Category Archives: Crocheting

Crocheting Classes

Our first (annual?) Autumn Sweater Makealong!

You may have heard we are turning eight. And we heard you when you asked for a sweater-themed makelong, so please get ready for:⁠

YU Autumn Sweater MAL!⁠

We will kick things off this coming Saturday, October 7th (our 8th anniversary!), and we’ll have three full months til the Makealong ends on January 7th.⁠

The criteria is pretty broad. In order for your project to qualify, it must follow these basic rules:⁠
🧶 The yarn must have been purchased from YU (at any time)⁠
🧶 You may not cast on until October 7th (or after), but you may swatch in advance. In fact, we encourage it!⁠
🧶 The pattern you choose needs to be a sweater. Any type of sweater will do but the sleeves need to at least reach your elbow, and the length of the body must reach at least the bottom of your ribs (it’s a guideline, we aren’t going to come to your house and measure it, just be honest buddies).⁠
🧶 The sweater must fit at least a teenager. Baby and child sweaters won’t be included in the MAL this time.
🧶 The project must be shared with us either on your Instagram profile or in our Discord server and we require you to clearly state the pattern and yarn you are using. If you share on IG, make sure to use the hashtag #YUautumnMAL so we can find your posts. ⁠

Prizes!⁠
🧡 Most sweaters: self-explanatory, you know what’s up with this one. ⁠
🧡 The longest yard: a new category! This prize goes to the knitter or crocheter who uses the longest amount of yarn, so keep careful notes on your projects and share that data in your IG and/or Discord posts⁠
🧡 Best lesson learned: challenge yourselves! Try a new technique, take a new class, tackle a pattern that has always intimidated you. And forget, we are here to help you get your projects over the finish line, so you have all the support you could need.⁠
🧡 Random draw from all finished projects!⁠

Makealong: Summer Tops, 2022!

Summer is finally back, so we’re bringing back our popular makelong: Summer Tops!

If you’ve never done a makelong (knitalong, crochetalong, weavalong, what have you), then this is an excellent place to start. Our Summer Top MAL is a wide open topic. All you need to do to participate is start making a top for summer weather! That means it needs to meet our twofold criteria: that your top has a short sleeve (above the elbow) or no sleeve at all, and as always, your project needs to be using at least some yarn that was purchased from Yarns Untangled. That’s it! (For those scoring at home, this criteria is just slightly different from last year to make it a bit more broad and easy to understand.)

Here are some examples of summer tops that would be eligibile: a worsted weight wool tank top, a cotton/wool blend half-sleeve henley, a hemp sleeveless bathing suit coverup, etc. The possibilities are endless. And this year, we have a larger plant-based yarn lineup then we’ve ever had before, so this is a perfect opportunity to explore it!

(The pattern seen in the picture here is Baigneuses by Ateliere Emilie, and it can be purchased from their online store here! It would be a great choice for this MAL!)

We had a lot of fun during last year’s summer top MAL on the Yarns Untangled Discord server, so we will be active there again this year. You can participate by sharing your project journey with us there, or on Instagram. If you’re not set up with either, not to worry! We can help by sharing your project on our Instagram account!

The Knitty Gritty Details

  1. KAL begins on Wednesday, June 1st and ends on August 31st, 2022.
    (This means you can’t cast on for your first top until 12:01 in the morning on June 1st, but you can absolutely swatch in advance)
  2. Official KAL hashtag: #YUsummertopMAL2022
  3. Some of the yarn used in your project must be or have been purchased at Yarns Untangled, at some point (not necessarily during the KAL).
  4. In order to be entered, crafters must announce their chosen yarn and project on either the Discord server or on Instagram using the official hashtag #YUsummertopMAL2022 (if your account is private, please make sure we’re able to follow you so we can see your posts). Once finished, you must share at least one picture on either the Discord server or on Instagram. Don’t forget the hashtag or we can’t find you! If you’re not able to use either Discord or Instagram, just let us know and we’ll share your project on your behalf.

Discord: If you aren’t yet on our Discord server, join us now! It has been a quiet space for a few months, but it’ll soon be flooded with summer top talk. Here’s how to join:

  1. First, set up your account with Discord. There is an app you can download to your computer or phone, or if you prefer, you can simply use it in a browser. 
  2. Once your account is up an running, click here to join the YU Discord Server. There you will see our different text channels dedicated to WIPs, FOs, questions, and pattern support as well as the general channel for broad chatter, and the FAQs!

The Prizes!
Most tops made: an always fascinating category, it is really remarkable to see how many tops some of you can crank out in three months. The maker who knits, hooks, and/or weaves the most tops will receive a 15% off coupon for Yarns Untangled and a full year of membership with Digits and Threads, Canada’s premiere (and only!) fibre and textile arts and crafts online magazine!

Most different fibres used, total: as there are so many fibres that fit our criteria, this category is meant to inspire you to stretch your creativity and explore combinations of different fibres: cotton, linen, bamboo, hemp, silk, wool, nylon, and more are all eligible so show us what you got! The winner of this prize will receive a 2500 in Stash Cash ($25 value), a Soak Eco Wash Bag and a bottle of Soak Wash to help them care for all their FOs!

Most pictures shared: you can make just one top and still win this prize! Blow up our discord or your instagram feed (or both, it all counts!) with beautiful pics of your in-progress and finished tops. Every pic shared brings you closer to winning a 2000 in Stash Cash ($20 value) and a back issue of Pom Pom Quarterly*.

Random winner: chosen from all of the entered projects, this winner will receive 2000 in Stash Cash ($20 value) and a YU mug and tote bag.

That’s it! If you have any questions, post in the FAQ or help Discord channels, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com or give us a call at (416) 603-2338.

*For this prize, we’ll narrow it down to a large handful of issues and then you can choose between them.

Black Knit and Crochet Designers

If you’re anything like us, you’ve been a lot of time online trying to find resources to help learn how to be a better anti-racism ally. The fibre community has tons of it’s own issues with racism, othering, exclusion, and many others that we need to work hard to improve. So many of us are new to sitting with our discomfort in this way, and we have found some really great resources out there that have helped to expand our fibre-related experiences.

First, Hypothesis Yarns of Nova Scotia has been filling her Instagram feed with tons of beautiful yarn made by black yarn dyers. Go check out her grid and bring some new beauty in to your feed.

We looked around and couldn’t find a good comprehensive list of black knit- and crochet-wear designers, so we’ve decided to start our own here. Below are some fabulous knit and crochet designers along with a few samples of their work. They are in alphabetical order, so make sure you get to the bottom and enjoy your new favourite designers! We had some help finding these names from Jeanette Sloan’s BIPOC in Fiber, but this list is by no means complete. Feel free to add to it by commenting below or sending us an email.

Kunbi Ayo-Okanlawon
handmadebykunbi.com

Denise Bayron

Angela Best
La Vonne’s Knot Just Knits

Tian Connaughton
tianconnaughton.com

Tammy Gore
Narrow Path Designs

Saysha Greene

Brandi Harper
brandicheyenneharper.com

Dawn Henderson

Sasha Hyre

Lola Johnson
thirdvaultyarns.com

Jiminez Joseph
jimiknits.com

Knitdraper
knitdraper.com

Toni Lipsey
tlyarncrafts.com

Lauren McElroy

Rebecca McKenzie
@ragingpurlwind

Natalie, Detroit Knots
detroitknots.wordpress.com

Noma Ndlovu

Ola Ogunlolu

Arica Presinal
skeinsnsticksdesigns.com

Jeanette Sloan
jeanettesloandesign.com

Marceline Smith
youtube.com/c/heyBrownBerry

Vanessa Smith
vanessasmithdesigns.com

Safiyya Talley
thedrunkknitter.com

Diane Ugo
mrsumakes.blogspot.com

Sylvia Watts-Cherry

Vincent Williams
visuvioscrafts.com

Dana Williams-Johnson
yardsofhappiness.com

Tif Neilan
tifhandknits.com

Gavriella Treminio
HelloGavriella.com

A Feisty Knitalong

Fall is coming (we promise), so it’s time for another knitalong! (For the official YU definition of a KAL, click here) Many of you have become intimately familiar with the incredible yarn-dyeing work coming from Feisty Fibres, and since she’s local and a truly excellent friend of ours, it was obvious to us that this fall’s KAL should be a Feisty one!

Just like yarn-themed KALs we’ve hosted in the past, the common thread between all our projects this time round will be Feisty Fibres’ yarn.  The rules are otherwise wide open: knit or crochet, blanket or baby hat, simple stockinette or crazy colourwork, follow your heart’s desire. Many of her colourways can be seen on our shelves, or over on Ravelry.  This is your chance to tackle your ever-growing Ravelry queue, try out a new technique that you’ve been daunted by, make that fall sweater, get some holiday knitting done, or to simply be inspired by each other’s creativity and by Feisty Fibres’ incredible colourways.

We also have two very special surprises to announce in association with this KAL. First: Feisty Fibres has developed a new base: DK!  Each and every one of her perfect colourways will available on this new middle-weight yarn, well-suited to your long queue of projects-in-mind.

The second sweet piece of news is that Feisty will be collaborating with her very special yarn-girlfriend, The Yarn Therapist, to present to you The Magic Sweater!  This kit includes a self-striping ball of yoke yarn from the Therapist that is designed to grow as your sweater yoke does. This means the stripes don’t get skinnier but instead stay the same width as you add stitches. It also comes with a perfectly coordinated skein of yarn from Feisty Fibres to finish off the body of your sweater.  Up until now, this combo has only been available in children’s sizes, but just for our KAL, you can now order enough yarn to make your own Magic Sweater in your size!  We will have more info on colourways, patterns and pricing soon; see details below for ordering KAL yarn in the Knitty Gritty section.

Tons of Feisty Fibres’ colourways can be seen on our shelves, but here are just a few colourways from a photo shoot we had together earlier this month.  In order we have: Lemongrass Sass, Rapture, Sexy Nerd, Glamping, Raspberry Parade, Poolside Punch, Foolish Games, Gluten Free, Spelling Beez, and Smashed Candy.

 

The Knitty Gritty Details

  1. KAL begins on October 17th and ends on December 19th (9 full weeks of crafting)
  2. Official KAL hashtag: #YUFeistyKAL
  3. Yarn must be Feisty Fibres, in any of her bases (Beyond Sox, DK, Worsted, or Fluff)
  4. Yarn must have been bought (at any point) from Yarns Untangled
  5. Yarn can be bought off the shelf at any time, but to ensure you get your chosen colourways, or if you have chosen a Magic Sweater Kit, make a pre-order!
    1. All pre-orders are 10% off full price
    2. Pre-orders are now open and will close on September 26th
    3. Minimum of 3 skeins per colourway
    4. Pre-orders must be secured with a 50% deposit
  6. All our classes are 10% off for anyone participating in the KAL, and Sunday Drop In Clinics are free of charge!
  7. In order to be entered, crafters must announce your chosen yarn and project on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram, using the official hashtag #YUFeistyKAL. Once finished, you must share at least one picture on either the Ravelry thread or on Instagram (we can help with this if you haven’t got an account with either of these, just come see us).
  8. The price for The Magic Sweater kit will shift depending on what size you order. Stay tuned for more details on this soon in a separate post.

A few pairs for inspiration

Prizes

Most metres worked: Be you knitting or crocheting, this prize is for the crafter who uses up the most metres in their project(s) during the Knitalong.  Keep careful track of your skeins and partial skeins in your Ravelry entries (a food scale comes in handy for this one), and you could be the winner of a $15 gift card to Yarns Untangled!

Best original design: So many of you are remarkably creative with your work; this prize is for the crafter who finishes the most original project during the KAL.  You don’t need to be a published designer to win this one though, simply make some clever alterations to a pre-existing design or use one as a jumping off point if you’re not comfortable building one from scratch, or let your mind go free and build something entirely your own. The winner of this prize receives some beautiful skeins of yarn donated by Feisty Fibres!

Random draw: the classic prize of chance. Each finished project earns the crafter one entry into this draw, and the winner receives a 10% off coupon for Yarns Untangled!

PANK! and Rainbow, together in a Flax baby sweater

What’s New at YU: June Edition

Election Day Sale, June 7th!

Democracy is a privilege that we are very lucky to have, so let’s celebrate it!

We’re offering 10% off to every Ontarian who posts an Election Selfie on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, using this accompanying text:
“Hey @yarnsunangled, happy Ontario Election day!”

The details:

  • Take a selfie outside your local polling station
  • Post your selfie on or before June 7th to IG, FB, or Twitter, using the text above and tagging @yarnsuntangled (if you don’t tag us, we might not see it)
  • Come to Yarns Untangled before end of day June 10th to pick up your coupon
  • Coupon will be for 10% off any single item and will expire on June 30th

 

Thanks to everyone who came out for our Sinister Yarns trunk show this past Sunday! Our next trunk show featuring Shelridge Yarns of Woodville, Ontario will be taking place on Sunday, June 24th. Stay tuned for more details.

 


Upcoming Classes

Kate Atherley is offering two BRAND NEW classes on Steeking and Shawl design this summer!

Shawl Design: from Idea to Reality

  • Tuesday, August 21st from 6-9 pm ($55)

For adventurous knitters looking to expand their skills and get creative! This class explains key shawl shapes, and how to make them your own with stitch patterns and custom design details. We’ll talk about yarn choices, different types and styles of fabrics and how they affect the shape, lace motifs, and everything else you need to know to bring your shawl to life.

Steeking: It’s Not So Scary

  • Tuesday, July 10th from 6-8 pm ($45)

It may well be the scariest thing you can do with your knitting… taking a pair of scissors to it! Steeking – cutting a piece of knitting – is on many knitters’ “bucket lists”, and this class is any easy way to learn about it, and to take the fear out of it. We’ll talk about the hows and whys of steeking, discussing different methods of reinforcement and edging. Whether you’re a keen colourwork knitter looking to take your skills to the next level, or just curious what the fuss is about, this class will explain it all!

See our full class list here

 


Featured Yarn

You asked and we answered, meet “Cabot Trail” by Trailhead Yarns, out of Ottawa. This hand-dyed, 100% vegan Tencel laceweight is more beautiful than can be believed. Knit it doubled for a fingering weight, or leave it as is and make some beautiful lacy summer wear.

Fall KAL

Autumn is coming and that means it’s time for another knit/crochet-along! Cooler temperatures are on their way, and we’re turning towards cozy and colourful projects to make before the snow flies. Which leads us to the theme for our next knit/crochet-along: COLOURWORK!

Pattern: This is a technique-based KAL, so any knit or crochet pattern that uses a colourwork technique as a valid option. For absolute beginners, we recommend stripes or colour blocks, while more experienced crafters are encouraged to try more advance techniques like fair isle, mosaic, or intarsia. Any technique that uses more than one colour is eligible, so let your imagination run wild! A two colour brioche scarf? An Icelandic cardigan? Argyle socks?!

Yarn: Any yarn purchased at Yarns Untangled!

Need some inspiration? These are some of our favourite colourwork projects lately:

Velvet Morning Cardigan, pattern by Julie Crawford
Yarn: Topsy Fibres in five colours
Technique: Fair Isle

Screen Shot 2017-08-29 at 1.48.03 PM
Sunshine, Lollipops, Rainbows, pattern by Nicole Tavares
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, 7 colours
Technique used: stripes

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Campbell Glen Mitts, pattern by Kate Atherley
Yarn: Mineville Wool Project fingering
Technique used: Fair Isle

Screen Shot 2017-08-29 at 1.50.50 PM

Emiliana, pattern by Lisa Hannes
Riverside Studios Fingering, two colours
Technique used: mosaic

image_medium2

We would also like to draw your attention to Canadian designer, and friend of the ours, Kathleen Sperling.  She is extremely talented and has a particular gift for designing beautiful patterns that use more than one colour.  Check out her available patterns on Ravelry.

Schedule:
StartWednesday, September 6th, 2017
Sunday Drop-In Clinic (FREE for KAL participants): September 10, 17, October 1, 8, 15, November 5, 12, 19, 26.
EndWednesday, December 6th, 2017 (3 months)

Prizes:
Most colours used on a single item: Why use one colour when you can use THEM ALL. Prize will be a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled, and a Kathleen Sperling colourwork pattern of your choice!
Most finished objects: Want to knock out holiday presents early? The participant most finished objects will win a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled, and TWO of Kathleen Sperling’s colourwork patterns of your choice! In order to count towards your total a project should take 50 yards of yarn or more (so no passing that swatch off as it’s own project, even if it feels like one!)
Best mess up and recovery: KALs can be wonderful learning experiences, so share yours with us! The person who learns the biggest lesson will get a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia.
The Random Draw: one winner will be randomly chosen from among the participants, see below for parameters. Prize will be a $10 gift card for Yarns Untangled.

Suggested classes (10% for official KAL participants):
Brioche Knitting with Kate, Thursday September 7th from 6-9pm
Introduction to Colourwork: Fair Isle and Intarsia, with Kate, coming soon
Double Knitting with Nicole, coming soon
Colourwork Christmas Ornaments, coming soon

Participation: In order to be considered for entry for prizes, and to receive discounts on classes, crafters must either join the Ravelry thread or post on Instagram (#YUColourworkKAL) and announce which yarn you’ll be using. Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it. If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you and help you to post it on Ravelry.
Hashtag: #YUColourworkKAL (use this wherever good hashtags are accepted)
Yarn: Crafters must use yarn purchased from Yarns Untangled, but it doesn’t need to have been purchased during the time of the KAL. If you choose to use yarn purchased elsewhere, you are still welcome to stitch-along with us, but you will not be eligible for prizes or free drop-in clinic help.
That’s it! If you have any questions, shoot us an email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com, give us a call at (416) 603-2338, or drop in and see us in person!

Screen Shot 2017-08-29 at 2.13.32 PM

Rhichard Devrieze Trunk Show!

Rhichard Devrieze and his beautiful yarns are coming back to Yarns Untangled for another fantastic trunk show! Saturday, January 28th from 11am to 5pm, our table and shelves will be full of Fynn, Peppino, and Phantom, as well as some limited one-of-a-kind colourways and bases that are otherwise unavailable anywhere else.  Last year’s RDV trunk show was a huge success, so we know this one will be even better.  Get there early because the most popular colourways go quickly!

For every $50 you spend on Rhichard’s ravishing yarns, you can fill in a raffle ticket to win a fantastic RDV-themed prize pack! RSVP on Facebook to give us an idea of numbers, and bring all your friends.

Socks and Shawls and Sweaters, Oh My!

by Nicole Tavares and Amelia Lyon

Ding! Ding! Ding! Our Kate Atherly Knit Along officially came to a close this week. Kate is one of our favourite teachers, and her patterns sparked a great deal of creativity over the past two months. With two hundred and fifty designs to choose from – anything was possible, and at least 30 of you glorious knitters and crocheters jumped in with both feet.  We are so pleased and impressed with every WIP and FO we’ve seen throughout this process, so congrats to everyone who participated, regardless of whether you made it past the finish line in time, or not!

Our collected finished projects covered baby sweaters, shawls, mitts, and of course – SOCKS! Kate is very often referred to as “The Sock Guru,” and the name is very very well-earned.  Out of all of her published patterns, virtually half of them are for socks, and the variation therein is so inspiring; from the plain ol’ top-down sock, to some of the fanciest colourwork and cablework out there, Kate’s socks are our go-tos whenever it’s time to keep our tootsies warm.

One of the best parts about knit-a-longs is watching crafters expand their skills and this one was no exception. We had a few people attempt their first ever pair of socks, while others went for a new method: two at a time socks.  Congrats to Jen C, Karen, Rachel, Ni, Jen H, and Annabel for tackling this tricky challenge this summer, we loved watching your progress.

cuff down socks and two at a time socks

Knit wavedeck pi shawl

The Wavedeck Pi Shawl was a very popular choice. This half pi shawl by Kate paired perfectly with two skeins of our Mineville DK and it’s tiered lace pattern is simpler than it first appears. With Pi shawls the increases aren’t worked every row, instead the stitch count is doubled periodically in order to achieve the circular shape. Don’t worry if math isn’t your thing – the pattern has done it for you!

This pattern is a half pi shawl, meaning it’s a half circle instead of a full one. As Kate herself says in the pattern, “quicker to knit and easier to wear!”

Our sample in the shop offered lots of inspiration for those looking to make their own.

With dozens of gorgeous mineville DK colours to choose from, little Wavedecks started appearing all over the place in blues and greens.

wavedeck-collage

Along with the wavedeck shawls came a parade of socks in all shapes and sizes, from the most basic cuff down patterns to intricate colourwork.  Seen here are just a few of the sock FOs that crossed our path this month.

photo-2016-09-18-1-16-34-pm

Still other knitters tackled chart reading, colourwork, brioche and more. In the end, we had more than 25 projects finished (or almost finished…).

photo-2016-09-18-3-30-20-pm

No KAL is complete without a celebration at the end and some prizes. Without further ado, the winners are:

Most Individual Projects Completed

Goes to Rachel for finishing a Wavedeck shawl AND a pair of socks!  If you haven’t met Rachel, she started out as a loom knitter and has only recently moved into working with needle-knitting as well.  Obviously she’s rocking it!  Her prize is a $15 gift card for Yarns Untangled.

Biggest Mess Up/Lesson Learned

Goes to Cheryl for her work on the Asking for Flowers shawl!  This pattern was a step up for her since it offers the instructions for the lace in chart form, and there are quite a few short rows used to turn around the centre point of the left-to-right shawl.  With a wee bit of help from Brenna, Cheryl was able to turn out this just gorgeous shawl using three skeins of Rhichard Devrieze Peppino she picked up at the summer trunk show, and she is very pleased with it.  So are we!  Her prize is a coupon for a private lesson with either Brenna or Amelia whenever she wants!  Can’t wait to see what she learned next.

Most ingenious pattern alteration: 

Goes to Francesca for her work on the circular Wavedeck.  This pattern was by far the most popular one throughout this KAL, but Francesca took it up a level when she turned the half-pi into a full-pi!  She used two skeins of Riverside Studios in “Midnight;” these pics don’t do it justice, it has to be seen in person to be full appreciated.  Way to go Francesca!  Her prize is a digital copy of Kate’s amazing book, Pattern Writing for Knitwear Designers.

photo-2016-09-18-1-12-06-pm
Pre-blocking, but slightly more colour-accurate

fracesca-wavedeck
Blocking!

Of course the Random Draw! The two winners of our draw were awarded a collection of beautiful yarn from Kate’s stash. Lucky lucky knitters!  Congratulations to Claire and Vidya who made a Wavedeck and a One-Piece Baby Sweater respectively!

photo-2016-09-18-1-08-29-pm photo-2016-08-13-9-48-36-am

Thanks to everyone who participated, you guys all rock.  As we head into the Fall season, we have lots coming up in terms of classes, trunk shows, events, brand new yarns, and a selection of old favourites. Check us out on the social media platform of your choice (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) or sign up for our mailing list to be kept in the loop. Happy Stitching!

Lichen and Lace Knit Along

It’s time to announce our second knit along!  Thanks to all the knitters and crocheters who took part in 2015’s Lanesplitter Skirt KAL (great pictures and details on many of the projects can be seen on the Ravelry thread).  This time we’ve decided to take a slightly different tack on the traditional pattern-based KAL, so instead of working on the same pattern as a group, we are opening the doors of possibility wide!  Inspired by the unprecedentedly beautiful yarns of Lichen and Lace, we would like to invite each and every one of you to join us in working on a project of your choice in one (or more!) of Megan Ingman’s stunning yarns.  Two weeks from the publishing date of this post, we will be placing a massive custom order of Lichen and Lace yarn.  Megan has agreed to dye batches as small as single skeins, so there are no limits on the type of project you can do.  We’re also pleased to offer a 10% discount on any special orders of four skeins or more, regardless of base or colourway.

But first, what is a knit along (or “KAL” for short)?  A knit along is, loosely, a period of time where a group of knitters (and crocheters!) join together to work on a similar project, usually on the same pattern, benefiting from each other’s experience, enthusiasm, and learning from each other’s mistakes and triumphs.  Perhaps Larissa and Martin John Brown said it best in their book knit along: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together when they said, “for some knit alongs, the purpose is…part friendship and part collaboration, friendly competion, inspiration, learning, and giving.”  In the case of our KALs, we will set a start and end date for your project, and once the end date has passed, we’ll award a few special prizes to lucky crafters who win in specific categories (see below for the knitty gritty).  Although the prizes are a fun extra incentive, the point is to learn something new, tackle a project you’ve been eyeing for ages, meet new people, and try out some beautiful new yarn.  Yarns Untangled KALs come with the offer of extra help on Sunday afternoons.  Any and all KAL participants are welcome to come to our drop-in clinic on Sundays from 4-7pm, free of charge.  We will use this time slot as an informal meeting time for KALers to come, sit, chat about their project, meet each other, and ask any questions they might have about their project.

All right, so now that we’ve got that explained, let’s move on to the important part:

Pressed Flowers Poppy Teal Tide Orchid2 Clover Amber Amethyst Baby Leaves Rainy DayCitron3 Wild Flowers (2) Sweetpea Pewter huckleberry Marsh Lily

Meet the Yarn

Megan does her magic with four different yarn bases.  Those of you who are frequent shoppers will recognise the single ply fingering and the worsted weight; one major benefit of this KAL is that it will give you a chance to try out something from the other two bases.  Each skein comes with a whopping 115 grams – 15% more than the average skein.  Just some of the gorgeous colourways are seen here, but to browse the full compliment, visit: Lichenandlace.com and make sure you see all three pages!

1ply1 ply Superwash Merino Fingering Weight

Megan says, “This yarn is a 1ply fingering weight with 475 yards in 115 grams. It is 100% Superwash Merino and is a great yarn for shawls. I love the organic looking twist of this single ply. Very soft, this yarn is the best for shawls, but also a great choice for scarves, cowls, and other accessories.”

Suggested patterns
Knit: Paulie by Isabell Kraemer
The large sections of stockinette in this sweater give the
knitter an opportunity to show off the beauty of this plush yarn, and the stripes allow us to choose two complime
ntary colour from the many potential combinations of Megan’s colourways.  Pattern requires 4-5 skeins.

Crochet: Diamonds in the Rough by Michael Snow
This pattern features some beautiful textures that would be accentuated by the single-ply fabric.  Pattern requires only one skein!

PaulieDiamonds in the Rough

80/20 Sockbase - 80-20 fingering

Megan says, “This yarn is a perfect fingering weight with 420 yards in 115 grams. It is strong with 20% nylon, and totally machine washable with 80% super wash merino. A very soft yarn, perfect for socks of course, but also shawls, colour work, and baby knits.”

Suggested Patterns
Knit: 
Basic Ribbed Socks by Kate Atherley
Now’s your chance to try out socks for the first time!  Allow these brilliant colourways to inspire you.  We recommend Kate’s clear and instructive pattern for first-time sock knitters, and if you’re feeling trepidatious, join our Top-Down Socks class with Kate on April 7th and 14th.  10% off the class for participants of the Lichen and Lace KAL!  As usual, one skein of sock yarn is enough for a pair that fits most adult-sized feet.

Crochet: Pacific Rim Shawl by Esther Chandler
Esther Chandler’s pattern features some fun stripey play, and offers the opportunity for experimentation with edging.  Chandler gives some interesting pointers and advice on how to alter this shawl for a larger or more different shape.  Factoring in potential alterations, this shawl could use either 1 or 2 skeins of each chosen colour.
Basic Ribbed SocksPacific Rim

4ply Superwash Merino Worstedbase - worsted

Megan says, “This yarn is a true worsted weight with 200 yards in 115 grams. It is well balanced with a 4 ply construction. 100% Superwash Merino. A very easy knitting yarn with crisp stitch definition. Perfect for sweaters, mittens, hats, and so much more.”

Suggested Patterns
Knit:
Flax by tincanknits

Flax has been extremely popular ever since it was published in 2003, but recently it’s had a resurgence amongst some of the Yarns Untangled regulars.  This is likely due to its easy construction, clear instruction, and wide range of sizes available, not to mention the unisex design.  Whether it be your first or 100th sweater, this pattern is not to be skipped.  Depending on your chosen size, Flax requires anywhere from 2 to 9 skeins.

Crochet: Shanty Hat by Robin Devine
Last year on a Valentine’s craftathon, this was Amelia’s favourite pattern.  She made two of them during the marathon, and it was her first ever successful crocheted hat.  Cute, simple, and easy to follow, this pattern is a lot of fun and works up quickly.  Choose from one of four sizes, but even the largest uses less than one skein.

FlaxShanti

80/20 Bulkybase - 80-20 bulky

Megan says, “Your new favourite bulky yarn.  One skein has 76 yards and 100 grams – enough to knit a hat from one.  This yarn is a single ply of 80% superwash merino and 20% nylon making it super soft and squishy.  Best for making hats, cowls, and scarves.  Knits up super quick on size 15 (10mm) needles!”

Suggested Patterns
Knit:
Honey Stitch Cowl by Davine Choy
This “classic yet modern” design is a perfect combination with Lichen and Lace single ply bulky.  The 3D twists will be brought to life by the plush softness of the yarn.  Suitable for man, women, or child, it would use 4-5 skeins, depending on how large you’d like it to be.

Crochet: 
Big Stitch Hat & Cowl by Patons
Chunky and delicious, these two patterns are a great use of this sumptuous bulky yarn.  Make the hat with one skein of each colour, the cowl with 2 skeins of one and 1 of another, or the whole set together.  Big is in!

Honey Stitch CowlBig Stitch Hat & Cowl by Patons

Prizes 

Like all good KAL hosts, we are offering prizes in the below categories.

Best original design – must be completely from your own head!  We’ll be happy to offer pattern editing and help with Ravelry publishing once you’re done.  Prize: a digital copy of Kate Atherley’s Pattern Writing for Knit Designers.

Most individual projects completed – since single skein orders are possible, this is an easy prize to win!  Remember, socks only count as one project 😉  Prize: a gift card for $25 to be spent at your leisure at YU.

Best lesson learned – everyone wants to hear about your progress!  One of the best things about sharing your work with others is learning from each others mistakes and experiments.  Use the Ravelry thread to share your thoughts, feelings, and breakthroughs.  Prize: a gift certificate for $50 off a class at YU.

Random draw – and of course, to throw chance into the mix, we will choose one random entry from all of the finished projects to receive this prize: some beautiful handspun yarn from Amelia and Brenna.

The Knitty Gritty (LOLZ)

  • From the date of publishing this post (February 22nd, 2016), you have two weeks to place your KAL order with us.  Use Ravelry, email (info @ yarnsuntangled.com), phone (416 603-2338), or see us in person.
  • We require either a 50% deposit or a credit card number in order to secure your order.  Of course, you may pay for the entire thing up front, if you wish.
  • A 10% discount will be given on any special order of four skeins or more, regardless of base or colourway.  Please note that this discount is only applicable to yarn that is part of the special order, and not to yarn that is on the shelves.
  • The KAL begins on the day that our order of yarn arrives from Sackville.  We expect it approximately two months (or less) after the the day we place the order.  Don’t worry, we’ll make a fuss online and in person to make sure you know it has arrived and is beginning.
  • In order to be considered for entry, crafters must join the Ravelry thread and announce which yarn you’ve ordered.  Once the project(s) is/are finished, you must post at least one picture of it.  If you’d rather, come see us in person and we’ll get a snap of it for you!
  • If you don’t have a Ravelry account, send us a quick email at info @ yarnsuntangled.com announcing your intention to participate.  We’ll make sure you’re kept in the loop.
  • And again, so that it’s here too, the colourways can bee seen here, and the bases can be seen here.

That should do it for now.  Stay tuned to the Ravelry thread for updates and to check out everyone’s great ideas and progress.  Another blog post announcing the official start will follow soon!

-Amelia and Brenna