Inspiration
Pattern Scout: New Ideas for Helix
I’ve been looking forward to a shipment from Paris. Happy to report that it has landed, and it’s a beauty.
Aimée Gille is one of the most talented dyers in the world. La Bien Aimée is her line of rare and lovely hand-dyed yarns.
She has an eye for color that I admire so much, and she has a deep understanding of fiber. “Perfect yarn, perfect color” is a phrase I often think when I see her yarn.
This new shipment?
It’s Helix, her light fingering weight yarn. It’s one of a kind: Aimée commissioned a custom-milled base that blends white Falkland and Gotland, a natural gray wool. The tonal shifts are subtle in the base, and when she layers her sophisticated colors onto it, the result is one of the most beautiful yarns I’ve ever seen. See all the colors here and also in the gallery up top.
Some yarns are a party; Helix is a dream.
Mood Cardigan
This airy thing by Jeanette Sloan has proved to be a highlight of Field Guide No. 15: Open. In the Mood Cardigan, two rectangles meet and become a fantastic cocoon. Helix gives the openwork pattern wonderful body and drape. Wear it two ways—with the miters around your neck or at the hem. It’s cool either way.
Helix Cardigan
Helix Cardigan is a perfect distillation, with Helix held double. Here’s Aimée Gille modeling Marianne Munier’s design.
This color? The Hotness.
The pattern is versatile—it includes instructions for two necklines, three body lengths from cropped to classic, and includes 14 sizes.
The pattern calls for using Helix and another La Bien Aimée yarn, Kumo, held together, or Helix doubled. In terms of quantity, you’ll order 4 to 6 skeins of Helix, depending on your size. (Check the pattern sizes and yarn requirements here.)
Luna
Espace Tricot is a hotbed of beautiful design. Luna is absolutely gorgeous—a subtle twisted rib pattern is the quiet star here. The pattern pairs Helix with La Bien Aimée’s Mohair Silk yarn, but it is beautiful with Helix doubled. Bonus? It’s a free pattern.
Cristina has one on the needles in Helix doubled:
This is the color called Winterfell. I could gaze upon this all day.
Rainbow Road
Stephen West plays with six colors of Helix in this clever pie wedge wrap. If you caught marling fever last fall, Rainbow Road is a great project for getting back to the fun of holding two colors at once.
Pacific Crest
Elizabeth Doherty really crushes it here. Isn’t this lovely? The knits and purls shine in Helix, held double here, and the silhouette is clean.
Elsom
Jacqueline Cieslak shows us what happens when we knit Helix on its own, not doubled. The result: a deeply textured, gossamer swath to wrap or drape, pulling together any look, no matter the season.
Rib Lace Scarf, Tumbling Block Lace Scarf, and Clerestory Shawl
Also in Field Guide No. 15: Open are two scarves and a shawl that show off Jeanette Sloan’s skill in designing simple, modern lace. If you’ve never tried the miracle of knitting lace, these are excellent first projects. Knit, purl, yarnover, decrease—with four stitches, you’re golden. And Helix behaves beautifully when used for lace.
Beautiful. I see some Helix in my future!
Same here!
So many choices, so little time!
Is yarn for breakfast a thing? Yummmmy!
The Pacific Crest looks nice.
Helix looks like a very lovely yarn but the price
on the home website tells me it’s NZ $64 a skein (about 32 euros) and that’s before shipping, eeeek! I have a reasonably flexible yarn budget but that’s too pricey for me. Will admire from afar.
As will I. So many choices, so little $.
Love the Luna. I second the endorsement odf Espace Tricot. I love all of the patterns of their design or knots highlighting others’ designs.
That’s of, not odf and knits not knots!
I’m going to try Helix for the Ariana crochet cardigan by Amy Christoffers…free pattern! Bringing back the granny square 🙂
I looked up La Bien Aimée online and it was listed as Permanently Closed. :-(. Is this true? I hope not, but do you know for sure.
Yes the brick and mortar shop closed last winter sadly. Its a Webshop only now.
Please show knitted tunic patterns for women. Thank you!