Happy Friday!! I am so excited to announce that To The Flame is now available as a PDF download on Ravelry! I am having a little sale to celebrate its release :: use coupon code FLAME at checkout to receive a 20% discount through the weekend!
Read more about this amazing collaboration with Infinite Twist in my other blog post, here! Kits are still available through their website, be sure to check out some of the beautiful color options they have.
Happy knitting, friends!
I am so excited to be a featured artist on Insider! You can view the original video on their website, here! Thank you again to Insider for this amazing feature!
Introducing Washed Ashore :: my newest hat knitting pattern!!! Simple faux cable ribbing and lace come together for a double layer hat full of texture and warmth. Inspired by the sea after a storm, the muted grays and blues together with the lace stitch pattern create a modern, but timeless look.
Two hats in one!! Perfect for gift knitting!! Knit just the Inner Layer for a simple, modern hat, OR add the lace Outer Layer for a fun hat that will keep you super warm all winter long! Worsted weight yarn is used to knit the simple, elegant Inner Layer, then using fingering weight yarn, stitches are picked up along the top of the brim to add the lace Outer Layer. Feel free to substitute lace weight yarn for a thinner hat!
The Inner Layer is shown in Quince and Co. Owl, color Elf. I am so in love with this wool / alpaca blend. I originally used it for my first sweater that I knit, and just knew I wanted to use the leftovers in a design. The Outer Layer is shown in Quince and Co. Tern, color Beach Glass. How fitting, right? The blend of wool and silk make this the perfect layering yarn, and the stitch definition is just amazing.
This hat was so much fun to design. I was actually inspired by a couple of my other designs, Eco Mug Mat, and Paperless with Quince and Co. Scarves Etc. 5, which both utilize the same faux cable stitch pattern! At the time this design came to life, I was actually still living in Michigan, and wanted to create a double-layer hat to keep my head extra warm in the frigid winters. I actually put this design down for quite some time as we packed up our small family and moved across the country to South Texas, to Corpus Christi by the sea. As I picked up the hat again, I was so inspired by my new surroundings!
The crown detail is my favorite part of this hat!! The Inner Layer uses simple decreases to create the crown, and I wanted to mimic it with the Outer Layer, but add a little pizazz! So I used the fun floral knots as part of it, and I couldn’t be happier!! What color combinations will you choose for your Washed Ashore hat? The Inner Layer would be so gorgeous by itself using a speckled or variegated yarn from your stash, or try a pop of color for the Outer Layer! There are so many possibilities!
Be sure to grab a copy of this new pattern before Wednesday, November 30 at midnight and receive a 25% discount!! No coupon code required.
And also don’t forget about my big shop sale going on for the Indie Gift-A-Long 2016! Check out my fun bundle here to see 20 of my self-published patterns that are 25% off using coupon code “GIFTALONG2016“! We would love to see you over at the GAL, you can find all the information in the Ravelry group, here!
Thank you to everyone for your wonderful support, and happy gift knitting!!
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!!
Introducing my second collaboration with Infinite Twist :: To The Flame!!
To The Flame is an oversized modular knit top, featuring an accent lace front panel worked with two different yarns held together, creating a marled color effect, as well as a unique texture inspired by the fur found on a moth.
The body is knit in Helix, a sport-weight two-ply Merino. The lace accent panel is knit with one strand of gradient-dyed Helix and one strand of Penumbra – a super soft blend of ultra fine mohair and polyamide.
This pattern can be found exclusively as a part of kits through Infinite Twist! Follow this link here to check them out. Each kit includes all the hand-dyed yarn you will need to complete your project, and the pattern, in all size options. You can knit up this exact top modeled here, or choose from several different gorgeous color combinations!
This collaboration is very special to me, being my first sweater design. I was inspired by Cate’s mood board she created for this season, with images of moths, oversized cozy sweaters, and Björk (one of my all-time favorite musicians and fashion icons). I knew I was in, and had this idea for a modular knit top that would be perfect for layering, and so fun to knit. It was actually Cate’s idea to use the gradient for the lace front panel, and I thought it was brilliant. Marled together with the mohair Penumbra, this sweater is so fuzzy and gives the perfect texture and warmth for the fall and winter months.
Be sure to stay tuned, this pattern will be available as a PDF digital download through Ravelry starting on Friday, December 16, 2016! In the meantime, please visit Infinite Twist’s website to check out their beautiful yarns. They are quite amazing.
Thank you, friends! And happy knitting!
I am delighted to share with you my Aureate shawl pattern! I designed this shawl in collaboration with the lovely shop Loop, in London, using The Uncommon Thread BFL Singles yarn in 3 different shades :: Tea Smoke, Olive Leaf, and Ripe Plum. This has been an incredibly exciting collaboration, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome!
You can find this pattern in my Ravelry shop, here!
You can find printed patterns, as well as this beautiful yarn that was used, at Loop and online, here.
There is also a lovely blog post about this design collaboration, and a little about myself, over on Loop’s blog! Check it out, here! They are hosting a very fun giveaway as well, you can snag yourself a copy of the pattern!
Many, many thanks to Susan at Loop for this amazing opportunity, Kristin Perers for her stunning photography, Rachel Atkinson for her talents in tech editing, and Ce Persiano of The Uncommon Thread for her gorgeous yarns.
Enjoy and happy knitting, friends!
