Yarn Pairings for Rib Issue 2 - Navigate

We've got Pom Pom, Amirisu, Making and Laine, which all feature beautiful knitting patterns for women, but what about our male knitters?! We are thrilled to announce that we now carry Rib Magazine, an independently published knitting magazine dedicated to men's patterns. There are 4 pullover sweaters, 1 hat, 1 pair of fingerless mittens, 1 scarf and 1 pair of socks. The patterns are a mix of textured cables and ribs, with a bit of brioche thrown in there as well. The designs lean towards the timeless classic menswear styles, so for an adventurous knitter they could be adjusted for a more unisex silhouette as well. As with our other magazines we thought we would do a yarn pairing round up to introduce you to the magazine and hopefully inspire your needles as well! First up is the Caley Pullover, by Irina Anikeeva. This sweater has an upper section knit with side to side cables on the front and back for a twist on a classic. We absolutely love the idea of knitting this up in one of the semi-solid colours of Vivacious DK. Something like Tweed Imps would really shine in the stocking stitch sections.  Next up we have the Direction Mitts, by Ninja Chicken. These simple to knit mitts have an allover rib pattern that comes together in a motif on the palm of the hand. Knit in Blacker Swan DK, these would be soft and yet hearty enough for everyday wear.  The socks for this issue are Fickle Steps, by Louise Tilbrook. They mix rib and cables for a design that can adapt to fit many different shaped feet. For yarn there is only one we would suggest, it would absolutely have to be Coopknits Socks Yeah! 4ply. It has a blend of wool and nylon in loads of lovely subtle heather colours that will show off the design perfectly. With the fibre content they are sure to last a while to make all your hard work of knitting giant socks worth it!  The cover sweater is the Navigate Pullover, by Annie Lupton. This sweater features a modern geometric allover cable pattern on the body, with plain stocking stitch sleeves. The yarn called for, Cumbria Fingering by The Fibre Co. is such a beautiful yarn, we can't imagine it knit up in anything else! Orienteering is the hat, designed by Benjamin Kudwig. It effectively combines a knit/purl texture with a simple vertical eyelet for a pattern that doesn't come across as too lacey. We would love to see it in one of the strong colours of Wool Me Tender from Wool and the Gang. The third sweater of the issue is Rigging, by Fiona Ellis. This sweater has cables that form v shapes on the upper body, and a generous shawl collar. With it's wearable design it deserves a yarn that can stand up to everyday use, something like Spud & Chloë Sweater with it's machine washable wool and cotton content. Even better it comes in loads of colours, from eye catching brights to subtle neutrals. The River Rocks Scarf has inspired many of our needles already! Designed by Anca Mustea it's a great pattern for anyone who has gotten the hang of two colour brioche and wants even more excitement! The pattern uses cleverly placed increases and decreases to create a rippling texture in the brioche rib. For a lush scarf that is soft to wear next to the skin, we would choose John Arbon Knit By Numbers DK, with so many colours to choose from the options are endless. Last but not least we have Survey, a pullover pattern by Catrina Frost. This sweater similarly features a textured upper body with plain stocking stitch body and sleeves, this time in an optional two-tone effect. We think that Lettlopi would be perfect for this hearty everyday jumper, and again the colour options are nearly endless with the almost 30 colours we carry! Rib Magazine is now available in store and online, and you can check out our brand new web shop while you are at it!