I love yarn so much. I treat it like it’s a little kitten or puppy, and when it arrives to Wool & Grace I try to imagine its best life. I imagine it growing up to be a sweater or a scarf. Maybe it will be something for a wonderful husband or a beloved grandchild. Or maybe a companion that will go with you everywhere. At sale time, I feel like I’m working at an animal shelter. You see the typical yarns go first to loving homes. I feel bad for the stragglers. Just like all dogs are good dogs and waiting for the right home, I feel that way about yarn. With our Clear the Cubbies Sale, there are some of those yarns that are less noticed. I know they are just waiting to turn into a treasured hand knit or crocheted item. Today I’m going to try to help them get there.
Queensland’s Kathmandu has long been a sleeper-hit at Wool & Grace. This aran-weight tweed has texture but is incredibly soft, thanks to a hit of cashmere in this fiber mix. It comes in everything from neutrals to brights. Each skein has generous yardage, with more than enough yarn for just about any hat. While we have a few colors in sweater quantities, it’s incredibly easy to imagine this soft yarn hanging close to the skin for accessories. Old favorite hats for this yarn include Chunkeanie by Wooly Wormhead, Jason’s Cashmere Hat and Beloved Aran. It’d be lovely to put together a little gift set, with a pair of mitts to match. I particularly like Veronika Jobe’s Lambing Mitts (and this pattern happens to be free).
For neck accessories, check out Oats by Tin Can Knits. This simple cowl comes in multiple lengths. It’s a combination of stockinette and garter stitch, letting the beautiful texture of this yarn come through. Make a traditional scarf for anyone like Thea Colman’s Laphroaig, or let Kathmandu show off some more stitch definition and knit up Isabell Kraemer’s Ainu for a bit of lace mixed with this tweed yarn.
A bunch of Pure Bliss Sita is hanging around the shop, and I am personally pleased about this. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that some will be waiting for me when I return from Colorado. There are some beautiful, bright colors in sweater quantities and I think it would be fun make another Cocoknits Method Sweater using this yarn. I’m newly obsessed with this method of sweater construction, and I’ll tell you more about this when I’ve got another Cocoknits Method Sweater under my belt. In the meantime, I’m thinking that knitting up Julie Weisenberger’s Molly would be gorgeous in Sita’s bright yellow shade.
Other sweaters that would let this yarn sing include Leila Raabe’s Deschain and Joji Locatelli’s Super Simple Summer Sweater. I like the modern proportions of Deschain coupled with its striking lace panel. The Super Simple Summer Sweater is a fun way to play with stripes – there are lots of colors of Sita available – or go solid.
For accessories, my brain goes to Joji’s Hipster Shawl or Cowl first. I had so much fun making the cowl a few weeks ago, and I know that Sita would look gorgeous with this pattern. Another great one is Lisa Hannes’ The Sky at Night. I love the lace motif of this shawl and its play off of garter stitch throughout.
Odin is another great yarn that comes in tons of striking colors. This yarn walks the line between bulky and super bulky. For hats, I think you should choose a ribbed hat or a pattern with lots of cables like the Twist of Fate Beanie by Cathryn Johnson. Odin has a tendency to relax after blocking, and these stitch patterns will let it maintain its elasticity.
That tendency to relax makes this yarn a nice choice for scarves, shawls and wraps. After a nice warm bath, it gets a beautiful drape. Melanie Berg’s Decemberist is a simple shawl with a hint of lace that would be totally striking in one of Odin’s pop of color. Crunching Leaves is a two-color cowl by Casapinka that lets you play with the fun color combos of this yarn. Dawn Regan’s Cozy Ribbed Scarf is actually a cowl, and couldn’t be a simpler way to enjoy this happy yarn.
One more yarn that deserves some attention is HiKoo’s Cobasi, a fingering weight blend of cotton, silk and bamboo. I’m in a good place for this yarn right now. For one, I’m traveling – and socks are a fantastic travel project. Cobasi is perfect for socks, as it’s soft and machine washable. For sock newbies, check out Tin Can Knits Rye Light. I think their sock tutorial gets down to the basics of sock knitting and makes it incredibly accessible. For seasoned sock knitters, check out the plethora of patterns by Helen Stewart. She brings texture and color into her sock patterns.
Denise Bayron is relatively new on the scene as a designer, but her Droplet Capelet will no doubt keep her fresh in our minds. This cool cape has a peak that can be worn, in the front, back or on the side. I love how Bayron shows us numerous ways to wear this piece. I also love that it’s an easy knit.
CoBaSi is also perfect for babies. Its fiber blend is perfect for babies and its user friendly. Use CoBaSi to make a sweater for your favorite littles that can be worn any time of year. One of my besties just had her first baby. His name is Leo, he’s basically perfect, and he definitely deserves some hand knits from his Auntie Margot. Right now I’m debating between Playtime by Lori Versaci or Play Date by Tin Can Knits. Regardless, this boy is going to have some fun.
Whether you use some of these ideas as a jumping off point for your own knitting adventures, or you cast on one of these suggestions straight away, I hope you give these wonderful yarns (which are a great deal) a good look one more time. They all have a good life ahead of them, they just need your needles to take them there.
Also as a reminder, these are our sale yarns from our Clear the Cubbies Sale!
Kathmandu – 30% off, $17.50/skein
Big Freakin’ Wool – 50% off, $10.50/skein
Misty Wool – 50% off, $10/skein
Neve – 30% off, $8.40/skein
Dromedary – $13/skein
Stargazer – 50% off, $10/skein
Criative DK – 30% off, $11.20/skein
Cobasi – 50% off, $5.60 – $6.50/skein
Odin – 50% off, $8/skein
Regia Tutti Frutti – 30% off, $13/skein
Baby Cashmerino Solids & Tonals – 30% off, $7.35 – $8/skein
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