Getting Warmer
I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to get this project out to you (it’s been in the store window for a couple of weeks already) – you know how it goes … Life! Anyway, I thought it would make a great little neck accessory as the temperature drops. I love little shoulderettes, they’re so cosy and are great for changing seasons.
This one is , a FREE pattern, and we made it with a yarn that’s new for us, . Illimani is a little company located in Quebec that imports gorgeous yarns from South America, especially alpaca and other camelids, like llama.
The pattern is pretty straight forward and is fairly accessible for beginners (depending on your level of beginnerness, of course). The ‘special’ skills include knit & purl in the same row, working in the round on circular needles, decreasing, and reading a pattern. Basically, if you can make a hat, you can make a . The project works up on 6mm/US10 needles, so I think it qualifies as a “small, achievable goal”.
BTW, many thanks to Adrienne for doing the heavy lifting on this project!
Yarn Options
The yarn we used, , was a delight! It is super soft and is made from 100% de-haired llama, so it basically feels like baby alpaca (de-haired means that when the fibre is being processed the coarser parts of the coat are removed, leaving only the soft undercoat).
Other yarns options:
: one skein of would make an entire , which would be pretty economical at $38.
: two skeins of would make a looser, more relaxed look, and the price tag would look sweet at under $20.
: three skeins of super soft ‘n sexy would make a neckie-thingie you’ll want to cozy up next to at the bar and offer to buy it a drink.
: three skeins of will get the job done with style and grace for people who are sensitive to wool or are really good at wrecking things by putting them in the washing machine.
: If you want a little colour, you can still scoop up 3 skeins of from our Clearance section!
: if you want mega texture, go for a super soft mohair effect with . For a loose, airy texture knit with a single strand (3 skeins), and for a denser, warmer fabric work with 2 strands held together (6 skeins). Both options are super affordable, from $18 to $36.
Materials
- : 3 skeins
- 6mm/US10 – 16″ needles
- 6mm/US10 – 24″ needles
- stitch markers
- Tapestry needle
Needle Hack
If you don’t already have these needles in your kit, you might be interested in some Knitter’s Pride Interchangeable needles: you just buy one set of 3.5″ tips and two cords, and it saves having to purchase two separate circular needles. But note, you MUST get shorter tips that are 3.5″ to 4″ long! Any longer and they won’t work with the 16″ cord:
- (Dreamz wood or Nova metal)
If you prefer Addi needles, they also make interchangeable tips that are the right length:
These shorter needles are ideal for making hats, neck things, baby things, and will always work with the longer cords from their respective brand. If you’re feeling like why not dive in and buy a whole set with a bunch of sizes (its usually more affordable than buying them one size at a time), here are a few brands who make them in the right size:
Short Interchangeable Needle Sets (with 3.5″ to 4″ tips)
