Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Many a clever knitter & crocheter has discovered that one project can do double-duty with different styling. For instance, our Knit Grande Wrap pattern can be work many different ways:
For more ideas about how to turn one project into several different looks, check out these blog posts:
Do you have a favorite styling trick for a knit or crochet project? Share it in the comments!
Posted in Fashion & Style, Tips & How To | 9 Comments » Comments
When it comes to picking colors for a project, how it looks on you (or your gift recipient) is definitely important. The happier you (or your gift recipient) is with the color, the more likely you’ll use the project!
But how do you know what colors will work for you? Here’s an easy way of telling which “season” or color palette will suit you best:
Light Hair |
Dark Hair |
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Cool ColoringYou have pink or blue undertones in your skin. Veins visible in your skin will appear blue. |
SummerIf you’re a summer, light natural shades that evoke a sense of serene will look good on you. Look for pastels and muted shades, as vivid shades can be too harsh.
Pictured: Bonbons in Nature |
WinterWinters look best in rich colors, as well as high contrast black and white. Look for navy, deep reds, and jewel tones. Avoid beiges, golds, and browns, which might wash you out.
Pictured: Bonbons in Celebrate |
Warm ColoringYou have yellow or olive undertones in your skin. Veins visible in your skin will appear greenish. |
SpringSpring ladies (and gents!) will look good in sunny, clear shades. Look for rosy bright shades, as high contrast colors like black and white may be too stark.
Pictured: Bonbons in Brights |
FallLike autumn itself, those with fall coloring will look good in earthy, rich shades. Caramels and golds will be attractive on you. Look for colors with warmth, as cool shades can be unflattering.
Pictured: Bonbons in Party |
Once you know which color palette you are, you can start thinking about some of the great color trends we’ve talked about for this upcoming season. For instance, some of the softer shades in our Top 10 Colors for Fall like Rhapsody and Pink Smoke will look great on Springs. Others like Honey Gold, French Roast, and Tangerine Tango will be perfect for Falls. Pink Flambé and Bright Chartreuse are perfect for Springs, while Olympian Blue and Ultramarine Green are perfect for Winters.
We’ve also talked about the return of neon colors, which will look great on Winters.
Love our new shimmering shades in Vanna’s Sequins and Wool-Ease Thick & Quick? You’ll find lots of shades perfect for Falls, Winters, and Summers.
Love variegated yarns? The new colorways of Tweed Stripes feature some great blends for Springs and Summers.
What are your favorite colors to use? Leave a comment and let us know!
Posted in Fashion & Style, Tips & How To | 19 Comments » Comments
In my day-to-day work, I get to spend time working with amazing knit- and crochet-wear designers around the country. Often, as we talk, I ask them what trends they’re seeing–and lately, the trend I’ve been hearing about the most in yarn is rich, saturated colors. Jewel tones and rich colors are flattering on many skin-tones; it’s all a matter of finding the ones that work on you.
These shades are great for hats, scarves, cowls, and other accessories that add a dash of color, but saturated colors can also make for great sweaters and cardigans that are perfect for layering. By throwing these brighter colors over a neutral or monotone outfit, you can add a splash of color without a lot of commitment (you can always take your sweater off!).
Check out the options below or pair your favorite saturated color with one of our 600+ jacket and sweater patterns on LionBrand.com.
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| Knit & Crochet Retro Swing | Knit Raglan Sleeve Cardi | Knit Lace Inset Cardi |
Posted in Crocheting, Fashion & Style, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations | 5 Comments » Comments
Fall is almost here, and if you’re anything like me, you’re already searching for the perfect fall pattern to sink your hooks and needles into. Finding that one must-make pattern can be a challenge, particularly when there are so many beautiful patterns to choose from.
Capes are swinging back into style this fall, according to several sources including this article on Fashionising.com:
“Capes & cloaks … for fall 2012 they’re making their move again, pushing the boundaries of fantasy to capture the imagination with new life. From the tailored to the traditional, the Gothic to the bright, capes and cloaks are the thing to throw over your shoulders when the chill hits.”
Looking for the perfect cape for you? Here are 12 of our favorites and why we love them. Follow the pattern links to download the pattern of your choice for free!
Color and beautiful stitch patterns bring these capes to life, and we love the collars incorporated into each design.
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| Crochet Round Yoke Poncho | Knit Galway Poncho |
Posted in Fashion & Style, Pattern Recommendations | 4 Comments » Comments
Every season, Pantone, the world’s leading color authority, releases its list of trending fashion colors. To help you incorporate these beautiful shades into your yarncrafting, we’ve selected yarn shades that best match Pantone’s 10 shades for autumn. Check out the trends below!
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 Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend in Mink |
 Vanna’s Choice in Espresso |
 Fishermen’s Wool in Nature’s Brown |
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 Hometown USA in Las Vegas Gold |
 Wool-Ease in Gold |
 Vanna’s Choice in Honey |
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 Hometown USA in Tennessee Tango |
 Vanna’s Choice in Radiant Orange |
 Silky Twist in Tangerine |
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 Vanna’s Choice in Rose |
 LB Collection Cotton Bamboo in Hibicus |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Extra Soft Wool Blend in Flamingo |
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 Baby’s First in Twinkle Toes |
 Wool-Ease in Blush Heather |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Merino in Milk Glass Pink |
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 Hometown USA in Seattle Sea Mist |
 Vanna’s Glamour in Purple Topaz |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Roving Wool in Lavender Soap |
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 Superwash Merino Cashmere in Slate |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Cotton Hemp in Slate |
 Vanna’s Choice in Silver Grey |
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 Cotton-Ease in Turquoise |
 Homespun in Montana Sky |
 LB Collection Organic Wool in Dark Teal |
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 Hometown USA in Grand Rapids Green |
 Martha Stewart Crafts Mambo in Sea Turtle |
 Jiffy in Country Green |
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 Jiffy in Apple Green |
 Hometown USA in Key Lime |
 Kitchen Cotton in Kiwi |
What do you think of autumn’s hottest shades? Let us know in the comments below!
Posted in Fashion & Style, Products, Yarns | 25 Comments » Comments
The hot summer breeze and sunshine always makes me crave bright clothes that remind me of Miami art deco or fresh flowers at the farmers market. If you like the look of summery shades like coral and teal, but you’re not sure how to best incorporate them into your wardrobe, here are a few of my favorite tips:
Make a gorgeous top like our Tiger Lily Tank (shown right) and then keep the rest of your outfit simple. Pair it with a khaki pencil skirt, espadrilles, and some subtle gold earrings and be on your way. Alternately, focus on an accessory piece like a loose, lace tam or a light shawl to add just a touch of color to your outfit.
Posted in Fashion & Style, Tips & How To, Yarns | Leave a comment » Comments
Pinterest user Ada(: recently pinned this nifty project on wrapping headphone cords with embroidery floss, and Apartment Therapy wrote a wonderful tutorial on making it. I love simple, clever projects like this one and knew I wanted to try it on my headphones right away! When the first packs of our new Bonbons yarn arrived, I fell in love with the sparkling colors and got started. I took step-by-step pictures as I used two colors to cover my headphones, and I’ve also included written instructions to help you re-create this project at home. One of the great things about using Bonbons instead of embroidery floss was that I didn’t have to wind the yarn onto a bobbin first, the tiny Bonbons skeins were already the perfect size to craft with.
Here’s the step-by-step story of how I made my sparkling, tangle-free headphones:
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Posted in Crafting, Fashion & Style, Tutorials | 12 Comments » Comments
Making your own hair ties is a great way to get creative with your favorite yarns, colors and textures. It’s a wonderful way to try out new yarns, or to use up scraps. Your finished decorated hair ties make excellent gifts for girls sports teams, clubs, girl scout troops, or you can make them as party favors (and don’t forget to make a few for yourself while you’re at it)!
First, check out these step-by-step instructions with pictures we wrote on how to create your own crocheted hair tie. In this post, I’ll show you how to expand on those basic instructions to create a variety of looks by using different textures, colors and techniques.
Here are some inventive variations you can crochet to make your hair ties (or those you are make for others) extra special!
Technique: Add a second yarn in a new texture for a stunning visual impact
Yarn Used: Vanna’s Choice and Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter Eyelash
Get this look by using a straight yarn like Vanna’s Choice for the first round in double crochet, and used a strand of Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter Eyelash to create a border! Once you’ve completed the first round, join the second yarn and make one single crochet stitch loosely into each stitch and chain-1 space. If you find your stitches are tighter than you’d like, single crochet into each stitch but chain one stitch in between, to add more give to the finished project.
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Posted in Crocheting, Fashion & Style, Tips & How To, Tutorials | 2 Comments » Comments
Each season we host a crochet- or knit-along, a virtual event in which yarncrafters come together here online to work on one pattern together, share their experiences, and to learn together. There’s no need to sign up! Simply follow along with the blog posts at your own pace as you crochet your project, and feel free to share your comments and/or photos as you progress.
Thousands of you voted, and this season, we’ll be making the Glittery Shrug in Vanna’s Glamour. This crochet-along will be hosted by Vanessa, one of our fantastic associates at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio (our retail store & education center in New York City).
Posted in Community, Crochet-Along, Crocheting, Events, Fashion & Style | 151 Comments » Comments
Early each year, Lion Brand hosts our annual fashion show, showcasing the amazing things that can be done with yarn. For me, it was a special fashion show, not only because I got to co-host the show with our spokesperson, Vanna White, but also because of the unique designs we featured.
This year, we worked with design students and emerging designers from all over the world (from Paris, Tokyo, Helsinki, New York, San Francisco, and more) who created spectacular, one-of-a-kind pieces out of your favorite Lion Brand yarns. They explored the theme, “Yarn Is Art.”
These designers and design students truly showed just how incredible yarn creations can be, and we hope you’re as inspired by their creativity and energy as we are.
Click here to learn more about the designers and their creations.
Related links:
Posted in Community, Fashion & Style, Fiber Arts/Artists, On The Road, Yarniverse | 15 Comments » Comments
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