With summer just around the corner now is the perfect time to get to work on a beautiful and fun new piece for your wardrobe. The Rose Sorbet Tank by Krystalle Diaz is knit in our scrumptious Valley Yarns Longmeadow, a blend of cotton and microfiber that is ideal for warm-weather knits. This lovely and delicate tank starts as a top down shawl, so you get the beautiful centered lace panel, and is then joined in the round to complete the body of the piece. Top it off with a couple quick straps and you’ve got a super cute summer top!

We asked Krystalle to tell us a bit about herself and her work.

When did you learn to knit?

I learned to knit when I was 12, from a book I begged my mom to buy me from the fabric store.  I had always admired knitting and wanted to learn, but something about that day- maybe the book cover featuring happy kids making these fantastic sweaters- made me actually want to sit down and learn!  I convinced her to get me a crochet hook, a pair of knitting needles, the book, and a cheap ball of acrylic, and began a six month journey of frustration and constant giving up.  Those six months include the time it took to read the book, get the guts to start, tear out my swatches, and repeat the cycle for about a month, a long break in between of stuffing everything into the corner of my bedroom, and getting it out again to suddenly find that everything “clicked”!  I could cast on 20 stitches and knit the same number without accidentally decreasing or increasing for a full square, I could purl and knit, and I could increase and decrease!  After that it was just a natural progression of trying new things to knit.

What prompted you to start designing?

I can’t ever follow directions.  I don’t think I ever followed a pattern.  My first garment was only loosely based off a shrug in a pattern book I have- I used the pattern to determine my cast on number, then promptly proceeded to ignore almost everything else.  I still wear that dress every year, and except for some awkward bunching at the sleeves, which I did block out eventually, it is a beautiful and serviceable garment. I’m not sure how I got onto crazy things like lace and such- probably my love of shawl knitting.

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

I’m always doodling designs in several sketchbooks.  When I do decide to actually make on a reality, it typically starts with the yarn, then a gathering of a inspirational images, which can be anything from fashion photographs to nature photography, depending on the design.  I will usually doodle several ideas on the sides of a page, then sketch the final concept and put notes on it. Then I swatch, keeping detailed notes on my computer, and eventually I will turn that swatch into a finished piece.

Tell us about your design aesthetic.

I never thought about it until now, but it’s quite feminine and classy.  I love 80s, Victorian, and roaring 20s fashions especially, and emblems and inspirations from these constantly creep into my designs, whether in the stitch pattern or the silhouette.  I think there may also be something of a seaside cottage look to the designs I’ve actually published and made available, too- something very nature-y but decidedly boutique-like.

What did you love about the Valley Yarn you worked with?

I have deliberately avoided working with plant fibers the entirety of my knitting and crochet repertoire, unless they are blended with silk or wool.  So working with Longmeadow was a learning experience, since it is a microfiber and cotton blend.  And much to my joy, I did not hate it!  I was surprised by how soft it was, and that it did not hurt my hands as I knit with it.  It had good stitch definition, which for me is always a plus, given my lace and cable obsession.  The only real hurdle I had to conquer was blocking- I had to steam block my design to get it to even out and lay flat, but I did enjoy seeing the transformation take hold.

In bright beachy colors, like purple haze and willow, Valley Yarns Longmeadow is a wonderful yarn for light layers. Knit the Rose Sorbet Tank and wear it with a strappy sundress, or a cami and shorts and stay cool and stylish all summer long! Which color will you choose?

We always look forward to new issues of Twist Collective and not only is this issue full of the stunningly creative designs that we’ve come to expect but two of them are in our Valley Yarns!

Ormond is a flattering, wonderfully light and airy seamless jacket that will keep you warm when you take a stroll on a cool night. A 2×2 rib front band is worked concurrently with an overall Rickrack Lace pattern. This gentle and slimming jacket is knit flat in one piece up to armholes to minimize seams, and the waist shaping is done by changing needle size. Knit in Valley Yarns Deerfield a 80% Baby Alpaca/20% Silk blend that results in a lightweight but snuggly and warm cardi with incredible drape and shine.

Cedri is a fun and flirty summer top, with a slightly cropped length, that features an eyelet lace chevron pattern across the yoke and sleeves and up the sides . This shell is worked in two pieces from the bottom up with minimal shaping, then sewn together. Valley Yarns Longmeadow is the ideal yarn for an active top like this. Cool cotton will keep you from overheating and the microfiber helps the yarn to keeps it’s memory and shape.

What pieces are you excited to knit from this issue?

Longmeadow is longtime favorite from the Valley Yarns family of yarns, it’s blend of cotton and microfiber gives you a soft and washable yarn that really stands up to use and wear. It’s ideal for babies and kids knits as well as sweaters and home goods and I thought I’d share some of my favorite patterns for this yarn with you today.

The Snowdrop Baby Blanket features a delicate, eyelet lace pattern reminiscent of Snowdrop petals and it’s just one of the sweetest baby blanket patterns we have. This one is knit corner to corner which is perfect for knitters like me who tend to get bored about halfway through a project at the prospect of more of the same. With this kind of construction, just as you get to the middle the blanket starts getting smaller again so it feels like it races along to the finish with shorter and shorter rows!

A fantastic sweater for any child in your life, the Picnic Pullover is a soft and comfortable sweater that they’ll love to wear. With simple, textured stripes of ribbing and stockinette, this top-down, sweater is easy to adjust for length in the body and sleeves. Knit it all in one color or change it up and switch colors when you switch textures!

Finally, the Manta Tee is one of those sweaters that you fall in love with and wear over and over.  Let me tell you why I love this sweater! First, it’s top down which means NO SEAMS, but our clever Kirsten Hipsky has also given us simultaneous set-in-sleeves for a more flattering fit. Second, there’s a slight a-line flare in the shaping of this sweater that beautifully allows that extra bit of room for those of us with ample hips. Third it’s so, so comfortable in the Longmeadow, like your favorite pair of jeans. This yarn feels like butter against the skin and it’s not too warm! A tank, jeans and this sweater are enough to get me through most Spring and Fall days.

What have you knit with Longmeadow? What was your favorite project?

Our Valley Yarns Longmeadow is the perfect yarn to bridge the seasons, and the new Ascending Leaves Pullover designed by Ashwini Jambhekar is the ideal springtime sweater! Cool and soft against the skin, but fluffy enough keep you warm on breezy April days, this pullover features a climbing vine lace pattern that circles the hem and flared sleeves.

We asked Ashwini to tell us a bit about herself and her work.

When did you learn to knit? 

My “learn to knit” story is pretty traditional: my mom taught me when I was quite young, around age 4. And in keeping with tradition, my first project was a garter stitch scarf. The yarn was a department-store acrylic in a lovely coral color. I made the scarf for my grandmother, who lived in the heat and humidity of Mumbai, India!

What prompted you to start designing?

I started designing in graduate school, when I discovered the lovely LYS Artfibers in San Francisco (now closed). The shop samples were very youthful and shapely, unlike the large, bulky acrylic or wool samples on display at the time in the east coast chain stores, which were my only other exposure to yarn and garment design. The Artfibers staff used to create new designs for their samples, and after learning a bit from them, I began by making minor modifications to patterns and was soon creating whole designs from scratch.

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

I like to think about the different kinds of shapes and lines that can be created in a garment, and what features they emphasize. For ideas, I often browse sewing patterns. I also look through stitch pattern dictionaries and try to imagine various ways to arrange a pattern on a garment, and how the placement affects the overall look of the garment. Unfortunately, the latter can’t easily be determined by swatching, but I definitely swatch to get a sense of how a pattern looks in a particular yarn (and to calculate my gauge, of course!).

Tell us about your design aesthetic.

I primarily knit women’s garments, and strive for a look that’s elegant and feminine. My work as a scientist isn’t compatible with too many frills, so I try to keep the silhouettes pretty sleek. This design is one of my first ones to incorporate flared sleeves, which I love in theory, but perhaps not so much when I’m working.

What did you love about the Valley Yarn you worked with?

I loved the smooth, crisp stitch definition of the cotton in Longmeadow, coupled with the wool-like resiliency provided by the microfiber.

Valley Yarns Longmeadow has long been one of our favorite Valley Yarns, both for it’s versatility and durability. With a washable 60% Cotton/40% Microfiber blend and all-purpose DK weight, this yarn is ideal for everything from baby knits to homegoods. Which color will you use for the Ascending Leaves Pullover?

We’re always working behind the scenes to design, write,  knit/crochet samples, and photograph beautiful new patterns in our Valley Yarns. We’ve partnered with some big name designers in the past few years to bring you some stunning patterns for our 40th Anniversary in 2014 and as part of our Designer in Residence Series for 2015. This year we thought we’d change things up a bit and share our Valley Yarns with some independant designers and see how they were inspired. And boy, were they!

Throughout 2016 we’ll be featuring 2 Valley Yarns each month along with some great new designs, and designers! Starting in April we’ll be sharing our love of Longmeadow and Haydenville. You can look forward to yarn reviews, pattern features for some of our most beloved patterns and the newest designs for these yarns!

What is your favorite Valley Yarn?

With each release of Vogue Knitting we look forward to seeing what wonderful new garments designers have imagined with our Valley Yarns and Early Spring 2016 does not disappoint!

Julie Turjoman has designed the close fitting, High Low Tunic, with a split back and gorgeous slipped stitch texture. Once the body pieces have been knit and seamed the bodice is picked up and worked in the round. While we are sold out of the Winter Lake colorway we have quite a few fun and summer color in Longmeadow. Go classic and beachy with Natural, or add a splash of color with Periwinkle or Coral.

And don’t miss out on all the other incredible designs in this issue!

#4 Graphic Top by Yoko Hatta in Cascade Yarns Anchor Bay, #5 Striped Romper by Courtney Cedarholm in Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Dyed, #13 Open Waves Top by Jacqueline van Dillen in Rowan Creative Linen, #16 Cable & Lace Duster by Yoko Hatta in Plymouth Yarn Linen Concerto, #17 Deep V-Neck Duster by Deborah Newton in Classic Elite Yarns Soft Linen, #18 Lacy Cardi by Sarah Hatton in Rowan Pure Linen, #19 Deep Rib Tank by Annabelle Speer in Cascade Yarns Fixation Solid, #24 Eyelet Top by Yoko Hatta in Fibre Company Meadow.

Are you a fan of Valley Yarns? Have you been meaning to try it for a while but just haven’t gotten around to it? Now’s the perfect chance during our Valley Yarns Flash Sale. You have through October 6, 2015 at 11:59pm EDT to save 30% on Valley Yarns!

Valley Yarns is our own brand that we source from all over the world. We look for beautiful yarns that will last, and strive to have them at affordable prices. You may want to take this chance to check out our two newest yarns, Valley Yarns Hatfield and Valley Yarns Sunderland. Both of these 100% alpaca yarns are super warm.

Maybe merino is more your style? Take a look at Amherst. It’s one of my favorite Valley Yarns yarns because it is so soft. Prefer something without wool? Valley Yarns Southwick, Valley Yarns Longmeadow, and Valley Yarns Goshen are all wonderful cotton blends. I have a hard time knitting with cotton, but I must say, Goshen is one of my favorite yarns, and I’ve done several projects with it.

If you’re hoping for something machine washable, we have three weights of Valley Superwash, Worsted, DK, and Bulky, that are sure to fit whatever project you are looking to make. I’m actually thinking about some quick accessories in Valley Superwash Bulky, since the weather turned a bit chilly over the last few days, and we have some great bright colors that we’ve recently added to the line.

This is just a small sampling. No matter what Valley Yarns yarn you choose, you’ll love working with it. If you need inspiration, we also have a wonderful collection of Valley Yarns patterns designed exclusively for the yarn.

Don’t forget, until October 6, 2015 at 11:59pm EDT, you can save 30% on your purchase of Valley Yarns.

The Windley pullover from the Spring/Summer 2015 edition of Twist Collective is knit in our very own Valley Yarns Longmeadow in the bright, and sunny, melon colorway.

This perfect for summer pullover is worked in one piece from the top down with easy rolled hems, and a darling lace inset. With almost 20 colors of Longmeadow‘s cool cotton/mircofiber blend to choose from there’s sure to be a Windley in your future!

We began our 40^th anniversary series of drafts with a beautiful 16-shaft twill design from Barbara Elkins and end the year with a lovely baby blanket woven on a rigid heddle loom and designed by Leslie Ann Bestor, the new Weaving Manager for WEBS. It is a set of bookends that describes the weaving community in so many ways, touching on the breadth of experience, fibers and looms available.

The Bouquet of Hearts Baby Blanket, woven with Valley Yarns Longmeadow, showcases both the simple beauty of plain weave and the ability to add intricate details that rigid heddle looms do so well. Brook’s Bouquet is a technique of wrapping small bundles of threads to create lace-like windows in the cloth. In the blanket, the motif is a heart, but you can graph out and add your own motif – anything from the baby’s initials to other shapes.

Another key piece of the design, says Bestor, was to encourage weavers to work beyond the width of their looms and weave panels that can be seamed together. The seam can be done by hand or machine, invisibly or as a decorative accent. However it’s done, putting woven panels together expands the width – and the possibilities – of your loom.

We recently received the Spring 2013 issue of Knitscene from Interweave. It is a fantastic issue!

One project that stood out to all of us was the Salacia Cardigan designed by Josie Mercier. It is knit in or Valley Yarns Longmeadow, which is a fantastic, soft blend of cotton and acrylic microfiber.

It is worked from the bottom up in pieces. The biasing lace changes direction at the waist and pairs with the drawstring tie to create an hourglass effect.

The rest of the issue is loaded with fantastic projects that are classic and interesting. You won’t just find sweater projects – there are great hats and accessories too. I don’t often find magazines where I would knit most of the projects, but this is one of them, so it is an incredible deal. There is also a great article by Kim Werker on Maker Faire. This issue will be coming home with me.