Straight off, let’s acknowledge that Seguin is not a design for the chestier ladies. I think it’s important to value all bodies, and some of those bodies look really pretty with a bit of an accent in front. I also like the ‘smocking detail’ (it isn’t really smocking), it’s just interesting and a cool texture. I don’t think it would be hard to omit the ruffle and just keep the slipped stitch cable rib. Seguin is made with Quince & Co Sparrow, but if you like the aesthetic but want a thicker yarn that knits faster try Merrifield, made with Quince & Co Kestrel and 6.5mm/US10.5 needles … isn’t that nice of them?
Quince & Co Sparrow Linen is finally restocked just in time for the good weather! And it’s a good thing, because I seem to have reached maximum pandemic and my brain doesn’t seem to want to work good. If you are in the same boat, Popham is a nice little crochet bag (I know the crocheters are always jonesing for pretty projects), ready for you to go hit the outside and stand in a line (but it’s outside, so that’s a nice change, right?). If you are not a crocheter you can take the knitted version, Rue Mouffetard, for a drive. And another cool thing, this pattern is written for two sizes of yarn (a nice touch), the thinner Quince & Co Sparrow (the brown bag) and the thicker Quince & Co Kestrel (ecru bag) (also restocked).
Popham in Quince & Co Kestrel
Materials: Longer, Narrower Bag (thinner yarn)
The brown bag in the pictures. Size is 4½” [37 cm] wide and 27½” [70 cm] total length (including strap).
When we make projects for the store, I choose them with you in mind. You’ll can probably figure out which things I like to make for myself – mostly sweaters with simple silhouettes, accessories for the family, and quirky little things (mohair tissue box covers, decorative mini-sweaters, tea cozies with limbs growing out of them, etc). Day Blossom is kind of a crossover – I came across it while looking for a store project, and figured I’d take a chance on it. I fell in love with the texture, I love texture and playing with texture. It combines two weights of Quince’s linen yarns, one thicker and one thinner. In the pictures the yellow is the thicker yarn (Quince & Co Kestrel) and the neutral colour is the thinner (Quince & Co Sparrow).
I kind of like the little fringes, they reiterate the changes in the textile and create a bit of visual interest, but you don’t have to make them if you don’t want to. The size is nice too, it’s very comfortable as a scarf and as a shoulder cover. The linen is cool and comfortable, all drape. After a long winter and cold spring it’s nice to wear a garment that’s feels different. Linen and wool are kind of binary opposites; wool is all about warmth, air and body, while linen is cool, dense and drapey.
I like knitting linen with wood needles, but Liane said it drove her up the wall. When I made my first sweater with Quince & Co Sparrow I swatched quite a bit to make sure I got tension, and I tried both bamboo and brass needles. At first I didn’t like the wood, then I tried the brass, and after that I went back to the wood and preferred them. In the end, the needles weren’t really the factor I expected them to be, but getting used to working with the linen was the important part. Once I was accustomed to the fibre I was happy with my regular needles. As for all those swatches, Sparrow is super soft and machine washes beautifully so I use them around the house and the store. They’ve replaced disposable tissues for removing makeup, washing my face, and cleaning up little messes. To my mind, that’s a big bonus – the less I have to send to landfill the better!
The colours shown in the original pattern are Quince & Co Sparrow in Moon (a grey with a blueish cast) and Quince & Co Kestrel in Minos (purple). Their colours are STUNNING, I love them, and for a bit I had a hard time thinking outside of that box. But it’s been such a cold & dreary spring here that I felt I owed it to everyone to come up with something brighter, happier, more optimistic. To pull myself out of that blank mental space I pulled all of the colours off the shelf and shuffled them around on the table. I’m glad I did, the colour combo I came up with is sunny, it has just enough colour to brighten things up without being “HI, NICE TO MEET YOU! I’M YELLOW!” You can’t go wrong with the combo of a colour on a neutral, you just have to make sure that the tones in both shades are complimentary.
This wrap was created with accessibility in mind – I wanted it to be simple to knit, and incredibly wearable. It’s made with Quince & Co. Kestrel, a 100% organic linen that’s easy to knit with, comfortable to wear, and super easy to wash (throw it in the machine in a delicate bag). The linen is heavy enough to keep you warm on spring and summer nights, but will never leave you sweating.
The simple welted texture is random, completely reversible, and creates a classic, timeless look. The pattern is knitted on the bias, increasing in width as you go, so you can make it any size you like and you never have to worry about running out of yarn. We’ve written the pattern with a line-by-line chart, to help you keep track of your rows (a beneficial thing for everyone, but especially helpful for people with learning disabilities). And the final bonus – it’s a FAST knit on 6mm/US10 to 7mm/US10.75 needles (think quick mother’s day gift)!
This adorable little dress is the perfect gift for any little girl. It comes in sizes from 6mohts to 12 years, and is made with Quince & Co Kestrel (ON SALE NOW), which is nice and cool for warmer weather and is of course machine washable.
Size
To fit: 6(12, 18) months and 2(4, 6, 8, 10, 12) years
This oversized top is a quick, easy knit, in soft & comfortable Quince & Co Kestrel (ON SALE NOW). It’s casual and easy to wear, just throw it over a tank or a cami and you’re good to go! Kestrel is machine wash and dryable, very easy to knit with and wear.
Notes
Linen is VERY STRETCHY, especially at this tension, and I suggest you look closely at the size measurements and go down a size (or go down a needle size). The garment is designed quite oversized and I think there is a lot of flexibility in choosing a size, depending on how you want it to look. This can be a real plus, you may not need to buy as much yarn if you’re normally a medium/large/extra large!
My friend Dawn was looking to take advantage of our summer sale and made a summer sweater, so I pulled together a Ravelry search for her and when she came across Davis she kind of made a swooning sound. I figured if it was swoonable for her, everyone should eyeball it. It’s an oversized pullover, which means it’ll have lots of room to move and lots of casual elegance. It’s made with Quince & Co Kestrel, a gorgeous chunky weight, 100% organic linen tape – one of my favourite summer yarns because it’s easy to knit with, works up fast, and washes and wears extremely easily. Plus, it’s ON SALE NOW!
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.
I came across this prettly little summer wrap today and I had to share! It’s a great warm weather knit, take to the cottage, road-trip friendly knit. Plus, it’s made with linen, so its wearable all season too. I love the texture, the pattern makes really good use of two different weights of Quince & Co’s linen (which you know I LURV) for a creative & beautiful effect. Wearable, knitterly, and beautiful – my favourite trifecta!
