There’s still a little bit of snow on the ground here in Western Massachusetts, but we are already thinking spring! With the coming season, we have four new colors of one of our favorites – Northampton! Northampton is a worsted weight 100% wool yarn that has all of us here at WEBS thinking about colorwork. Keep reading to see some of our picks for your newest colorwork yoke sweater, crochet blanket, or stripy scarf!

Nebula Heather 

Almost a blackened charcoal color with a hint of turquoise running through the plies, Nebula Heather is a gorgeous base if you’re looking for a not-quite-neutral color to use as a backdrop for rich-looking color patterns.

Stonewash Heather

This shade of blue is just basic enough to go with anything, but it’s anything but bland. Pair it with other neutrals, like Medium Gray or Midnight Heather – we bet it would look smashing against a dark pair of jeans!

Lime

A fresh citrus-inspired green just in time for spring! This bright palette is giving us some major purple dinosaur vibes. Bring out your inner 90s kid and knit a colorful yoke sweater with this unexpected quartet of colors. Not feeling the boldness? No worries! Northampton has a huuuuge range of naturals and neutrals for a more toned-down look with a major pop of color.

Capri Blue

This bright blue already has us daydreaming of poolside days and trips to the beach. Since it’s not quite warm enough for that yet in our neck of the woods, why not use these as inspiration for your spring knitting? We’d pair this color with a hot pink and bright yellow, grounding it with a tan base.

What are your favorite color combos? Working on a yoked sweater or crocheting granny squares? Be sure to tag us on Instagram @websyarn and use the hashtag #WEBSFiberFollowthrough for a chance to be featured!

Both of these designs were knit in Valley Yarns Northampton. This is one of our core yarn lines and it’s available in over 40 colors.  With a wide variety of heathers and solids with an incredible depth of color, there’s no end to the possible color combinations you can add to your wardrobe.

First up is the cozy, textured Cabello Cowl by Lori Wagner. Lori learned to knit back in 7th grade as part of 4-H, but didn’t pick her needles up again until years later.  A Designing Cowl class with Laura Nelkin sparked her interest in creating her own knit designs and started self-publishing in 2014. For the Cabello Cowl, Lori was daydreaming of hiking trips with friends…the twists and turn of the trails, the hills and all the rocks along the way. Lori says, “I loved working with this yarn! The Northampton was squishy and had fabulous stitch definition…exactly what I envisioned for my design. I then started to look at the other Valley Yarn available and could not believe how many lines were available!”

Just one skein of Northampton is all you need for the Cabello Cowl, making it a project that cost under $12.00! Get your needles ready and get some holiday gift knitting started!

For a larger project, one that will expand your wardrobe for the winter, try the Valentina Cardigan designed by Andrea Sanchez.

This long-sleeved open front cardigan is knit in one piece with the sleeves set in. A reversible textured stitch is worked throughout the body and the sleeves are worked in stockinette stitch.  A simple garter ribbing adorns the Hems, cuffs, and collar. Even the largest size, which needs only 7 skeins of Northampton, is a project that tops out at $50! I’m thinking I need a Valentina Cardigan in Charcoal and maybe another in Apple Green.

What projects have you planned in Northampton?

We’ve reached the last big reveal for our 2015 WEBS Knitting Designer in Residence Fiona Ellis, The Red Letter Day cardigan.

Knit in Valley Yarns Northampton, in a classic holiday Red, this sweater features ribbing in the lower section of the body that slowly morphs into a panel of cables that include magical-looking closed loops, reminiscent of Celtic knot patterning. With over 3 dozen colors of Northampton to choose from you’ll have no trouble finding just the right shade for you.

The slightly flared cuffs and lower body ribbing give Red Letter Day a very feminine shape. The featured cable panel from the back and sleeves is divided in half to flank the center front opening so it can join back together when buttoned, and move effortlessly upward around the V-neck shaping.

This cardigan goes to great lengths for style, but you don’t have to! Choose from any one of the 6 sweaters that Fiona has designed for us this year and you’ll be knitting your way to a stylish and comfortable sweater that’s all your own! Which design has been your favorite?

It’s time for the third and final installment of our  WEBS Emerging Designer series for 2015 with the Got You Covered eBook from Marcy Vandale, who you may know from Steppingstone Fiber Creations. Marcy has put together a collection of wonderful, transitional knits that bridge the gap between the seasons for this eBook. We asked her to tell us a bit her inspiration and designing process.

WEBS: When did you learn to knit and what prompted you to start designing?

Marcy: I learned to knit as a freshman in college. There was an upperclassman on the hall who basically had a Lopi yarn shop in her room, needles, accessories, patterns and yarns. I picked out yarn colors and started my first project, an iconic Lopi sweater. I didn’t know anything other than the knit stitch but learned as I went along. By the end of the first semester, I had a new sweater and had started on the next one. Funny, the one thing I never learned anything about until YEARS after I was out of college was gauge! Not until about 10 years ago did I become a Knitter with a capital K as I like to say. I was doing a lot of knitting for my kids and knitting constantly. I started sample and tech knitting and then contract knitting. It was at that point that I decided that I was interested designing my own creations.

WEBS: Give us a glimpse into your design process, where/how do you find inspiration?

Marcy: My design process usually starts with a great yarn. From there, I usually gravitate to designing something I want to wear, whether it be a sweater or accessory. I do love color so I am always looking at great color combos for colorwork. I’m in a purple mood lately.

WEBS: Tell us about your design aesthetic.

Marcy: I am by nature a very practical person and that’s incorporated into how I design. I like to design things I need in my wardrobe or would want to knit, whether it be a garment or an accessory. It’s like gift giving, I always give a gift I’d love to have myself. Because I have a very busy life chasing around after my 4 kids, I tend to design things that are easy to take along to games and on car rides as well as projects I can put down without fear of losing my place. My knits usually are simple but may have one element that may make them seem more difficult or polished, like a simple crochet edging for a neckline. I also am a fan of minimizing finishing work so I design with that construction in mind.

You’ll keep your core cozy’s and warm with the Got You Covered Vest. Valley Yarns Deerfield is a perfect fit for this long vest with feature cables and a hidden pocket for your phone! Your toes will thank you for knitting the The Got You Covered Socks, not only does the cable pattern coordinate with the vest but with a pattern that looks complex and works up effortlessly in Valley Yarns Huntington these are socks you’ll have for years to come. Finally the Got You Covered Mittens and Hat pattern, in Valley Yarns Northampton, features colorwork motifs in shades to coordinate with your vest.

Download all three patterns together in the Got You Covered eBook for just $9.99 or download any individual pattern for just $3.99 each. You can find more of Marcy’s designs here on our site, and on Ravelry and don’t forget her collaborative designs with her friend Debbi under Adventures Du Jour. And check out WEBS Emerging Designer Spring 2015 eBook by Angelia Robinson with three stunning crochet accessories perfect for every season. And the Summer 2015 WEBS Emerging Designer eBook: Sproutlet, by Debbi Stone, a beautiful layette set perfect for your little ones.

Our friends at Smith College created a cute video featuring Northampton. Make sure you check it out, and watch until the end for a special cameo from your favorite yarn store.

It’s FINALLY time to put everything together!

If you’ve been keeping up then you’ll have 36 finished squares, 4 squares in each of 9 colors. If you’re setting a slower pace for yourself or joined us in mid MKAL/MCAL NO problem, the patterns will remain free and at these links! If you’re just joining in you can find all the square patterns here(MKAL), or here(MCAL)

You may want to take some time and lay all your squares out in a couple different configurations to see which one really clicks for you. Here we have 3 different options for you but they’re not the ONLY ones! Play with the texture and color layout for a day or two before you decide to make sure you’re really happy with it. You’ll note that the last option we show has only 35 squares – you can use that extra one as an accent pillow.

Knitters: We’re offering you two option for both the joining and the edging! For both joining options you’ll need to start by picking up stitches, you then have the option of a three needle bind-off or an I-cord join. Once all your squares are together you can add a tidy attached I-cord edge or be little more fancy and add the Fan lace edge. We’re showing the Fan lace with each row worked in one color from your blanket.

Picking up stitches

JOINS

Three Needle Bind-Off

I-Cord Join

EDGES

Attached I-Cord

Fan Lace Edge – no video for this one as there’s no new techniques, just a combination of one’s you already know!

Don’t forget, we have a playlist for the Knit-A-Long blanket on Youtube to make it all easier (Please note that our techniques videos are NOT the patterns! These videos are here to help you understand the featured techniques, but you’ll need to refer to your pattern for specifics.) All the squares and join/edge pattern instructions can be found here.

Crocheters: You also have two option for both joining and edging your blanket! As with the knitters options, having a nice clean edge to work on before you start your joins really helps to bring the blanket together, so you’ll want to add a row of single crochet to each square edge before you begin your joins. Joining single crochet is a skill you got to practice earlier in the blanket, as well as a more open lattice double crochet join. For edging you can choose rounds of single crochet or a neat looped chain edge, both are shown with a row worked in each color of your blanket.

Adding a single crochet edge

JOINS

Joining Single Crochet – this one will be familiar from your Tunisian square from March.

Lattice Double Crochet

EDGES

Single Crochet

Looped Chains

The square patterns as well as the join/edge instructions can be downloaded here (FREE). Did you know there’s a playlist for the full Crochet-A-Long and all the techniques on Youtube? (Keep in mind that our techniques videos are NOT the pattern! These videos are here to help you understand the techniques featured in our patterns, please refer to your pattern for specifics.)

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell us about your progress! You can do that here, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Ravelry, or post pictures of your progress on Instagram and tag them with #WEBSMKAL or #WEBSMCAL

We can’t wait to see your finished blankets!

Are you ready for our last square?

Do you have 27 finished squares from February, March, and April? No need to stress if you don’t! Take this project at your own pace and pull all the pieces together on a timeline that works for you.

Crocheters: Crocodile Stitch is the name of the game for this square! With a square that is worked on the bias from one corner to the next, we’ll work half the square in crocodile stitch and finish off with alternating double and single crochet.

Crocodile Stitch

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE). Did you know there’s a playlist for the full Crochet-A-Long and all the techniques on Youtube? (Keep in mind that our techniques videos are NOT the pattern! These videos are here to help you understand the techniques featured in our patterns, please refer to your pattern for specifics.)

Knitters: This square is all about texture! We’re creating an undulating chevron with knits and purls, broken by embossed sections created with simple increases and decreases. There are no new stitches in this square (yay!), but here a few tutorial to remind you of the less common techniques.

Make 1 Purl stitches

And Make 1 Knit stitches.

Purling multiple stitches together

Don’t forget, we have a playlist for the Knit-A-Long blanket on Youtube to make it all easier (Please note that our techniques videos are NOT the patterns! These videos are here to help you understand the featured techniques, but you’ll need to refer to your pattern for specifics.), and all the squares can be found here.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell us about your progress! You can do that here, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Ravelry, or post pictures of your progress on Instagram and tag them with #WEBSMKAL or #WEBSMCAL

Next month we’ll put it all together!

Are you keeping up? Do you have 18 finished squares from February and March? No worries if you don’t! There are no deadlines but there is lots more to come, and we’re almost halfway done.

Knitters: For this square we’re working from the center out and creating a counterpane design, you’ll need double points and a crochet hook for this one!

You’ll start out with Emily Ocker’s Circular Cast on – use the shortest double points you have, no longer than 6″! ( 4″ are ideal) and go for a crochet hook that is one size smaller than your needles. If you typically knit on two circular needles or using magic loop you can jump right in with eitehr technique rather than using the dpns.

You’ll need to know Make 1 Purl stitches (you’ll remember those from Square one).

And Make 1 Knit stitches.

And knitting 5 stitches together through the back loop! While that may sound daunting we’ve got a super easy solution for you that uses a crochet hook.

That’s a big decrease to have in the middle of your work so you’re going to need to add all those stitches back in by working multiple stitches into the same stitch.

If you’ve never worked on double pointed needles before we have some tips for you.

And you’re likely going to finish your first skein during this square, if you’re using Valley Yarns Northampton then you can just wetsplice the end of skein one to the start of skein two and keep going with no ends to weave in!

Remember, we have a playlist for the Knit-A-Long blanket on Youtube to make it all easier (Please note that our techniques videos are NOT the patterns! These videos are here to help you understand the featured techniques, but you’ll need to refer to your pattern for specifics.), and all the squares can be found here.

Crocheters: It’s cable time! Watch as front and back post stitches stack up and cross over each other to form gorgeous cables and create a solid background fabric with linked double crochet!

This square starts with a modified double crochet stitch called a linked double crochet. You get the same height with this stitch but the fabric you create is much more solid!

Then you’ll move onto cables.

And bobbles!

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE) and to help you with those new stitches we’ve put together some video tutorials, there’s even a playlist for the full Crochet-A-Long and all the techniques on Youtube. (Keep in mind that our techniques videos are NOT the pattern! These videos are here to help you understand the techniques featured in our patterns, please refer to your pattern for specifics.)

As always, please don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell us about your progress! You can do that here, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Ravelry, or post pictures of your progress on Instagram and tag them with #WEBSMKAL or #WEBSMCAL

Did you finish all 9 squares from last month?! It’s time to get started on your second set of squares!

Crocheters: We’re combining traditional crochet and Tunisian crochet! And don’t worry, you won’t need a special Tunisian hook for this one. Three strips of Tunisian Simple Stitch are joined together by sections of single crochet and an ingenious joining stitch that leaves NO visible seam! And Tunisian Simple stitch is a wonderful backdrop for embellishments like cross stitch.

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE) and to help you with those new stitches we’ve put together some video tutorials, there’s even a playlist for the full Crochet-A-Long and all the techniques on Youtube. (Keep in mind that our techniques videos are NOT the pattern! These videos are here to help you understand the techniques featured in our patterns, please refer to your pattern for specifics.)

These small strips of Tunisian crochet are also a great time to practice new-to-you stitches like Tunisian Knit Stitch and Tunisian Purl Stitch, so we’ve included tutorials for those as well.

Once your strips are finished you’re ready to join them together and personalize your squares!

Joining Single Crochet

Cross Stitch on Tunisian Simple Stitch

Knitters: We’re cabling! Nothing too complicated but a finished square with lots of visual interest. We’ll be working 1 x 1, 2 x 1 cables, we’ll show you how to use your cable needle and how to cable without a needle!

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE) , even if you’ve never cable before you can tackle this one with the video tutorials we’ve put together for you. We even have a playlist for the Knit-A-Long blanket on Youtube to make it all easier. (Please remember that our techniques videos are NOT the pattern! These videos are here to help you understand the featured techniques, you’ll need to refer to your pattern for specifics.)

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell us about your progress! You can do that here, on Facebook, on Ravelry, or post pictures of your progress on Instagram and tag them with #WEBSMKAL or #WEBSMCAL

It’s finally time to cast-on, or chain to begin your squares!

Knitters: We’re making a tiled pattern of embossed diamonds with ALL of the shaping happening on the wrong side of the work! That’s right you’ll be increasing and decreasing on the purl side. It’s also a perfect background for some duplicate stitch embroidery, or a monogram, and this square is even reversible!

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE) and to help you with those new stitches we’ve put together some video tutorials, We even have a playlist for the Knit-A-Long on Youtube to make it all easier.

Purling multiple stitches together:

Purling through the back loop:

Increasing on the purl side – Make One Purlwise:

Duplicate stitch:

Crocheters: We’re making yo-yos! And before you fret about having to make lots of little circles and sew them together make sure you watch our tutorial video. These little circles are made in two parts and joined as they are created!

The pattern can be downloaded here (FREE)and we have a great tutorial video to help you wrap your mind around how this one comes together. There’s a playlist for the Crochet-A-Long on Youtube as well.

Crochet yo-yos:

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and tell us about your progress! You can do that here, on Facebook, on Ravelry, or post pictures of your progress on Instagram and tag them with #WEBSMKAL or #WEBSMCAL