YarnSub Newsletter

July 2023

Newly-published books

[Book: 'Mosaic Knitting Workshop' by Ashleigh Wempe]

I think Ashleigh Wempe's Mosaic Knitting Workshop would be a good book for someone interested in taking their first steps into colorwork knitting.

Mosaic knitting is one of the simpler colorwork techniques because, unlike most colorwork techniques, you only work with one color per row. Colors are alternated every two rows, so Ashleigh likens the mosaic technique to knitting stripes. You work some stitches in the current color and slip the stitches that need to be worked in the other color. The tricky bit is in knowing which stitches should be knitted and which should be slipped!

Ashleigh has taken care to minimize the difficulties by:

  • providing the pattern instructions in both charted and written forms. Some people prefer written instructions but Ashleigh encourages working from the charts if possible. Once you get the hang of them, you can understand what you need to do just by comparing the chart to your actual knitting. Charts can also allow you to notice mistakes more quickly sometimes.
  • avoiding the complication of shaping in all but one of the 15 patterns. This means you don't have to worry about incorporating a changing number of stitches into the colorwork pattern.
  • choosing projects where getting the correct gauge isn't crucial. Her projects are for items like washcloths, blankets, and scarves where the exact size doesn't matter too much.
Two cushions with geometric designs based on a diamond shape. An orange and white towel and washcloth with flowers on a checkered background. A blue and yellow scarf with a leaf pattern. A multicolored triangular shawl with an allover diamond pattern and tassels on each corner.
Designs from Mosaic Knitting Workshop, by Ashleigh Wempe

The skills required for mosaic knitting will help when you're ready to move onto other colorwork techniques. Mosaic knitting requires you to strand yarn across the back of the slipped stitches, and once you can do that, it's a short step to using two colors in the same row. Then you'll be able to choose from the thousands of Fair Isle and Norwegian stranded knitting patterns available too!

See all newly published books >

New and discontinued yarns

New yarn: Knit Picks Swish Pops
New yarn: Knit Picks Swish Pops – Image © Knit Picks

New

Adriafil
Fenice – Fingering – 95% Cotton, 5% Other (Unknown) Recycled Fibers – 2 ply – Tweed colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored

Berroco
Carousel – Sport – 52% Superwash Wool, 48% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping marls
Mistico – Worsted – 48% Cotton, 30% Alpaca, 12% Wool, 10% Nylon – Fuzzy – Tweed colors
Talara – Aran – 100% Llama – Chained – Solid colors

Dale of Norway / Dalegarn
Glitter – Lace – 60% Viscose, 40% Metallic – Metallic chainette – Metallic colors

Estelle
Baby Llama Air – Bulky – 75% Llama, 25% Nylon – Fiber-filled net – Semi-solid colors
Silk Harmony – Worsted – 50% Silk, 30% Wool, 20% Cotton – Tweedy – Semi-solid colors
Wave – Worsted – 86% Merino Wool, 14% Nylon – Single ply – Multicolored

Expression Fiber Arts
Buttery Worsted – Worsted – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – 2 ply – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled colors
Sugar Fluff Fingering – Sport – 80% Alpaca, 20% Acrylic – Plied with a soft haze – Tonal colors

Fleece Artist
Bluenose Sock – Fingering – 75% Blue Faced Leicester Superwash Wool, 25% Nylon – 2 ply – Solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored

Gründl
Alpelino – Heavy Worsted – 80% Acrylic, 20% Alpaca – Plied with a soft haze – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors
Classic Cotton – Worsted – 100% Cotton – Plied – Solid colors

Isager Strik
Bouclé – Worsted – 100% Alpaca – Bouclé – Solid colors

James C. Brett
Swurlywurly DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping

King Cole
Cutie Pie DK – DK – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping

Knit Picks / We Crochet
Swish Pops – DK – 100% Merino Superwash Wool – Plied – Multicolored, Planned pooling

La Bien Aimée
Silk Tweed – Sport – 100% Silk – Tweedy – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors, Tonal colors, Multicolored, Speckled

Laines du Nord
Armé – Fingering – 59% Metallic, 41% Nylon – Metallic chainette – Metallic colors

Lamana
Lima – Fingering – 50% Merino Superwash Wool, 25% Baby Alpaca, 25% Silk – Plied – Solid colors, Semi-solid colors

Lion Brand
Mandala String – Fingering – 100% Acrylic – Plied – Self-striping
Wool-Ease Recycled – Aran – 80% Acrylic, 20% Superwash Wool – Plied – Solid colors

Loops & Threads
Heathered Tweed – Heavy Worsted – 66% Polyester, 30% Acrylic, 4% Wool – Fuzzy chain – Tweed colors
Luxe Merino Tweed – DK – 50% Merino Superwash Wool, 40% Acrylic, 10% Viscose – Tweedy – Tweed colors

YarnArt
Sparkle – Fingering – 60% Metallic, 40% Nylon – Metallic chainette – Metallic colors

Discontinued

Big Twist Yarns
Shimmer – Super Bulky – 98% Acrylic, 2% Metallic – 2 ply – Multicolored marls

Ella Rae
Denim DK – DK – 100% Cotton – S on S plied – Semi-solid colors

Heirloom
Easy Care 12-ply – Heavy Worsted – 100% Superwash Wool – Crepe – Solid colors

Lana Grossa
Cotton Light – Worsted – 50% Acrylic, 50% Cotton – S on S plied – Solid colors

Marks & Kattens
Raggsocksgarn – Aran – 70% Superwash Wool, 30% Nylon – Plied – Solid colors, Heathers, Marls, Multicolored

Phildar
Phil Tropical – Sport – 51% Bamboo Viscose, 49% Viscose – S on S plied – Solid colors

Premier Yarns
Cotton Batik – Aran – 100% Cotton – Plied – Self-striping


If you'd like to get in touch, please send a mail to hello@yarnsub.com (you can simply reply to this mail) or find me on Instagram.

See you in August!

Wendy


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