Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Lion Brand Notebook
News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn
Landscapes® is a premium acrylic, single-ply roving yarn with a satiny feel. With its beautiful colorways, you’ll create stunning garments and accessories that make simple stitches look like art. Make beautiful stripes as seen in the Rib and Shells Shrug or colorful textures like in the Jewel Box Pullover.
The best part is from now until the end of March, Landscapes® is 20% off the original price!
Browse through our lookbook below to see the how this yarn really takes the idea of color-changing to a whole new level.
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You can crochet this adorable “One Skein Wonder Vest” with just one skein of our newest and already very popular baby yarn, Ice Cream. I personally love this pattern because it’s easy to crochet and the yarn is variegated – which means you can have multiple colors in your project without changing yarns! With 8 great colorways in this yarn, you can experiment with the variations and come up with new color combinations for your vest.
Check out the video below to watch and learn how to crochet the One Skein Wonder Vest with crochet maven Yolanda Soto-Lopez from the All Crafts Channel on YouTube!
:: can’t see the video above? click here: http://youtu.be/uR9zyxVw6jo ::
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Lion Brand®‘s LB Collection® Silk Chiffon Ribbon is made from recycled silk sari fabric and I just love it. As a big fan of mori girl fashion – a Japanese street-style that focuses on forest-like aesthetics, layering, and upcycling – this handcut, artisanal yarn is a dream come true.
Thinking about the colder weather, I used the yarn to create a garment I call the “Chelsea Morning Cowl“. With some help from our Design department, I’ve made this pattern available to you so you can make one yourself!
Since each skein of Silk Chiffon Ribbon is one-of-a-kind, I decided to pair it with Wool-Ease® Thick and Quick® in the color Grey Marble – it’s a good neutral to use to emphasize the color scheme of the Silk Chiffon Ribbon. My skein featured beautiful blues and purples.
Mori girl focuses a lot on layering, so I created an eyelet design to highlight an outfit underneath the cowl. Since I’m a petite person, I normally wear it as a cape.
The best part of this pattern? It’s a super quick project and can be finished in under four hours – that’s about two movies or four episodes of your favorite television show!
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:: cant’ see the video above? click here: http://youtu.be/HL0oKnVDfBo ::
“If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” Mark Twain
Our American-made yarns draw inspiration from cherished American landscapes. Country®, for instance, is inspired by New England’s picturesque scenery. And like New England, where the weather can change if you just wait awhile, this striped yarn creates an unexpected but stunning heathered fabric as you knit or crochet with it.
It’s super bulky which means it works up quickly and keeps you warm at the same time, especially if you’re working on a large project like the Subtle Stripes Afghan.
It’s the perfect yarn to get you through the last few weeks of bitter cold and snow. Knit up an afghan inspired by your favorite vacation towns with Kennebunk Teal or Mystic Purple or crochet a last-minute winter accessory.
Below is a collection of our favorite Country® patterns:
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The Flattering Cowl is a popular pattern that’s easy to make, and super snuggly because it’s made with Lion Brand’s plush Homespun® Thick & Quick® yarn. It’s definitely a gratifying project because it works up quickly; you can easily finish this cowl in one day.
You’ll love the feel of Homespun® Thick & Quick® as it keeps you nice and toasty in this super bulky cowl. Watch the video below for a tutorial that’s great for beginners. Vanessa, from the Crafty Gemini, shares tips and tricks for working on this cowl, and offers advice for creating different variations. Enjoy!
:: can’t see the video above? click here: http://youtu.be/lsuM-bx7f6o ::
Posted in Pattern Recommendations, Tips & How To, Tutorials, Yarns | 1 Comment » Comments
Did you know that many of Lion Brand®‘s yarns are American-made? Some of them — Homespun®, Homespun® Thick and Quick®, Quickie, Country® and Spinnables — are all related because they’re all made in the same mill in New Hampshire. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing these yarns being created first hand – it’s magical!
When I first walked into the mill, I could envision what it looked like 135 years ago – the same. Even though the mill is so old, it still works, making lots of yarn each day. To make it run, there are many employees from the town. That’s one of the most wonderful things about the mill — it supports hundreds of families!
I am so passionate about yarn and claim I have yarn for veins, so watching the whole process come to life was very exciting! I had the opportunity to see how the different colors come together to create a popular Homespun® color, Tudor, along with finding out how the dying process works. There were barrels of Quickie getting ready to be put into skeins. Near the Quickie were barrels of different colors of unspun yarn, used for Spinnables. It took a lot to hold myself from jumping in!
Posted in Lion Staff, Yarns | 9 Comments » Comments
It’s official: I’m making my first sweater.
I’ve worked at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in New York City for two years and now that I am the Brand Ambassador for the company I thought I would take on a knitting fear: making my own sweater. I’ve been a knitter for a good portion of my life and I have yet to conquer knitting a sweater. How is it that I have knitted plenty of socks and not a sweater? This makes no sense to me, so I am going to rectify the situation. 
Every Wednesday night, from February 11th – March 18th, I’m taking part in a Knit-Along at the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in New York City. In an ideal situation, I’d finish my sweater by the 18th of March, but this is my first sweater so give I’ll give myself a little slack. The pattern I’m following is The Essential Fall Pullover made with Heartland®. I decided to get a little creative and instead of doing the three colors that the pattern calls for, I will be doing two. I’ll be using Black Canyon for the front and back, and for the side panels and sleeves I’m going to be using Biscayne. I chose Black Canyon as the main color for the sweater because, like many people who live in NYC, black is a prominent color in my wardrobe. On the other hand, I’m also trying to get a little more colorful, so I decided to incorporate Biscayne for the sleeves and side panels. It will give it a nice “pop” and allow me to dress it down and up!
Since I worked in the studio for two years, I had the chance to really get to know my co-workers, and I got to see how talented and creative they truly are. Ann, who is the instructor for the KAL, is a machine knitter and teaches machine knitting at the studio, but she also is so creative when it comes to knitting garments. When I found out that Ann would be the instructor for the KAL, I was sold, it would guarantee that for at least once a week for the next month, I would get to see her. Her creativity is infectious and it inspired me to take this sweater making to another level.
For the first meeting she showed up with sketches (that she had made) of what her sweater would look like with the colors she chose. She also suggested going to Pinterest for color inspiration. I thought that was a really clever idea and plan on using that for other projects as well!
As you can see I started the ribbing for the back of my sweater. But the main reason for writing this is because I need your support in completing this project. There have been so many times that I have wanted to make a sweater and I’ve second guessed myself even though I know I have the skills.
So, I Need You – You Wise Knitters And Crocheters – Give Me Your Best Sweater Advice And Support!
Before I really get into the nitty-gritty of the back portion of the sweater – do you have any good tips for me as I embark on this journey? What did your first sweater look like? Is there something you are too nervous to make because it’s just overwhelming?
Please use the comments below. You can keep track of my sweater making exploits here on the blog and by following me on Instagram and Twitter.
Posted in Knit-Along, Knitting, Lion Brand Yarn Studio, Lion Staff, Yarns | 5 Comments » Comments
Homespun® is a soft, silky roving textured yarn that works up quickly and easily. From shawls to sweaters to throws, this yarn can’t be beat for softness and sheer touch-ability. With solids, heathers, and beautiful self-striping ‘painterly’ colors, Homespun® comes in gorgeous shades you’ll love.
With names like Clouds, Herb Garden, Parfait, Sundae Stripes, Abalone, Fiesta, and Mixed Berries it’s hard to choose just one. Best of all for the entire month of February you can purchase Homespun® for 20% off the original price!
Check out our lookbook below for project inspiration:
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As a crocheter, I’ve always wanted to knit because I love ribbed and welted textures. I’m learning, but it’ll be awhile before I’m confident enough to knit a sweater … so in the meantime, I’ll share some recent crochet projects from Lion Brand’s Patternfinder that I initially mistook for knit — perfect projects for a crocheter like myself!
There are a two common techniques you can use to create a knit effect in crochet. You can work horizontally, like in the Tiered Tunic, to give the fabric-like appearance you often see in knitting. Or, another technique is to use front and back post stitches to create the ribbed look you see in the Split Collar Capelet.
Below is a collections of my favorite patterns to get you started:
Posted in Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 2 Comments » Comments
When it comes to sports and knitting to show team spirit, I immediately think of Hometown USA®. The bright, bold primary color palette is right for any sports fan. Whether cheering for your NFL favorite or your local Pop Warner team – this easy care, machine washable yarn is perfect for team-supporting projects.
Our Winning Team Cowls are here, just in time for the BIG GAME on February 1st!
Arm-knit a scarf to support the Seattle Seahawks!
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| Dallas Grey | Green Bay | San Diego Navy |
Arm-knit a scarf to support the New England Patriots!
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| New York White | San Diego Navy | Dallas Grey | Tampa Spice |
Which team are you knitting for?
Posted in Pattern Recommendations, Yarns | 1 Comment » Comments
