Yarn Focus: CoopKnits Socks Yeah!

It's the New Year, so we thought we'd give our blog a little revamp! 

Every month we're going to focus on one yarn and give you lots of inspiration and ideas for what to make with it.  This month (as you might have guessed from the title), we're focusing on our newest yarn, CoopKnits Socks Yeah!

Top row: #101/Obsidian, #102/Ammolite, #103/Axinite, #104/Sphene. 
Middle row: #105/Danburite, #106/Kunzite.
Bottom row: #107/Beryl, #108/Chryso, #109/ Iolite, #110/Malachite. 

This fab new sock yarn with a gorgeous palette of 10 colours is designed by Rachel Coopey of the aforementioned CoopKnits. 

If anyone knows what makes a good pair of socks, it's Rachel, so naturally her first yarn should be a sock yarn :D 



If like us, you're a fan of Rachel's sock patterns, you'll know just how much attention to detail she puts into her designs and this yarn is no different.  Having seen her carefully pick out a range of colours before narrowing them down to the perfect palette of ten shades, we can certainly back that up! 

There are cool and warm shades to suit anyone and so many colour combinations to play with!

Socks Yeah! balances out the most important properties of a sock yarn perfectly, with Superwash Merino for softness and easy washing and Nylon for strength. 

But it's not just for socks!  It makes beautiful accessories and garments too.  Rachel has even tried it out with crochet, making these pretty motifs to decorate her studio! 

Socks Yeah! looks great crocheted too :)

We had a play around with some different stitches to see how they'd knit up, lace cables, twisted sts and colour work and a bit of crochet too. 

This yarn is such an all rounder, after making a range of swatches using different techniques I can confidently say that it would work just as well in the delicate pretty stitches of a lacy shawl as it would in a cosy pair of socks or that favourite sweater you'll wear to death. 

I wet blocked all the swatches, rolling them in a towel to get rid of the excess water and then pinning them out to dry (I stretched out the lace swatch, but none of the others). 

For the lace sample, I used #104/Sphene and 3mm needles to give a slightly more open fabric, but I used 2.5mm for all the others.  The lace fabric drapes really nicely on these slightly larger needles, but you could use a larger size still if you wanted.  Even only going up a couple of needle sizes given the fabric a lovely drape when blocked. 

I'm particularly pleased with the way the yarn works in stranded colour work (using shades #105/Danburite and #102/Ammolite), I find keeping an even tension in fair isle patterns can be tricky on little pieces and small needles, but the stitches stick to each other nicely and really keep the fabric neat. 

The slip stitch cabled swatch (shown in #102/Ammolite) has really nice stitch definition in both the cables and the columns of twisted sts between them. 

I love the way the colours in the range work together too, the fact that each shade is slightly heathered makes the transitions between the shades a little softer as you can see in this little crocheted square; worked on a 2.5mm hook in shades (from the centre out) #106/Kunzite, #105/Danburite, #102 Ammolite and #107/Beryl. 

For those who want to know, here are all the technical details:

Socks Yeah! is hardwearing and can be machine washed at 30 degrees. 

Content: 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon

Length per skein: 212m/231yds per 50g

Recommended needle size: 2.25mm - 2.75mm (US 1 - 2)

Tension: 36 sts and 50 rows to 10cm (4") using 2.25mm needles


What would you make with Socks Yeah?

Coop Knits Socks Volume 2

One of our favourite designers, Rachel Coopey, has just published a follow up to her first volume of socks and it's another beauty. If you're a fan of socks, sock yarn and Rachel's endless quest for warm feet this is a must have!

Coopknits Socks Volume 2 is another great celebration of socks- how to measure them, how to choose great yarn and how to knit socks that your feet will be happy in. We are so pleased to be included as one of the recommended sock yarns of this collection.

Where Volume 1 was a riot of vibrant colours, this time Rachel is exploring a more muted but no less enticing colour palette. The textures suit this change of mood too with a range of cables, lace and colourwork that makes us want to knit every pair!

The variety of designs offered in this volume provide a great opportunity to try out new techniques. For beginners to sock knitting, a plain, topdown sock is also included. Each design is beautifully balanced and well thought out, giving both experienced and novice knitters the chance to create wonderful, wearable socks that are enormously enjoyable to knit. 

'Ernestine' in Vivacious 4ply

As well as written and charted patterns, you will also find beautiful photography and carefully written step by step tutorials to ensure you have everything you need to know. With 12 patterns included, we think it's time to have a year of socks!

You can find more details here or contact us (fyberspatesATbtinternet.com) for distribution information. 

Our Most Popular Collection EVER is Now Fully Downloadable!

Rum Raisin by Belinda Boaden

Vivacious Volume 1 offers knitters 10 timeless pieces that are simple to knit and a pleasure to wear. Whether you’re an experienced knitter seeking the comfort of a soothing knit or a beginner knitter taking your first steps into a new hobby, this collection offers pieces that suit every knitter’s weekend wardrobe and look great with your most trusted pair of jeans. Whatever comfort the weekend brings you, do it in Vivacious knitwear.

Want a little treat without all the commitment of a full collection? You can enjoy 3 single download patterns from Vivacious Volume 1 for the price of 2 when you add all 3 to your shopping cart. So that's one free pattern per purchase. Offer applies to the cheapest pattern and will end at midnight GMT 7th January 2015.

Love what you see? You can download the full digital collection now for just $16.00 or order your print copy from retailers listed here.

Which new indulgent projects will you choose to treat yourself to?

Soonly by Rachel Coopey?

Herbin by Belinda Boaden?

Hermes Baby by Rachel Coopey?

Bollo

Today seemed like a day for celebration. Why? Well, we just packed a very special something off to the printers! It's not long now until we can reveal ALL the Vivacious Volume 1 details. To celebrate, we wanted to release a digital version of a pattern we love from Rachel Coopey, one of the designers featured in the coming collection.

Rachel is a designer who loves details: whether it's intricate cables, inspirational colourwork or the biggest pom pom any hat could possibly take! We've worked with Rachel a number of times and love her giggle on photoshoots and inspirational knitting designs. If you're a Coopknits fan (her design name) you will already know that Rachel designed pieces for Scrumptious Volume 3 as well as producing several patterns we love in Fyberspates yarns.

Bollo is a textured cowl with two sizing options that works up fast in a chunky weight yarn. This stylish accessory has plenty of details to make knitting and wearing fun while still being simple enough to memorise the lace pattern. If you're still feverishly cranking out gifts, this might be just the cowl you need to save your sanity!

Worked up in Scrumptious Chunky, the addition of silk in this luxury yarn means a lustrous sheen and a cowl that feels deliciously soft around the neck. Instructions are given both in a chart form as well as written and details include two different size options. The small size has a 56.5cm (169 inches) circumference and takes one full skein of Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky. The large size has a 22.25cm (66.5 inches) circumference and takes 3 skeins of Fyberspates Scrumptious Chunky. Both sizes are 24.5cm (9.5in) tall. 

Want to win the yarn to make this cowl and the pattern? We're offering two lucky winners, chosen at random, the chance to win either a single skein of Scrumptious Chunky or 3 skeins to make the larger version. Both winners will also receive the pattern. To win, all you need to do is visit the pattern page and leave a comment telling us which of the Scrumptious colourways you would choose to knit Bollo in should you win. 

We will announce the winners on Facebook on Tuesday so keep an eye there to see if you won. 

Have a great weekend!