Category Archives: spring

PROJECT A Second Beach Wrap in Vivo

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Beach Wrap in Vivo

Last month we shared our Beach Wrap made with Berroco Vivo in the blues (3533 & 3541), my good friend Rosie whipped one up in another colour combo, and it was so pretty (patting myself on the back) that I thought it should be shared! Rosie wanted an easy, quick wrap for warm weather and used colours 3547 & 3525. I love the bright colours, they’re so Miami Vice!

SEE OUR ORIGINAL BEACH WRAP IN VIVO

The Beach Wrap always makes a great project to use for experimenting with yarns and colours. Last year we tried combining two colours of the same yarn and it turned out really beautifully (you can see that project HERE), so we tired it again and it worked … again! I held two strands of complementary colourways of Berroco Vivo together, and just let them do their thing. You can also try holding two strands of the same colour but starting at different parts of the colourway.

The Project

The Beach Wrap has been a super popular project since its debut, and it makes a great canvas to paint on. It was created with accessibility in mind – I wanted it to be simple to knit, and incredibly wearable. 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. To keep the texture looking random the pattern repeat is a log one, so I wrote 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, brain fog, mommy brain, long COVID brain, messy brain, hectic brain, etc). And the final bonus – it’s a relatively fast knit on 5.5mm/US10 needles (think quick gift)!

If you prefer a rectangular wrap experience and a shape that you can have more control over, you can also try out this yarn combo in our Cottage Wrap.

Notes

  • On our version we did five full pattern repeats. Our goal was to work until we ran out of yarn, which we did.
  • When you choose your yarn, try to choose skeins that start at or around the same point in the colourway – this can help keep your colour distribution more consistent throughout the shawl. This isn’t crucial, just helpful.
  • When you start your project note whether you are taking the yarn from the inside or the outside of the skein, so you can do the same with the second ball.
  • Because the yarn is 100% cotton, you can play around with the tension and use larger needles for a looser knit. You can also really give it a good stretch when blocking.

Size

The Beach Wrap is a big, cozy shawl, but if you want yours HUGE, like a gigantic hug or a massive towel, then you should get an extra ball of yarn in each colour.

  • 100”/250cm long (from tip to tip)
  • 22”/55cm deep (at longest point)

Materials

Notions

Notes on Combining Colours

To take some of the uncertainty out of deciding which other colourways compliment each other I lined them up in the natural light and gave them a very strong eye-balling …. the colour combinations are all Haley approved. A few insights about combining colours:.

  • To tone down a colour, hold it with another colour that’s darker or more muted. Our Blue wrap used one colour that’s bright and one that is darker and a bit more sedate.
  • Two bright colours will usually make each other pop! Rosie’s Beach Wrap used two colourwyas that are equally bright.
  • If you don’t love the way the colours are combining or pooling you can apply some creative license and break the yarn and skip ahead in the colour way.
  • No two projects will be the same

SIMPLE Spring/Summer Crochet Kits

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Crochet has been gaining ground over the last few years, which lots of new crocheters coming taking it up during the pandemic, so I thought I’d share a few simple crochet projects for spring & summer!

Kyrie

Kyrie is the perfect cardigan for spring. Crocheted in a simple allover lace pattern, this has built-in air conditioning. Fronts and back are worked separately with curved front hems and seamed together. Pattern includes both charts and written instructions.

The Yarn

Berroco Remix Light is a multi-seasonal yarn that’s so comfortable you’ll find yourself wearing your garments made with it become some of your favorites. It’s super soft, light, breathable, machine washable, and it’s made in France from an eco-friendly blend of 100% recycled fibres (10% silk, 9% linen, 27% cotton, 30% nylon, 24% acrylic). Read more about how Berroco Remix and Remix Light are made HERE. 100g/400m (432 yds), machine wash, lay flat to dry. 

You can also make this project with Berroco Vintage Sock (it requires the same number of balls).

Size

  • Bust: (34½, 39, 41) [45½, 48, 52½, 55] {59½, 64, 66½}” / (87.5, 99, 104) [115.5, 122, 133.5, 139.5] {151, 162.5, 169} cm. This includes (5¾, 5¾, 5¾) [5¾, 5¾, 5¾, 6¾] {6¾, 6¾, 6¾}” / (14.5, 14.5, 14.5) [14.5, 14.5, 14.5, 17] {17, 17, 17} cm gap in front
  • Length: (21, 21, 21) [21½, 22¼, 22¼, 22¼] {22¾, 22¾, 22¾}” / (53.5, 53.5, 53.5) [54.5, 56.5, 56.5, 56.5] {58, 60.5, 60.5} cm
  • Shown in size 41″ / 104 cm
  • Recommended ease: 4–6″ / 5–10 cm positive ease

Gauge: 23 sts and 26 rows = 4″ in Pattern Stitch

Kit Includes

Kit DOES NOT Include

Notes

Pre-Order

These kits as a special-order, but we stock the yarn, Berroco Remix Light, seasonally, so you can check to see if the colour you want is in stock. You have the option to order this kit at any time, and we will order the yarn if it is not currently in the store. Your kit will ship or be available for pick-up once it arrives, and we will contact you. If you need your kit for a specific date please let us know and we can find out if it’s feasible. It normally takes one to two weeks to get stock, as long as it is in stock with the distributor. If we think it will take longer to get your yarn we will contact you to confirm.

Zelie is a boxy, loose-fitting, simple summer crochet top that lets the yarn do all the work! The back and front are worked separately and seamed.

The Yarn

Berroco Summer Sesame is a soft, light, and comfortable summer yarn with texture and colour. Its bright, happy shades of colors ebb and flow to make this self-striping worsted weight yarn a perfect summer choice. This cotton blend yarn is light to the touch, breathable, easy to work with, and machine washable. 100g/270 m (295 yds). 47% Cotton, 44% Acrylic, 9 % Nylon. Machine wash separately in cold water on delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry. Made in Italy.

You can also make Zelie in a solid colour with Berroco Modern Cotton (swatch first to check your tension, you may need to go down a size in the pattern and up a hook size).

Size

  • Bust: (36, 40, 44) [48, 52, 56, 60] {64, 68, 72}” / (91.5, 101.5, 112) [122, 132, 142, 152.5] {162.5, 172.5, 183} cm
  • Length: (20, 20½, 21) [21, 21½, 21½, 22] {22½, 23, 23½}” / (51, 52, 53.5) [53.5, 54.5, 54.5, 56] {57, 58.5, 59.5} cm
  • Shown in size 40″ / 101.5 cm. 
  • Recommended ease:  Approximately 4–8″ / 10–20 cm positive ease.

Gauge

  • 20 hdc and 13 rows = 4″ / 10 cm in hdc with larger hook

Kit Includes

Kit DOES NOT Include

  • 4mm/G crochet hook
  • 3.75mm/F crochet hook
  • tapestry/darning needle

Pre-Order

These kits are a special-order but we are stocking this yarn in the store on a regular basis through the spring and summer – you have the option to order it any time (it will be available to purchase as long as the manufacturer makes it available to us). Your kit will ship or be available for pick-up once it arrives, and we will contact you. If you need your kit for a specific date please let us know and we can find out if it’s feasible. 

PROJECT Beach Wrap in Vivo

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Beach Wrap in Vivo

Erica just finished a new iteration of our Beach Wrap, it’s always a great project to use for experimenting with yarns and colours. Last year we tried combining two colours of the same yarn and it turned out really beautifully (you can see that project HERE), so we tired it again and it worked … again! I held two strands of complementary colourways of Berroco Vivo together, and just let them do their thing. You can also try holding two strands of the same colour but starting at different parts of the colourway.

The Project

The Beach Wrap has been a super popular project since its debut, and it makes a great canvas to paint on. It was created with accessibility in mind – I wanted it to be simple to knit, and incredibly wearable. 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. To keep the texture looking random the pattern repeat is a log one, so I wrote 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, brain fog, mommy brain, long COVID brain, messy brain, hectic brain, etc). And the final bonus – it’s a relatively fast knit on 5.5mm/US10 needles (think quick gift)!

If you prefer a rectangular wrap experience and a shape that you can have more control over, you can also try out this yarn combo in our Cottage Wrap.

Notes

  • On this version we did five full pattern repeats. Our goal was to work until we ran out of yarn, which we did.
  • When you choose your yarn, try to choose skeins that start at or around the same point in the colourway – this can help keep your colour distribution more consistent throughout the shawl. This isn’t crucial, just helpful.
  • When you start your project note whether you are taking the yarn from the inside or the outside of the skein, so you can do the same with the second ball.

Size

The Beach Wrap is a big, cozy shawl, but if you want yours huge, like a gigantic hug or a massive towel, then you should get an extra ball of yarn in each colour.

  • 100”/250cm long (from tip to tip)
  • 22”/55cm deep (at longest point)

Materials

Pairing blue with a blue is an easy task, it’s like the Canadian Tuxedo of colour combinations. To take some of the uncertainty out of deciding which other colourways compliment each other I lined them up in the natural light and gave them a very strong eye-balling …. the colour combinations above are all Haley approved.

Notions

PROJECT Ranunculus in Remix Light

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Ranunculus

We worked up this little top (Ranunculus) as an experiment to see how far we could stretch one skein of Berroco Remix Light – it turns out it can go the distance! Remix Light is a very popular little sprig and summer yarn that ticks a lot of boxes:

  • it’s very light and has double the yardage of an average cotton summer yarn (100g/400m)
  • it’s machine washable
  • it’s soft and comfortable to wear
  • it’s comfortable and easy to work with
  • it’s eco-friendly, and made from a blend of recycled fibres: Cotton, Linen, Silk, Acrylic, and Nylon.
  • it’s made in the first world (France), so no slave labour involved, just unionized, properly paid EU workers
  • it’s affordable and only costs $16.47/ball

We made the smallest size in the short sleeve and it only took ONE ball. Most of the sizes, long and short sleeved, use two balls … making it a VERY affordable project. The pattern has instructions for both a short and a long sleeve version, and it is knit from the top-down, so you can make your sleeves any length you want.

Size

We made the short-sleeved version in Size 1 on 5.5mm/US9 & 4.5mm/US7 needles, and the combination of the needle size and the unique qualities of the yarn’s fibres made ours come out smaller than the pattern. Our tension was 18 sts & 26 rows = 4″/10cm (un-stretched) – this is a big difference to the pattern, which is a gauge of 14 sts & 20 rows = 4″/10cm.

Our garment ended up smaller than the pattern specifications: it measures 18″ across the chest (36″ bust) and 16″ high from the back of the neck to the bottom ribbing … a big drop from the pattern’s 46″ bust circumference. That said, I’m extremely happy with the finished project! It’s am amazing little top, and the size is just right for someone who wears a size XS or S. The fit is cropped, and after trying it on I’d say it’s a roomy fitting size small, or oversized XS. The fabric is very stretchy, it has a lot of give and a surprising amount of memory! It is very light and doesn’t have a ton of drape. We used the majority of 1 skein of yarn, and only had about 3g left (we used approx. 375m, or 5m more than the pattern suggested).

If you choose to follow our lead and use the yarn & needle combo we did (and your tension is the same) you can probably estimate the size will come out 20% smaller than the pattern recommends (ours was 22% smaller), so multiply the finished size by 0.78 got get a good idea of where yours will end up (see the measurements in bold below, I did the math for you).

  • 1 (2, 3, 4)(5, 6, 7)(8, 9, 10, 11)
  • Pattern’s Finished bust circumference: 117 (123, 129, 134) (140, 146, 151)(157, 166, 174, 180) cm / 46 (48.5, 50.75, 52.75)(55, 57.5, 59.5)(61.75, 65.25, 68.5, 70.75)”
  • Our Finished Bust Circumference (corrected to 18 sts/4″): 36(38, 40, 41.25)(43, 45, 46.5)(48.25, 51, 53.5, 55.25)”

Yarn

We used Berroco Remix Light, a very light and airy bend of recycled plant and synthetic fibres – perfect for warm weather! Because we used up a good amount of our yarn, I have factored that into the yardage suggestions below and leaned on the side of caution so you won’t run out.

Remix Light has a light, nubbly, tweedy texture, which lends itself perfectly to this particular project. See finished Ranunculi made with Berroco Remix Light.

Berroco Remix Light:

  • Short sleeve: 1(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2, 2) balls
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 3, 3, 3) balls

Other Great Spring & Summer Yarn Options

The pattern is written to be knit in a variety of yarn weights, from Lace to Worsted. Ideally, you want a solid or semi-solid coloured yarn, or a yarn that knits up in a very long, gradual ombre colourway, so you can see the details in the lace and textured stitches. The thinner the yarn, the lacier the sweater will be (yarn thickness goes from the thinnest at lace weight, then fingering, then DK, then worsted).

Berroco Modern Cotton (worsted weight – see finished projects):

  • Short sleeve: 2(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3)(4, 4, 4, 4)
  • Long sleeve: 3 (3, 3, 4)(4, 4, 4)(5, 5, 5, 5)

Berroco Modern Cotton DK (DK weight):

  • Short sleeve: 2(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 3, 3, 3)
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3, 3)

SALE Cascade Ultra Pima (DK Weight – see finished projects);

  • Short sleeve: 2(3, 3, 3)(3, 3, 3)(4, 4, 4, 4)
  • Long sleeve: 3 (3, 3, 4)(4, 4, 4)(4, 5, 5, 5)

SALE Berroco Pima Soft (DK weight):

  • Short sleeve: 4(4, 4, 4)(5, 5, 5)(6, 6, 6, 6)
  • Long sleeve: 5 (5, 6, 6)(6, 7, 7)(7, 8, 8, 8)

Schoppel Zauberball Cotton (fingering weight – see finished projects):

  • Short sleeve: 1(1, 1, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2, 2)
  • Long sleeve: 2 (2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 2)(2, 2, 3, 3)

Materials

  • 5.5mm/US9 circular needles
  • 4.5mm/US7 circular needles
  • stitch markers
  • tapestry needle
  • Pattern

FINISHED Sophie Shawl in Vivo

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Sophie Shawl

Sophie is a simple shawl that’s knit horizontally, from tip-to-tip. It’s a quick, easy knit thats great for little projects …. perfect for travelling or patio season. It calls for a worsted eight yarn, but we tried it out with Berroco Vivo, a textured, DK weight, 100% cotton, just to play around and see what would happen. What happened was a really pretty, light little spring/summer wrap!

Size

We made a size medium and I feel like it turned out as more of a scarf than a wrap (I had an uncertain amount of yarn on hand and I wasn’t sure how far it would go). We only used 1.22 balls (or 330m) of Berroco Vivo, and I feel like it turned out a bit small as far as wraps go, so if I made another I’d go up to the largest size. If you are using Berroco Vivo you will likely not use as much yarn as is recommended in the pattern, it seems to have gone further than expected.

  • Our Finished Sample: Size Medium – 11″ (27.5cm) deep, 80″ (200cm) long
  • Pattern Size: S (M) L
  • Pattern Length from tip to tip: approx. 170 (210) 240 cm or 67 (82¾) 94½ inches

Easily Change the Size

Because the pattern is knit from side-to side, its really easy to just knit until you’ve used up half of your yarn, then start the decreases. Just be sure to weigh your yarn before you start, so you know how much is you half-way mark (I use an inexpensive digital kitchen scale from Amazon). If you want you can also make your shawl larger than the largest size, you just need to start your decreases later.

Materials

  • Berroco Vivo: 1 to 2(2, 2 to 3)
  • 4.5mm/US7 needles (straight or circular)
  • Tapestry or Darning needle
  • Pattern

Spring & Summer Yarn Alternatives

Fall & Winter Yarn Alternatives

Just in case you happen to be vacationing in the southern hemisphere any time soon … if you want to make a fall/winter version or something with some fuzzy, my favourite options are

FREEBIE Tybee Baby Cardie

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Tybee

Tybee is a simple, new free baby cardie pattern knit with using Berroco Vivo, a multi-colored, self-striping 100% cotton. Vivo is perfect for baby & kid knits, as it’s super soft, light, machine washable, and ever so pretty! the 100% cotton is breathable and prefect for transitional weather.

Construction

The body is worked in one piece from the bottom-up to the underarms, then divided
for back and fronts. The sleeves are worked in the round to underarms, then joined to body so that yoke is worked in one piece.

Simpler Pattern Options

If you like the idea of a baby sweater in this yarn but you want something simpler, try one of the following:

Size

  • (3, 6, 9) [12, 18, 24} mos
  • Chest (closed):  (20, 21, 22) [23, 24, 25}” / (51, 53.5, 56) [58.5, 61, 63.5] cm
  • Length:  (10½, 11, 11¼) [12¼, 13, 14]” / (26.5, 28, 28.5) [31, 33, 35.5] cm
  • Shown in size 3 mos.

Materials

NEW Berroco Modern Cotton

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Berroco Modern Cotton

Berrooc Modern Cotton is a super soft and slightly silky yarn that’s perfect for spring and summer projects. It’s a machine-washable blend of pillowy Pima cotton and silky Modal viscose/rayon, which also makes it a perfect choice for people sensitive to animal fibres and vegans. Modal is a sustainable cellulosic fibre sourced from plants (like bamboo or Lyocell), and is a bit cooler to the touch than plain cotton (a good thing if you tend to run warm, or live in a warm climate).

Modern Cotton is a Worsted weight yarn, meaning it works up on 4.5mm/US7 knitting needles or a 5mm/H crochet hook, and you can substitute it in patterns that call for a similar weight yarn.

Modern Cotton is perfect for both crochet and knitting and is great for sweaters, tanks, tees and other tops, hats (especially chemo hats), bags, shawls & wraps, blankets & afghans, and slippers. 

SEE PROJECTS SUITABLE FOR THIS YARN

  • 60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal Rayon (viscose)
  • 100g/191m (209 yds)
  • Worsted weight
  • 4.5mm/US7 knitting needles
  • 5mm/H crochet hook
  • Knitting gauge: 20 sts & 26 rows = 4″ (10cm)
  • Crochet gauge: 16 sc & 19 rows = 4″ (10cm)
  • Made in Peru
  • Machine Wash in cold water, delicate cycle. Lay flat to dry.
  • Berroco Modern Cotton is also available in a DK Weight

Red Bud Isle

Red Bud Isle is a pretty summer tank with a nifty cross-over in the back. The Tank is worked from the bottom front hem upwards, increasing along edges of the back body and adding a single stripe near the hem and a set of stripes at the chest. Stitches are then cast off to separate into front and back strap sections. Front body is finished first and each strap is turned into an i-cord. Back body pieces overlap and strap stitches pick up stitches to join together back body pieces to create the fixed overlap. The final stitches are worked into i-cord for each strap.

Size

  • Finished bust: 84 (92, 102, 112, 116, 127) cm OR 33 (36, 40, 44, 46, 50)”
  • To be worn with 5 cm / 2” positive ease
  • Model has 81.5 cm / 32” bust, stands 165 cm / 5’5” tall, and is wearing size 2.

Materials

Admit by Norah Gaughan

I admit, I love Norah Gaughan … her designs always engage me, they’re creative, sometimes architectural, but always different from everything else out there. Simple eyelets make a basic top both pretty and a teensy bit avant-garde. This top will be extra flattering on anyone with smaller shoulders. Plus, this particular pattern is FREE!

Size

  • Finished Bust: 36(40-44-48-52)”
  • Length: 22(22-22½-22½-24)”
  • Designed with approximately 6” of ease.

Materials

Chickadee Cardigan

Misha and Puff don’t have a large repertoire of patterns, but their classic, vintage-inspired knits are simple, beautiful and fun. This easy, open little cardie is a versatile layering piece for warmer weather. Seamless, top-down construction and a hint of texture at the yoke make it a fun and satisfying knit. This classic cardigan construction is certain to be a go-to favourite. There is also a pattern for a matching Bonnet.

Size

  • 0-6m (6-12m, 12-18m, 18-24m, 2-3y)
  • Finished bust: 18 (19 3⁄4, 20 1⁄2, 21 1⁄4, 22)” OR 46 (50, 52, 54, 56) cm

Materials

Modern Stripes Baby Blankets

This simply styled FREEBIE baby blanket combines bands of colour and texture in a modern ‘sampler’. It’s available in a knit (right) as well as a crochet (left) version.

Throw Blanket

To make a larger blanket you just need to add more stitches:

  • CROCHET: The pattern stitch is a two-stitch repeat so you can change the stitch count at the beginning by a multiple of two stitches and the pattern will still come out right.
  • KNIT: The pattern is a multiple of 4 plus 2 stitches, so ass stitches in a multiple of 4 to make your blanket bigger.
  • For a full throw size (Crochet: 62.5″, Knit: 61″) buy twice as much yarn and start with Knit: 278 sts, or Crochet: 224 chain.

Size

  • Crochet version: Finished size 31.3/4” x 42”
  • Knit version: 30 1/2″ x 42″

Materials: KNIT

Materials: CROCHET

Cloverleaf Eyelet Blanket

There is something very beautiful and special about this vintage-inspired baby blanket … I may be sentimental because it resembles the blanket my great-grandmother made for me. I think a fabric this simple and pretty requires a fibre with a little bit of a fancier aesthetic, like Berroco Modern Cotton (or a merino like Cascade 220 Superwash Merino). The trefoil border is a simple corchet stcrochet stitch, and the pattern comes with free youtube videos.

The pattern is FREE on the designer’s blog, you can sign up for her newsletter and get a copy for free, or you can pay to download a PDF . There are also instruction on how to Resize a Knit Blanket, Throw or Washcloth.

Size: 40″ X 44″

Materials

Crocheted Moroccan Style Slippers

Size

  • Women’s medium: approx. 10″/25cm long (toe to heel); approx. 9″/23cm around foot at instep.
  • Note: Pattern can be adapted for a longer or shorter foot. For length over approx. 11″/28cm, buy extra yarn.

Materials

Portofino Bag Set

This mesh bag set is the ultimate duo in accessories! A roomy tote for market scores, beach day essentials, or picnic must-haves in addition to a chic bottle bag to ensure you are always hydrated make the perfect pair this season. These quick projects are stylish, quick, and functional – the best combo!

Size

  • Tote Bag: Width laying flat: 21”/53.5cm; Length: 15”/38cm; Depth: 7”/18cm; Strap length: 15”/38cm
  • Bottle Bag: Circumference: 10”/25.5cm; Length (adjustable): 7”/18cm; Strap length: 50”/127cm

Materials

NEW Playful (re-run)

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I don’t know why the formatting on this post went crazy … sometimes technology just doesn’t read our minds and things go sideways. I guess the way we choose to deal with the belly-flops is as important (if not more) than our successes? Anyway, that’s the story I’m telling myself today! So here is a re-run of our Playful Wrap, hopefully, the pictures will play nice this time. Have a great long weekend!

Playful

Playful is a great little project for travel or any other time when you want something portable and simple on your needles. It’s a little scarfy-shawly thing that works up quickly, making it very giftable and equally wearable. We used two contrasting colours of Berroco Summer Sesame (5238 Orchid, 5250 Sand) and took advantage of its natural self-striping abilities. The yarn’s texture also adds a little depth to the garter stitch, giving it a quasi-earthy richness (I love garter worked with textured yarns, they look so artisanal).

The Pattern is a freebie, and the project only requires one set of needles and two balls of yarn, so overall I think this project is an accessible little spring/summer treat.

Size

  • length: 14″/37cm high at widest point
  • width: 70″/175cm tip to tip

Materials

SHOP ONLINE

Combining Colours

The striping works best when your yarns have a decent amount of contrast. In our case, the purple yarn is a reasonable amount darker than the beige. Any of the colours available in BERROCO SUMMER SESAME will work well with 5250 Sand as a contrast – you can’t go wrong with a neutral!

If you use two colours that are too close in value (the amount of lightness or darkness) or colour then you won’t see your stripes. For example, 5249 Alloy (black), 5242 Ocean (dark blue), and 5238 Orchid are all very dark, and you won’t see much contrast if you combine any of them.

Neutral colours, like natural, beige, grey, and black are often ideal contrast colours. Dark blues like Navy can also make a very clever contrast colour.

SHOP ONLINE

Your reward for making it to the end… gratuitous bird photos! Never one to miss his 15 minutes of fame, Gru hopped up on the mannequin towards the end of the photography and made cute faces.

PROJECT Quince & Co Cloverdale

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Hankering for a project that’s a bit more challenging? The  Cloverdale tee features a classic A-line silhouette brought to life by easy slip-stitches, cap-sleeves, and a lovely Latvian braid at the neckline. The result? A bold, graphic hand-knit tee that’s warm weather-ready. All you have to do is choose your two favorite contrasting colorways and you’re good to go!

Cloverdale is designed with Quince & Co Sparrow, my go-to summer yarn – my summer “store uniform” is made with Sparrow. Sparrow is the best linen I’ve ever come across – its machine washable (I put it in the dryer on low heat), soft, comfortable durable, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the sweaters I’ve made with it. This top is worked on small needles, so the tension is tight enough that you won’t have to wear a cami under it.

Construction

Tee is worked flat from the bottom up. A-line shaping decreases are worked up to the underarm, and then increases are worked for the sleeve caps. Front and back are seamed at the sides and shoulders. Sleeve openings feature a built-in i-cord edge. Neckline is finished with a Latvian braid.

Size

  • Bust circumference: 39 (43½, 47, 51½, 55) (59½, 63¾, 67½, 71)” / 99
  • Sample shown in size 51½“ / 131 cm on a 39” / 99 cm, 5’7” / 170 cm tall model (12½” / 32 cm positive ease).
  • Suggested ease: positive 8–12½“ / 20.5–32 cm

Materials

Skills

German twisted cast on, mattress stitch (links provided); increasing, decreasing.

SEE OUR CURATED LIST OF KNITTING SKILLS 

Gauge

26 sts and 40 rows = 4” / 10 cm in slip stitch pattern, after blocking.
26 sts and 34 rows = 4” / 10 cm in 1×1 ribbing pattern, after blocking.

PROJECT Fountaingrove

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Fountaingrove

Fountaingrove is the perfect cast-on to get you ready for the warm season to come. The pretty lace panel is simple and effective. It’s made with Quince & Co Kestrel, an aran weight 100% organic linen yarn that’s been a summer staple here for years! The linen provised gorgeous stitch definition, unparalleled drape, and cool comfort perfect for warm weather.

SEE OUR FAVOURITE PROJECTS WITH QUINCE & CO KESTREL

Construction

Fountaingrove is worked in the round from the bottom up to the underarms. Front and back yokes are worked flat.

Size

  • Bust Circumference: 33½ (36¼, 39, 42) (44¾, 47½, 50¼, 53¼) (56, 58¾, 61¾, 64½)” [85 (92, 99, 106.5) (113.5, 120.5, 127.5, 135.5) (142, 149, 157, 164) cm] 
  • Shown in size 42″ [106.5 cm] on a 39″ [99 cm], 5’7″ [170 cm] tall model (3″ [7.5 cm] positive ease) 
  • Suggested ease: positive 0–3″ [0–7.5 cm]

Materials

Skills

Long tail cast-on, three-needle bind off (links provided); increasing, decreasing, working in the round. Charts and line-by-line instructions included.

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Gauge

17 sts and 25 rows = 4″ [10 cm] in Stockinette stitch, after blocking