Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
When I knit my first hat, I noticed that the decreases on the top swirled to the right. This is because knitted single decreases slant to the left or the right. The most common decrease, knit 2 together (k2tog), leans to the right. Of course, there will be times that you need your knitting to lean to the left: lace patterns, sweater shaping, knitting socks, and so on. For these decreases, you have a few options.
If you work your k2tog through the back loops (k2tog tbl), you’ll end up with a left-leaning decrease. I find that this stitch often becomes elongated, though. The slip, slip, knit (ssk) decrease matches the size of k2tog a little better, so it’s the left-leaning decrease that I use the most. The slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (skp) decrease will also lean to the left. As you can see, I’ve used right-leaning decreases on the left side of my swatch and left-leaning decreases on the right. With these easy stitches, you can create even directional decreasing on each side. Interested in directional increases? I’ll have a post on that next week.
Related links:
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A few weeks ago, I shared a Customer Tip of the Week in our Weekly Stitch newsletter from Elaine B., who said:
“I only just realized that at the bottom of each yarn’s detail page on LionBrand.com, there is a section called “Patterns for this Yarn.” This is VERY helpful to someone like me who will buy a bunch of yarn when it is on sale, and then wonder what to make.”
This got me thinking that it might be useful to highlight what else you can find on a yarn’s individual page (which you can find by clicking on “Our Yarns” at the top of LionBrand.com and then click on a particular yarn).
For each of Lion Brand’s yarn lines, the top of each of these product pages has a description of the yarn, along with all of the important details (the size of the ball, what it’s made of, its weight category (thickness), recommended hook & needle size, and its care instructions).
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Dyeing your own yarn is the perfect way to customize your yarncrafting project, but not all dyes will work on every fiber. Before you begin, it’s critical to make sure you use the correct dye to ensure that your color comes out great. Consider this your cheat sheet for which common dyes will work with which fibers.
“Pantry” dyes: This isn’t an official term, but it’s how I cluster together food-safe acid dyes like sugar-free Kool-Aid, food color, sugar-free Jell-O, and Wilton icing dyes. These dyes are easy to use, so they’re great for blossoming dyers (click here for our Kool-Aid dyeing tutorail). These dyes work on animal fibers (wool, mohair, angora, alpaca, etc.) and blends with high animal fiber content.
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| If you’re thinking about starting projects for spring, then you’re probably leaning towards using a cotton yarn. Cotton is an extremely popular knit and crochet yarn for spring and summer because of its durability, easy care, and breathability. Cotton is a versatile yarn that can be used for a range of projects; but there are different types of cotton yarns, so it’s best to know which one suits your project needs best.
Many people love all natural fibers, but did you know that there are some really good benefits to working with cotton/synthetic blends as well? |
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Beautiful fibers come from all over the world, so we at Lion Brand travel the world to bring you fibers that you’ll love. We bring you Superwash Merino Cashmere and LB Collection® Cashmere from Italy, whose mills are known for luxurious yarns and fabrics. We bring you LB Collection® Baby Alpaca from Peru, where they’ve been raising them for thousands of years, and also LB Collection® Wool Stainless Steel from Japan, where the yarn culture is always cutting edge.
But did you know that some of our most popular yarns like Homespun and Hometown USA are made in the USA? In fact, the mill that makes Homespun and Holiday Homespun is a wonderful, historic facility in New Hampshire that was built in 1864 and running on hydroelectric power since 1915. I’ve visited the mill a few times myself, and you can read about one of my visits by clicking here.
In addition to those yarn lines, we also make the following yarns in the USA (and we’re adding more in the coming year):
We have two more USA-made lines coming out this year, so look out for announcements about them too! UPDATE: Check out Kitchen Cotton for another American-made product (another one is on the way).
There are so many wonderful fibers from so many incredible yarn cultures, but for those of you who are looking for USA-made products, we hope that you’ll consider these yarn lines.
The pattern shown above is the knit Lion Country Afghan; click here to see the pattern on LionBrand.com.
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Just like the tags on your clothing, yarn labels contain value information. From fiber content to laundering information, the label includes so many details to consider. There’s a wealth of content on each tiny label, so here’s a little cheat sheet for how to read the label. Keep in mind that not all yarn labels will look the same, so this information won’t necessarily be in the same place or even on every label.
1. Yarn name and fiber content. This is pretty self-explanatory. It’s important to note the fiber content so that you can select your favorite fibers (or avoid ones to which you are sensitive).
2. How much yarn. This includes length and weight in both US and metric measurements.
3. Gauge information. This shows the average suggested hook and needles size, as well as about how many stitches are in a 4×4″ swatch.
4. Yarn weight category. The number given here is on a scale of 0 (thinnest) to 6 (thickest) according to the Craft Yarn Council yarn standards. This gives you a rough idea of the yarn’s thickness; for more detailed information, see the gauge information (box 3).
5. Country of origin.
6. Care information. This section details washing, drying, ironing, and drycleaning directions. For more details on what each symbol means, click here to view our yarn care page.
7. Yarn color and dye lot. Not only does this area include the yarn color’s name and number, but it also includes the dye lot. If you’re buying more than one skein of the same yarn, make sure that your dye lot numbers all match. Sometimes the same yarn color will vary slightly between dye lots, so you should always check this number.
8. Company information.
Now that you know all of the information on the label, remember to save it with any of your leftover yarn. You may even want to give a copy of it with any handmade gifts so that the recipient knows how to care for his or her present!
Related links:
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Loom knitting and weaving has been increasing in popularity lately; although many people turn to needles and hooks for yarncrafting, there are some who prefer loom boards with pegs and a hook as their yarncraft tool of choice. Loom knitting is a great alternative to traditional knitting for those who may have arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome; it’s also a good way to introduce beginners to the world of yarncraft. We’ve been receiving a lot more interest in regards to loom weaving and knitting with the recent introduction of our Martha Stewart Crafts™ Lion Brand Yarn Knit and Weave Loom Kit.
Although loom knitting and weaving is a very niche community, there are a lot of different resources available on how to get the best out of your tools. Below, I’ve shared a few helpful resources to get you started on your loom crafting.
Video Tutorials:
Lion Brand Yarn: Loom Knitting and Weaving
This playlist includes 24 videos with tutorials on knitting and weaving on the Martha Stewart Crafts™ Lion Brand Yarn Knit and Weave Loom kit; you can also see the many different configurations that can be created with the loom.
Noreen Crone-Findlay: Loom Knitting and Weaving
Noreen Crone-Findlay is an expert weaver and loom-knitter who has provided a plethora of different weaving techniques and loom configurations on her YouTube Channel that go beyond the conventional ways of thinking about loom weaving. She’s weaved potholders, bags, hearts, and even gnomes!
GoodKnitKisses: Loom Knitting
Kristen, the popular vlogger of GoodKnitKisses, offers a great selection of videos featuring different techniques and patterns that can be utilized on the loom.
Loom Knit Lab: Loom Knitting
Another great site for pattern inspiration from Isela Phelps with tutorials that can show you how to cable knit on a loom in addition to the many other techniques; you can also learn how to pick up a dropped stitch!
Helpful websites:
Loom Knitting Help: This is an excellent site to get you started on your loom knitting ventures. This website is very insightful, provides tips, explains different tools and even shows you how to convert traditional knitting patterns to loom patterns.
Loom Knitters Circle: Isela Phelps, Bethany Dailey and Denise Layman have teamed up to provide a webzine which features plenty of loom patterns, videos, product reviews and cute comics related to loom knitting.
Loom Knitting Groups on Ravelry: Don’t forget about one of the biggest online communities for yarncrafters, Ravelry. There are a decent amount of groups on this site dedicated to loom knitting and loom weaving.
Have you previously tried loom knitting or weaving before? Do you think you may want to give it a try soon? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Related Links:
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When choosing the best yarn for a project, there are a few different factors that come into play. You need to consider what you want the focus of your project to be; will it focus on stitch definition, color or texture? For instance, if you’re working on a complicated lace stitch, you will probably work with a solid color yarn (preferably a lighter color), so your beautiful stitch work isn’t overlooked by a self striping or variegated effect of a yarn. If you work with a bulkier or bouclé style yarn, you can whip up a fast project with a simple stitch that still looks amazing. A heavily textured bouclé yarn hides stitches, so it’s great for an advanced beginner who wants to stick to basic patterns, but can handle navigating through the loops and bumps. Below are some examples to demonstrate how the interaction of color and texture affect your final project.
 Moon Rock Hat |
 Moon Pebble Hat |
The pattern featured on the far left is the Moon Rock Hat, crocheted in Amazing; and the pattern to the right of it is the Moon Pebble Hat crocheted in Homespun. Due to the color variegation of the Amazing yarn, the individual bobbles on this hat seem to stand out more because they’re different colors. Since the Moon Pebble Hat is crocheted in one color of Homespun, your focus is solely on the hat itself, and the bobbles become more of a “feature”, not the main attraction. |
 Sunny Diagonal Blankie |
 Summery Diagonal Blankie |
When I think about how to make my simple stitch project look more than “simple”, self striping yarns are my yarn of choice. I love how the diagonal stitch plus the self striping effect of the Nature’s Choice Organic gives this blanket a completely new look. Since the Summery Diagonal Blankie is done in a solid color of Jamie, it isn’t as obvious that this pattern uses the same diagonal pattern; but it has more of a classic feel, and it won’t hide stitch mistakes (a side note for those who hate to frog!). |
 Raglan Sleeve Topper |
 Raglan Sleeve Topper |
The Raglan Sleeve Topper on the far left is knit in the Natural shade of Fishermen’s Wool, a nice off-white color that truly enhances the stitch definition of this pattern. The Raglan Sleeve Topper on the right is knit in the same pattern, but has a different look to it because it was knit in the self-striping Amazing. In Amazing, the Topper has more of a fun, attention grabbing feel to it, while the Topper in Fishermen’s Wool provides a more classic, timeless look to the piece. |
 Zig Zag Pillow |
 Herringbone Stitch Pillow |
These pillows are a great example of how color and texture affect a stitch pattern. The Zig Zag pillow was crocheted with Homespun, a bouclé yarn with subtle painterly effects. The stitch pattern itself creates the zig zag effect while the bouclé style adds more texture. The Herringbone Stitch Pillow to the right was knit in the Linen color of Wool-Ease Thick & Quick; a great yarn to showcase this particular stitch because its bulkiness adds more texture, and the light color helps make the stitches pop. |
 Cushy Knit Cowl |
 Stockinette Cowl |
Both cowls are knit in the stockinette stitch, but have very different looks because of the yarn. The Cushy Knit Cowl was knit in Luxe Fur, a cat. 6 super bulky yarn, while the Stockinette Cowl was knit in Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Extra Soft Wool Blend, a cat. 4 worsted weight yarn. The Extra Soft Wool Blend provides more drape, and the individual stitches stand out more than the stitches on the Cushy Knit Cowl. The cowl in Luxe Fur makes you think more about the functionality of the piece, as opposed to the aesthetics of the stitch-work; you’re more likely to wear it on a cold winter day. |
What techniques do you use to enhance your projects? Textured yarns with simple stitches, light weight yarns for complicated stitches, a little bit of both? Share your thoughts and tips in the comments below.
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When it comes to improvising knit & crochet designs of your own or adjusting patterns, there’s almost always a little math to be done. Don’t be intimidated though! A little arithmetic will take you a long way, allowing you to make sure you get the results you’re looking for.
To help you on your way, here are jut a few blog posts you’ll want to read before adjusting your patterns.
Want to use a stitch pattern to create a scarf, shawl, or afghan? Read this article. Want to adjust an existing scarf/shawl/afghan pattern? Read this one.
Beyond all of this, there are a ton of great books out there that teach you how to make different sweaters, hats, gloves, and more based on basic formulas, including the Ann Budd’s The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns and The Knitter’s Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, and Knits Men Want by Bruce Weinstein.
There are also a lot of books that teach you how to adjust patterns to fit your body measurements including Knitting Plus by Lisa Shroyer, Custom Crocheted Sweaters by Dora Ohrenstein, and Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel.
With a little knowledge, a little practice, and a little math, you’ll find that you can make just about any pattern work for you.
Have you adjusted patterns to fit your needs? Share your tips in the comments!
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Pantone, the “world renowned authority on color” and provider of color systems throughout a variety of industries, has announced the 2012 color of the year; Tangerine Tango. Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone Color Institute stated,“sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it.” Tangerine Tango is supposed to help you feel inspired and energized. Even though some hues may be brighter than others, it’s friendly enough to include in home decor. If you’re interested in seeing how Tangerine Tango inspired knitwear will make you feel, browse through the selection of orange yarn hues below (please note that colors may vary slightly depending on screen monitor settings; if you’re interested in getting color card samples before investing in your yarn purchase, click here).
 Tweed Stripes Wild Fire |
 LB Collection Cotton Bamboo Persimmon |
 LB Collection Cashmere Terracotta |
 Quick & Cozy Paprika |
 Lion Cotton Paprika |
 Martha Stewart CraftsTM/MC Cotton Hemp Clementine |
 Hometown USA Syracuse Orange |
 Cotton-Ease Terracotta |
 Sock-Ease Circus Peanut |
 Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Apricot |
 Jiffy Paprika |
 Silky Twist Tangerine |
 Homespun Saffron |
 Wool-Ease Thick & Quick Pumpkin |
 Wool-Ease Paprika |
 Vanna’s Choice Terracotta |
Do you think you’ll be adding a Tangerine Tango inspired piece to your project queue (if you don’t already have one)? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Posted in Did You Know . . . ?, Yarns | 59 Comments » Comments
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