This post is a love letter to Wonderfluff, our oh-so-lovely bulky Baby Alpaca/Merino yarn! Two sweaters finished and a bunch of cute accessories to come; we can’t get enough of this super cozy yarn.

I finished TWO sweaters in Wonderfluff over the Thanksgiving break! I am so thrilled with both of them and can’t wait to wear them EVERY day. The first is my Pontos Cardigan (pattern by Hillary Smith Callis on Ravelry) in Hare Heather. Super soft open mesh with cute pockets and raglan sleeves, this is basically my dream cardigan. The only mods I I made in my version were to knit full length sleeves and stockinette pockets rather than the mesh pockets called for in the pattern.

I will say that while I love the finished knit I had an extremely hard time with Hillary’s instructions after the sleeves are joined to the body and had to resort to some Macgyver-esque knitting tactics that may, or may not have devolved into some mild cursing. I would only recommend this pattern to a seasoned knitter who’s able to do some guesswork and on-the-fly adjustments to get everything lined up and decreased properly. Even though the pattern was on the tricksy side, the combination of open mesh stitch and alpaca make for the ultimate cozy-yet-breathable layer. I’ll be keeping this cardigan on the back of my chair here are the office for days when the air conditioner is feeling peppy and the office turns into an arctic chill-zone. I would love to knit another pattern in a chunky lace pattern because Wonderfluff doesn’t stretch or sag like other Alpaca yarns, instead it retains it’s characteristic lofty bounce, perfect for maintaining stitch definition.

Sigh… can I have pocket envy for my own pockets?! 

My second sweater is Carrie Bostick Hoge’s Sea Pullover in Wellies Heather. I spotted this pattern in Swoon Maine and knew I had to cast on for one of my own ASAP. Both this pullover and the Pontos Cardigan above took just six balls of Wonderfluff each making these quick and economical projects out of Baby Alpaca yarn.

I finished this sweater about a month ago and have worn it every single evening since. It’s the first thing I pop on when I get home from the office and I’ve definitely fallen asleep wearing it more nights than not! Wonderfluff‘s beautiful halo does double duty and repels dog hair, accidental tea spills and all manner of other debris that other sweaters seem to attract with a vengeance. I would even go so far as to recommend this yarn for fancy kid knits because it holds it’s shape so well and stays so clean (with the caveat that the recipients know how to properly care for handwash-only sweaters, as always)!

Have a few balls of Wonderfluff but don’t want to commit to a whole sweater? We have some great free accessory patterns ready and waiting!

The Free Checked Cowl Pattern uses four coordinating colors so you can easily mix and match from Wonderfluff‘s cute colors to match your wardrobe!

Emily Kintigh’s free Ultra Cozy Hand and Mittens pattern uses two balls of Wonderfluff for a super cute match set, perfect for chasing away chilly weather. I love the idea of knitting a set for myself in Cobblestone Heather with a Bare pompom on top! I hope these patterns inspire you to pick up your needles and whip up a few projects in our new favorite yarn! If you’ve already got a WIP going or just finished a project we’d love to hear about it in the comments.

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I bring you our first top five list for 2016 – The Top Five Yarn Lines! As the merchandise planner For Knit Picks I especially enjoy analyzing what keeps your needles and hooks active and wanted to share what YOU made our most popular yarn lines. There weren’t too many surprises, basics are key with this crowd, and I’m sure we all have a hank or two of these in our stashes.

#1 Wool of the Andes – Worsted – 50g Balls

Definitely not a surprise. Our 100% Peruvian Wool anchor not only is part of the Low Price Guarantee, but has over 100 colors to choose from, just beating out Palette for number one.  Dove Heather, Coal, and Cloud topping the list. With 35 patterns featuring Dove Heather there’s no doubt that it’s popular with our designers too!

#2 Palette – Fingering – 50g Balls

With over 150 colors, also in 100% Peruvian Wool, Palette swooped into a close second. Again, staple colors take the lead with White, Cream, and Black our top selling colors. The Persian Dreams Throw  in Palette shows off the stunning range of colors and features those popular basic colors too.

#3 Brava – Worsted – 100g Balls

Next, we move from 100% wool to our 100% acrylic with our Brava line, another Low Price Guarantee yarn coming in at number 3 and 4 in our list with worsted weight just edging out sport weight. Of the 50 colors in the line Cream, White, and Dove Heather were your top picks. One or more of these colors are featured in 34 different patterns!

#4 Brava – Sport – 100g Balls

With how popular our Hue Shift Blanket pattern is I was more surprised this line didn’t take number one. I’m guessing everyone has a ball of Black, White, and Red in their stash, no?

#5 Mighty Stitch – Worsted – 100g Balls

Our powerhouse blend of 80% acrylic and 20% superwash wool in 30 colors rounds out the top five. Going a little off the color trend set by the previous lines, Silver, White, and Celestial are the top three colors in this fantastic yarn. Easy care makes for easy gift giving!

Honorable Mention: Because Felici is Special Reserve it didn’t make the top five lines, however I couldn’t not mention that Beyond the Wall Felici was the 5^th most purchased yarn color overall in 2016! Pretty amazing.

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Chroma Twist is here and we have some stellar free patterns and projects ready for your hooks and needles!

I have a new pattern out in the new Chroma Twist Fingering yarn! The free Chromatic Granny Stripe Cowl has alternating rows of Surf’s Up and Weather Vane for a perfectly wrappable cowl. I loved working on this project and wear it every time the office drops into the chillier temperatures. Each row has a beautiful, slow gradation that is simply stunning! Now that this one is off my hook I would love to whip another up in a completely different colorway, perhaps Red Velvet and Lupine?

To celebrate this new yarn we decided to reknit an older slipper pattern in the Chroma Twist Bulky. The free Chunky Slipper Pattern is a fun, super fast project that uses up just one of the Bulky hanks. I’ve knit both these versions and wear the Weather Vane (above) version around the house every day and sent the second pair in Sand Piper (below) to a friend in Germany for Christmas. I love that each slipper in a pair are “fraternal twins” meaning that you don’t wind up with identical slippers!

Stacey’s free Do the Twist Socks celebrate the colorful color changes in each Chroma Twist Fingering hank! Just look at those colors! Each row is totally mesmerizing to knit as the colors slowly shift and each inch of yarn is different than the last. I like to say that it’s all the joy from colorwork without all the work.

Lastly, the free Liliiflora Mittens pattern combines the fiery sunset shades of Chroma Twist Fingering Get Your Neon colorway with Stroll Black for a geometric, graphic pattern on these cozy mitts.  As with all the pair-based projects in Chroma Twist, each mitten is different!

Both Chroma and Chroma Twist are made from Superwash Wool and Nylon meaning that they’re machine washable and hard-wearing. Don’t hesitate to grab a hank for your next project, weather it’s a pair of socks, a hat or for a fuax-isle yoke in a sweater!

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My skin is what I call ‘princess skin’ – there are very few yarns it can tolerate. Super duper soft Mighty Stitch is one of the lucky few fibers that will adorn my neck. Available in worsted, bulky and super bulky, save 20% on Mighty Stitch for the month of January!

Here is my portfolio of Mighty Stitch projects. I guess you can say I’m a fan!

A cowl in Mighty Stitch Bulky held double for my mom in her favorite jewel tones.

Pattern: Amazing Seed Stitch Wrap

The very first (and only) project I kept for myself is this scrumptious rug crocheted in Mighty Stitch Super Bulky

Pattern: Marvelous Myriad from Mandalas to Crochet

My very first lace project, in Mighty Stitch Bulky! Word to the wise: bulky, dark yarn covers a multitude of errors.

Free pattern: Muh Muhs

I was sorely tempted to keep this one in Mighty Stitch Bulky for myself, but Christmas duty called and my mom got it. Someday, I’ll get it back.

Free pattern: Plaid Infinity Cowl

For my little twinkly star of a niece Margot, I crocheted this rug in Mighty Stitch Super Bulky and blanket in Mighty Stitch Worsted

Rug pattern: Starry, Starry Night from Mandalas to Crochet

Free blanket pattern: Easy Ripple Afghan

I crocheted this super fun blanket in Mighty Stitch Worsted. I gifted it to a friend of my mom’s who was going through a tough time – I hope she feels loved every time she snuggles in it!

Free pattern: Moroccan Tile Afghan

I crocheted this blanket in Mighty Stitch Worsted in honor of my niece Jane’s arrival into the world (thank God for lots of nieces so I can make alll the blankets). I took the Jazz Age dishcloth pattern and added a chunky white border. This was another one that was hard to give up.

Project details here

I can’t wait to create more super soft blankets, cowls and rugs!

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January is a month for clean sweeps and fresh starts. We compile lists of resolutions that can span from the achievable to the nearly impossible.

As crafters we all know the resolution to organize the craft space can seem more impossible then achievable.  Especially after a year of fawning over new yarn colors, downloading pattern after pattern, testing out new needles and hooks, surrounding ourselves in a plethora of supplies. We at Knit Picks definitely understand your plight and offer some helpful tips to take stock of the stash.

Prioritize  If you buy supplies for specific projects or just-in-case prioritize your needs.

• Try bins or our cedar boxes to store seasonal yarns you plan to get to later in the year or for different seasonal projects.

• Stock up on some project bags and prepare your next few projects so you’ll be ready to grab and go. Pin the pattern to outside so you don’t forget what’s inside.
• Decorative Baskets and Bowls to display your stash. Organization can be pretty too, especially when everything has it’s place.

Sort  Notions, needles, and hooks have a way of disappearing when you need them most keep try one of these to keep them safe

• Needle and Hook Cases are great for keeping track of your needles, hooks, cables and more, as are clear mason jars if you like to visual appeal.
• Organize the notions in canisters and tins. These happy canisters will make sorting your notions a breeze.
• The Knit Picks Notion Tin is perfect for storing project specific notions and fits in any project bag.

Purge  The dreaded step for any creative endeavor. It is really worth it. Those yarn snippets and WIPs with good intentions need a new home and you need a clear mind.

• Create donation boxes of supplies for elementary school art classes or community centers.
• Trade WIPs with friends, maybe they love making those sleeves you have ripped out five times.
• Try swapping some skeins on Ravelry.

Now get organizing!

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It’s the last call for our latest monthly yarn sale featuring our superwash super hero Mighty Stitch! Today is your last chance to save 20% on this amazing utilitarian yarn. Perfect for home decor, blankets, and kids projects. Basically anything that gets heavy use. Up to 30 colors available in Worsted, Bulky, and Super Bulky weights. One wrap around your finger and this mighty blend of 20% Superwash Wool and 80% Acrylic you’ll make you a believer in it’s super power.  Need some inspiration?

How about a quick hat for a weekend skiing (or sledding) in the mountains? The Snowfall Ski Hood is a stylish winter accessory that knits up quickly using only 3 skeins of Mighty Stitch Bulky yarn in 2 contrasting colors.

Keep the the drafts at bay with the Pongo Draft Stopper. Use the colors in the pattern or match it to your decor with any three colors in Mighty Stitch Worsted.

Get Ready for spring nights with the Mighty Stitch Rainbow Blanket for beginners.

I also suggest the Some Days are Diamonds Blanket for the more advanced knitters. The ease of using Mighty Stitch will make this blanket come together before you know it.

It’s a steal. What are you waiting for?

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Are you ready for some sweet deals? Our Red & Pink Yarn sale features yarns in lovely shades of pink and red, at prices up to 40% off. With over 200 yarns on sale, there’s something sure to suit your fancy, whether you’re looking for blush, magenta, brick, or burgundy.

Patterns we love

Wondering what to do with all that red and pink yarn? Here are a few of my favorite projects in these sweet colors:

The Houndstooth Cowl features a timeless and classic pattern stitch in a dramatic red and black color palette. Knit in washable Swish Worsted yarn in Hollyberry.

The Zickzack Dishcloth was the first dishcloth I made, and I just love this pattern! The textured stitches are created with an easy to memorize zigzag repeat. Knit in our fabulous 100% cotton Dishie Yarn in Serrano.

I simply cannot WAIT to cast on this project! The Taken Cardigan is from our Garter Ridge collection, and features – you guessed it – garter stitch! Knit in our gorgeous and super soft Stroll Tonal yarn in Heartfelt.

Red & Pink Yarn Sale ends soon!

Hurry! This sale ends February 8… so you’d better hop on over to KnitPicks.com and start shopping. Sale prices apply to select colors and styles only, but with over 200 yarns on sale there’s plenty to choose from!

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Oh, how we love Paragon! From cardigans to shawls and hats, Paragon will become your go-to yarn for all your luxurious projects. Want to give it a whirl? We’re offering this fabulous yarn at 25% off for the whole month of February. Hurry, the month will be over before you know it so make sure you snag a ball (or two!) for your next project while you can! To celebrate our love of Paragon take a peek at some of our favorite patterns in this lovely yarn below.

Bounce, luster, and luxurious sheen – Paragon is the epitome of fabulous. The Sheenagh is an incredible and unusual garment that really showcases all of Paragon’s best features. Fabulously squishy due to fine Merino wool, combined with Baby Alpaca for amazing drape-ability and Mulberry silk for a gorgeous shine, the Sheenagh cardigan/poncho/wrap is super cozy and has lovely movement. 

Katy Banks’ Red Herring Cowl features a bold chevron design, combined with the sophisticated luxury yarn make a cozy yet stylish infinity scarf that will be your go-to accessory.

The stunning How Do I Love Thee Shawl by Kay Meadors uses just four balls of Paragon White, perfect for layering year-round or as a lovely accessory on your next evening out! I want to make one for myself in Turmeric for a DIY ray of sunshine to combat these cloudy winter days.

Luxury meets practicality in this gorgeous little yarn. Whether you’re making a silky sweater or a next-to-skin soft shawl, Paragon is the perfect yarn for special gift knits or little treats for yourself. Remember, through February you can save 25% off all in stock Paragon on our site so pop over to see the full line up!

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Are you ready for some exciting news? We have some really fun new products to share with you… including the return of a favorite yarn line, two new pattern collections, and a whole handful of super fun accessories! Here’s what’s new at Knit Picks:

Dishie Multi is BACK!

We know some of you have missed Dishie Multi like crazy. We’re so excited to bring this yarn back in 17 new colors, including subtle tonals and some crazy-fun colorful variegated combinations. Made from the same 100% worsted weight cotton as our Dishie Yarn, Dishie Multi has a tight spin and high absorbancy. Use it for dishcloths, hand towels, hats, toys, market bags, and more! Shop for Dishie Multi HERE >>

Fiber Flair

Show off your love of all things fiber with our new collection of enamel pins! We have 8 different styles, all designed by our in-house graphic designers Emily and Heidi. Each pin measures between 1″ to 1.5″, perfect for your sweater, tote bag, or jean jacket. I’ve pictured three of my favorites above, but you can see all 8 super-cute designs HERE >>.

Little Luxuries Pattern Collection

We have two new pattern collections to share with you! The first is Little Luxuries, filled with 17 luxurious stash busting projects that require under 100g of yarn. These projects are perfect for that special hank of luxury yarn you’ve been holding onto for just the right project! Little Luxuries is available in a printed book, eBook, and individual pattern downloads. Find them all HERE >>

Briar Rose Pattern Collection

If you like the eclectic cozy cottage look, you’ll love our second new pattern collection Briar Rose. Floral and organic motifs abound on pillows, throws, potholders, a table runner and a rug. Like all of our pattern collections, Briar Rose is available in a printed book, eBook, and individual pattern downloads. Find them all HERE >>

Needle Sale

Psst… our needles and needle sets are 10% off! Whether you like the beautiful blonde wood of Sunstruck or the deep purples of Majestic, we have a needle for every personality – including Caspian, Rainbow, and Nickel Plated too! See what’s include in our needle sale HERE >>
(Note: our new Foursquare needles are not included in our sale)

So what are you waiting for? Head on over to KnitPicks.com and start shopping!

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In my humble opinion, handmade socks are the perfect project  – they can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be, they’re small and portable so they can be worked on anywhere, a typical pair of socks takes less than 100 grams of yarn and, best of all, the end product is something everyone can use. Now is the best time to get in on the fun – our fabulous Felici sock yarn is now on sale!

Felici holds a very special place in our hearts – this wonderful stripey yarn is super soft and our limited edition colorways are so fun to create (and name!). You can knit up crazy colorful socks or more subdued ones – either way, they’ll keep your feet toasty warm. Plus Felici is great for all kinds of other projects too – hats, baby sweaters, mittens – even cowls and scarves. Save 30% on all colors – but hurry! Since all of the colors are limited edition, once it’s gone, it’s gone for good!

So now you have your skeins of Felici and want to make some yourself some socks. Where do you begin? Well, we recommended checking out the latest edition of our KP Classroom – Sock School!

Learn to knit a pair of socks (with yours truly) in our Go Your Way Socks Class. Download the free pattern, choose from Top Down Socks or Toe Up Socks and you’ll be happily knitting your first pair of socks in no time!

(Note: While I use our Hawthorne yarn for these socks, Felici can easily be substituted. Just make sure you check your gauge!)

If you’ve knit a pair or two and are looking to take it the next level, we’d recommend trying out Two at Once, Toe Up, Magic Loop Pattern. I knit almost all of my socks 2 at a time because that way I don’t suffer from Second Sock Syndrome (as coined by the marvelous Stephanie Pearl-McPhee), which is problem many knitters suffer from on their sock journey. Knitting socks toe up is great for making sure your socks have the perfect fit, as it’s easy to try them on as you knit.

Need to stock up on supplies? We’ve got you there. Check out our Sock Tool Kit with everything you need to knit up your socks, including double pointed needles, stitch markers, sock blockers and even a cute little project bag to hold your sock WIP when you’re out and about.

With Felici and our Sock School recommendations, you’ll discover the absolute joy of wearing handknit socks!

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A new month means a new monthly yarn sale! For March, Shine, our wonderful cotton/Modal blend, is 20% off! Shine is available in both sport and worsted weight, and is machine-washable. It’s perfect for lightweight summer knits, baby blankets, and gorgeous home decor. Below are some of my favorite patterns for this soft, versatile yarn.

Walk by the Seaside is a hooded open-front cardigan that dresses up casual outfits without sacrificing comfort. It’s knit top-down seamlessly (my favorite construction method!) and has a classic garter contrast panel in back and super handy pockets. It’d be great for throwing on when summer evenings get chilly, or wearing to a spring party. It’s knit in Shine Sport.

For a humorous take on home decor, our free Breakfast of Champions kitchen set will give you a chuckle every time you use it. Featuring a placemat shaped like a fried egg, a napkin that looks exactly like a piece of toast complete with a pat of butter, and a cup cozy in the shaped like orange slices, you’ll be ready for the most important meal of the day! Each piece is knit in Shine Sport.

One of our newest patterns in our free 52 weeks of dishcloths series, the Ceramic Dishcloth shows how effective a simple design can be. The raised slip-stitch cable design is inspired by embossed ceramic pottery, and with a clean i-cord border and handy corner loop, this dishcloth is as practical as it is pretty. It’s knit in Shine Worsted.

Remember, this sale is only good for the month of March and is limited to stock on hand, so stock up soon before your favorite colors are sold out!

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Welcome back to our colorful Dishie Multi! This cheery cotton yarn is perfect for greeting springtime weather, with the hard-wearing and durable yarn you love, but in brand new fun color combinations. Whether you need to refresh your kitchen with some bright new prints or want to make quick cheerful gifts, Dishie Multi is your go-to yarn.

With the seemingly never-ending grey skies outside, I needed some happy and bright projects to work on. So I grabbed a couple of my favorite colors and knit myself a few new dishcloths.

First I needed a bit of sunshine. Using our Starflower Dishcloth pattern, I whipped up my own version using Sunshine for the center and Aquarium for the edging. It was a lot of fun and I love how the tonal colors worked with this project – each of the petals has a bit of the lightest part of the skein to really makes them stand out. It wasn’t intended but that’s what I love most about playing with multi colored yarns – you never quite know what you’ll get.

I’ve shouted about my love of simple garter stitch projects in the past, so when I found myself without a mindless project to work on while watching a movie, I cast on for a simple mitered square dishcloth (a variation of my Slant Dishcloth – I just didn’t change to the second color). With multi colored yarn, often times you’ll get pooling or big splotches of one color which many people do not like. There are many ways to break this up – I wrote a post a couple of years ago of different ways to work with handpainted yarns, which works here too. Happily, this little mitered square distributes the colors all over so there’s very little pooling.  I am excited to see how a more colorful Dishie Multi skein would look in this pattern, such as Jingle for some holiday gifts or Jelly Bean to make me smile while doing the dishes.

Need more ideas? Check out all of our Dishie patterns! Have a favorite Dishie Multi project already? Leave a comment below!

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With the warmer weather on the way, it’s time for small lightweight projects. To get you started, it’s time for our Sock Yarn Sale!

That’s right – save up to 40% off selected yarns and colors! We have so many different yarns on sale, it can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you are like me and are trying to only buy yarn with a project in mind. (This resolution of mine is not working well, but I’m trying!) So I’ve gathered up some of my favorite patterns and colors to give you some inspiration.

First, I’m a sock knitter at heart and Hawthorne is my absolute favorite yarn. I’ve long had my eye on trying my hand at the Busy Bee Socks (free download!) so with Compass on sale, I think it’s time to tackle it.

Stroll is such a beloved yarn here, whether it’s Solid, Tonal, Tweed, Hand Painted or Glimmer – there’s something for everyone with this supersoft yarn. If you need a sweet pair of socks to greet the spring days, you can’t go wrong with the adorable Puddle Jumper Socks by Allison Griffith. And bonus, all three colors used are on sale!

But what if you are not a sock knitter? (It’s okay, I forgive you.) Sock yarns can be used for so many other projects – sweaters, shawls, cowls or pretty much anything you can knit with other weights! Another favorite project of mine is the Oblique Cabled Mitts by Emily Kintigh. They’re knit up in Gloss Fingering Cranberry, which is also on sale, and will give you a bit of warmth in an over air-conditioned office.

These are only the tip of the iceberg of the yarns on sale – be sure to check out the full list! But hurry, this sale only lasts until March 22nd – so get those orders in now!

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Are you ready for some really fun stuff? Our Knit Picks Spring 2017 Catalog is here, and with it comes some very exciting news! We have two brand-new yarns to show you, along with two beautiful new pattern collections. Let’s not wait any longer – let us introduce you to:

Stroll Gradient Yarn

No repeats here! Stroll Gradient features color changes that extend the length of the skein, hand painted onto our ever-popular sock yarn. With automatic ombres, built-in pops of color, and bold contrasts, there’s a Gradient to thrill every color sensibility. Stroll Gradient is fingering weight, comes in 100g cakes, and is 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon. $16.99 each. Buy it HERE >>

Felici – bigger and better than ever!

Okay all you Felici lovers, this is for YOU! Our fabulous self-striping yarn is here in worsted weight! For everything from house socks to washable accessories, you are going to love Felici worsted. 100g ball, 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon. Buy it HERE >>

Sunday Morning Pattern Collection

Inspire your inner daydreamer with Sunday Morning, a collection of 8 romantic, flowing garments in soft pastels and loose gauges. Sunday Morning is available as a printed book, eBook, and as individual pattern downloads. Buy Sunday Morning HERE >>

Flourish Pattern Collection

Let’s finish with a flourish, shall we? When the sun begins to shine and the flowers bloomk it’s time to reach for bright, cheerful colors and lightweight, relaxed garments. Flourish is an eight-piece pattern collection full of short sleeved tees, cardigans, and tank tops. Available in printed book, eBook, and individual pattern downloads. Buy Flourish HERE >>

We hope you enjoy the Knit Picks Spring 2017 catalog, and all the wonderful products and projects you’ll find inside!

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We’ve done a lot with Stroll, our soft, sturdy and all-around delicious Merino/Nylon sock blend, but nothing quite like this. Stroll Gradient is a 100g skein with handpainted color changes that extend the entire length of the skein. No repeats, no striping, just blended blocks of lovely color.

Here at Knit Picks, we are genuinely proud of everything we produce. Sometimes though, something comes around that we’re not just proud of, but excited about, and I’ve been greatly anticipating the release of Stroll Gradient. Having been hired halfway through the development process, after much of the creative work was already done, I can say without ego that I really think the team nailed this one. Everything about it, the base, the color combinations, the names, even the put up (who doesn’t love cake, yarn or otherwise?) is delightful.

How It’s Made

Part of the fun of Gradient is knowing how it’s made (it doesn’t come off the sheep that way, just fyi). After the Stroll base is produced, each 100g skein is made into a sock blank. From there each skein is individually painted by hand with each of the colors (3 or 4, depending on the colorway). Then the colors are carefully blended where they meet, in order to create soft transitions. After the dye sets and the blank dries, it is unraveled, steamed, and wound into a cake.

Gradient has some interesting features because of how it’s made. Some gradient yarns are created by tying together different colors; being made in one piece, each cake of Stroll Gradient is one continuous thread for seamless knitting. The painting and steaming process creates a marled look, giving depth of color to even the darkest tones. And the blending means that where the colors meet the actual strand will change in color, back and forth between the two colors, as it subtly shifts from one to the next.

What It’s Like

I can say from personal experience that knitting with Gradient is a singular pleasure. And I mean that in a literal sense, not just as a generic superlative. The shockingly soft and supple Merino glides through your hands and on to your needles almost effortlessly, though the same could be said of any Stroll yarn. The real experience of the Gradient comes with the transitions.

Knitting from the outside of the cake, the first color comes off slowly, strand by strand, the layer peeling away to a shell, paring down to a thin rind. It’s strangely exciting when you catch your first glance of the second color in between the strands of the first, a glimpse which grows and grows. But the transition always seems farther away than you think, like great mountains on the horizon that only grow larger and larger without seeming to come any closer.

It’s a thrilling moment when the first bit of the new color actually reaches your needles. With the blended transitions, it quickly reverts back. The color transforms bit by bit, more like the next color one stitch, more like the last for the next one. It’s hard to say where the exact tipping point from one color to the next lies, so it manages to creep up on you. At some point you look down and realize that you’re in the new color. You look back at your work and see the old color, the shift from one to the next. Effortlessly, as if by magic.

What To Do With It

The photos throughout are all free patterns specially designed to take advantage of Stroll Gradient’s color changes, so you can jump right in to experience knitting with it yourself. The two shawls are the Lavender Fields Shawl in Beach House and the Fonsé Shawlette in Dazzlepants. The two scarves each pair a solid Stroll with a Gradient. They are the Gradient Scarf, using Hula Girl and Black, and the Stacked Chevrons Scarf, with Deep Dive and White.

I don’t get out much, so your mileage may vary in your Gradient knitting experience, but Knit Picks is quite happy to introduce Stroll Gradient to you, and we hope you enjoy it at least as much as we do. I, for one, will have a hard time getting anything else onto my needles for a while.

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It’s spring, the weather is warming up and it’s time to put away those woolly sweaters and switch them out for lighter weight garments! A question we often get  this time of the year is which of our cotton yarns work best for certain projects. I’ve put together some information and a list of what we recommend for some of our warm weather cotton and cotton-blend yarns.

First, a brief overview of cotton yarn. Cotton is strong, durable and machine-washable fiber. It’s a great choice to use for people with wool sensitivities and  vegans; plus it’s wonderful for next-to-skin wear during warmer months. Cotton can be harder on the hands for some people since it is an inelastic fiber; cotton blends tend to be easier to knit or crochet with. Because of the inelastic nature, it can be harder for cables or color work projects; however textured stitches will show up beautifully.

And now the yarns!

Yarn: Dishie
Weight: Worsted – Solid and Multi
Fiber content: 100% cotton
Details: Dishie is our classic, no-nonsense cotton yarn, now available in Solid and Multi colors. With a tight spin and high absorbency, it’s perfect for household and kids items that will be washed a lot, as well as for reusable market bags. It can also be used for easy care garments and accessories; however it is a heavier, slightly rougher yarn, and a different yarn, like Comfy or Shine, may be a better choice for garments.
Recommended Projects: Dishcloths, towels, home decor, market bags, toys, bibs, children clothes.
Dishie Patterns

Yarn: Curio
Weight: Thread/Lace
Fiber Content: 100% Mercerized Cotton
Details: Curio is our crochet thread, but it can also be used for knit projects as well. Mercerized cotton gives Curio its lustrous shine and strength, making it perfect for beautiful and elegant home decor. It’s also wonderful for wearable lace work accessories and garments, with its crisp stitch definition.
Recommended Projects: Doilies, coasters, table cloth, curtains, lace shawls, scarves, cowls, light garments.
Curio Patterns

Yarn: Comfy
Weight: Fingering, sport and worsted.
Fiber Content: 75% Pima Cotton, 25% Acrylic
Details: Pima cotton is extremely soft, durable and perfect for all sorts of next-to-skin projects. The small amount of acrylic in Comfy adds a bit of elasticity, which makes it easier to work with in both knitting and crochet. It’s perfect for kid items and warm weather wear since it is a breathable and easy care yarn. Comfy is also great for bath and spa items – anywhere you need a bit of softness.
Recommended Projects: Baby and children garments and accessories, toys, adult garments and accessories, spa/wash cloths, home decor, blankets/afghans.
Comfy Fingering Patterns
Comfy Sport Patterns
Comfy Worsted Patterns

Yarn: Shine
Weight: Sport and worsted.
Fiber Content: 60% Pima Cotton, 40% Modal®.
Details: Modal® is a fine, smooth fiber made from beech trees. An Austrian company, Lenzing, creates Modal® by turning beech wood into pulp, extracting the fiber, and then reconstituting the fiber so that it can be spun into yarn. These fibers are extremely smooth and soft, and blending them with cotton helps the yarn to stay soft and vibrantly colored. Our Shine yarn is cool and drapey with bright cheerful colors and is perfect for next-to-skin wear for both children and adults.
Recommended Projects: Baby and children garments and accessories, toys, adult garments and accessories, spa/wash cloths, home decor, blankets/afghans.
Shine Worsted Patterns
Shine Sport Patterns

Yarn: CotLin
Weight: DK.
Fiber Content: 70% Tanguis Cotton, 30% Linen
Details: Blending linen with cotton gives our lightweight CotLin yarn extra strength and softness. Each time your project is washed, it will only get softer, which makes it wonderful for kitchen and bath accessories, as well as for garments for kids and adults.
Recommended Projects: Spa/wash cloths, hand towels, curtains, home decor, baby and children garments and accessories, toys, adult garments and accessories.
CotLin Patterns

Yarn: Lindy Chain
Weight: Fingering.
Fiber Content: 70% Linen, 30% Pima Cotton.
Details: The construction of a chainette yarn makes it lightweight, while giving your projects a wonderful sheen and crisp stitch definition. Lindy Chain is perfect for warm weather because of this reason, and with the high linen content, the projects will be softer and drapier overtime. Hand washing is recommended for Lindy Chain projects, due to the delicate nature of the yarn.
Recommended Projects: lightweight scarves and light accessories, shawls, tanks, t-shirts, shrugs, sleeveless tops.
Lindy Chain patterns.

Yarn: Billow
Weight: Bulky
Fiber Content: 100% Pima Cotton.
Details: Billow is a super soft thick and thin yarn, made up of 8 piles of of pima cotton, creating a texture that is both rustic and modern.  Since it’s a bulky weight yarn, your projects will work up quick and will be perfect for those with sensitive skin. Hand washing is recommended for Billow projects, due to the delicate nature of the yarn.
Recommended Projects: Cowls, wraps, afghans, blankets, pullovers, cardigans, tees and tanks.
Billow Patterns.

Hopefully this will help you when finding your perfect project this spring and summer! What is your favorite cotton yarn?

The post Choosing The Right Cotton Yarn For Your Projects appeared first on KnitPicks Staff Knitting Blog.

Felici lovers, it’s time to celebrate!

Your favorite ultra soft self-striping yarn is back, bigger and better than ever! We brought back some of our best-selling colorways – and your favorites! All the things you love about Felici Sock Yarn is now available in worsted-weight: Superwash Merino at 19.5 microns (layman’s translation: super-duper soft) for amazing next-to-skin-softness, with a bit of nylon for strength and durability. Introducing Felici Worsted, for everything from socks to washable accessories.

Left: Felici Sock Yarn, Right: Felici Worsted Yarn

Felici Worsted is everything you love about Felici Sock yarn – just bigger, squishier, and still rockin’ those iconic stripes! Our newest incarnation of Felici is 75% Superwash Merino Wool, 25% Nylon and comes in a 100g (218 yards) ball.

Wondering what to make with all this squishy, soft, striped yarn? How about my very favorite basic (and FREE!) hat pattern: Benefaction Knit Hat. One ball of Felici Worsted and a lazy weekend knitting is all it takes! Our new Slipped Rib Scarf pattern – also free – is perfect for Felici’s stripes. Our Felici fans LOVE to knit socks, so how about a pair of cozy slippers? The first pair I ever made used our Knits for Everybody Socks and Slippers pattern, and I’ve since made several more!

Ravelry user DistractedKnits has already made the gorgeous cowl pictured above, made with the Time Traveler colorway.  We can’t wait to see what the rest of you create with our new Felici Worsted Yarn. Please share your photos with us on Facebook or Instagram! #knitpicks

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A new month means a new monthly yarn sale! For April, Aloft, our lace yarn with a kickin’ halo, is 20% off! Luxuriously soft, light and airy, Aloft is a dreamy blend of 72% mohair and 28% silk that you will want to knit with again and again. The silk adds a radiant core that shimmers and shines through the soft halo of the mohair, while adding a beautiful drape and texture to any shawl, stole or scarf. 

Try holding Aloft doubled for a denser, surprisingly warm accessory like the Monette Hat. The sample here was knit with Carbon held double but you could easily hold two different colorways together for a beautifully marled effect. I knit one of these hats for myself with White and Black held together and I think of it as my homage to composition-style notebooks from grade school. I wore it all winter and just cast on for my second! I think I a two-tone version would be incredible too! 

Stunning on it’s own, beads add a whole new dimension to Aloft projects. For example, the Queensway Shawl has just enough beads to accent the super-minimal diamond lace pattern without adding extra weight. Easy to pack and cozy to wear, Aloft shawls are the perfect accessories for every situation, from cool patio dinners to chilly flights.

Whether you’re looking for your next lace project or a laceweight yarn to hold along with some heavier yarns for extra coziness, Aloft is just the ticket. Remember, this sale is only good for the month of April and is limited to stock on hand, so stock up soon before your favorite colors are sold out!

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This week we are offering a limited number of our Project Kits and Value Packs for 30-40% off.

Once the week is over so go these lovingly curated kits.

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Stock up for summer projects with one of our favorite Pima Cotten blends Comfy Sport featured in the Confetti Value Pack. The pretty pastels evoke happy summer days.

Is there a yarn you have been curious to sample? At 30% off why not take a chance on the Lullaby Aloft Value Pack or the Cosmo Bouquet Preciosa Worsted.

One of the best deals of the sale is the Sunstruck Accessories Kit – Pink + Purple. The Knits Picks Tote bag is one of my personal favorites coupled with the beautiful Sunstruck needles and you have all the makings for a great weekend getaway.

The Mellow Yellow Craft Kit radiates sunshine with an array of storage solutions and all the yellows of Shine Worsted and dreams of leisurely bikes rides to your favorite knitting nook

Try a new craft with the Cutie Needle Felting Kit. This kit has everything needed to get you started in world of needle felting. You can learn to felt your own bake shop of guilt-free delights to brains in a jar! How can resist? I might have to get one of these myself.

 However, if none of these suit your fancy there are plenty more to be found during our Spring Cleaning Super Sale going on April 13, 2017 through midnight PST on April 26th, 2017.

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Many knitters become frustrated when it comes to color selection. There are many reasons for this, but often the sheer volume of colors to choose from is the culprit. Add in the important task of choosing which yarn to use, and many knitters can become frozen in fear. It’s not hard to become quickly overwhelmed! Of course, we try to make it easy by pairing well-designed patterns with the most appropriate yarn – in a beautiful (at least in our opinion) color combination. But what if you don’t fall in love at first site? What if you like the pattern but don’t know how to choose new colors… How do you go your own direction when it comes to color choices? Let us give you some inspiration – and encouragement! – for playing with color.

Playing with Color: The Tilework Afghan

Let’s take the Tilework Afghan as an example. The original colorway was designed several years ago in a warm, earthy color palette. I think the design is lovely, but the colors just weren’t right for me. I wanted something more modern and bright to fit my home’s decor.

The first consideration when coordinating a new palette for your project is the yarn. For the Tilework Afghan, I decided to stick with the designer’s original choice for yarn: Brava in worsted weight. Brava has a large palette of colors to choose from, and the premium acrylic fibers ensure long-wearing durability -very important in a house with two boys and a dog! There are of course many other yarns I could have chosen… Mighty Stitch is another easy-care worsted weight yarn that would make a great afghan. If I wanted something warmer and more luxurious I might have chosen  Swish, which is 100% Superwash Merino Wool (and my favorite wool yarn here at Knit Picks), so I could still toss my afghan in the washing machine for cleaning. Most important to remember if you’re planning to substitute a different yarn is the weight – if you want your project to be the same approximate size as the original you’ll need to use the same weight yarn.

Next, it’s time to choose colors! I knew I wanted to use blue and grey, to compliment the colors in my family room where this afghan will be used. I started with the dark border that is the dominant color in the afghan, and chose a color in the same shade as the original.

Left: original border color –  Umber Heather
Right: my border color – Asphalt Heather

The original design featured two different tiles: khaki with a light yellow inset and burnt orange with a dark green inset. I wanted to make sure I captured the same feel in my design, so also I picked one lighter tile and one darker tile combination.

Light Tile

Top: original colors –  Almond/Custard
Bottom: my colors – Sky/White

Dark Tile
Top: original colors –  Persimmon/Dublin
Bottom: my colors – Silver/Peacock

One Pattern, Two Color Combinations

I hope this give you some encouragement to try playing with color on your next knit or crochet project! If you need some additional help, try our Personal Yarn Consultant. Simply fill out the form HERE and we’ll get to work. Our Yarn Consultant can help you find the perfect yarn for your next project, substitute yarns in a pattern, or create a new color palette for your next project.

Psst! Love the Tilework Afghan pattern? It’s now available as a Pattern Kit in two color combinations! Save 10% when you purchase the kit, which includes all the yarn and the pattern.

(L) Modern Baby / (R) Modern Slate

Happy knitting! (And crocheting. And spinning. And yarn dyeing… And… )

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