Happy Friday! We just went from summer to real fall weather with cooler temperatures and lower humidity overnight. I couldn’t be happier–especially about the lower humidity. I hope you are enjoying fall weather too.
This week I want to show you some great yarn pairings and some pattern ideas to go with them.
Yarn Pairings – One Plus One
I had originally planned to show many different yarn bases and weights, but I got started photographing matching colorways on Sock Perfection and had so many great yarn pairs that I thought I would just focus on those today and do another newsletter soon (or two or three) with some different yarn bases and weights.
I scoured Ravelry and also asked in the Purple Lamb Facebook group for ideas for patterns that use two skeins of yarn together–one semi-solid and one variegated.
Most of the patterns are small shawls/large scarves, but there are some cowls and a sweater as well. Some are by designers you’ll probably recognize while others are not as well known. Thank you to Amy and Marla for making some great pattern suggestions!
I’m going to include the list of patterns I found below as well as the painting I’m using to inspire the November club colorways.
Meanwhile, let’s get started with the yarn pairings:
It’s a little hard to sea the Contentment color in Carnevale, but it is definitely there.
This is the official year of complications, I think. I made It’s Complicated First. Then I made Party Like It’s 2021 (not shown here), and I finally added Complications. All three have the same colors of speckles. I don’t have Party Like It’s 2021 in stock on Sock Perfection just now, but it is in the Dyed to Order section of my shop.
I couldn’t decide which colorway to pair Autumn Leaves with, so I chose two. Here it is with Eggplant:
…and here it is with The Winedark Sea:
Autumn Leaves and The Winedark Sea on Sock Perfection
Which one do you prefer?
Here’s another quandary for you. Which Christmas combo do you prefer?
Forest Green was still drying, which is why it doesn’t have its label yet.
I’m working on hats for my two youngest sons using Honey Bee right now. What is it about ribbing? Am I the only one who can’t count to two?
Going on…
Here’s another possibility for Pagliacci:
FYI, Lagoon is a one-of-a-kind colorway. I believe I have two skeins left.
Last but not least is this pair I love. Instead of being a semi-solid plus a variegated, it’s a speckled colorway plus a variegated, and both were inspired by Les Misérables.
Pattern Ideas
As I mentioned above, I went on a search for some great patterns to go with these. They all call for two distinctly different colorways, and most just require two skeins. They range from beginner to rather complex.
I should mention that I have not used these patterns, so if you have, please share your feedback in the Purple Lamb Facebook group.
- Spring to It Cowl by Kristen Finlay
- Two Skeins of Heaven Scarf by Kelene Kinnersly
- Solaris by Melanie Berg
- Sea Grass by Janina Kallio
- Summer Camp by Laura Aylor
- Hundred Acre Wood by Helen Stewart
- Loop by Casapinka
- Echo Wood by Boo Knits
- Tidal Zone by Mary-Anne Mace
- Robina-Shawl by Catherine Anderson
- Gift of the Mermaid by Lena Matthison
- Concentra Cowl by Erin Kurup
- When Rain Falls by Ana Campos
- Ferris Wheel Fade Sweater by Lena Matthison
The last one by Lena Matthison will certainly take more than two skeins, but it looks wonderful.
November Club Colorway
I have been focused a lot on modern art these days, but this is probably the most modern. I keep coming across the paintings of Leonid Afremov and being really intrigued by his unique palette-knife paintings with the brilliant, close colors.
I chose a painting filled with fall colors called “Farewell to Anger.” Here it is:
It seems like a good theme as we round out this very difficult year. You can find out more about him right here.
Advent Calendars
I have dyed up all the colors for the Yarn Advent Calendars, and my family and I will be starting to package them up soon. I used this photo of the Coral Reef as my inspiration:
I must say that I am very excited about how the minis turned out. If you ordered one, I hope you really enjoy it so much!
We are also working on creating the Art Batt Advent Calendars right now. These are a bit different. I’m going from predominantly green art batts to predominantly blue art batts to predominantly purple art batts, so sort of half a rainbow but with lots of other more minor colors mixed in. I do have 4 more available right here.
That’s everything for today. If nothing more pressing presents itself before next week, I’ll do another One Plus One for a different yarn base or two.
Happy weekend!