Colour Play – Experimenting with Gradient Yarn Packs

There has been a rise in the popularity of those gorgeous sets of mini skeins recently. I think I first started noticing them at shows last year, although I am sure they have been around for much longer. They are the type of thing that is utterly irresistible to knitters – well, to me at least. A glorious selection of beautiful shades, the little packs of mini skeins always seem to have so much promise … as is often the case inspiration can sometimes wane a little once you are holding all those tiny balls of wonderful yarn in your hands, as you begin to ask “What can I do with this pack of gradient yarn?”

Inspired by the addition of Coast Ombré packs to the Tangled Yarn shop I set off on a quest to find some inspiring gradient knits to get your needles clicking.

Top Tip

Many designs can be adapted to use gradient packs.Keep your eyes peeled for new designs featuring stripes, small colour details, or designs that were made to use up oddments of yarn. These are also perfect for using delicious Coast Ombré packs.

Here are some of my favourite shawls designs

I love these two examples of shawls created specifically for gradient packs.

 

Remember
You can always double up, or get two different sets of Ombre Packs if you need more colours or extra yardage. There is so much room to explore colour options with these little skeins of yarn.

Top Tip
Shawls featuring stripes, more often than not, lend themselves really well to creating an ombré masterpiece with a gradient set.

Full Spectrum by Cindy Garland would look beautiful in a tonal ombre set or striking in something a little bolder, with more contrast.

 

Top Tip
Patterns designed to be flexible in terms of gauge, yardage and yarn used are excellent for experimenting with gradient packs.

Louise Zass-Bangham’s Another Way can be a shawl or a scarf and works with virtually any yarn. Pick up a main colour and an ombre pack and off you go – let your imagination run wild.

 

 

Lee Meredith is a design genius when it comes to flexible, and fun, patterns; I love her shawl, Pigment. Easy to knit garter stitch is punctuated by pops of colour; simplicity and colour play are the ideal combination for gradient packs.

Pigment by Meredith Lee

Martina Behm has many shawls that work with variable yardage and use bits of colour here and there for beautiful accents. I think these two gems would look stunning in Coast.

Remember
Coast can be worked as a single strand for something light and airy or double for something a little thicker and warmer, especially useful for cool summer evenings.

Simple but versatile, Coastal Gradient by Elizabeth Smith could be worked in a single strand of Coast for a really lightweight summer accessory or two strands for something to snuggle up in when the cooler weather arrives. It has the added bonus of needing some great buttons – I love projects with great buttons!


Top Tip
Want to create a larger masterpiece, you can use the combinations in the Ombré packs as inspiration but buy full size skeins.

I love this new design by Stephen West and think it would be exquisite knitted in Coast. Marled Wave uses five colours that are worked together and changed gradually to create a beautiful marled fabric.

 

Asanagi Wrap by Olga Buraya-Kefelian is created using an interesting modular technique and would look spectacular in five shades of Coast inspired by an Ombre pack.

Asanagi Wrap by Olga Buraya-Kefelian

I hope you have enjoyed this collection of inspiring patterns. 

Rachel is giving one lucky person the chance to win a Coast Ombré Pack just leave a comment telling us which colour pack you'd like and what you'd like to knit! The winner will be announced here in the blog on Friday 3rd July.

Happy knitting,
Clare

Congratulations to Jane MacDonald you are the winner of our giveaway! I will be in touch very soon to organise sending your prize to you. A huge thank you to everyone who left a comment and also to random.org for selecting our winner!

The giveaway is now closed......

 

About the Author 

Clare Devine is a writer and designer. Originally from South Africa she has nomadic tendencies and is currently knitting her way around the UK. She is passionate about all things fibre related (especially if it’s grey), knitting, travel and sunshine in equal measures.

She regularly blogs at www.yarnandpointysticks.com. You can find her on Ravelry as Knitsforklipskaap, Twitter as @_ClareDevine and Instagram as @Clare.Devine.