Category Archives: Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk

Nebula Sweater: Perfect for Any Season Knitting

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A woman wearing a bright yellow knitted sweater and light blue striped jeans, smiling while standing outdoors surrounded by greenery and pink flowers.

You don’t have to knit summer sweaters in the summer! Not everyone likes summer tops or summer yarns, and you are absolutely allowed to skip ahead and work on a cooler-weather knit right now (you can even get a head-start on holiday knits if you want). Nebula is a great knit for all seasons, you can make it with long sleeves or short, and in a variety of yarns. I love the little details like the textured detail on the shoulders, the cathered sleeve cuffs and the shaped hem ribbing.

I’ve listed a few yarn options, the first two are super simple and you can knit them single-stranded: Drops Air or Drops Brushed Alapca & Silk. The third option is for a marled look like the long sleeved version in the pictures, holding Cascade Heritage with a lace-weight kid-mohair like Drops Kid-Silk. A fouth option is for a spring/summer version that combines one strand of Sandnes Garn Line with one strand of Sandnes Garn Tynn Line.

DETAILS

Oversized and comfy, this drop hem top is perfect for all seasons! You can dress yours up for date night, and then dressing it down for the weekend to snuggle into like a favorite worn-in sweatshirt. You can choose to stick with the short sleeves or go for the longer sleeve version to suit your personal style! This pullover is knit from the bottom up, with a beautiful short-row curved hem and thoughtful shoulder details to accent the crew neck. The body is worked in the round until the divide for the yoke. The remainder is worked flat, and the shoulders are finished using the 3-needle bind off. The sleeves are then picked up from the body and knit in the round.

SEE OUR CURATED LIST OF KNITTING SKILLS HERE

Close-up of a person's arm wearing a vibrant yellow-green knitted sweater with puffy sleeves, showcasing a tattoo on the wrist.

SIZES

  • 1 (2, 3, 4, 5)(6, 7, 8)
  • Finished Bust Circumference: 40 (46, 52, 58, 64)(70, 74, 78)” OR 101.5 (117, 132, 147.5, 162.5)(178, 188, 198) cm
  • You can really play around with positive ease in this sweater. I think anywhere from 24-10”/61-25.5 cm of positive ease works well.
  • Sample A (grey/short sleeve) shown in size 4 with +23”/58.5 cm ease at the chest; Sample B (green/long-sleeved) shown in size 3 with +18”/46 cm ease at the chest on a woman who is 5’5”/165 cm tall.
A woman wearing a bright green cropped sweater and light blue wide-legged pants stands on a pathway lined with trees. She is smiling and has her hair in a bun.

YARN OPTIONS

There are lots of yarn options for Nebula. The two easiest are Drops Air and Drops Brushed Alapca & Silk – you can work with either of these as single strands, and they’ll match the pattern’s tension perfectly. You can also get the marled effect like the long-sleeved version by holding a fingering-weight yarn like Cascade Heritage with a fingering-weight kid-mohair like Drops Kid-Silk. The third option is a marled look created by holding two strands of yarn together (one fingering and one lace-weight). The fourth option is a summer-weight option, holding a DK weight and a Fingering weight cotton/linen/viscose blend.

OPTION 1: Drops Air

See Projects made with Drops Air

  • Long Sleeve: 6 (7, 7, 8, 9)(9, 10, 10) balls
  • Short Sleeve: 4 (5, 5, 6, 6)(7, 7, 8) balls

OPTION 2: Drops Brushed Alpaca & Silk

See Projects made with Drops Brushed Alpaca & Silk

  • Long Sleeve: 6 (7, 8, 8, 9)(10, 10, 11) balls
  • Short Sleeve: 4 (5, 6, 6, 7)(7, 8, 8) balls

OPTION 3 – Marled: To get a marled effect like in the pictures of the green long-sleeved version, you can also hold a fingering-weight yarn like Cascade Heritage with a lace-weight kid-mohair like Drops Kid-Silk.

Cascade Heritage

  • Long Sleeve: 3 (3, 3, 3, 4)(4, 4, 4) skeins
  • Short Sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3) skeins

Drops Kid-Silk

  • Long Sleeve: 4 (5, 5, 6, 6)(7, 7, 8) balls
  • Short Sleeve: 3 (4, 4, 5, 5)(5, 6, 6) balls

OPTION 4 – Summer Version: If you want to make a summer version, I think you can combine one strand of Sandnes Garn Line with one strand of Sandnes Garn Tynn Line (check your tension first, it should knit to 18 sts on 5mm/US8 needles). This will come out 5% smaller, but the sweater is oversized so it shouldn’t be too noticeable.

Sandnes Garn Line

  • Long Sleeve: 8 (9, 10, 11, 12)(13, 13, 14) balls
  • Short Sleeve: 6 (7, 7, 8, 9)(10, 10, 11) balls

Sandnes Garn Tynn Line

  • Long Sleeve: 4 (5, 5, 5, 6)(6, 7, 7) balls
  • Short Sleeve: 3 (3, 4, 4, 5)(5, 5, 5) balls

A woman with long, styled hair and tattoos on her arms stands outdoors, wearing a light gray knitted top and striped blue pants, with a blurred background of green foliage and lilac flowers.

OTHER MATERIALS

A woman stands on a porch wearing a lightweight, short-sleeved, gray sweater, with a soft texture and a relaxed fit, paired with high-waisted jeans.
A woman with a bun hairstyle is modeling two different cozy knit tops. On the left, she wears a bright yellow pullover, and on the right, a light gray cropped sweater, surrounded by greenery.

Soft Knit Cumulus Blouse: Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk Yarn

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A light blue v-neck sweater displayed on a dress form, paired with casual wrinkled jeans.

Cumulus Blouse

The Cumulus Blouse was originally designed with 2 strands of a lace weight kid mohair held together, but I was curious to see if it could be done a bit more simply with a single strand of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, which is a very soft brushed alpaca. We made the second size, which called for about 6 balls, but in the end we used less than 5 balls of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, so you might have an extra ball – better to be safe than sorry!

You can also use 2 strands of Drops Kid Silk held together, which offers lots of opportunities for playing with colour! You could choose two colours that are close together to create a depth of colour, or pick a higher contrast to make something more marled and tweedy looking. Of course, you can also go with two strands of the same colour for a classic look.

Construction

The Cumulus Blouse is worked in the round from the top down in stockinette stitch. The design has a deep rounded V-neck, and all edges are finished with i-cord.

Side view of a light blue fluffy sweater displayed on a mannequin, paired with rolled-up denim jeans.

Size

The Cumulus Blouse is designed to have approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] of positive ease, meaning it is designed to be approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] larger in circumference than your bust measurement. The sizes XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL are designed to fit a bust circumference of 80-85 (85-90) 90-95 (95-100) 100-110 (110-120) 120-130 (130-140) 140-150 cm [31½-33½ (33½-35½) 35½-37½ (37½-39½) 39½-43¼ (43¼-47¼) 47¼-51¼ (51¼-55) 55-59 inches]. Measure yourself before beginning your project, to determine which size will fit you the best. For example, if you measure 90 cm 35½ inches around your bust (or around the widest part of your upper body) you should knit a size S. A size S sweater has a bust circumference of 102 cm [40¼ inches] which in the given example would give you 12 cm [4¾ inches] of positive ease.

  • we made the second size
  • XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL
  • Bust circumference: 96 (102) 109 (116) 126 (136) 140 (149) 156 cm [37¾ (40¼) 43 (45¾) 49½ (53½) 55 (58¾) 61½ inches]
  • Length: 52 (54) 57 (59) 60 (62) 64 (66) 68 cm [20½ (21¼) 22½ (23¼) 23½ (24½) 25¼ (26) 26¾ inches]
Back view of a light blue fuzzy sweater displayed on a mannequin, paired with denim jeans.

Materials

Alternative Yarn Suggestion

Drops Kid Silk: 6 (7) 8 (8) 9 (9) 10 (10) 11 balls (knit with 2 strands held together)

A cozy, lightweight blue sweater with a V-neck and long sleeves hanging on a wooden hanger against a white background.
A light blue, fluffy sweater with a V-neck, displayed on a wooden hanger against a white background.

Mohair Gallant Sweater: A Spring Knit Essential

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A person wearing a cozy, mustard-colored sweater with long sleeves, standing against a light background.

Mohair Gallant

Spring is just around the corner and I thought it’s the perfect time to share Mohair Gallant byCaidree, which I think will make a great mid-season sweater. Mohair Gallant is knit on 4.5mm/US7 needles with two strands of Drops KID-SILK held together, making it light and airy, something that can be worn over a tank-top or a tee-shirt, or if it’s cold a long-sleeved tee. Since the two strands are held together, you can choose the same colour, or you can combine two different colours and marl or blend them. When you hold together two colours that are close to each other it creates a greater depth of colour, especially with fuzzy yarns like mohair or alpaca.

SEE FINSIHED PROJECTS: DROPS KID-SILK

I think this would also be a great sweater made with a single strand of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK, which can be a great alternative to knitting with mohair. Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK knits to a slightly heavier tension, so you should plan to knit a size smaller in the pattern.

SEE FINISHED PROJECTS: DROPS BRUSHED ALPACA SILK

Caidree designs great, simple sweaters, knit in the round. For two thicker, faster version of this sweater you can skip to the bottom of this post.

A person wearing a light pink fuzzy sweater with long sleeves, paired with black jeans, posing with hands in pockets against a wooden backdrop.

Description

The Mohair Gallant is a medium lace weight advanced beginner, top down, raglan sweater knitting pattern. It is simple and airy, classic cropped sweater, perfect to wear with high waisted jeans and over dresses. It features a mock neck and it is framed with an i-cord edge around the sleeve cuffs and bottom hem. Worked using two strands of silk mohair yarn held together in the round in stockinette stitch all the way through. Intended to be worn with at least 5 cm of positive ease. The pattern is written in American knitting terms.

Sizes

  • Bust size of the finished sweater with 5 to 10 cm of positive ease built into the patternis
  • XS 33.5″ (S 35.5”, M 39.5”, L 43”, XL 47”, 2XL 51”, 3XL 55”, 4XL. 59“, 5XL 63”) inches
  • XS 85 (S 90, M 100, L 110, XL 120, 2XL 130, 3XL 140, 4XL 150, 5XL 160) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Gauge
20 stitches by 28rows = 4”/10cm using size 4.50mm/US7 needles in stockinette stitch, in the round after washing and blocking.

Close-up of soft, knitted fabric in a warm golden hue, showcasing textured stitches and fibers.

Materials

Other Yarn Options

Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK: 5(6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) balls

With 4.5mm needles this yarn will knit to around 18 sts /4″, so you should make a size smaller in the pattern.

Close-up of a person wearing a cozy beige knit sweater with long sleeves, paired with white pants, standing in a bright kitchen setting.

Aran Gallant

If you want a faster/bulkier knit try the Aran Gallant and Drops MELODY, two strands of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK held together, or Drops AIR held with Drops KID-SILK. (Where the yarn amounts are a smidge/fraction over the number of balls I’ve added a +):

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with at least 10 cm of ease. 10 to 15 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern. 
  • XS 34 (S 37 1⁄2, M 42, L 45, XL 49, 2XL 53, 3XL 57, 4XL 61, 5XL 64 1/2) inches
  • XS 86 (S 96, M 106, L 115, XL 125, 2XL 135, 3XL 145, 4XL 155, 5XL 165) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Yarn

A person wearing a chunky cream-colored knit sweater and blue distressed jeans, standing near a window with sheer curtains.

Gallant

If you want a SUPER THICK and FAST knit try Gallant Sweater, knit on 15mm/US 19 needles and Cascade SPUNTANEOUS.

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with little ease. 0-5 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern.
  • XS 31.5 (S 35 ½, M 38, L 41, XL 45, 2XL 49, 3XL 52, 4XL 57.5, 5XL 62) inches
  • XS 80 (S 90, M 96, L 104, XL 114, 2XL 125, 3XL 133, 4XL 146, 5XL 157) cm).

Yarn

A side-by-side comparison of two sweaters worn by a model. The left sweater is mustard yellow with a high neckline, while the right sweater is soft pink with a similar design. Both are styled with different bottoms.

CLOSED FAMILY DAY & Gallant

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Just a heads up, we will be CLOSED Family Day, Monday February 17

Mohair Gallant

We just received a restock of Drops Yarns (including some really pretty new colours in Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK, Drops AIR, and Drops KID-SILK), so I thought it’s the perfect time to share Mohair Gallant by Caidree, which I think will make a great mid-season sweater. Mohair Gallant is knit on 4.5mm/US7 needles with two strands of Drops KID-SILK held together, making it light and airy, something that can be worn over a tank-top or a tee-shirt, or if it’s cold a long-sleeved tee. Since the two strands are held together, you can choose the same colour, or you can combine two different colours and marl or blend them. When you hold together two colours that are close to each other it creates a greater depth of colour, especially with fuzzy yarns like mohair or alpaca.

SEE FINSIHED PROJECTS: DROPS KID-SILK

I think this would also be a great sweater made with a single strand of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK, which can be a great alternative to knitting with mohair. Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK knits to a slightly heavier tension, so you should plan to knit a size smaller in the pattern.

SEE FINISHED PROJECTS: DROPS BRUSHED ALPACA SILK

Caidree designs great, simple sweaters, knit in the round. For two thicker, faster version of this sweater you can skip to the bottom of this post.

Description

The Mohair Gallant is a medium lace weight advanced beginner, top down, raglan sweater knitting pattern. It is simple and airy, classic cropped sweater, perfect to wear with high waisted jeans and over dresses. It features a mock neck and it is framed with an i-cord edge around the sleeve cuffs and bottom hem. Worked using two strands of silk mohair yarn held together in the round in stockinette stitch all the way through. Intended to be worn with at least 5 cm of positive ease. The pattern is written in American knitting terms.

Sizes

  • Bust size of the finished sweater with 5 to 10 cm of positive ease built into the patternis
  • XS 33.5″ (S 35.5”, M 39.5”, L 43”, XL 47”, 2XL 51”, 3XL 55”, 4XL. 59“, 5XL 63”) inches
  • XS 85 (S 90, M 100, L 110, XL 120, 2XL 130, 3XL 140, 4XL 150, 5XL 160) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Gauge
20 stitches by 28rows = 4”/10cm using size 4.50mm/US7 needles in stockinette stitch, in the round after washing and blocking.

Materials

Other Yarn Options

Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK: 5(6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) balls

With 4.5mm needles this yarn will knit to around 18 sts /4″, so you should make a size smaller in the pattern.

Aran Gallant

If you want a faster/bulkier knit try the Aran Gallant and Drops MELODY, two strands of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK held together, or Drops AIR held with Drops KID-SILK. (Where the yarn amounts are a smidge/fraction over the number of balls I’ve added a +):

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with at least 10 cm of ease. 10 to 15 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern. 
  • XS 34 (S 37 1⁄2, M 42, L 45, XL 49, 2XL 53, 3XL 57, 4XL 61, 5XL 64 1/2) inches
  • XS 86 (S 96, M 106, L 115, XL 125, 2XL 135, 3XL 145, 4XL 155, 5XL 165) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Yarn

Gallant

If you want a SUPER THICK and FAST knit try Gallant Sweater, knit on 15mm/US 19 needles and Cascade SPUNTANEOUS.

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with little ease. 0-5 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern.
  • XS 31.5 (S 35 ½, M 38, L 41, XL 45, 2XL 49, 3XL 52, 4XL 57.5, 5XL 62) inches
  • XS 80 (S 90, M 96, L 104, XL 114, 2XL 125, 3XL 133, 4XL 146, 5XL 157) cm).

Yarn

Soft Knit Cumulus Blouse: Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk Yarn

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Cumulus Blouse

We just finished a PetiteKnit Cumulus Blouse as a store sample … perfect for the cooling weather!

The Cumulus Blouse was originally designed with 2 strands of a lace weight kid mohair held together, but I was curious to see if it could be done a bit more simply with a single strand of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, which is a very soft brushed alpaca. We made the second size, which called for about 6 balls, but in the end we used less than 5 balls of Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk, so you might have an extra ball – better to be safe than sorry!

You can also use 2 strands of Drops Kid Silk held together, which offers lots of opportunities for playing with colour! You could choose two colours that are close together to create a depth of colour, or pick a higher contrast to make something more marled and tweedy looking. Of course, you can also go with two strands of the same colour for a classic look.

Construction

The Cumulus Blouse is worked in the round from the top down in stockinette stitch. The design has a deep rounded V-neck, and all edges are finished with i-cord.

Size

The Cumulus Blouse is designed to have approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] of positive ease, meaning it is designed to be approx. 10-15 cm [4-6 inches] larger in circumference than your bust measurement. The sizes XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL are designed to fit a bust circumference of 80-85 (85-90) 90-95 (95-100) 100-110 (110-120) 120-130 (130-140) 140-150 cm [31½-33½ (33½-35½) 35½-37½ (37½-39½) 39½-43¼ (43¼-47¼) 47¼-51¼ (51¼-55) 55-59 inches]. Measure yourself before beginning your project, to determine which size will fit you the best. For example, if you measure 90 cm 35½ inches around your bust (or around the widest part of your upper body) you should knit a size S. A size S sweater has a bust circumference of 102 cm [40¼ inches] which in the given example would give you 12 cm [4¾ inches] of positive ease.

  • we made the second size
  • XS (S) M (L) XL (2XL) 3XL (4XL) 5XL
  • Bust circumference: 96 (102) 109 (116) 126 (136) 140 (149) 156 cm [37¾ (40¼) 43 (45¾) 49½ (53½) 55 (58¾) 61½ inches]
  • Length: 52 (54) 57 (59) 60 (62) 64 (66) 68 cm [20½ (21¼) 22½ (23¼) 23½ (24½) 25¼ (26) 26¾ inches]

Materials

Alternative Yarn Suggestion

Drops Kid Silk: 6 (7) 8 (8) 9 (9) 10 (10) 11 balls (knit with 2 strands held together)

OPEN FAMILY DAY & Gallant

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We are open Family Day, Monday February 19, from 12 pm to 6 pm!

Mohair Gallant

We just received a restock of Drops Yarns (including some really pretty new colours in Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK, Drops AIR, and Drops KID-SILK), so I thought it’s the perfect time to share Mohair Gallant by Caidree, which I think will make a great mid-season sweater. Mohair Gallant is knit on 4.5mm/US7 needles with two strands of Drops KID-SILK held together, making it light and airy, something that can be worn over a tank-top or a tee-shirt, or if it’s cold a long-sleeved tee. Since the two strands are held together, you can choose the same colour, or you can combine two different colours and marl or blend them. When you hold together two colours that are close to each other it creates a greater depth of colour, especially with fuzzy yarns like mohair or alpaca.

SEE FINSIHED PROJECTS: DROPS KID-SILK

I think this would also be a great sweater made with a single strand of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK, which can be a great alternative to knitting with mohair. Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK knits to a slightly heavier tension, so you should plan to knit a size smaller in the pattern.

SEE FINISHED PROJECTS: DROPS BRUSHED ALPACA SILK

Caidree designs great, simple sweaters, knit in the round. For two thicker, faster version of this sweater you can skip to the bottom of this post.

Description

The Mohair Gallant is a medium lace weight advanced beginner, top down, raglan sweater knitting pattern. It is simple and airy, classic cropped sweater, perfect to wear with high waisted jeans and over dresses. It features a mock neck and it is framed with an i-cord edge around the sleeve cuffs and bottom hem. Worked using two strands of silk mohair yarn held together in the round in stockinette stitch all the way through. Intended to be worn with at least 5 cm of positive ease. The pattern is written in American knitting terms.

Sizes

  • Bust size of the finished sweater with 5 to 10 cm of positive ease built into the patternis
  • XS 33.5″ (S 35.5”, M 39.5”, L 43”, XL 47”, 2XL 51”, 3XL 55”, 4XL. 59“, 5XL 63”) inches
  • XS 85 (S 90, M 100, L 110, XL 120, 2XL 130, 3XL 140, 4XL 150, 5XL 160) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Gauge
20 stitches by 28rows = 4”/10cm using size 4.50mm/US7 needles in stockinette stitch, in the round after washing and blocking.

Materials

Other Yarn Options

Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK: 5(6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 8, 9, 9) balls

With 4.5mm needles this yarn will knit to around 18 sts /4″, so you should make a size smaller in the pattern.

Aran Gallant

If you want a faster/bulkier knit try the Aran Gallant and Drops MELODY, two strands of Drops BRUSHED ALPACA SILK held together, or Drops AIR held with Drops KID-SILK. (Where the yarn amounts are a smidge/fraction over the number of balls I’ve added a +):

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with at least 10 cm of ease. 10 to 15 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern. 
  • XS 34 (S 37 1⁄2, M 42, L 45, XL 49, 2XL 53, 3XL 57, 4XL 61, 5XL 64 1/2) inches
  • XS 86 (S 96, M 106, L 115, XL 125, 2XL 135, 3XL 145, 4XL 155, 5XL 165) cm
  • Model is wearing size M on 93 cm bust.

Yarn

Gallant

If you want a SUPER THICK and FAST knit try Gallant Sweater, knit on 15mm/US 19 needles and Cascade SPUNTANEOUS.

Sizes

  • Intended to be worn with little ease. 0-5 cm of positive ease is built into the pattern.
  • XS 31.5 (S 35 ½, M 38, L 41, XL 45, 2XL 49, 3XL 52, 4XL 57.5, 5XL 62) inches
  • XS 80 (S 90, M 96, L 104, XL 114, 2XL 125, 3XL 133, 4XL 146, 5XL 157) cm).

Yarn

PROJECT On the C Train

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On the C Train

On the C Train is a great hat project for any knitter. It’s knit with Sandnes Garn Double Sunday and Drops Brushed Alpaca & Silk held together, making it soft, warm, fluffy, but it also has the weight to hold up to cold weather.

We chose two colours that are close together but not exactly the same, which creates some depth of colour and vibrance in the finished piece. I’m including some colour combinations below.

Modifications

  • To make an adult size large (23″ to 24″ head circumference): 1. cast on 96 sts, 2. knit an extra inch before you begin the decreases (begin decreases at 9”); 3. begin the decrease section by working in 1×1 rib pattern for 21 sts, P3tog, then continue in the same logic.
  • If you want a folded brin knit for an extra 2.5″ to 3″ from cast-on edge

Size

  • One Size (fits medium-sized head: for a large see modifications above/in pattern)
  • 14.5” circumference (before blocking and unstretched), 10.25” height

Materials

Getting Ready for the COCOKNITS Mabel KAL

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I’m getting ready for the COCOKNITS MABEL KAL (knitalong) starting in February!

The sweater is knit with the Cocoknits method, a unique technique for working a sweater seamlessly from the top-down, and I’m curious to finally learn it! I think I’ll make it as a turtle neck …. it gives the shape a bit more substance.

I’ve done my swatching and tried 3 different yarns:

I tried 7mm/US10.75 needles and 6.5mm/US10.5 needles, and got the best gauge by combining Drops Air & Drops Kid-Silk on 6.5mm/US10.5 needles.

In the video I also flip through the pattern … it’s very professional and comprehensive, I’m looking forward to it and I know we will be in good hands!

P.S.

The ring I’m wearing in the video is from Kormar Jewellery. I bought it at the Toronto Outdoor Art Show and LURV it! It’s 3D-printed silver and doesn’t get caught on my yarn when I knit or crochet (an essential quality in my jewellery).

Mabel

Mabel is a loose-fitting, comfortable pullover that fits the bill. She is also infinitely adaptable … try knitting the neck ribbing into a cowl or extra long fold-over turtleneck. Add cables, split the hem, knit it knee length, add stripes … the sky’s the limit. It is written in 10 sizes from 36 to 72” bust, so you have options for fit, as well!

This sweater is worked using the Cocoknits Method, a commonsense system for knitting seamless, tailored sweaters from the top down. The Cocoknits Method is explained in detail in Cocoknits Sweater Workshop by Julie Weisenberger.

Size

  • Small (Medium, Large, 1X)(2X, 3X, 4X)(5X, 6X, 7X)
  • Finished Bust: 36 (40, 44, 48)(52, 56, 60)(64, 68, 72)”/ 91.5 (104.5, 112, 122) (132, 142, 152.5)(162.5, 172.5, 183) cm
  • Finished Length: 15.5 (17.5, 19, 20)(21, 21.5, 22.5)(23.25, 24, 25)”/ 39.5 (44.5, 48.5, 51)(53.5, 54.5, 57.5)(59, 61, 63.5) cm

Materials

RESTOCK Drops!

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Our fall Drops stock has FINALLY dropped! An unfortunate victim of COVID supply chain fatigue, our order was expected in August, then October, but got stuck in all kinds of international shipping snafus. Regardless, it’s here now and we are GRATEFUL for the bounty! There are bunch new colours in Drops Air and Drops Kid-Silk (including those marvellously neutral blush pinks and beiges). We also received some much sought after and back-ordered CHRISTMAS COLOURS in Drops Nepal.

Drops Air

New Fall 2021 Colours

Drops Air is a deliciously soft and airy yarn. It knits up beautifully into hats, scarves, cowls, sweaters, blankets, toys – you name it! It is a ‘blown’ yarn, which means it has a core (polyamide) that is a knitting tube, and then the fibre is literally blown into it, creating a light, fluffy, fuzzy haze of alpaca floating around it. It knits up easily, and you can even knit with 2 strands held together to bulk it up to a bulky weight (try a 6.5mm/US10.5). the yardage is also generous, coming in at 150m for a 50g ball. One of the extra bonuses with this yarn is that it’s been used a zillion times on Ravelry, so there’s lots of pattern inspiration out there and you know that its not going to let you down.

SEE OUR FAVOURITE PROJECT IDEAS

  • 70% alpaca, 5% wool, 23% polymide (core strand)
  • 50g/150m (164 yds)
  • Heavy Worsted to Aran weight
  • 5mm/US8 needles or hook 
  • 17 sts & 22 rows = 4″ (10cm)
  • Hand wash, lay flat to dry
  • Made in Peru
  • See Project Ideas on Ravelry

The wrap above is Hamburg Calling, a free pattern from Verena Bahls. Use 6 skeins of Drops Air (if you have a hard time finding the PDF on the website it is HERE).

Drops Kid-Silk

New Fall 2021 Colours

Drops Kid-Silk is a luxurious, feather-light brushed mix of super kid mohair and mulberry silk. It gives garments a sophisticated look, whether used alone or held together with other yarns (see projects by PetiteKnit). 

  • 75% Mohair, 25% Silk
  • 25g/210 m (230yds)
  • Lace Weight
  • 3.5mm/US 4 needles
  • 23 sts & 30 rows = 4″/10cm
  • Hand Wash, max 30°C, lay flat to dry
  • Made in the EU
  • See Project ideas on Ravelry

The sweater pattern above is the No Frills Sweater by PetiteKnit. It knits up with 1 strand of Drops Kid-Silk and one of a fingering weight yarn – like Cascade Heritage.

Drops Nepal

New Colours

Drops Nepal is a great staple yarn made with superfine alpaca and Peruvian highland wool. Both fibers are untreated, which means that they are only washed and not exposed to any chemical treatment prior to the dyeing. This highlights the fibers’ natural properties, making it a lofty, bouncy yarn that’s great for garments. It’s hand-washable and felts beautifully. Drops Nepal is great for sweaters, hats, scarves, mitts, blankets – you name it. It also comes in 50g balls, making it an amazing choice for fair-isle projects. 

The sweaters above are different iterations of Riddari, a pattern from Istex Lopi that works up beautifully in Drops Nepal. (If can’t tolerate the itch but love the look of Icelandic knits try substituting Drops Air – it won’t be as dense or itchy as a proper wool sweater, but on the upside, it’ll be light as air and soft as a baby’s butt.)

Drops Wish

Restocked

Drops Wish is a dreamy, super bulky weight, blown yarn made from baby alpaca blown into a core of merino wool and pima cotton. Wish is cosy, light, airy, soft, fluffy and absolutely itch-free. Wish is a great choice for sweaters, accessories (hats, wraps, scarves, cowls, shawls, etc), blankets – you name it. To make for a REALLY thick knit, you can hold 2 strands of this yarn together and use 15mm/US19 needles. 

The sweater pattern above is Harvest Queen, a free pattern from Drops that works up beautifully in either Drops Wish or Drops Air (holding 2 strands together). We made one and it worked up beautifully (blog post forthcoming).

SEE OUR FAVOURITE PROJECT IDEAS

Drops Melody

Restocked

Drops Melody is a super soft, super delicious alternative to Mohair it looks like mohair, but it has NONE of the itch! It’s super soft, light and airy. Drops Melody is a great choice for oversize garments and accessories, although it would also make a stunning and very cozy blanket. It knits up quickly on big needles without the piece becoming heavy and it can be held together with another yarn to create a fuzzy effect, or to give garments extra volume and softness.

The sweater pattern above is Caja, a free pattern from Ravelry. It knits up with 1 strand of Melody and one of a fingering weight yarn – like Cascade Heritage.

Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk

Restocked

Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk is a luxurious alpaca and silk yarn that looks like beautiful (but itchy) kid mohair but feels like super soft alpaca.  It’s light and fluffy, with plenty of halo. You can work with it as a single strand or hold two or three strands together to bulk it up for larger needles. It is very affordably priced and makes a great substitute for other kid mohair yarns. 

The sweater above is Sunday Sweater, a pattern from PetiteKnit (Photo StyledBySabine). It knits up with 1 strand of Drops Brushed Alpaca Silk and one of Drops Air.

Drops Andes

Restocked

Drops Andes is a soft, chunky blend of superfine alpaca and Peruvian Highland wool. The mixture brings out the alpaca silky surface, while the wool gives the yarn better shape and stability. It’s super easy to work with and works up quickly on large needles. It’s also great for felting and is ideal for felted slippers, mitts and bags. Andes is also ideal for beginner knitters, two balls are all you need to make a scarf!

The yarn fibres are untreated, which means that it is only washed and not exposed to any chemical treatment prior to dying. This highlights the fibre’s natural properties, while it also provides a better shape and texture quality.

  • 65% Wool, 35% Alpaca
  • Super Bulky (14 ply)
  • 100g/90m (98yds)
  • 9mm/US13 needles
  • 10 sts & 14 rows = 4″ (10cm)
  • Hand Wash, cold max 30°C / 86F. Dry Flat
  • Feltable
  • Made in Peru
  • Free Patterns

The wrap above Decemberist by Melanie Berg (you can find the whole gaggle of them HERE). It knits up with 3 skeins of Drops Andes (or 4 skeins of Drops Wish).

PROJECT Brushed Alpaca Nuvem

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Nuvem

I just finished a third Nuvem and it was a total win! It’s light and airy as a cloud and cozy as hell. It’ll be an awesome spring/fall wrap, I just want to cocoon in it. I used Drops Brushed Alpaca and Silk and 4.5mm/US7 needles, so it also didn’t take a super long time (I took about a month, but I totally dawdled because I wasn’t into any tv shows or audiobooks). Anyway, everyone who picks it up says they they feel compelled to make one – especially after I tell them the yarn only cost $36 (total).

Notes

The pattern isn’t very complicated, but it does involve a cast-on that some may not be familiar with: Judy’s Magic Cast-on. It’s isn’t hard, and I don’t think you should let it stop you from making this project. Judy’s Magic Cast-on is a very popular technique for making toe-up socks, and there are tons of videos and tutorials for it online, so if you have a hard time with one just skip to the next.

Nuvem Needle Hacks

  1. The last time I made a Nuvem I came up with an easy Knit Hack to help keep track of my needles on this project!
  2. This pattern is worked on two identical circular needles, which can get unwieldy. After I had been working for a while and my Nuvem had grown sufficiently I found that I was able to transfer all of my stitches to a single 60″ circular needle. My preferred type of needles for this project are interchangeables (I have a set of Addis, but Knitter’s Pride are also a great option, their extra cords and tips are affordable), because if I’m going to buy two identical needles of the same size, they might as well be interchangeable tips.

Size

I always wonder why shawls and wraps don’t come in sizes – people comes in different shapes and sizes, and a person with larger shoulders, back and/or bust will need a larger garment, right? Luckily, this pattern is extremely flexible, so it’s very easy to make this wrap smaller or larger. I cast on 143 stitches, which measured 37”/94cm in length after blocking (the end sections each measure about 17″/42cm). I feel like my wrap would fit up to a size large, but if I was an XL or larger I’d make it longer. If you want yours longer you can cast on more stitches (based on my tension, that’s about 3.85 stitches per inch, so if you wanted your wrap to be 4″/10cm longer I’d cast on an extra 15 stitches). If you want it wider you just have to knit extra rounds (or block it width-wise – I blocked mine length-wise).

  • Width (after blocking length-wise): 23”/58cm
  • Length (after blocking length-wise): 71”/180cm
  • Weight: 150g

You can get an idea about the finished size in the picture below. The mannequin is a size 6 and on the small size at that (no booty whatsoever), so I’d say that this is what it would look like on a small person.

Materials