Cascade Yarns Blog

For May, Carly in our office suggested I make a PICC Line Cover in Fixation Splash.  PICC stands for Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter - a long IV line that is inserted in the arm and ends in a vein the chest near the heart. These are intended for long-term use for delivering medications, chemotherapy or other IV fluids. The exposed part of the line should be covered when not in use. What is provided to cover the PICC line is usually not very comfortable or durable.  Hand knit covers are a great alternative because they are comfortable and look more like a knit accessory than a medical dressing. Many hospitals will accept these. One organization that is distributing PICC line covers to medical centers for Cystic Fibrosis is The Finding Jenn Project . Fixation is a DK weight blend of cotton with just a hint of spandex. We chose Fixation Splash because the cotton is breathable and the spandex is stretchy to allow comfortable movement of the elbow. We will be giving away

For April, I made another hat in Cantata - a fun, multi-season yarn with a unique construction (a cotton cage with superwash wool blown inside). A heathery-denim look pairs well with great stitch definition in this soft, lightweight yarn. The stitch pattern is a swirling, slightly lacy rib that moves in a diagonal direction. We will be giving away 3 kits of 2 skeins each (enough to make 2 hats) - 2 through Facebook and 1 here on the Blog. To enter on the Blog, comment with your favorite color of Cantata. The winner will be selected on Monday, April 22, 2019 at 3 pm PST. Materials 1 hank Cantata (70% Cotton/30% Merino Wool - 218 yds/100 g) - #13 (Purple) US 7 - 16" circular needles US 9 - 16" circular needles and DPNs Stitch Marker Yarn Needle (to weave in ends) Abbreviations K: Knit P: Purl K2tog: Knit 2 together YO: Yarn over Sizes Teen/Small Adult, Med/Large Adult With US 7, Cast on 80, 96 sts Join in the round, careful not to twist

For March, I made a lacy slouch in Anchor Bay , one of my favorite yarns. It is an ultra-soft and versatile blend of Superwash Merino and Cotton that is fabulous for a variety of projects - from babies to adults in both knit and crochet. We will be giving away 3 kits of 2 skeins each (enough to make at least 2 hats per kit) - 2 through the Cascade Yarns Facebook page and 1 through the blog. To enter on the blog, comment with your favorite spring knitting project. The winners will be drawn at 3 pm PST on Thursday, March 21, 2019. Materials 1 skein Anchor Bay (50% Cotton/50% Merino Wool - 262 yds/100 g) - shown in #22 (Chrysanthemum) US 4 - 16" circular needles US 6 - 16" circular needles and DPNs Stitch Marker Abbreviations K - Knit P - Purl YO - Yarn Over K2tog - Knit 2 Together SSK - Slip, Slip, Knit 2 Slipped stitches together Gauge 7.5 sts = 1" in K3, P3 - US 4 Finished Measurements  15, 16" unstretched at brim

For February, I made a quick hat out of Cherub Chunky Wave - a new color effect for Cherub Chunky with a gradation wave. Cherub Chunky Wave is a nylon-acrylic blend that is easy care - machine wash and dry making it perfect for charity knitting and gift giving. We will be giving away 3 kits (2 skeins of Cherub Chunky Wave in each) - 2 through the Cascade Yarns Facebook page  and 1 through the Blog. To enter on the Blog, please comment with the last person/organization you gave a handmade item to. The winner will be drawn at 3 pm PST on Tuesday, March 5, 2019. Materials 1 skein Cherub Chunky Wave (55% Nylon/45% Acrylic - 137 yds/100 g) US 8 16" Circular Needles US 10 16" Circular Needles US 10 DPNs (Double Pointed Needles) Stitch Marker Yarn Needle Abbreviations K - Knit P - Purl K2tog - Knit 2 Together Sts - Stitches Gauge Approx 4 sts = 1" in Stockinette (unstretched) With US 8 circular needle, Cast On 63 , 72, 81 sts (Child, Adult

This year we will be featuring a pattern each month with the theme of giving. For each pattern we will give away enough yarn to make the project and draw a winner. Each month will feature a new pattern and we will select a winner from the blog and a winner through Facebook. This month's winners will be selected on Monday, March 28 at 3 pm. To enter on the blog comment below with your favorite project to make for giving. This month, we are featuring a scarf I designed in Baby Llama Chunky  - Lush Life Scarf. I started crocheting again in December since I was unable to knit for a while after elbow surgery. I wanted to create a gift for a neighbor that has been a wonderful friend to my family. I thought a dressy scarf would give her warm and a hug when she needed it - with the added bonus of being in her favorite color. Materials 3 skeins Baby Llama Chunky (100% Baby Llama - 109 yds/100 g) - shown in #19 (Acai) J Hook (6 mm) Yarn Needle Gauge 12. sts x 5.5 rows