Wednesdays Wrap Up- Hubble the Squid, Elton Cardigan & The Slip Rib Socks
This week's patterns that have caught our eye are a cute crocheted toy, a breezy lightweight cardigan you will want to wear everywhere, and fun colourful socks available in sizes for the whole family.
Hubble the Squid by Projectarian
Hubble is an easy-peasy pattern with almost no sewing. He’s crocheted together in one piece and all you have to sew is the eyes! This 26 page pattern has just over 100 photos to guide you effortlessly through making your own snuggly cephalopod.
Squid and octopus toys are becoming popular therapy for premature babies who love these tentacled companions in their incubators! Having something to grip and squeeze helps them to develop and even thrive by regulating everything from oxygen intake to heartbeat, and preventing them from pulling out their tubes.
This squid is also a very robust a durable toy that will stand up to the roughhousing of wild children.
We recommend using Avalon 8ply or Summerlite DK if you are crocheting Hubble for a baby as a yarn that is 100% cotton is much less likely to irritate their skin. If you are simply crocheting for yourself or an older child, any 8ply you like will work well.
Cotton is a natural choice for a crocheted toy as it is both durable and soft which gives a soft, smooth finish. We love the large colour range of Morris Avalon 8ply to make fun versions of Hubble.
Another great option is Rowan Cotton Cashmere which will make a luxurious Hubble. It's a rich blend of 85% cotton and 15% cashmere that is very soft in your hands when working as well as nice to squish once the toy is complete.
For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.
Elton Cardigan by Joji Locatelli
Elton is a basic cardigan with a mix of stripes and texture. It has a relaxed boxy fit and it is slightly cropped. It’s the perfect garment for lounging and relaxing. It’s worked seamlessly from the top down.
Elton is knit by alternating stripes of a 2ply mohair yarn with a 4ply yarn. We love knitting it with Rowan Kidsilk Haze and a corresponding colour of Manos Fino but you could easily switch out the Kidsilk haze for Manos Cabrito if you want to play with a variegated stripe, or even Kidsilk Haze Colour for an ombre striped effect.
We love the colour choices of Kidsilk Haze for the Elton Cardigan. You can knit a striking jewel toned cardigan or one in classic neutrals. Fino is our top choice for the 4ply yarn to hold with Kidsilk Haze because of its softness, shine from the addition of silk, and fantastic colours that pair so well with Kidsilk Haze.
Kidsilk Haze Colour, like its sister yarn, it is a dreamy blend of kid mohair and soft silk but this time in beautiful ombre colours. The ombre effect will be fun to play with in the Elton Cardigan.
Another option instead of Fino for the 4ply yarn is Manos Alma. Alma is also a single ply yarn made of the softest merino superwash, with the perfect balance between lightness, body and drape. It will knit up nicely in this cardigan and there are some fun variegated colours that would bring interest to the stripes.
For those that may have a sensitivity to mohair, Manos Marina 2ply is a great alternative to use instead to still achieve the see-through texture stripes.
For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.
The Slip Rib Socks by Summer Lee
Ribbed socks with a little something extra to make them more modern and fun! This pattern is perfect for beginners and advanced knitters alike.
Ribbed socks are often said to produce a better fit and stay nice and snug on a person's leg. No one likes when their socks are constantly falling down around their ankles!
The pattern is worked cuff down in the round and comes in five sizes, including children's. There’s also a bonus modification at the end for working an extra colorful and stripey pair. This is will quickly become your go to pattern for knitted socks and a pair will make a great gift this holiday season.
Alegría is our favourite sock yarn when softness and comfort is what you're after. It is easy-care with a rich, cushy hand and will make a beautiful pair of these ribbed socks.
Regia Premium Bamboo is our top choice for socks in the warmer months.The addition of bamboo gives the yarn an extra-soft hand as well as good breathability for optimal wearing comfort. You could also happily knit a pair of these out of any of the Regia Premium yarn's, we just love the idea of knitting with bamboo at the moment.
The final, true and tested sock yarn we recommend is the classic and renowned REGIA Classic sock yarn. Four single plies are twisted together to create the ideal weight and durability for hand-knit socks. This is the yarn to choose for all of your hardwearing socks.
For a link to the pattern and all yarn possibilities please click here.
We hope you enjoyed this round up of some of the popular patterns online now! Let us know below if there is a pattern you would like some yarn recommendations for and we can add it to future weeks!
If you are making any project using our yarn please remember to tag us on social media #morrisandsons.