Five Perfect Projects for January

1. Rose City Yarn Crawl Mystery Alongs

The Rose City Yarn Crawl's annual Mystery Alongs start Monday, January 21, with a new clue each week thereafter – five clues in total. Patterns are available to purchase on Ravelry and sales fund the Rose City Yarn Crawl for another year! If you're local, join us Monday nights 5-7pm to kal together.

For the knit pattern by Rosemary (Romi) Hill, we're recommending Blue Moon Fiber Arts Featherlight. You'll want one skein of semi-solid and one that is variegated.

For the crochet pattern by Jenn Wolfe Kaiser, we love Hazel Knits Entice. You'll want one skein in each of two colors.

2. Barley Light Hat

Available in sizes from baby through adult large, the FREE Barley Light Hat pattern from Tin Can Knits is always a winner. This is our January K12tog Knitalong pattern! Join us Monday nights 5-7pm for our kal night.

You'll need 110-260 yards of sock weight yarn. We're recommending Knitted Wit Victory Sock - this uncluttered pattern shows off Victory Sock's bright colors and variegation perfectly. If you want to jazz things up, carry along a strand of fluffy Knitted Wit Fairy Floss, too!

Image © Tin Can Knits

3. Stasis Pullover

If you're looking for a meatier January cast on, the Stasis Pullover designed by Leila Raabe and published by Brooklyn Tweed is the sweater stealing our hearts right now. This round-yoke colorwork pullover is inspired by the geometric motifs found in blackwork embroidery.

Work this pattern in woolen-spun Brooklyn Tweed Loft for a softer graphic effect, or in worsted-spun Brooklyn Tweed Peerie for intensified linework. Both the pattern and detailed yardage requirements are available on Ravelry.

© Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed

4. Candyman Socks

Twistedista Cardner whipped up these STUNNING Candyman Socks, designed by Lisa K. Ross of Paper Daisy Creations. Five sizes and instructions for customizing mean you'll love the finished object, too.

Cardner's are made using Knitted Wit Victory Sock in the colors Spectrespecs and Carbon, but you'll have a hard time going wrong pairing any variegated, speckled, or striped colorway with a solid or semi-solid in a sock weight yarn. Woolen Boon Classic, Hedgehog Sock, (Twine Sock or Victory Sock would make good solid counterparts to those), or Blue Moon Fiber Arts Super Sparkle would all be fabulous. You'll need 300 yards of the semi-solid & 140 yards of the speckled or variegated.

5. Avatar Hat

As well as being one of the greatest TV shows of all time, Avatar is also now a great free 2-color brioche hat pattern knit in Malabrigo Rasta.

You'll need 2 skeins of Malabrigo Rasta - one semi-solid and one as wild or as tame as you want it to be. And don't forget US 17 needles - 16" circular and double pointed. Ask us for a free copy of the Avatar Hat pattern in the notes at checkout!