Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Knit black and gold!

Yarns By Design congratulates the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are headed to Super Bowl XLV on February 6, 2011 to face the Green Bay Packers. What better way to pass the time until the big day than to make a new scarf to show your Steeler pride?

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Black and Gold Braided Scarf

Pattern courtesy of Sandra Donatelli

Materials:
1 skein Cascade 220 in black (color 8555)
1 skein Cascade 220 in gold (color 9463B)
Size 7 or 8 US needles
Tapestry needle

Cast on 11 stitches with either color. Work straight in K1, P1 ribbing until strip reaches approximately 64 inches. Knit two more strips, for a total of three (the sample shown is made with two black strips and one gold). Lay strips together, parallel to one another lengthwise, and seam approximately two inches between each strip at the end. Loosely braid the strips (so that they still lay somewhat flat), then seam approximately two inches between each strip on the opposite end. If desired for extra stability, tack the strips together loosely with a stitch where the two strips of the same color cross each other in the braid (in the sample, the black strips are tacked together). Finished measurements of the sample shown are 58 inches long, 3.5 inches wide.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

New at YBD: Cascade Eco Alpaca and Eco Duo!

Yarns By Design is pleased to announce that we now carry Cascade Yarns Eco Alpaca and Eco Duo!

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Eco Alpaca is an undyed 100% baby alpaca yarn available in many beautiful and natural shades. This super-soft, plied worsted-weight yarn is put up in very generous 220-yard skeins. A selection of free patterns that use Eco Alpaca is available at Cascade's website here.

Eco Duo is a soft and supple blend of 70% baby alpaca and 30% Merino wool. These undyed yarns are blended and spun into a singles yarn available in a muted natural color palette. Each Aran-weight skein has 197-yards. A selection of free patterns using Eco Duo is available at Cascade's website here.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

This just in: Artyarns!

We've just received a new shipment of beautiful and luxurious yarns from Artyarns!

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Mohair Splash: 74% Silk, 26% Kid Mohair with glass beads and sequins; 165 yds.

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Ensemble: 75% Silk, 25% Cashmere; 256 yds.

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Rhapsody: 50% Silk, 50% Kid Mohair; 260 yds.

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Beaded Rhapsody: 85% Silk, 15% Kid Mohair with glass beads and Lurex; 175 yds.
Beaded Ensemble with Sequins: 85% Silk, 15% Cashmere with glass beads, sequins and metallic thread; 128 yds.

A selection of free patterns to choose from is included with the purchase of these fine yarns. Some of our favorites are: pattern F117, a lacy little scarf that requires just one skein of Beaded Ensemble with Sequins (or any of the other Artyarns yarns that we carry!); F119, a luxury bolero jacket knit with two skeins of either Rhapsody or Ensemble; and F200, a lacy shrug knit with just one skein of Mohair Splash. Photos of all of these projects and more can be viewed at the Artyarns website. Stop by the boutique today to see these lovely yarns!