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.
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 Sparrowand 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)
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.
A client showed me this gorgeous, diaphinous top and I thought how great would it look knitted up with Handmaiden Flyss or Quince & Co Sparrow?! Both are sublime summer yarns; Flyss is a soft, summery blend of % silk and 35% linen, and comes with lots of yardage, and Sparrow is 100% organic linen. And since it knits up on 6mm/US10 needles it will go FAST!
Cullum is a tee is light, breezy top knitted in Quince & Co Sparrow. The simple lacy details at neck and hem give it a bit of elegance and interest, and the easy fit works with everything in your wardrobe. The classic black colour the designer chose is nice, but I think everyone looks prettier and feels happier in COLOUR, whether it’s muted or brighter.
Size
finished bust: 34¾ (36¾, 38¾, 40¾, 44¾, 48¾, 50¾)” or 88.5 (93.5, 98.5, 103.5, 113.5, 124, 129) cm
shown in size 36¾“(93.5 cm) with 2¾”(7 cm) positive ease
I love this sweater; it’s simple, casual, and pretty. Plus the construction is roomy with lots of positive ease, so it’ll look great on a variety of body shapes. Gilead is made with cool & comfortable Quince & Co Sparrow. I like it in black, but I think it could be even lovelier in a less severe colour, like Truffle or Sea Salt, or a brighter colour like Citron.
Size
finished bust: 37½ (41, 44½, 48, 50, 53½, 57, 61¼)” or 95.5 (104, 113, 122, 127, 136, 145, 155.5) cm
shown in size 41” (104 cm) with 7” (18 cm) positive ease
If you’re looking for a little bit more interest in your summer knitting, Bolan might be for you. Made with soft, cool, washable Quince & Co Sparrow it’ll definitely become a wardrobe favourite. Part of the interest is created by the new marled colourways (see below), which create a depth of colour and a little bit of texture.
Size
Finished Bust: 43 (48½, 54, 59½, 65, 70½)” or 109 (123, 137, 151, 165, 179) cm
Shown in size 48½“ / 123 cm on a 33” / 84 cm, 5’ 9” / 175.5 cm tall model (15½” / 39.5 cm positive ease)
