Happy gift knitting season!!! Whenever Thanksgiving rolls around, I start getting the ITCH to cast something on that is quick, fun, and for somebody other than myself (or a design)!
This year, to get in to the spirit of gift knitting season, I am participating in the 4th annual Indie Designer Gift-A-Long! I stumbled upon this exciting knit-a-long last year and knew that I wanted to be a part of it. As a fun incentive to get people to join, hundreds of indie designers are offering a 25% discount on select patterns in their Ravelry shops! I have put together a special bundle on my Ravelry designer page, you can see it by following this link, here. Choose from 20 of my self-published patterns and receive a 25% discount using coupon code “giftalong2016“!! Knit something special for your secret Santa, or even treat yourself to a few patterns you have been wanting to add to your library!
Seriously, there are SO many designers participating this year, like hundreds and hundreds. You can find a list of all of them here, it’s pretty crazy!! It has been fun going through the list and queueing up some lovely new patterns. I have hand-picked a few of my favorite designers who are showcasing their work in the Gift-A-Long this year, and would love to share with you all their favorite designs they have created! So here we go.
Have you SEEN the new Feyre shawl designed by Shannon Cook of Very Shannon??? I mean, WOW! This is by far my favorite of hers (so far), and I think it’s one of her favorites, too. I am already planning out my own Feyre, I even have some of Brooklyn Tweed’s marl Shelter yarn in my stash in the Narwhal colorway, perfect!
Shannon’s designs are absolutely timeless. But they have a modern twist to them that keep them interesting, and her color play is just marvelous. I mean, she took black and white and created something so interesting! Here is what she says about Feyre, ” Inspired by the main character Feyre, from the Court of Thorns and Roses Series by Sarah J. Maas, this crescent shaped shawl embodies both the strength and softness, and the lightness and darkness always at play within Feyre. Relaxing to knit combinations of Stockinette stitch, Garter stitch and Slip Stitch Ribs combine to make a shawl filled with texture that’s fabulous for showing off your new favourite marled, tonal or hand dyed yarn!”
As a super fun bonus, she has also included a coloring page as a part of the pattern, so that you can visualize your own shawl!! So creative, I just love that.
You can find Shannon’s GAL bundle, here.
[Photo courtesy of Shannon Cook, Very Shannon]
Francoise Danoy of Aroha Knits is quite an amazing person. She empowers other knitters, encourages others to shine, and teaches makers the skills they need to push through boundaries and make their dreams come true. Her Taimana Cowl is her favorite creation, and I must say, it is stunning. Frenchie, as she likes to be called, strives to add a personal touch to each and every one of her designs. Here is what she says, “The main colorwork motif of the Taimana Cowl (Te Reo Maori for “Diamond”), like the Kumura Cowl, is heavily influenced by traditional Maori tāniko designs, geometric patterning woven onto borders of cloaks and dresses. This particular geometric formation is called “Patikitiki”, easily identifiable through the singular diamond as the dominant motif. The Patikitiki motif is meant to resemble the flounder fish, which used to be a common food source for the Maori.”
The colors and tribal look of this cowl really speak to me, I just love it. I think it is my favorite, too.
You can find Frenchie’s GAL bundle, here.
[Photo courtesy of Francoise Danoy, Aroha Knits]
I feel a great affinity with Susanne Sommer of Sosu Knits – her use of brioche in several of her designs is simply magical. I actually found her designs during my obsession with brioche and garter stitch, a combination which she also uses quite frequently! And her bright colors, yes please!! Her Candy shawl is her absolutely most-worn knit, so it MUST be her favorite, right? Here is what she says about it, “I’ve started designing brioche and garter shawls after Nancy Marchant’s inspiring brioche class early this year and I’ve been hooked ever since. This pattern is special to me, not only because I love the candy colors of one of my sample shawls, but it has all my favorite elements: top-down shawl construction with an i-cord surrounding the entire shawl, there’s stripes and a lot of playing with colors, there’s brioche and garter stitch and there’s chevrons. And it’s big enough to wear instead of a cardigan on a cool summer night, or to tightly wrap it around my neck on cold winter day. There’s new elements introduced in each section, so knitting never gets boring, but it also gives you enough time to get acquainted with a new technique. And playing with colors is just so much fun!” Yes it is, Susanne, indeed it is!!!
You can find Susanne’s GAL bundle, here.
[Photo courtesy of Susanne Sommer, Sosu Knits]
Are you inspired now?? I sure am. Now let’s get to it!! I hope you all have a lovely holiday week, and happy gift knitting!!
