Cascade Yarns Blog

Salar is a squishy, soft, chunky alpaca blend. It is great for quick knits and finishing off your holiday gifting. Each 200 gram skein contains 197 yards - enough to make a lovely scarf or cowl. This cowl works up quickly and is just a combination of knit and purl stitches to add a bit of texture. Materials: - 1 skein Salar (50% Alpaca/45% Acrylic/5% Wool - 197 yds/200 g) - shown in color 10 (Red) - US 13 circular needles (at least 30" circumference) - Stitch Marker - Yarn Needle Abbreviations: - K - Knit - P - Purl Gauge & Measurment: - Approx 2.5 sts = 1" - 8" high x 48" circumference Cast on 120 sts Place stitch marker to mark beginning of rounds [K1, P2] for 4 rounds Start Pattern:  Rows 1-2 - K Rows 3-5 - *[K1, P2] - repeat from * Continue until almost desired height - [K1, P2] for 1 round Bind off loosely. Weave in ends.

Haiti Babi  was started to keep kids out of orphanages and with their families. In Haiti, 10% of kids live in and orphanage and 80% of those kids have living parents that cannot afford to take care of them. In 2011 Seattle native Kaitlin Jackson volunteered at a Haitian orphanage and was inspired to start Haiti Babi. Haitian moms are hired and taught to knit and crochet. They are paid more than twice the minimum wage and are also learning about budgeting. The baby blankets and baby hats are machine knit in Ultra Pima with a crocheted edge. Each piece is tagged with the name of the mom that crocheted the edge. Ystania  crocheted the edge on the Pineapple colored blanket that we are giving away. She has 2 boys and has started a side business making/selling peanut butter. Her boys now attend school and she has been able to buy land to build a house on. Beatrice  crocheted the edge on the Light Blue hat that is part of 1 of the sets that will be given away. She has 3 youn

Lana Grande is a bulky wool that works up quickly with great stitch definition. Lofty and durable, it works into a warm, squishy fabric. In the fall, it is easy to be drawn to chunky wools for that quick gratification that comes with finishing a project. I couldn't resist making a quick hat with a simple, easy to remember stitch pattern.  Materials - 1 ball Lana Grande (100% Peruvian Highland Wool - 87 yds/100 g) - shown in 6043 (Antique) - US 13 16-20" circular needles - Stitch Marker - Yarn needle Abbreviations - K - Knit - P - Purl - K2tog - Knit 2 Together Gauge & Measurements 2.5 sts = 1" 21" circumference 9" length from cast on edge Cast on 52 stitches Join in round, place marker to mark beginning of round K2, P2 for 2" Start pattern: 1 - K 2 - K1, P1 Cont until 7" from cast on edge Start decreases 1 - K2tog, K11 2 - K2tog, K10 3 - K2tog, K9 4 - K2tog, K8 5 - K2tog, K7 6 - K2tog, K6 7 - K

It's been a while since I have knit anything in Pacific Chunky which I have loved for quick hats and cowls. It is squishy, soft, and easy care.  I realized that it sounded like the perfect blanket.  There is enough merino wool in this chunky blend to give some body and memory.  As an added bonus the chunky gauge works up quickly. I like blankets to be reversible and realized that Pacific Chunky Color Wave would be perfect for this. The colorways gradiate and would add interest to a simple textured stitch.  The size of the pattern is easily modifiable - it is a 4 stitch pattern. Add or subtract multiples of 4 stitches to change the dimensions. Materials: - 4 skeins Pacific Chunky Color Wave (60% Acrylic/40% Superwash Merino Wool - 120 yds/100 g) - shown in color 407 (Desert) - US 10 needles - Yarn Needle Abbreviations: K - Knit P - Purl Gauge & Measurments: 26" x 26" 3.75 = 1" in stitch pattern Cast on 98 stitches K for 6 rows Begin

Alpaca Lana d'Oro  has been one of my favorite yarns over the years. It is a workhorse yarn with a little something special. The Alpaca - Peruvian wool blend offers the best of both fibers. From the wool, you get memory, durability, and stitch definition . The alpaca adds softness and some drape. The 219 yard skein worked up quickly into a 1 skein cowl.  The stitch pattern I chose is a rib that looks like a cable, however the look is actually achieved with yarn overs  and decreases. Materials - 1 skein Alpaca Lana d'Oro  (50% Alpaca/50% Peruvian Highland Wool - 219 yds/100 g) - shown in color 1129 (Faded Rose) - US 7 Circular Needle (16-20") - Stitch Marker - Yarn Needle Finished Measurements 16" circumference (unstretched) - 11" long Gauge Unimportant Abbreviations K - Knit P - Purl K2tog - Knit 2 Together YO - Yarn Over SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit 2 slipped stitches together Cast on 112 stitches Join in round, careful not to twist

Sateen  is a soft, silky acrylic that has the look and feel of bamboo. Available in 36 solids and 8 multis, there is a virtual rainbow of colors to choose from. Each 100 gram skein contains a generous 300 yards and it works up beautifully in sport gauge. While swatching with Sateen, it became quite evident that a simple hat in a variety of sizes was a must. This would work beautifully for a baby hat as well as a chemo hat. The softness of the yarn would feel lovely against even very sensitive skin. It would be easy to get 2-3 hats out of 1 skein.  The 14" size only used 1/3 of my skein. Materials:  - 1 skein Sateen (100% Acrylic, 300 yds/100 g) - shown in 413 (Baby Mix) - US 4 - 16" Circular needles (for the smallest size you will only use the DPNs) - US 4 - DPNs - Stitch Marker - Yarn Needle Abbreviations: - K - Knit - P - Purl - K2tog - Knit 2 Together Gauge: 6.5 sts = 1" Shown in 14" size - Length ~ 6.5" from cast on edge

I decided it would be fun to do a hat that revolved around the number 12. Both charts are 12 stitches across and the feather chart is also 12 rows tall. There are 12 repeats of the 2 charts. The hat can be a slouchy or a stocking cap if you fold up the ribbing. Materials: - 220 Superwash Sport  -100% Superwash Merino Wool - 137 yds/50 g - 2 skeins color A (813) and 1 skein color B (802) - 16" Circular Needles - US 4 & US 6 - DPNs - US 6 - Stitch Marker - Yarn Needle Abbreviations: - K - Knit - P - Purl - K2tog - Knit 2 Together - Kfb - Knit into the front & back of a stitch Finished dimensions - brim = 17" circumference unstretched Length = 10" from cast on edge Stitch Gauge - 6 stitches = 1" in stockinette With US 4  cast on 120 with color B K1, [P2, K2], end P2, K1 for 2 rows Change to color A Continue  in 2x2 rib   until 3" from cast on edge  Change to US 6 circular needle Increase row - [add 24 stitches evenl