An ideal yarn for between-season garments, Kimono by Zitron is made of 3 plies of Mulberry silk wrapped around a core of Merino wool. It is available in a number of wonderful colors, and works up to reveal gorgeous textures in both knitted and crocheted projects.
More than just a pretty yarn, Kimono is also manufactured in accordance with Oeko-Tex Standard 100, product class 1. That means it tests free of harmful substances, and is ideal for next-to-skin projects for anyone (including babies!)
All Zitron yarns are:
Manufactured in Germany
Guaranteed mulesing-free (that is, no wool-bearing skin is removed)
Yarns and dyes are certified in accordance with Oko-Tex Standard 100 Product Class 1
Baby saliva resistant
Absolute top quality in their segment
Manufactured in accordance with the most stringent environmental and social standards
These statements are confirmed and vouched for by: Marita & Klemens Zitron, Atelier Zitron Michael Thierling, Textilfarberei Hischhorn
Ready for a relaxing, rewarding project? Ellen Thomas of The Chilly Dog is hosting our next knit-along, and we couldn't be more excited to share the details (well, some of them) with you!
That's right, this time it's a mystery! Working with Popcycle by HiKoo, the Solacer Wrap is designed to be meditative, and Ellen's calm, clear presentation of both pattern and technique promises to deliver a stress-free experience.
Knit along with the group as we progress week to week and the project is slowly revealed. We assure you that it's a lovely finished object, and that once complete, it is ideal for those cooler nights and mornings that are just around the bend.
Timeline
Each week, the Solacer Wrap MKAL pattern file will be updated to include the following sections:
Friday, July 31 – Sections 1 and 2 are released Monday, August 3 – Section 3 Monday, August 10 – Section 4 Monday, August 17 – Section 5 Monday, August 24 – The complete pattern file is released, and photography is updated on the pattern file.
The pattern will be updated with the first clues revealed on July 31, 2020 at 9am Pacific!
Join the Conversation
Share your project progress with fellow Makers' in our Ravelry group HERE, and on social media using the following hashtags:
#SolacerWrapMKAL #MakersMercantile #TheChillyDog
The Kit
Each kit contains everything you need (except time!) to make this gorgeous wrap, including:
3 hanks of Popcycle by HiKoo
20" long addi Natura Bamboo fixed circular size US 4 (3.50 mm)
Our friend and talented designer Marie Greene is back with another 4 Day Knit Along! This pattern drops (see what we did there?) on July 1st, and we know that you will want to have your yarn and needles ready when this fun KAL kicks off!
We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek of the pattern, so Kyle & Kim have already knit theirs!
Kyle’s sweater is knit with two colors of HiKoo® Kenzie, colors 1007 & 1017.
We are excited for you to cast on with us! And we know you love a great sweater kit as much as we do, so we created a Soundtrack Sweater, Build Your Own Kit coupon, providing savings of 15%!
Select your favorite two colors of HiKoo Kenzie, or one color of HiKoo Kenzie and one color of Schoppel-Wolle Edition 3 in the quantity necessary for you to knit your sweater. Upon checking out, use code: Soundtrack4dayKAL and you’ll receive your 15% discount. Need needles? No problem, we’ve included the skacel Rocket 2 [squared] and Turbo by addi needles in the sizes needed, as part of the discount.
IMPORTANT NOTE! In order to offer specially priced kits in sweater quantities, we have had to use codes, rather than a set price. This enables us to offer the kit that allows you to buy the amount of yarn needed for your project.
Unfortunately our system only allows you to use one code at checkout. If you would like to order several items that have different codes assigned, please place separate orders for each code. Also, please put in the notes that you have one (two, three) orders placed, and that we should ship them together. We are happy to do so. If your combined orders total more than $50, and you paid shipping on any of the orders from the same day, we will refund your shipping charges on each order. Please allow a few days for this to happen.
Yes, this means a few more steps for you (and us!) but we want to offer as many discount opportunities as possible, and for now, this is the best we are able to offer with our current system.
Soundtrack Sweater sizes & yarn quantities:
Main Color
32″ = 6 balls
36″ & 40″ = 7 balls
44: = 8 balls
48″ & 52″ = 9 balls
56″ & 60″ = 10 balls
64″ = 11 balls
Contrasting Color
All sizes 2 balls
Circular needles:
16″ US size 3 (3.25mm)
12″ US size 3 (3.25mm) & US size 5 (3.75mm)
24″- 40″ US size 4 (3.5mm) & US size 5 (3.75mm)
Color Inspiration!
Click on the images below for more details.
And now…Marie Greene Live!
We are excited to announce a FREE, live, interactive interview with Marie Greene on Saturday, June 20th at 2pm PST. If you are planning to knit along with us (and why wouldn’t you be planning to join?) sign up (it’s free!) and we’ll send you a link to join in on the fun.
Marie will be sharing tips and tricks and giving us all of the yarny details! Space is limited, so sign up today!
And knowing us – there will be party favors – so don’t be late to the party!
Thank you for your interest in our Whidbey Pullover Design Contest in collaboration with Bellish. After much in-house discussion, we have decided to postpone this design contest indefinitely.
With Stay At Home orders still in effect for much of the country, and the world, we want to ensure everyone who has the desire to participate would also have the ability to obtain the yarn. This is not currently possible for everyone, and we are aware of this.
We look forward to re-introducing an event like this in the future and hope you will join us then.
If you have any questions regarding this event, please reach out to Kyle at Kyle@makersmercantile.com for assistance.
We appreciate your understanding and wish you well,
We LOVE how the colors blended together and thought you might want to give yourself a Love Note as well. Thus we are delighted to offer you a “Build Your Own Kit” coupon to build your own Love Note Kit!
Save 20%!!
Here’s How
Pick the colors of yarn you love in the quantities you need, as well as the needles of your choice, and use the coupon LoveNoteApril2020. This will give you 20% off your purchase of the supplies. We are including needles in the discount enabling you to get everything you need to knit your own Love Note at the 20% off.
Based on your response, you love the Love Note Sweater as much as we do! We have received quite a few requests for additional variegated color options. If you too were looking for an option with a bit more color variation, we have a treat for you. We have extended our discount to includeZitron Unisono yarn!
Today the the first day of our next Curious Make Along with Franklin Habit.
From the unique shape to the gorgeous play of color, the Temple of Flora has intrigued me and had me longing to cast on, but my favorite part of this pattern is the use of the mosaic technique.
I am a huge fan of colorwork patterns and mosaic knitting is one of my favorite ways to add colorful designs. Using one color at a time makes mosaic knitting one of the easiest colorwork techniques, and it eliminates the worry of puckering due to strands pulled too tight. Additionally, because these patterns are created with slipped stitches, it makes the patterns more geometric in nature and the charts are easier to read and follow.
I have already cast on and I have been using this project to
Zauberball Crazy Cotton in color 2392 & HiKoo Cobasi DK in 2020 Color of the Year
practice my backwards knitting skills. What is knitting backwards you ask? It is exactly what it sounds like and rather than turning your work to purl the next row, you knit “back” over the stitches. It is a particularly useful skill when knitting a small number of stitches with two colors of yarn, as it keeps the yarn from tangling when you turn at the end of every row. Want to learn more? Our friend Chilly Dog is hosting a video event on April 11th to teach you this useful technique. You can learn more here.
If you want to knit along with us we have a few kits left, so order a kit and knit along, we can’t wait to see how your colors play together, and don’t forget to tag your project #curiouskal and #templeofflora
The Temple of Flora Wrap, knit with Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball Crazy Cotton, was inspired by time spent wandering along among the ancient Roman ruins of Ostia and Herculaneum. Brilliant colors shimmer, shatter, and disappear across a field of geometric mosaic knitting. The pattern includes several other skill-building techniques such as chart reading, short rowing, and a simple (but optional) crochet edge detail. The piece is designed to sit comfortably on the shoulders through a shaped neck edge and an unusual bat-wing construction. If you’re a knitter who enjoys a bit of a challenge in pursuit of a beautiful finished object, join Franklin Habit in making your own Temple of Flora. As always, Curious Knit-Along with Makers’ Mercantile offers online support including videos; extended illustrated discussions of technique, history, and design; plus the fellowship of a supportive and enthusiastic community.
As always, our Curious Knit-Alongs are designed for the knitter who is looking to learn a little bit more about the history of knitting, the structure of knitted fabrics, and techniques they may not yet have encountered. All this, plus the fellowship of a friendly and supportive group moderated by the designer.
The KAL begins April 10th, and the adventure will continue through May 8, 2020.
Shown in Version A Colorway
Join the Knit-Along and spend time with other makers in the forum. Franklin will add witty instruction and guidance as the KAL progresses. If the kits have sold out, or if you’d like to use different colors or yarn, use the links below to purchase kit components (while supplies last).
My very first post was all the way back in May 2019 and featured a beautiful rainbow long gradient. It's time to return to my roots! I’ve done a few fade sets, but this time I’m going for gold and making a 5-skein set at the same time.
My base yarn is Sabrina, an 80% Merino Extrafine SW Wool and 20% Nylon blend.
For blue, I used a 50/50 mix of Jacquard Sky Blue and Turquoise. For red, I used a 50/50 mix of Jacquard Fire Red and Hot Fuchsia. And for yellow, straight Jacquard Sun Yellow. In 3 condiment squeeze bottles, I added 1 tsp of citric acid. I mixed up 1/8 tsp of powdered dye with 3 ounces of warm water. For the blue and the red dyes, I used 1/16 tsp of each color to get the total 1/8 tsp of powder. Then, holding my finger over the opening, I lightly shook the dye and water until it mixed. That took care of my primary colors.
To get my secondary colors, I used three more empty squeeze bottles. To get green, I started with yellow and slowly added blue until I got the green color that I liked, which was approximately .5 ounces of the blue. I repeated that for orange and purple. To each bottle, I added water until it was full.
I soaked all yarn in water for 30 minutes before starting. Each hank was placed on a shower hook. I folded the hank in half and put it into a turkey roaster.
That was repeated until all 5 hanks were in the same pan. Water was added so about half of the yarn was submerged.
I wanted to make sure my strips of color were equal size. I could have marked the ends of the pan, so I knew where that was, but I’m an eyeball-it kind of person. I started with the yellow and laid down a strip of dye.
And then I laid down strips of blue and pink. This allows me to see where my primaries go and helped make the sections fairly uniform.
Afterward, I followed with the secondary colors. With the pan across two burners, I turned on the heat to before simmering and let the dye exhaust.
I did notice that the dye wasn’t penetrating too far in, so I used my prong to gently move around the yarn and inject color into the hank. And I let the dye exhaust (this is a time-consuming method. You’re going to hear that a lot.)
Using the shower hooks, I picked up the yarn and turned it over. This is where the shower hooks really come in handy. I like not burning my fingers.
As you can see, the other side was pretty bare. Clearly, that had to change.
Once again, I laid on my primary colors in the same placement as before.
And I laid on the secondary colors too. Then, I let it exhaust. Again.
Using the prong, I wiggled the yarn around some more and if I found bare spots, I added more dye until all my dye was gone and it had all FINALLY exhausted. I let the yarn and the pan cool overnight before rinsing and hanging up all that glorious yarn to dry.
And oh my gosh! I am in such love with this yarn. It’s such a stunning rainbow (if I do say so myself) and I cannot wait to make this into a sweater! Since this is a hand-dyed set, obviously each hank is a bit different, so when I knit it up, I’ll alternate rows between the hanks.
Ready to make your unique colorway? Hop on over to Makers' Mercantile® and pick up your undyed yarn and supplies. We can’t wait to see what you make, so tag us on social media with #makersmercantile!
About Tara Tara Warburton is the former graphic designer for Makers' Mercantile® and a fine artist. She specializes in watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. She lives with her two cats, who are not helpful when knitting.
If you haven’t already heard, there’s a new app for iOS that generates sweater patterns for free called Bellish!
This revolutionary app allows the user to feel like a designer by offering multiple points for customization! Choose from different necklines, sleeve lengths, body lengths, and textures – all available in a variety of gauges with new options added regularly!
Ready to learn more? Check out our Q&A with Bellish Knitting below!
A)Bellish began with the idea of creating digital tools for knitters. These days we use our smartphones and tablets for so many of our daily tasks, and it was a natural next step for us to ask if there might be a way to make those devices more useful for knitting. As knitters, ourselves, we wanted to create a dynamic, personalized knitting experience that went beyond what was possible with a PDF.
Q) We love knitting sweaters, which is why Bellish is so appealing! Are there plans to eventually expand the offerings beyond the realm of sweaters?
A) For the time being, the focus is on enhancing the sweater knitting experience to the fullest. We’re building a robust library of options, with new sweater styles, yarn weights and embellishments underway (we add new features almost every week). It’s certainly a possibility that we’ll add other kinds of knitting projects down the road as Bellish grows and evolves with the feedback of our users.
Q) What is your favorite feature that’s included with the Bellish app?
A) There’s a real sense of immediate gratification when you’re able to customize your design in real time and see the textures and colors transform right before your eyes. Of course, we love the digital tools in the app: the row highlighter, stitch/row counters and clickable stitch checkpoints, but we think the absolute best thing about Bellish is that it makes it easy for any knitter to bring their sweater ideas to life. We’ve loved watching knitters use Bellish as a starting point and then add their own creativity to the mix.
Q) We love how the Bellish app can allow knitters to fall in love with a yarn, then make a pattern around it. Based on your testers, what’s been the most exciting pairing of yarn and pattern you’ve seen so far?
A) Knitters loved having the ability to create their sweaters based on the yarn they already wanted to use (rather than trying to find the perfect pattern, and then looking for the right yarn to go with it). One of our testers said that she had yarn in her stash from a friend of a friend’s mom, and it had been sitting dormant since the 1980s. The Bellish app made it possible to finally turn that yarn into the exact sweater she wanted it to be – she said that her friends were very impressed that she finally found a use for it.
One of the other things our testers have really liked about Bellish is being able to open the app while they’re at the yarn shop. They can stand right there in front of the yarn they fell in love with, and – with a few clicks – design a sweater to go with it, and know exactly how much they’re going to need.
Q) With any idea that blooms into reality, there’s always something to discover along the way. What’s been the most surprising feedback you’ve received from the beta testers and users so far?
A) Two things really stood out for us. First, we wondered how knitters would feel about seeing an illustration of their pattern rather than a finished photo. But when you think of each knitter as an individual designer of their own project, it makes sense that they would start with an illustration and then bring the sweater to life on their needles – our beta testers loved that process. Second, we were very curious about the skill level of the knitters who would find Bellish most useful. Would it resonate more with beginners? Experienced knitters? We had thousands of beta testers and the feedback was so interesting: it was almost exactly a 50/50 split between those who felt Bellish was perfect for beginners, and those who felt it was designed especially for experienced knitters. We were thrilled to see that Bellish is providing an inspiring and worthwhile experience for knitters, regardless of their skill level. It’s a fun, creative resource for any knitter!
I had a vision for this one. I really did. I wanted something bright and sunny, with beautiful fades of pink, red and orange. That isn’t what I got. But I got to use the crockpot, so that’s a win!
Once again, I am using Fannie, a 100% Merino Superwash Wool for my base. And I’m also using food coloring for my dye.
To start, I immersion dyed the entire hank with yellow dye. I don’t have a picture of that, but all I did was fill the crockpot with water, yellow food coloring and citric acid. I turned on the heat for 30 minutes on high and let the food coloring exhaust. This left me with a lovely semi-tonal yellow base.
I twisted the wet yarn into a hank and put it back into the crockpot (Bonus! I used the same water.)
On one side of the hank, I dropped in three drops of red food coloring.
On the other side, I put in a few drops of pink food coloring. I put on the lid and let it set in the crockpot for 30 minutes (the temperature on high). The food coloring exhausted, the yarn cooled, and I hung it up to dry.
As you can see, there is no discernible difference between the pink or the red. I think all the color just blended into one color. The twisting also left the yarn with stripes of color. Not what I was going for, but sometimes serendipity just takes over.
Stay tuned for next week for a rainbow explosion!
Ready to make your unique colorway? Hop on over to Makers' Mercantile® and pick up your undyed yarn and supplies. We can’t wait to see what you make, so tag us on social media with #makersmercantile!
About Tara Tara Warburton is the former graphic designer for Makers' Mercantile® and a fine artist. She specializes in watercolor and colored pencil illustrations. She lives with her two cats, who are not helpful when knitting.
