Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Winter in New York City can get sort of dreary with all the neutral-toned outerwear shrouding the fashion sense that the city is known for. So I decided to infuse my winter look with some color to lift my spirits! I fell in love with the vibrant hues of our Bonbons yarn and thought that a colorwork project would be perfect to showcase it.
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Posted in Fashion & Style, Pattern Recommendations | 7 Comments » Comments
Valentine’s Day is next week, and there’s still plenty of time to whip up some nice, thoughtful gifts to show people in your life you were thinking of them. Below, I’ve highlighted some patterns that are fun and simple; one can even be made by the whole family!
Knit Soft Lace ScarfThis lace scarf only requires one skein of Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend. This pattern showcases a beautiful stitch definition, and makes for a nice transitional scarf. The Soft Lace scarf is a perfect gift for mom, grandma and even friends. |
Crochet All Season WristerWristers are a great unisex gift for anyone you know; they might also make a great gift for that picky man or son in your life. These wristers made in Sock-Ease come in fun stripes as well as solids. For more knit & crochet wristers, click here. |
Posted in Events, Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 4 Comments » Comments
Mardi Gras is right around the corner, and the colors that mark Fat Tuesday are starting to pop up everywhere. If you still want to show off some Mardi Gras spirit, there is plenty of time for quick-to-knit or crochet projects, striped with some of these great color combinations below:
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For the boldest, most traditional version of the carnival colors, Vanna’s Choice in Kelly Green, Mustard and Eggplant packs a serious punch. If you really want to make a statement (and stay warm!) on Mardi Gras, I recommend the “Geaux Tigers Hat” pattern, substituting Kelly Green for the Purple colorway. Click here for the pattern. You can also make wrapped bangle bracelets in minutes flat and be ready to go whenever the celebration takes you. Find the pattern for wrapped bangles here. |
| If you’re looking for a slightly earthier version of the traditional tones and the opportunity to work some wool into the mix, Wool-Ease in Cilantro, Mustard and Eggplant will do the trick. Even a beginner knitter will be able to come up with a beautiful, festive creation with the easy Cold Harbor Scarf pattern featured here. Want to crochet instead? A quick and easy striped crochet scarf pattern can be found here. |  |
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | 2 Comments » Comments
Editor’s Note: We’re excited to welcome Ashley to our team. Ashley is a journalist, crocheter, and knitter who will be sharing her love of fun and quirky projects here on the blog and on Twitter.
With Superbowl Sunday fast upon us, another important event occurring this weekend has nearly been overlooked. And no, I’m not talking about the Puppy Bowl, either.
It’s almost Groundhog Day! Crazy weather patterns have plagued the whole country this season, and we’re about to find out how much longer winter is going to last. If you can’t make it to Punxatawney, Pennsylvania, to meet the official furry weather forecaster, there’s still time to break out a crochet hook and some Lion Brand Chenille and make your own!
I found this great pattern on Ravelry (click here to view the pattern) and used some Chenille in Brownstone and an N hook to crochet this little guy. Stone would also work for a lighter color coat. One skein will make several of these furry little guys. A little Charcoal Luxe Fur and some Cotton-Ease® in Berry worked perfectly to embroider a face with a tapestry needle.
While I plan to keep this little guy as far away from shadows as possible in an effort to speed up the start to springtime, I can’t say the same for keeping him away from my dog, Murphy, who is convinced I’ve made him a new toy!
What other projects have you thinking spring? Have you broken out any lightweight, brightly-colored projects to put the dreariness of winter behind you already? Let us know in the comments!
Posted in Crocheting | 1 Comment » Comments
Earlier this month, our 2012 Vanna’s Choice Contest winner–”Gramma” Nancy Nielson–and her family flew out to Anaheim, California to meet Vanna White as part of her prize. She showed off her incredible one-of-a-kind baby hat and bootie sets, including the winning elephant set, to Vanna and members of Lion Brand’s staff. She also shared the story of how she got started creating these sets.
Nancy told me that her daughter, as the wife of a naval officer, was in charge of social happenings among the families of the crews, including celebrating births. Finding that they were having quite a few births a year, she asked her mom to help her come up with a more affordable option for baby gifts, and that’s how Nancy started creating her one-of-a-kind sets.
Listen to my interview with Nancy here:
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(This excerpt is from our next episode of YarnCraft–our podcast, an online radio show. Check out the entire episode on Tuesday, Feb. 5.)
While there, Nancy also drew from 100 envelopes for a chance to win a grand prize of $100,000. Unfortunately, she didn’t win the $100,000, but she did have a great trip with her family, filled with memories and fun!
Want to enter this year’s contest, a story sweepstakes? Click here to learn more! Enter by February 15th.
(Please note that there are NOT yet patterns for Nancy’s projects, but we’re hoping to make some available in the future. In the meantime, click here to check out animal hat patterns on LionBrand.com–in fact, Nancy mentions in the interview that she got started with Lion Brand’s patterns.)
Posted in Community, Events, Yarniverse | 2 Comments » Comments
