ll never find in any store.
This guy obviously either lives in a beautifully curated home or a Pottery Barn … either way, it’s a nice backdrop for a beautiful sweater, Seahorse. One of the big problems with black yarn is that it is very hard to photograph the colour properly, and it often looks like a washed out dark grey. The yarn itself is a very deep, dense black, so add white vinegar when you wash it to stabilize the colour.
Photos: robbyraccoon
RobbyRaccoon’s Ridge
I don’t know which pattern was used for RobbyRaccon’s Ridge top (I think it might be a variation of Rosamund by Tonia Barry, but it’s a different type of sleeve construction … if you know please tell me, it’s driving me up the wall), but it made excellent use of black denim yarn, every time I look at it I experience sweater envy.
Notes
Find our Denim Hacks & reference links (basically, wash it in vinegar to stabilize the colour and knit it a smidge longer).
To keep your denim looking crisp and pretty, hand wash in cool water with white vinegar (I prefer the Allen’s Cleaning Vinegar, it’s double strength).
I love the combination of simplicity and detail in this little cardie. It makes a great little baby gift made with Cascade Ultra Pima (ON SALE NOW), a silky, soft and machine washable cotton yarn. (Seriously, Ultra Pima is so soft and comfortable that it’s the recommended yarn for Knitted Knockers.) It also won’t break the bank so your gift will impress without stress. The pattern is a seamless, top-down knit, a simple construction with a little bit of interest in the lace detail to keep things interesting.
Note
Just one small caveat: I’ve listed the yarn amounts below based on the pattern specs, but I have a *feeling* that the baby sizes are a bit too generous. Trolling through the completed projects on Ravelry, it seems like 3 to 6 mos & 6 to 12 mos should require 2 skeins, and 12 to 18mos should be 3 skeins. The pattern is heavy on garter stitch, which sucks up yarn, so if you are a tight knitter (which also consumes extra yarn) I would lean towards the conservative side and go with the buffer yarn. If you’re on the average or looser side of the spectrum you might not need all the yarn the pattern is suggesting. I think the yardage amounts for the larger sizes might be ok. If you don’t enjoy playing yarn chicken, go with the recommended amount below -the worst thing that can happen is you might have extra yarn for a matching hat (and moms always tell me that they LOVE receiving baby hats and use them constantly).
Size
0 to 3 (3 to 6, 6 to 12, 12 to 18) months, 2 to 3 (4 to 5, 6 to 7, 8 to 9) years
I came across this little version of Vodka Lemonade and I thought it was just a lovely little summer cardie. The Raveler above, greenthumbs, made it with Cascade Ultra Pima (ON SALE NOW), a silky and soft cotton that you’ll love wearing and enjoy knitting with. Ultra Pima is also extremely affordable and has great yardage. The pattern is a simple top-down knit, so it’s easy to make modifications for length or width, and instructions are given with tips and hints on how best to alter for your shape.
My friend Reney is into Rowan Original Denim yarn (ON SALE NOW), and the other day she asked me a common question; What would look good in it? This is a question I both dread and adore. The dread comes on first because I usually need time to think about things and give a thoughtful answer. Then, once I’ve had some time to process, comes the love; I get to trot out all the different ideas and examples, it’s a big creative game of research and “compare and contrast”.
One thing that’s at the top of my mind for Rowan Original Denim is Guernsey or Gansey (a style of fisherman’s sweater) – the denim yarn looks STUNNING knit up in a guernsey. The picture above is a project I found on Ravelry of Michelle Wang’s Ondawa made with Rowan Original Denim – I think it’s a thing of beauty!
Notes
Find our Denim Hacks & reference links (basically, wash it in vinegar to stabilize the colour and knit it a smidge longer).
Size
finished bust: 43¼ (47½, 51¾, 56¼, 60½, 65)”
Sized to fit approximately 30-32 (34-36, 38-40, 42-44, 46-48, 50-52)” bust
Other patterns that I think would look amazing made with denim are Guernsey Wrap by Jared Flood and Void by Melanie Berg (the denim Guernsey Wrap on the left is made by janetwynne).
Guernesy looks especially good on men (maybe because they were created for them): above are Bowline by Tin Can Knits (you should knit with 4mm/US6 needles and make one size larger) and Beagle by Norah Gaughan.
Photos: Tin Can Knits, jennyinmaine.
Flax is a simple top-down, seam-free FREEBIE from Tin Can Knits that would look awesome made with Rowan Original Denim for anybody at any age to be worn in any season!
I just finished this little cardie for myself, and I think it worked out really nicely! It’s a simple, top-down cardie made with Quince & Co Kestrel (ON SALE ALL JULY). The colour is ‘Senza’, an ecru. I modified the pattern and made it cropped, so I only used 6 skeins instead of 8. I also made one size smaller than I would normally wear (all the details are in my Ravelry Notes). You’ll probably see me wearing it around the store very soon, I think it’s going to become a summer wardrobe staple.
Sandshore is a great project to take to and wear at the cottage! It’s a quick, seamless cardigan worked from the top down. It’s designed with Quince and Co. Kestrel, which knits up quickly and easily on big needles (6.5mm.US10.5). Kestrel is very stretchy, especially at this tension, you can definitely go down a size (or two).
Size
Bust Circumference: 31 [35, 39, 43, 47]’’, including 1.5 [2, 2.5, 3, 3.5]’’ of open space between front edges.
We just finished a VERY quick & satisfying summer quickie, our Instant Gratification Cardi! We used a thick & quick cotton, DMC Natura XL, and 8mm/US11 needles – can’t go wrong with big needles! Also, because the yarn is thicker than the one the pattern was originally conceived with, we went down about 4″ in size (we made the 34″ size and got a 38″ size). If you want the sleeves longer, definitely buy an extra skein of yarn.
We’ve received more stock of Mineville Merino Nylon DK in some super pretty speckled colours, perfect for a spring Fade!
Mineville Wool Project Merino Nylon DK (1124)is super soft, machine washable, easy to work with, easy to wear, and subs easily for other DK weight yarns. It comes in a generous 100g/200m skein, which is enough to make an adult hat or pair of mitts (you’ll need two for a scarf or Honey Cowl, and about 6 for a women’s size medium sweater – check your pattern for full yardage requirements). With the nylon fibre content, this yarn is also great for socks!
Mineville Wool Project is an “off-brand” brand from the sisters at Fleece Artist and Handmaiden. The prices are excellent because we purchase the yarn in one-time only lots. This means that once it’s gone, it’s GONE, so be sure to order enough for your project.
The Reversible Wrap by Jo Sharp is one of those under-appreciated patterns that’s flown under people’s radar for way too long! It’s an amazing project for newbies, it’s basically made from two rectangles that are cleverly sewn together – easy peasy knitting! The only skills involved are cast on, cast off, knit, purl, basic mattress stitch, and basic wet blocking. The pattern is written for two versions, one long and one short. It’s also reversible, you can wear it right side up, or upside down.
We made the long version and used two skeins of very economical Cascade Eco+ (costs less than $60). It’s a very flexible garment, as is the yarn, so if you want a garment with a bit more drape and stretch feel free to go up in needle size. It’s also a pattern that can be in a warmer winter yarn or a cooler fibre for spring/summer. Affordable yarn options include Cascade Eco+, Berroco Vintage Chunky, Cascade Avalon, and Berroco Remix Light.
Yarn Options
Approximate Yardage Required (chunky or heavy aran weight yarn): version 1 (short): 400(470) metres, version 2 (long): 535(670) metres.
Winter Yarns
Cascade Eco+: version 1 short: 1(2) skeins, version 2 long: 2(2) skeins
Berroco Vintage Chunky: version 1 short: 4(4) skeins, version 2 long: 5(6) skeins (use 6mm/US10 needles)
Diamond Baby Alpaca Sport: version 1 short: 4(5) skeins, version 2 long: 6(7) skeins (use 6mm/US10 needles)
Malabrigo Mecha: version 1 short: 4(4) skeins, version 2 long: 5(6) skeins (use 6mm/US10 needles)
Spring/Summer Yarns
Cascade Avalon: version 1 short: 3(3) skeins, version 2 long: 4(5) skeins (use 5.5mm/US9 needles)
Seaming: If you’ve never seamed before, Mattress stitch is the way to go … there are some good free instructions at Vogue Knitting and Knitty.
Weaving In Ends: I always go to this comprehensive tutorial from PurlSoho on Weaving In Ends. Remeber, you never tie and cut your ends in knitting, you always weave them in!
Blocking: Wet blocking is pretty easy (it’s basically just washing), but here’s a nice tutorial from Craftsy to help you out.
Everything Else: For the basics like cast on, bind-off, knit, purl, go to knittinghelp.com.
