We're going to Rhineback!
Our Summer of (Yarn) Love is winding down, fall will be here soon, and fall means the return of the New York Sheep & Wool Festival, aka Rhinebeck, taking place this year on October 15th-16th. A group from Unwind is making the trip to Rhinebeck, NY this October, so of course we’re gonna make Andrea Mowry’s 2022 Rhinebeck sweater, the Alpenglow. Alpenglow I, pictured, and the more gender-neutral Alpenglow II are Andrea's self-described “charcuterie boards” of knitting--a little bit of everything, including stranded and mosaic colorwork as well as corrugated ribbing. And of course we’re gonna have a KAL so that everyone can get in on the fun—and of course we’ve collaborated with one of our favorite indie dyers, Moondrake Co.--to create a Perfect Autumn Palette for your Alpenglows!
Rachelle of Moondrake Co. is working hard for us on a special order of Cormo Sport, the ideal yarn for either Alpenglow I or Alpenglow II. We have the colors available now in our online shop to preorder for delivery the week of August 22nd, in plenty of time for the beginning of our Alpenglow KAL on September 1.
- The KAL runs from September 1st through October 13th.
- Everyone who buys a skein of yarn from Unwind for their Alpenglow and provides evidence of their FO by 11:59 pm on Oct. 13th via text, email, social media tag (#unwindfiberartsls) or walk in will be entered into a drawing for a $50 Unwind gift card.
- Crochet Fans, hang tight—we’re on the lookout now for a Rhinebeck CAL for you!
Need some help with your Alpenglow yarn selection? We got you! We’ve made a few specific color combo suggestions below but here’s also a general guide to creating the sweater you really want. Heads up-- the color advice is presented in the order in which each color appears in the sweater, which is also how Andrea denotes them in the pattern, but we've also noted the order in which you should make your color choices):
Color A (the collar & cuffs)— PICK THIS ONE SECOND, AFTER THE MAIN COLOR. You can choose one with high contrast to Color C to create a dramatic statement, or go with something in the same color family as the main (eg. a light blue if the main is a dark blue) to create a gradient effect. You'll need one skein of a solid/tonal sport weight like Cormo Sport, The Fibre Co.’s Road to China Light, or MadTosh Pashmina, all ideal for the contrasting collar and cuffs.
Color B (the chevron section under the neckline)—PICK THIS ONE LAST. Again, you can go with a highly contrasted color for greater effect or something more subtle. The emphasis in this section is on texture; color is less of a factor but for best results choose a color from your variegated Color D and go with a different value of that color. For example, if your Color D has a lot of dark green in it choose a pale green solid for you Color B. Andrea used a laceweight held double here to create fluffy textural interest; think La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk, Rowan Kidsilk Haze, or Shibui Silk Cloud or Tweed Silk Cloud. Alternatively, choose Qing Melted Baby Suri or The Fibre Co.’s Cirro held single to create the same effect.
Color C—THIS IS THE MAIN COLOR OF THE SWEATER SO PICK THIS ONE FIRST! You're going to spend the most time with this color so make sure its one you really want to knit and wear. Again, check out a solid or tonal in Cormo Sport, Road to China Light, or MadTosh Pashmina in a contrasting color to the collar/cuffs.
Color D—PICK THIS ONE THIRD. This color creates the colorwork throughout the body and the interest in the corrugated ribbing, so this one should have high contrast to the main color for the greatest impact. Get out your phone and take a greyscale pic of the colors you're considering, then note the saturation levels of each. The greater the difference, the better. Choose a sport weight variegated like LITLG Fine Sport or a slow color repeat like Zauberball Starke 6.
Looking for some specific color combinations? Ok, here are some of our favorites:
- Color A: Mustard; Color B: The Fibre Co. Cirro in Divine; Color C: Merlot; Color D: LITLG Fine Sport in Frosting
- Color A: Rose Quartz; Color B: Qing Melted Baby Suri in Siberia; Color C: Silver; Color D: Zauberball Starke 6 in 2095
- Color A: Silver; Color B: Shibui Silk Cloud in Noire; Color C: Zissou's Red; Color D: Zauberball Starke 6 in 2100
- Color A: Mustard; Color B: La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Coquelicot; Color C: Toffee; Color D: LITLG Fine Sport in Tawney
- Color A: Zissou's Adidas; Color B: La Bien Aimée Mohair Silk in Yellow Brick Road; Color C: Silver; Color D: Zauberball Starke 6 in 2311
That's it--now feel free to play in our full collection of sport and laceweight yarns for Your Perfect Alpenglows!
