We just finished Venlig, a new store sample! Venlig is a simple raglan knit from the top down in one piece with a little funnel neck. We made it with two strands of super soft, Drops Melody held together, so it’s super cozy but also airy. Drops Melody is a brushed alpaca yarn, which has the texture of a bulky mohair but the softness of baby alpaca (seriously, it feels like a cloud). We used 10mm/US15 needles, so it works up fast and easy, with little fuss (see notes below about needle size). If you want to use a heavier, more traditional texture of yarn, try using a single strand of Drops Andes: 5(6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10) and 9mm/US13 and 7mm/US10.75 needles.
Notes
Our tension came out a bit looser than expected. We made size 1, but it measures 43″, so it fits size 2. When I swatched, I got 10 sts/4″, but Erica got 9 sts/4″ in the finished sweater …. so do a little swatch before you start to make sure your sweater comes out the size you want! We used 8mm/US11 & 10mm/US15 needles, but if you’re finding your tension is looser, go down a size to 7mm/US10.75 & 9mm/US13 needles.
If you want to use a heavier, more traditional texture of yarn, try using a single strand of Drops Andes: 5(6, 6, 7, 7, 8, 8, 10) and 9mm/US13 and 7mm/US10.75 needles.
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.
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.
Caidreedesigns 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.
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.
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.
Caidreedesigns 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.
Just a quick reminder that our yarn swap is this Saturday January 20th, from 1-3 pm … you can find all the YARN SWAP DETAILSHERE!
Getting Warmer
Getting Warmer is a super little accessory … it’s a cowl, it’s a cape, it covers your neck, it snuggles your shoulders, if you need to you can pull it over your head! We made it in super lift, soft and fluffy Drops Melody, which is super light, fluffy and airy, so you can really scrunch it up under a coat or squish it into your luggage. It works up reasonably quickly on 6mm/US10 needles.
The pattern used to be free so you may already have it in your cloud-based pattern library (we featured it on our blog back in 2019), but it is now sold on Ravelry as an ebook with 9 other circular yoke patterns, so you get a lot of bang for your nine Canadian bucks.
Yarn
Drops Melody is a light blend of 71% Alpaca and 25% Wool, bound together with a smidge of polyamide. It’s soft , light, airy, and VERY fuzzy. It looks like a proper British mohair, but it feels like happy little baby alpacas romping through fields of daffodils and smiles. If you want to make yours at a looser tension the yarn is flexible, you can definitely go up to a 7mm/US10.75 or 8mm/US11 needle with this yarn!
There are some yarn alternatives listed at the bottom, in case you want a different yarn or textile.
Size
The fabric is very stretchy (see dimensions below), but if you want to make your Getting Warmer larger by adding extra increases or knitting longer be sure to get an extra ball, we only had 5g left.
Finished Dimensions:
width at bottom: 23″/58cm (30″/76cm stretched)
width at neck: 9.5″/24cm
total height: 16″/40cm
height of neck alone: 4″/10cm
height of yoke alone: 12″/30cm
Materials
Drops Melody: 2 skeins (shown in colour 22, get an extra ball if you want to make yours larger
I just finished a new store sweater for myself, Algoma by Tara-Lynn Morrison. It’s a roomy retro inspired cardie made with light, fluffy, airy yarn. I used two strands of Drops MELODY held together and 10mm/US15 needles and once I figured out the tension and stuff it FLEW! Its VERY cozy, very light, very soft, and not too hot over a T-shirt (although I haven’t really given it a proper winter wearing, so I can’t really speak to that fully).
I did my swatching, I cast on for the second size, but it was coming out a bit large for my taste (and I was swimming in it), so I ripped it back to the underarms and I went down from the second size to the first size and made a few mods (see notes below, or on Ravelry). As I worked I was feeling a bit shy about the the fuller sleeves, so I opted for the narrower ones and more fitted profile, but now I’m feeling like maybe I would like to try making a second one with a fuller silhouette and see how I enjoy that (ya know, let go and live … it’s just a sweater, after all). I’m also looking at the marled version the designer made (see pictures below and on Ravelry) and thinking that could be cool ….. You know how it goes, one day I’m feeling very charcoal grey, and the next I want Barbie pink.
Size
(XXS/XS) S/M (L/XL) (XXL/XXXL)
Finished Bust: (19” / 48.5 cm ) 21 / 53.5 cm (22” / 56 cm ) (24 / 61 cm)
Body length: (18) 19” / 46.5 cm (20” / 51 cm)(22” / 56 cm ) or desired
Modifications I made a few modifications, and the pattern also offers a few choices along the way, so I took notes …
The size was coming out a bit large, so I ripped it back and I went down from the second to the first size and made a few mods:
Collar: cast on 50 sts for collar. Worked in K2P2 rib, slipping the first stitch of each row.
After Collar: after switching to larger needles, I worked the K4 garter border edge as ribbing – (WS) Sl1 Pwise, K1, P1, K1 …. K1, P1, K1, P1, K1, and as (RS) Sl1 pwise, K1, P1, K1, P1 ….. P1, K1, P1, K1, P1
Before separating for sleeves: worked body as smaller size until I had 23 front sts, 36 sleeve sts, 44 bag sts. measures approx 19″ laying flat.
Sleeves, followed instructions for narrower sleeves and decreased until 32 sts, worked until sleeves measured 19” from pickup.
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 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.
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 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).
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 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).
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 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.
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.
In my last post I talked about tension, why it’s important and how to do it properly. In this one I’m sharing two projects that inspired me to swatch. In that post I mentioned that it’s a great idea to upload your swatch data to your Ravelry account for posterity, which is already proving handy today as I’m writing from home, without my swatch at hand! All the patterns today are beginner friendly, accessible and affordable.
Photo: Espace Tricot
Over Easy
This is the pattern that got me swatching, Over Easy. I thought it would make a great, quick ‘n easy fall knit, especially for the less experienced knitters. It’s knit in the round from the bottom up, the upper front and back are each worked flat, the shoulders are seamed, and then the sleeves are picked up and knit from the top-down. It’s worked up on BIG needles, and the yarn is fuzzy and hides a multitude of sins.
The yarn I was testing out is Drops Melody, a super soft, light and fluffy blend of alpaca and wool. What I really love about this yarn is that it looks like a bulky mohair, but it feels like a baby’s bum! Seriously, every time I touch a ball I’m shocked that it doesn’t have new-baby smell. The reason I was testing it was because I recognized that it would look great worked holding multiple strands together, but I didn’t precisely know how it would respond on different sized needles, or the difference between holding two or three strands together. It turns out my first instinct was right, I think this pattern would work best with12mm/US17 needles and holding two strands together. If you find you knit tightly on larger needles (some people do, but I don’t) then you’ll want to go up to a 15mm/US19 needle.
Photos: Espace Tricot
Size
Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4)
Body circumference: 64 (69, 76, 76)”
Sleeve length: 8.5 (8.5, 7.5, 7.5)”
Length from shoulder to bottom: 18 (18, 21, 23)”
Use the following as a general guide for sizing based on bust measurement:
This is the other sweater that got me swatching, Kelowna. This one is knit in the round from the top-down, and is approachable to everyone- at any knitting level. For this sweaterI’d use two strands held together and whatever size needle gets you gauge (my swatch was closest with a 9mm/US13, but you might want go bigger … it’ll be a great opportunity to practice checking your tension!
This might be my next COVID sweater (I haven’t been especially prolific), but I’m not sure which colour …maybe the petrol green?
If fuzzy isn’t your thing but you like the bones of this sweater check out Frid by Tara-Lynn Morrison – You can use Malabrigo Rasta or Cascade Spuntaneous. If those options are a little too spendy for you right now, try Drops Andes and go down to a 9mm/US13 needle and go up to the larger size).
Photos: Tara-Lynn Morrison
Photo: Tara-Lynn Morrison
Kinikin
Kinikin is a cardiganzied version of the sweater above with a looser tension. Based on my tension swatches I’d use 12mm/US17 needles instead of 15mm/US19 and hold two strands of Drops Melody together.
