Berroco Nanuk Video Yarn Review + FREE Cowl Knitting Pattern!

I got a chance to work with Berroco Nanuk yarn and I love it! It's very soft and cozy, perfect for scarves and cowls. Note: the Nanuk color I chose for the video is Narwhal. 
Watch this video review to find out more and get a free cowl knitting pattern!


NobleKnits introduces Berroco Nanuk Yarn
Hi again! It's Nancy Queen from NobleKnits.com. I'm here to talk to you today about Berroco's new Nanuk yarn. We just got this yarn in for fall. It's a brand new soft, plush yarn. If you liked Berroco's Chinchilla yarn, they you are going to love Nanuk. The colors are all warm and cozy for fall and winter..and they'll look great against your fall and winter coats. It's a really nice yarn for knitting scarves, shawls, sweaters, even baby blankets because it is so cozy everybody is going to love to touch it. Now, I don't know if you can see this, but it's a strand of this plush, plush yarn. Nanuk is easy to knit; It doesn't get caught in your knitting needles. It's a 67% Wool, 33% Nylon blend. It knits up at a really nice and quick gauge of 3 stitches per inch on a US 10.5 needle. I'm working on a project right now which I will show you. It's a cowl free knitting pattern. I am about 1 1/2 balls into knitting this cowl. So, what you are going to do is cast on 120 stitches on size US 10.5 circular 24" knitting needles. You'll end up with a nice long cowl that is about 42" around. This is entirely knit in the round. Like I said, I'm about 1 1/2 balls into my cowl, so you'll need 3 balls to knit it. So, it is size 10.5 needle, cast on 120 stitches, knit in the round, and you are good to go.
Again, that is Nanuk yarn from Berroco available at NobleKnits.com and we have free shipping!

Are you a Fickle Knitter?

Nancy with Fickle Knitter designer, Michelle Miller

I was very fortunate to meet Fickle Knitter, Michelle Miller, at TNNA. Her booth was filled with beautiful knitting projects; lots of scarves and shawl that were intricate yet surprisingly simple to knit - many reminded me of spiderwebs woven in mesmerizing patterns. I guess that is what you get when the creator is a scientist-turned-knitting-designer. Michelle loves fine yarns, and stitch patterns that challenge her physics background. I had a chance to find out what makes Michelle tick and I love her unique mathematical approach to knitting. 


Enjoy getting to know Fickle Knitter, Michelle Miller:


How long have you been knitting?
Knitting took my life by storm the summer of 2004, about a year after I moved to Southern California to attend graduate school. I was already married so my husband had to learn to accept the ever growing yarn collection and burgeoning knitting needle supply as it slowly overtook our home.


When did you become a knitwear designer?
I started writing designs professionally in July of 2008. I was staying home with my infant daughter and there was nothing like becoming a new business owner to help me procrastinate finishing my Masters degree in applied physics (I did eventually complete my degree in the spring of 2010). I lovingly call that time of my life the ProcrastiKnitting era.


What got you started?
Staying at home meant that I didn’t have a whole lot of adult interaction and some days I felt as if my brain were leaking out of my ears. In many ways I found that being a stay at home parent was more difficult than all those years of physics training. So writing knitting patterns allowed me to stay sharp mentally and use the knowledge I accumulated while earning my degrees in physics. It’s not what my professors had in mind or what I ever expected to do but it’s fulfilling and enriching.


What is your inspiration?
I am inspired by nature and I love a challenge. I enjoy every aspect of knitting, writing and designing and am particularly attracted to designing because it’s like solving a puzzle.


Do you draw out your design first..or does the yarn lead the way?
I do a bit of both. I sketch and let the yarn speak to me. Usually I draw a general outline of the item and fill in the stitch pattern details once I have the yarn in my hands. I like to keep things flexible so I can change midstream if something isn’t right. I rip back frequently, and I follow my instincts. If something isn’t the way I think it should go I change it.


Do you have a favorite yarn for your projects?
I love a fine weight yarn. Sock and lace weights are my favorite and almost any yarn with a bit of silk. I have a special love for writing shawl and shawlette patterns using one skein of luxury sock yarns. The beauty of it is you can substitute lace or a larger yarn by changing your needles.

Berroco Link Yarn Video Review

NobleKnits Introduces Berroco Link Yarn


Hey, it's me Nancy Queen with NobleKnits. Are you looking for a one-ball, quick, quick, knitting project? Then you want to try Berroco's new Link yarn. This yarn works up at one stitch per inch and there's a FREE (knitting) Pattern right on the label to make a really cute scarf. Link comes in a nice variety of colors. The shades are all tone on tone so they look really good with coats and jackets. Link yarn itself, is actually a big knitted chain link tube.  It's a wool and acrylic blend yarn. So, you'll need to grab your big big needles, one ball of Link, and the free pattern is right on the label. So get knitting and enjoy!

My Berroco Link Scarf after 10 minutes of knitting at my desk!

Shop Berroco Link Yarn Now
The one ball scarf on label uses size US 50 knitting needles

Free Knitting Patterns: Rustic Lace Scarf

I loved knitting this Rustic Lace Scarf! I used just one ball of Plymouth Haciendo yarn and I can't believe what a generously sized it turned out to be. The yarn itself is thick and thin, so it gives a really rustic look to a very each and traditional lace knitting pattern. So grab a pair of big needles and get started on this quick-knit project! 


Note: the sides the completed scarf tend to roll, but since it's so light and open, I like that look. If you would prefer to block the scarf, please do not over block it - that will flatten the yarn and loose the look of Haciendo.

Completed Scarf Measures: 8 x 60"


You will need:

• 1 balls Plymouth Haciendo yarn
• Size US 17 needles

Cast on 14 stitches

Row 1: K1 *k3, yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo.* Repeat from * to * across. K1.

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: K1 *yo, sl 1, k2tog, psso, yo, k3.* Repeat from * to * across. K1.

Row 4: Purl

Repeat Rows 1-4 until only a few yards of yarn remain. Bind off loosely.

Weave in yarn ends.


Abbreviations used in this pattern
K  knit
YO  yarn over
K2TOG  knit two stitches together
SL  slip stitch (as if to knit)
PSSO  pass slipped stitch over just knitted stitch

As if you need another excuse to knit more...

We are thrilled to announce BIG, BIG News: Free Shipping Every Day!


Following the lead of a retailer we admire, Zappos, NobleKnits.com is the first designer yarn retailer to offer FREE SHIPPING! That's right. No minimum order, anything on our site. We'll ship it right to your door for free (US domestic addresses). Now you can use that extra money in your pocket to add to your yarn stash. But, don't stop there. Use our free shipping to get yarn, knitting patterns, knitting supplies, needles, kits, and even gifts for knitters. Read more>> 


Enjoy!


www.NobleKnits.com

Free Knitting Pattern Friday: Quaker Cowl!

Happy (knitting) Friday! You know what that means...it's free knitting pattern day!

Today's featured knitting pattern is the Quaker Cowl and it's a one-ball knitting project. The cowl uses Manos Maxima yarn. The hand dyed hues of Maxima really add a lot of beauty and depth to this relatively simple to knit pattern.

Completed Cowl Measures: 22" around x 8" high


You will need:

• 1 ball Manos del Uruguay Maxima yarn (shown in Key Lime)
• Size US 9 knitting needles
• Download Quaker Cowl PDF Free Knitting Pattern

Westknits makes the cover of Knitty!

One of our favorite knitting pattern designers, Stephen West of Westknits, just received the coveted cover page of this season's Knitty.com magazine with his Creekbed Scarf. The project is a sophisticated chevron stripe using dk or sock weight yarn. West's knitting patterns tend to focus on beautiful and interesting stitches, seamless designs, modular knitting, and rich geometrics.
Here's a link to Creekbed Scarf Knitting Pattern.

Want to see more of Westknits Knitting Patterns? Here's a few of our favorites listed below.

Westknits Akimbo Shawl Knitting Pattern

Westknits Daybreak Shawl Knitting Pattern

Windschief Hat and Cowl Knitting Pattern

Westknits Herbivore Shawl Knitting Pattern

Westknits Little Colonnade Triangular Shawl Knitting Pattern

Free Knitting Pattern Friday: Newfoundland Scarf!

Happy Free Knitting Pattern Friday! 

Today's free pattern is the Newfoundland Scarf featuring Manos Wool Clasica yarn. It's a large ribbed cable that gently twists around for a very unique look.

Completed Scarf Measures: 90 x 5"

Download Newfoundland Scarf PDF Knitting Pattern

You will need:

• 5 balls Manos Wool Clasica Yarn
• Size US 15 knitting needles
• 1 size US 10.5 (or smaller) double pointed needle to be used as a cable needle