Category Archives: Quince & Company Sparrow

PROJECT Treit

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Treit

When I came across this project it immediately struck me as a great little summer tee … an it would be PERFECT made with Quince & Co Sparrow. Treit is a light tee, worked bottom up, with a cropped length and leafy lace yoke. After a few rounds of twisted rib at the collar, the cropped body (which can be knit longer if desired) is knitted to the underarms. Two sleeve caps are knitted, body and sleeves are joined, and the yoke is worked from a lace chart to the neck. There are optional instruction to raise the back of the neck neck with short rows (a nice feature for more experienced knitters, and great that it isn’t necessary for those who need to keep thins KISSasble (you remember K.I.S.S., right? I refer to the sage life advice, “Keep It Simple Stupid”, not the 70’s band with the black & white getups.)

P.S. Quince & Co Sparrow is ON SALE until the end of July!

Suggestions

A. If you want to reproduce the ‘tweedy’ texture, use one of ‘Marled’ colours (they are marked in the drop-down menu of colours on our site). If you aren’t so keen on it, that’s cool too, just use one of the regular colours for a more refined finish.

B. I would DEFINITELY suggest the use a lifeline when knitting this project. Linen is slippey, and lace is lace, so do yourself a favour and give yourself a safety-net. If you are not already familiar with this concept, now’s the time to add this very, very handy little hack to your “I wish I knew that BEFORE ….” life list.

Size

  • Finished bust circumference: 33 (35, 38, 41, 45, 48, 51, 54, 57, 60) inches or 84 (89, 96.5, 104, 114.5, 122, 129.5, 137, 145, 152.5) cm
  • The pattern recommends you choose the next size up from your normal bust size, but linen is very stretchy, so if you plan to wear this top over a tank or cami you may want to take that into consideration and not size-up.

Materials

  • Quince & Co Sparrow: 4 (4, 5, 5, 6, 6, 7, 7 8, 9) skeins
  • 3.75mm/US5 – 24″ & 29″circular (or longer for larger sizes) longer and below gauge-size circular needles of
  • 3.25mm/US3 (or 3mm) – 16″ & 29″circular (or longer for larger sizes)
  • 3.75mm/US5 – 12″ circular needles (or double pointed needles)
  • 3.25mm/US3 (or 3mm) – 12″ circular needles (or double pointed needles)
  • Stitch markers in two colours
  • Waste yarn (for putting stitches on hold)
  • thin waste yarn to use as a lace “lifeline”
  • Pattern

Sweater Quantities

To make life easier, here’s a list of colours that we have in relevant sweater quantities … well, at least at the time of publishing … once it goes live it’s in the hands of a higher power (the yarn gods?):

  • Butternut
  • Eclipse (first 2 sizes)
  • Fen
  • Frond MARL (up to 6th size)
  • Fundi
  • Little Fern (first 2 sizes)
  • Lunar
  • Maize
  • Mineral MARL
  • Rille MARL
  • Rosa Mundi MARL
  • Sans
  • Surf MARL 253 (up to 8th size)
  • Venice 218 (first 2 sizes)
  • Viburnum (first 2 sizes)

PROJECTS 3 Knitted Bag Patterns

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Last time was crochet, so today I’m looking at knitted bags that make me happy. Knitted bags can be simple and elegant, and make great totes and carryalls. They’re also a nice, smallish summer project – great for taking up to the cottage, your back-yard or the local park. They benefit from working with plant based fibres, which are perfect for the summer because they don’t hold humidity like most animal fibres do (wool, alpaca, camel, mohair, cashmere … basically everything except silk).

FYI: All the Yarns Listed Below are 20% OFF until July 31st!

Sachetto

I kind of love the simple spiral design on this bag, it’s elegant but has some interest, it’s a great design feature! Instructions are included for three sizes. It’s worked in the round, cast on using Judy’s Magic Cast-On and worked from the bottom up. Straps are then worked back and forth and grafted together at the top. 

Size

  • Small (Medium, Large)
  • Circumference: 28(31)(34) inches
  • Height: 13(13.5)(14) inches
  • Total Strap Length: 14(14.5)(15) inches

Suggested Yarns

Materials

  • 4mm/US6 – 24″ circular needles
  • locking stitch markers
  • Pattern

Simple Knit Tote

Simplicity is also key wit this tote! You make this bag by first knitting the base flat, then picking up around the Base and knitting the Body of the bag in the round.

Size

  • Finished Circumference: 25 inches
  • Finished Height: 11 inches
  • Base of Bag: 3½ inches wide x 9 inches long
  • Strap Width: 3½ inches
  • Strap Length: 22 inches

Suggested Yarns

Materials

  • 5mm/US8 – 24″ or 32″circular needles
  • a spare 5mm/US8 double pointed needle
  • stitch holder (optional)
  • stitch markers
  • a few yards of sport or light worsted scrap yarn
  • Pattern

Judoka

Graphic stripes and simple designs make me extremely happy! This bag is knit flat in one piece in garter stitch to form a rectangle that is then folded and sewn on two sides to create the bag shape. If preferred, you can carry the yarns up the edge of the piece when working the “Thin and Thick Stripe Pattern” sections.

Sizes

  • Sizes: 1 (2, 3)
  • Finished width at base: 28 (35, 42) cm / 11 (13¾, 16½)”
  • Finished height: 28 (35, 42) cm / 11 (13¾, 16½)”
  • Before sewing, flat piece measures 20 (25, 30) cm / 8 (10, 12)” x 60 (75, 90) cm / 24 (30, 35½)”

Suggested Yarns

Quince & Co Sparrow

  • Colour A: 1 (2, (2) balls
  • Colour B: 1 (2, 2) balls
  • Colour C: 1 (1, 2) balls

Materials

  • 3mm/US2.5 needles
  • tapestry needle
  • Pattern

PROJECTS 3 Market Bag Patterns

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People have been asking a lot about market bags this summer, so I’ve put together a little bit of inspiration for you. I prefer crochet for market bags, the stitch reinforces the strength. Plus crochet is fun in the summer, it’s an extremely comfortable way to work with plant fibres. A basic crochet bag (like the second below) is also a great next level project for new or inexperienced crocheters.

FYI: All the Yarns Listed Below are 20% OFF until July 31st!

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Photo: eLoomanator

French Market Bag

Here’s a great one for the people who aren’t afraid of the hook – a gorgeous french market bag crocheted with cotton!

Suggested Yarns

Materials

Crochet Grocery Bag

I designed this little bag many, many moons ago and it’s still one of my favourites. My favourite version were the ones I made a few years ago with some Quince & Co Sparrow Linen – they’re sturdy, light, and put away up nicely!

Suggested Yarns

Materials

Provence Summer String Bag

I love the lace in this bag – it’s vintage without being too much. You can easily change the handles to make them longer.

Suggested Yarns

Materials

PROJECT Ashtona Wrap

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Ashtona

Quince & Co just released this super pretty wrap, Ashtona, as part of their new Shawls 2020 Collection. I thought its a pretty, not overly ambitious piece suitable for advanced beginners and intermediate knitters (I don’t know about you, but my mind has been super fuzzy lately – I blame COVID and humidity). This is the first pattern to be officially released from the collection, but I think you can buy the entire collection as a e-book right now (I’m quite fond of the crochet wrap Sand Dollar).

The Pattern

Ashtona is an asymmetrical, sideways knit shawl, that combines pretty ribbon lace with an uneven ribbing motif. The piece is worked on the bias from the right tip to the wide left edge. The skills required are long-tail cast on (link provided); increasing, decreasing, and reading a pattern (both charts and line-by-line instructions are included in the pattern).

The Yarn

It’s made with one of my favourites, Quince & Co Sparrow. If you aren’t already familiar with Sparrow it’s a super soft, organic linen that’s made in Italy. Linen is generally crisp in the skein or ball, and then loosens up completely once it goes through the wash (like, seriously, it lets go on a buddhist level). Sparrow is machine washable, but I put it in a delicate bag to keep it from abrading with other garments in the wash. I often put it in the dryer for 15 to 20 minutes too. If you’ve never used my Panty Hose Hack I suggest you try it out the with linen, it’s slippery and can get a little unruly when left to its own devices.

Materials

  • Quince & Co Sparrow: 5 skeins (shown in colour Maize)
  • 3.5mm/US4 – 29″ circular needles (or longer)
  • tapestry or darning needle
  • Pattern

PROJECT Nettle

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Nettle

Nettle is a pretty, lacy triangular wrap made with Quince & Co Sparrow linen. It’s light and drapey and makes a great accent with summer clothes. The pattern is from a cool book of shawls that came out last fall, To The Point: The Knitted Triangle. If you like triangular wraps you should definitely give it a look. Even if you don’t, it makes for some good eye-candy.

Materials


PROJECT Seguin

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Seguin

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?

Size

  • Finished Bust: 32½ (36¼, 40, 43¾, 47½, 51½, 55¼, 59, 62¾)” [82.5 (92, 101.5, 111, 120.5, 131, 140.5, 150, 159.5) cm]
  • Shown in size 36¼” / 92 cm on a 34” / 86.5 cm, 5’5” / 165 cm tall model (2 1⁄4” / 6 cm positive ease)

Materials

  • Quince & Co Sparrow: 6 (6, 7, 7, 8, 9, 10, 10, 11) skeins
  • 3.75mm/US5 – 16″ circular needles
  • 4mm/US6 – 24″ circular needles
  • 4mm/US6 – 32″ circular needles
  • Pattern

PROJECT Laudholm

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Laudholm

Something classic and cool for summer makes me very happy. It’s knit with Quince & Co Sparrow, one of my favourite yarns for summer. It feels soft and cool on your skin, washes beautifully in the machine, and just kind of *flows*.

Note: Linen can be quite stretchy once it is washed, so be sure to swatch a square at least 5″ x 5″ and wash it before you measure your tension. You may also want to make a smaller size than normal, I usually go down one size.

Size

  • Finished Bust: 34 ¾ (37 ¾ , 40 ¾ , 43 3⁄4, 46 ¾ , 50, 53, 56, 59, 62)” [88.5 (96, 103.5, 111, 118.5, 127, 134.5, 142, 150, 157.5) cm]
  • Shown in size 37 ¾ ” [96 cm] on a 34″ [86.5 cm], 5’5″ [165 cm] tall model (3 ¾” [9.5 cm] positive ease)

Materials

  • Quince & Co Sparrow: 6 (7, 7, 8, 9, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13) skeins
  • 3.25mm/US3 – 24″ circular needles
  • 3.75mm/US5 – 24″ circular needles
  • Pattern




PROJECT Popham Crochet Bag

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Popham in Quince & Co Sparrow

Popham

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).

Materials: Shorter, Wider Bag (thicker Yarn)

The ecru bag in the pictures. Size is 4½” [37 cm] wide and 27½” [70 cm] total length (including strap).

Popham in Quince & Co Kestrel

Popham in Quince & Co Kestrel

Popham in Quince & Co Sparrow
Popham in Quince & Co Sparrow

FREEBIE & STORE HOURS August Long Weekend

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August Long Weekend Store Hours

Friday August 2: 11 am to 6pm

Saturday August 3: 11 am to 6pm

Sunday August 4: CLOSED

Monday August 5: CLOSED

Farmhouse Towels

Make some towels that are so beautiful you’ll never want to use them! That’s ok, some things you use until they’re shredded, and some you keep out to please the eye. Both have their roles in our lives.

Materials

You can also use Cascade Ultra Pima and 4mm/US6 circular needles: MC: 2 skeins (3 skeins will make 2 towels), CC: 1 skein.

Groovy in Sparrow Revisited

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Groovy

We made this wrap a few years ago, but I’ve been working on my photography skills and while I had the camera out I figured I try taking some new photos. Little did I know that it would make love to the camera! Or maybe the camera loved it. Either way, beauty is abundant!

Groovy is an uncomplicated pattern, well suited to intermediate to advanced beginners, and more experienced knitters who need something simple to work on. We used Quince and Co Sparrow and 3.75mm/US5 needles, a 100% organic linen, and the drape is just INCREDIBLE. Plus blocking is a dream – machine wash in a delicate bad, dry on low for 15 minutes, lay flat to dry. The fabric comes out silky and has a drape like no other fabric you’ve ever seen.

Materials

  • Quince and Co Sparrow: 4 skeins (the colour is citron, but I have not colour corrected these photos, and the most accurate version of the colour is on our website)
  • 3.75mm/US5 – 29″ circular needles (or longer)
  • tapestry needle
  • Pattern: Groovy