Knitting All Year With New Basic Yarn

Often when people mention knitting or crocheting they think of cold weather and snuggling up with a hot cup of coffee (or tea if that’s your thing). However, there are those diehard fans that understand yarn crafting knows no seasonal bounds. So what if it’s 80 degrees and rising outside? My obsession with knitting hasn’t melted. (Even if I feel like I’m going to.) If this sounds like you then you’re probably always on the lookout for yarns that can take you through the seasons. New Basic 175 is such a yarn. This lofty 75% acrylic / 25% wool is light yet warm and looks beautiful in cables, lace, or plain stockinette and garter. This means you can create pieces that don’t look like they’re stuck in one season.

Wool blends may not evoke thoughts of multi-seasonality. However, the right wool blend can transcend the seasons and take you comfortably from Spring through Winter and back again. There’s also the option to mix yarns and play with textures to create open fabric that maximizes air flow. The photo below shows a swatch of New Basic 175 paired with Shawl In A Ball. The variations in yarn weight create a light fabric (garter stitch using US 10.5 needles) that works well for warm weather.

Pattern Pairing

The perfect pattern pairing is an essential part of transcending seasons with wool blend yarns. You don’t want to force them into a “seasonal” top like a shell, but you do want to choose a project that will be relevant. A cardigan is often a go-to example of a versatile item. They can be an outer layer in the Spring and Fall, an add-on for offices with overzealous AC, or worn under jackets in the Winter.

Shawls and blanket sweaters are another project type that can take you through the year. These pieces are easy to take on and off which makes them especially useful for transitional seasons like Spring and Fall. Below are two of our favorites, The Baja Blanket Sweater by Mama In A Stitch and the Stratus Wrap by Two of Wands.

Playing with color also inspires what season a piece falls in to. The Baja Blanket Sweater, shown above, uses 4 colors of New Basic 175. The photo above shows the original “Baja” colorway of Cream, Café au Lait, Camel, and Espresso. We have also put together 4 additional color pairings which you can see in the swatches below the main photo.

In the time since its release, the Stratus Wrap has proven to be a functional and versatile piece. Worn layered over a jacket, cardigan, or simple top, this shawl is a perfect accessory. You might find yourself utilizing the 24 available colors of New Basic and knitting several shawls to become wardrobe staples. (And they fly by using US size 11 needles!) Leave one in the office, another by the couch, and one in the car for unexpected chilly weather.

Light open stitches like the stacked shells shown in Into Spring (above) also allow warmer yarns and fibers to span seasons. The open space keeps the piece breathable. This particular design is also versatile in how it can be worn, which is another key to successfully transcending seasons with hand knits and crocheted items.