Yarn Geeks Newsletter

August 2017

I'm taking a summer break so I haven't written an article this month. But perhaps there is an article you've missed from before?

Here are the top 10 most popular articles of all time:

  1. Twist-and-Weave—A way to add a new color without leaving holes or knots.

  2. KFSB—A neater, easier alternative to a KFB increase.

  3. Final bind-off stitch—A way to tidy up the bind-off corner.

  4. Neater intarsia—A simple fix for untidy stitches around a vertical color change.

  5. The startling differences in gauge between knitters—An experiment.

  6. K2Tog-L—A left-leaning decrease that looks as good as the right-leaning K2Tog.

  7. Capturing the colors of a skein—Play with an interactive "virtual swatch".

  8. Double short rows—Knitting two short rows at the same stitch.

  9. Compendium of yarn joins—An interactive list of methods for joining

  10. Yarn twist—How the direction of twist in a yarn affects knitting.

My own favorite article is about the left-leaning K2Tog-L decrease. I was so happy to be able to ditch the SSK!


Newly-published books

40 Colorful Afghans to Crochet
A Collection of Eye-Popping Stitch Patterns, Blocks & Projects

By Leonie Morgan
View on Amazon >

350+ Crochet Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets
By Jan Eaton
View on Amazon >

Heritage Crochet in a New Light
Enriching Your Designs with Antique Lace Techniques

By Rita de Maintenon
View on Amazon >

Super Scary Halloween Crochet
35 gruesome patterns to sink your hook into

By Nicki Trench
View on Amazon >

Emoji Crochet
15 Easy-to-Make Projects Emoting Attitude and Fun

By Charles Voth
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Knit Yourself Calm
A creative path to managing stress

By Lynne Rowe, Betsan Corkhill
View on Amazon >

Traditional Swedish Knitting Patterns
40 Motifs and 20 Projects for Knitters

By Maja Karlsson
View on Amazon >

Ponchos to Knit
More than 40 Projects and Paired Accessories in Classic and Contemporary Styles

By Denise Samson
View on Amazon >

350+ Knitting Tips, Techniques, and Trade Secrets
How to Be Better at What You Do

By Betty Barnden
View on Amazon >

Parliament of Cowls
By Karen Robinson
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Knits in a Day
40 Quick Knits to Cast On and Complete in Three Hours or Less

By Candi Derr (Editor)
View on Amazon >

Cushie and Friends
a children's story with crochet patterns

By Sayjai Thawornsupacharoen, Jasmine Appelboom
View on Amazon >


New and discontinued yarns

New yarn: Lang Yarns Cashsoft Baby

New yarn —Lang Yarns - Cashsoft Baby—Image © LoveKnitting

New

Bendigo Woollen Mills
Rich Tweed 8-ply – DK – 60% Alpaca, 35% Wool, 5% Viscose – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Blue Moon Fiber Arts
Plushy – Aran – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Semi-solid, Multicolored

Caron
Baby Cakes – Aran – 82% Acrylic, 18% Nylon – Plied – Self-striping (long)

Cascade Yarns
Cartwheel – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping (gradient marl)
Llamerino – Sport – 50% Llama, 50% Merino Wool – Plied with a soft haze – Undyed
Luminosa – Aran – 52% Viscose, 44% Baby Alpaca, 4% Wool – Fiber-filled net
Pluff – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Tonal colors
Spuntaneous Worsted – Heavy Worsted – 100% Merino Wool – Single ply – Solid colors

Classic Elite Yarns
Legend – Worsted – 80% Merino Wool, 20% Silk – Plied – Solid colors

Cloudborn Fibers
Superwash Highland Worsted – Heavy Worsted – 100% Peruvian Highland Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Conway + Bliss
Gigi – Bulky – 57% Mohair, 28% Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon – Fuzzy – Solid colors

DROPS Design
DROPS Nord – Sport – 45% Alpaca, 30% Nylon, 25% Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers

Debbie Bliss
Aymara – DK – 100% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Heathers
Pure Bliss Collection Iris – Worsted – 95% Wool, 5% Cashmere – Single ply – Solid colors

Erika Knight
British Blue 100 – DK – 100% Blue Faced Leicester Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Hayfield
Baby Blossom DK – DK – 70% Acrylic, 30% Nylon – Plied – Self-striping (gradient, pattern)
Spirit DK – DK – 80% Acrylic, 20% Superwash Wool – Plied – Self-striping (gradient)

James C. Brett
Harmony Chunky – Bulky – 78% Acrylic, 22% Cotton – Tweedy – Self-striping (fair-isle effect)

Just Yarn
Cotton Silk – Fingering – 75% Cotton, 25% Silk – Tweedy – Solid colors
Mohair Multi – Bulky – 66% Mohair, 24% Superwash Wool, 10% Cotton – Fuzzy – Self-striping (gradient)

Lana Grossa
Estremo – Jumbo – 60% Wool, 40% Acrylic – Single wrapped with thread – Solid colors
Shades of Merino Cotton – Fingering – 50% Cotton, 50% Merino Superwash Wool – 2 plies – Self-striping (long gradient)

Lang Yarns
Ario – Bulky – 66% Merino Wool, 29% Nylon, 5% Viscose – Fuzzy – Tweed colors
Björk – DK – 85% Merino Superwash Wool, 15% Nylon – Chained – Multicolored
Bruna – Super Bulky – 85% Alpaca, 15% Wool – Fuzzy – Multicolored
Cashmere Cotton – DK – 55% Cashmere, 45% Cotton – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Cashsoft Baby – Sport – 50% Cashmere, 50% Merino Wool – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers
Dipinto – Fingering – 50% Acrylic, 50% Wool – Single ply – Self-striping
Fifty – Sport – 50% Cotton, 50% Superwash Wool – Chained – Solid colors
Finn – Bulky – 72% Superwash Wool, 28% Acrylic – Single wrapped with thread – Multicolored
Italian Tweed – Aran – 50% Wool, 25% Nylon, 25% Silk – Tweedy – Tweed colors
Loft – Heavy Worsted – 100% Superwash Wool – Single ply – Solid colors
Passione – Worsted – 82% Baby Alpaca, 16% Nylon, 2% Elastic – Fuzzy – Semi-solid colors
Puno – Fingering – 55% Merino Wool, 30% Baby Alpaca, 15% Silk – Plied – Self-striping (long gradient)
Stockholm – Worsted – 60% Superwash Wool, 40% Acrylic – Single ply – Solid colors
Velluto – Worsted – 65% Viscose, 35% Nylon – Bouclé – Solid colors

Lion Brand
Color Waves DK – DK – 80% Acrylic, 20% Superwash Wool – Plied – Self-striping

Loops & Threads
Kai – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping (long gradient)

Louisa Harding
Amitola Brushed – Sport – 60% Mohair, 25% Cotton, 15% Wool – Fuzzy – Self-striping (gradient)

Noro
Kiso – Heavy Worsted – 70% Wool, 15% Alpaca, 15% Silk – Single ply – Multicolored
Kotori – Aran – 75% Wool, 10% Cotton, 8% Viscose, 7% Silk – Tweedy – Self-striping (gradient, tweeds)

Sirdar
Dapple DK – DK – 75% Acrylic, 25% Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Multicolored
Imagination Chunky – Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Single ply – Semi-solid colors, Multicolored, Dappled
No. 1 – DK – 50% Acrylic, 50% Nylon – Crepe – Solid colors
Snuggly Squishy – Super Bulky – 100% Polyester – Chenille – Dotted colors
Tundra Super Chunky – Super Bulky – 80% Acrylic, 20% Superwash Wool – 2 plies – Multicolored

Stylecraft
Tweedy DK – DK – 74% Acrylic, 26% Cotton – Tweedy – Multicolored

Sublime Yarns
Elodie – DK – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Multicolored (dappled)
Willow – DK – 94% Merino Superwash Wool, 6% Nylon – Fuzzy – Semi-solid colors

The Fibre Company
Arranmore Light – DK – 80% Merino Wool, 10% Cashmere, 10% Tussah Silk – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Women's Institute
Soft and Smooth Tweed Aran – Heavy Worsted – 97% Acrylic, 3% Viscose – Tweedy – Tweed colors

Zitron
Yak – Light Fingering – 70% Merino Wool, 30% Yak – Plied – Solid colors

Discontinued

Bernat
Spectrum – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Single wrapped with thread – Solid colors with bright thread

DROPS Design
DROPS Peak – Super Bulky – 70% Acrylic, 30% Superwash Wool – S on S plied – Solid colors

Debbie Bliss
Delphi – Super Bulky – 100% Cotton – Tape – Semi-solid colors

Hayfield
Baby Aran – Aran – 70% Acrylic, 30% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors
Baby Bonus Lustre DK – DK – 89% Acrylic, 11% Viscose – Plied – Solid colors
Baby Sparkle DK – DK – 97% Acrylic, 3% Metallic – Plied – Solid with metallic thread
Fiesta – DK – 50% Acrylic, 50% Bamboo Viscose – S on S plied – Solid colors

King Cole
Krystal Fur – Super Bulky – 100% Acrylic – Faux fur – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
365 Seta – Worsted – 72% Cotton, 18% Silk, 10% Nylon – Chained – Solid colors
Allegro – Worsted – 58% Viscose, 42% Cotton – Tape – Self-striping
Bingo Alpaca – Bulky – 70% Merino Superwash Wool, 30% Alpaca – Plied – Self-striping marls
Bombolino – Heavy Worsted – 35% Alpaca, 25% Mohair, 25% Wool, 15% Nylon – Bouclé – Self-striping (gradient)
Bombolo – Super Bulky – 40% Acrylic, 30% Mohair, 20% Wool, 10% Nylon – Bouclé – Solid colors
Cappello – Aran – 53% Merino Superwash Wool, 47% Acrylic – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient)
Cinque Multi – Worsted – 53% Superwash Wool, 47% Acrylic – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient)
Colorato Nodo – Bulky – 90% Merino Wool, 10% Nylon – Chained – Multicolored
Colupo – Super Bulky – 53% Wool, 47% Nylon – Faux fur – Multicolored
Dito – Heavy Worsted – 44% Nylon, 28% Alpaca, 28% Mohair – Fuzzy – Solid colors
Lala Berlin Cosy – Bulky – 54% Alpaca, 36% Wool, 10% Nylon – Single ply – Solid colors, Heathers
Lala Berlin Hairy – Super Bulky – 42% Acrylic, 37% Alpaca, 14% Wool, 7% Nylon – Fuzzy – Solid colors
Lala Berlin Softness – Super Bulky – 40% Nylon, 40% Wool, 20% Mohair – Fiber-filled net – Solid colors
Lupo – Bulky – 34% Acrylic, 32% Nylon, 17% Alpaca, 17% Wool – Faux fur – Solid colors
Melodia – Heavy Worsted – 41% Wool, 32% Polyester, 13% Acrylic, 10% Alpaca, 4% Metallic – Single wrapped with thread – Multicolored
Mille II Lux – Super Bulky – 48% Acrylic, 48% Merino Superwash Wool, 4% Metallic – S on S plied – Solid colors with metallic thread
Nordico – Super Bulky – 60% Wool, 22% Nylon, 18% Acrylic – Single ply – Self-striping (gradient)
Only Cotton – Aran – 100% Cotton – Knitted tube – Solid colors
Principessa – Aran – 40% Angora, 37% Merino Wool, 14% Alpaca, 9% Nylon – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Ragazza Piu Color – Super Bulky – 48% Superwash Wool, 47% Viscose, 5% Nylon – Single ply – Solid colors, Gradient
Ragazza Voi – Heavy Worsted – 33% Nylon, 32% Wool, 20% Alpaca, 15% Polyester – Fiber-filled net – Heathered colors, Multicolored
Solo Cashmere 110 – DK – 100% Cashmere – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors
Splendid – Sport – 72% Mohair, 21% Nylon, 7% Polyester – Fuzzy – Solid colors with metallic
Tendenza – Bulky – 40% Alpaca, 30% Wool, 20% Mohair, 10% Nylon – Bouclé – Solid colors
Tinto – DK – 45% Baby Alpaca, 40% Wool, 15% Nylon – Chained – Self-striping (gradient)
Tipico – Bulky – 53% Superwash Wool, 47% Acrylic – 2 plies – Self-striping marls
Yak Merino – Super Bulky – 30% Merino Wool, 28% Alpaca, 22% Nylon, 20% Yak – Plied with a soft haze – Heathered colors

Louisa Harding
Azalea – DK – 100% Cotton – S on S plied – Heathered colors

Patons (North America)
Delish – Super Bulky – 65% Acrylic, 35% Wool – Chained
Denim-y – Aran – 68% Cotton, 16% Acrylic, 16% Wool – Fiber-filled net
Pirouette – Worsted – 84% Acrylic, 16% Nylon – Ruffle
Theo – Super Bulky – 45% Acrylic, 45% Wool, 10% Nylon – Faux fur
Uplands – Bulky – 50% Acrylic, 50% Wool – Thick and thin – Semi-solid colors
Venus – Aran – 55% Cotton, 40% Acrylic, 5% Nylon – Thick and thin

Sirdar
Boufflé – Bulky – 42% Cotton, 33% Acrylic, 15% Superwash Wool, 10% Nylon – Bouclé – Semi-solid colors
Caboodle – Bulky – 64% Acrylic, 36% Polyester – Fuzzy with tufts – Multicolored
Cotton Rich Aran – Aran – 60% Cotton, 40% Acrylic – S on S plied – Solid colors
Heart and Sole – Fingering – 75% Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – Plied
Moonstone – Aran – 100% Acrylic – Beaded – Solid colors with glass beads
Snuggly Jolly – DK – 51% Bamboo Viscose, 37% Acrylic, 12% Nylon – Bouclé – Multi-colored marls
Sylvan Chunky – Bulky – 90% Acrylic, 10% Wool – Thick and thin – Self-striping (gradient)
Wash'n'Wear Double Crepe – DK – 55% Acrylic, 45% Nylon – Crepe – Solid colors

Sublime Yarns
Cotton Silk DK – DK – 75% Cotton, 25% Silk – 2 plies – Solid colors
Phoebe – Bulky – 94% Merino Wool, 6% Nylon – Chained – Solid colors
Sophia – DK – 39% Bamboo Viscose, 31% Merino Wool, 30% Silk – Single ply – Tonal colors, Multicolored

Tahki Stacy Charles
Kismet – Heavy Worsted – 54% Alpaca, 46% Nylon – Fuzzy – Heathered colors

The Fibre Company
Canopy Worsted – DK – 50% Alpaca, 30% Merino Wool, 20% Bamboo Viscose – Plied – Solids, Heathers



See you in September—if not before on Instagram, Ravelry or Facebook!

—Wendy


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