Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
As you’ve probably heard, our hugely popular Zpagetti yarn is back on the shelves after being temporarily sold-out earlier this spring. Many of our customers have been thrilled by the news, but we sat down with one woman who was simply counting down the days until she could start knitting with Zpagetti again! Fern Penn, a regular visitor to our New York City Studio location, is a lifelong knitter, but only knits–no purling–and only makes squares or rectangles–no shaping. A graduate of The Fashion Institute of Technology and SoHo boutique owner, she saw huge potential for simple-to-create yet fashionable garments with Zpagetti.
If you’re not already familiar with the yarn and its constitution, it’s made from leftovers of jersey fabric used to make garments. These bolt-ends and fabric scraps would otherwise be discarded, but we’ve found a way to turn them into a funky and unique bulky yarn. Fern wanted to take this yarn and turn it into a garment of her own, so she designed a highly-customizable and super easy sweater. Take a look at the short videos below to learn about why Zpagetti is Fern’s favorite yarn, and how she created the sweater she was wearing with only the most basic techniques!
Posted in Knitting, Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 1 Comment » Comments
I’m a sucker for new yarns. I’ve been crocheting since I was eight and knitting since high school, and I’ve realized that sometimes I get myself into a rut: making the same patterns over and over again, using the same yarn or colors, or not stopping to learn new techniques. Each time I see a new yarn make its way into the department, it’s a new opportunity for me to pet something new and dream up different projects. Our newest yarn, Heartland was no exception. I sat down on the floor in front of all of the colors on Friday afternoon, just before my lunch break, and snagged two skeins that looked too precious to pass up: Great Smoky Mountains, which is a gorgeous multi-dimensional tweedy charcoal gray, and Denali, a pale, heathery pink. Of course, anybody who knows me at all knows that pink is my go-to color for almost everything, but I decided that, for whichever project I chose, I’d let the gray do most of the talking. How could I not? With all those different shades in there, it seemed like it had a lot to say–you know, visually. I only talk to my yarn when nobody else is around.
Posted in Knitting, Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 7 Comments » Comments
Yarn crafting is a great way to feel one with nature–creating something from scratch in a peaceful environment, instead of fighting mall crowds to pick up that mass-produced sweater, is one of the purest activities of them all. This is true no matter what fiber you’ve decided to use, but especially so with all-natural fibers. In our final ode to Earth Month, I want to tell you a little bit about two of our all-natural, organic yarns.
LB Collection Organic Wool is one of our affordable luxury fibers, and comes in five rich and beautiful tones to create stunning hand-knits. This worsted-weight yarn is a great choice for fall sweaters and bold felted projects. Not only is the fiber 100% organically produced, it is also dyed with low-impact dyes, and has been certified according to Global Organic Textiles Standards by the Institute of Marketecology. When you’re ready to get knitting or crocheting, we have 20 patterns designed specifically for this yarn listed on LionBrand.com. Click here to see pattern inspiration for Organic Wool.
(more…)
Posted in Yarns | Leave a comment » Comments
The beginning of April means the start to a lot of things: spring blooms, warmer weather, and longer days. But as any sports fan knows, the first week of April means one thing: Major League Baseball’s Opening Day. Want to show your support for your favorite team? I’ve compiled a palette of colors for all 32 MLB teams in one of my favorite team-spirit yarns, Hometown USA. Not only is it soft and bulky so that projects will work up in a few evenings by the fire, it also comes in every bold color you can think of to support your favorite teams and schools.
I was lucky enough to attend the New York Mets Opening Day on Monday afternoon, and I brought the Mets-inspired blanket I’m knitting in Hometown USA along, using this color palette below!
| New York Mets |    |
| Neon Orange – Forth Worth Blue – New York White |
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Yarns | 2 Comments » Comments
Last month, I did a demo of our new Bellini yarn at Vogue Knitting Live, showing how to knit and crochet this yarn to create a rich texture, perfect for great scarves, as well as cool purses.
If you’re curious to see this yarn in action, we’ve made a few videos, so you can learn from the comfort of your own home:
Posted in Tutorials, Yarns | 6 Comments » Comments
I was immediately attracted to the Bellini yarn when we were given a few skeins to play with in the office. The bold texture appealed to me since I love making a statement with my style. I imagined knitting with the cushy fringe between my fingers and knew I had to work with it. As I was pondering what I would make with it, it occurred to me that the Turin colorway looked a lot like fur. What kind of accessory could I make that would be different and would lend itself to the the fur-like texture? Then it hit me – I should make boots!
(more…)
Posted in Fashion & Style, Knitting, Yarns | 4 Comments » Comments
Lion Brand has a huge variety of yarns spanning the spectrum of colors, fibers and textures, but the one that is the most intriguing to me is our LB Collection Wool Stainless Steel. It’s about what you might expect it to be from its name: 75% wool, 25% stainless steel. In a yarn! Crazy, right? It’s lace-weight, so you can make really intricate openwork, but the tiny steel thread gives it dimensional body and weight you wouldn’t find in a different fiber makeup. It’s an obvious choice for crocheted jewelry or knitted lace shawls, but the options are truly endless, especially when used double-stranded or in conjunction with other yarns. Take a look at some of the inspiration I’ve found on Ravelry!
Posted in Crocheting, Knitting, Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 3 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
Super Bowl XLVII is this coming Sunday, have you gotten your craft supplies ready? A great way to support your favorite team is by sporting accessories or clothing with the team’s colors; it’s even better when the item is handmade.
There are 3 days left to make an item to show your team pride on Sunday, but you still have some time! All you need is a super bulky yarn like Hometown USA, or, a small project with a worsted weight yarn like Vanna’s Choice. Besides, if you don’t get to finish it in time, you can always use it for the next football season (or wear the item on Monday!). You can knit or crochet something as easy as a cozy for your canned beverages, or a simple hat or scarf to show your team spirit.
I thought it would be fun to share a few easy patterns that could be completed in time for the game, and colors in Hometown USA and Vanna’s Choice that match the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens colors – check them out below!
4 easy knit & crochet patterns to show your pride:
 Crochet School Colors Hat and Scarf Set Hometown USA |
 Knit Hat and Scarf Set Hometown USA |
 Knit Geaux Tigers Hat Vanna’s Choice |
 Crochet Can Cozy Vanna’s Choice |
Posted in Community, Crocheting, Knitting, Yarns | 3 Comments » Comments
Today I want to share a great DIY craft with you by Randi from the blog Dukes and Duchesses; a bright, sparkly white wreath inspired by the beauty that comes with snow and winter.
Randi combined textured yarns such as Luxe Fur, Vanna’s Glamour and Martha Stewart Crafts Glitter Eyelash, and added a few snowflake accessories to make this sohphisticated DIY wreath.
Click here for more pictures and instructions to make the wreath!
We’ve seen a lot of different creative wreaths lately, made in various styles; have you been inspired to make a yarn wreath? Share with us in the comments!
Posted in Community, Yarns | 8 Comments » Comments
