I'm delighted to present my latest design, Agnes, inspired by a simple long sleeved tee shirt. The fit is just right, just as I planned – for a change. Interesting how the process of design unfolds. I can count on my initial aim to take several turns during the making. That said, I've sketched out my goals for the year: 12 designs or so, one a month... The theme is mostly long and lean, like Agnes. There's a cape, jacket (double breasted), a cardigan or 2, a lacy number, some of these with a trim – fringe or ruffle, and probably a stole or cowl to round things out.
Johanna launched – happy 2012
Moving into colder weather, the diamond brocade of this cozy pullover is reminiscent of lace – winter lace. Johanna's simple brocade repeat and slim-fitted styling create a romantic silhouette. Bodice and sleeves are long. Garter bands define the waist, neckline, and hems. a 3-button placket closure at the shoulder gives easy access and a bit of additional decoration. Pieces are knit flat, bottom up, with seaming.
Click here for pattern details. You'll find this pattern for sale on Ravelry.
Johanna twice
Just under the wire for 2011, here we are wearing Johanna. Juliet's in her black and white randomly striped version and I'm in the very textural diamond brocade – or winter lace as I've come to think of it. Both have been knit with Quince & Co.'s delightful chickadee wool.
Pattern will be posted on Ravelry by tomorrow – if the Fates allow – though I'll likely toast its launch tonight! I just can't wait.
Thank you family, friends, and Ravelry fans, for inspiration, motivation, and support. It's been a fun year of happy knitting.
Winter lace?
Here's a peek at my next piece, Johanna, named for my grandmother's grandmother.
I just love the delicate texture of this diamond brocade that feels like lace to me without the holes. Juliet and I collaborated on the sweater design, but she wanted stripes – random stripes! and although her wish is my command I feared random stripes might intimidate prospective knitters especially in light of shaping and buttoned cuffs. (I'll admit to being a bit intimidated myself!) So I've made her version first, serving the groundwork for dimensions and sizing. It looks fabulous on her and we'll certainly get a picture during our next photo shoot. Meanwhile my work continues, happily, on this – aiming for a December pattern launch. Stay tuned!
Flossie stole
The generous dimensions of my all-season Flossie stole serve the wearer well - as a neck wrap fending winter winds or around the shoulders for gentler breezes.
Answering my search for a simple yet interesting lace, is this 11 stitch by 20 row repeat of zigzag vine. Briefly trimmed with garter stitch, you'll find this an enjoyable project to make and most luxurious to wear.
Augusta - aka Gussie
Great aunt Augusta, better known as Gussie, was a bit of a wild child I'm told and I'm intrigued – the ideal namesake I feel for this sassy knit.
Here I offer the lace and shaping of my Louise cardigan re-imagined slightly shorter with elbow length sleeves and a broad neckline scoop, making for a perfect all-season topper. Wide garter stitch bands that trim its edges create a calming balance for the active diagonal of its lace. Most flattering, it may easily be dressed up or down, shown here fashioned with a favorite belt. Pieces are knit flat, bottom up, with seaming.
Click here for pattern details.
Introducing Louise
Juliet introduces Louise in Quince's wonderful birds egg blue chickadee wool.
Lace translated for a cardigan in this piece is trimmed and "waisted" with wide garter bands. Styling features include slim fitting three-quarter sleeves and a broad banded neckline. Unbuttoned it's a casual hip skimming topper, or button it up to reveal hour-glass shaping with blousy elegance. No worries - the 10 stitch by 16 row repeat of its lace is easily mastered. Pieces are knit flat, bottom up, with seaming.
Click here for pattern details.
Birds Egg
This color makes my heart sing.
And is what Louise, my next design offering, will be wearing. She's almost done, launched hopefully by week's end. Quince & Co. does a fine job with colors, and the gauge of their chickadee yarn line suits my aesthetic.
I've been working on Louise for the past several weeks, on its knitting and its documentation simultaneously, and have been struck along the way with how the writing has served the designing – 2 halves of the whole, the what and how – keeping my process honest and text most simply put. Its stitch and row calculations have at times been complicated to work out, which should not be apparent to those who give the project a go. That's my goal.
Marlene revisited
Marlene was the first pattern I published on Ravelry, named for my mum, who is forever in my heart. She'd be delighted too.
Hilda's up!
I had intended to launch Gussie next – the third in my summer lace series, but just as I was gearing up to do so notice of Patternfish's 10,000th design competition arrived by email. Gussie, I feel, would be a worthy submission, so I've paused on her launch for now to give Hilda the spotlight – in good time for fall planning.
Thank you CEY
Classic Elite Yarns contacted me last week OUT OF THE BLUE asking permission to use May in their new webletter just out today. Needless to say I agreed.
I've used their Wool Bam Boo (50% wool-50% bamboo) exclusively for the past several years. I'm accustomed to its gauge and attracted to its texture, each stitch so delineated. The drape is perfect for my styling. For my next project I'm using Quince&Cos Chickadee wool, and loving that too.
Done, and next up
Phew. Dorothy and Emma patterns are now completed and posted on Ravelry and Patternfish. I do always underestimate the time it takes for this work. I believe it could go on and on for as long as I let it since I obsess and wordsmith endlessly. But no matter, a little obsessing is probably a good thing when it comes to all this math and writing.
And in between my episodes of obsession I got to work on my next piece – the brainstorming part anyway, and lace research. Doing so, I quickly got clearer on what I didn't want – not willing to turn my most fun activity into a mind bending count down or rip out session due to a too complex stitch/row repeat. After my most happy experiences with Dorothy and Emma I now know lace knitting doesn't have to be that. So after lots of looking and multiple swatches, decision made –
THIS! – but in a different color, with some delightful garter or seed stitch trimming, more than I've used in my prior two... And I think I'll work the trim in a second color. The sleeves will be longer but not too long, so will the hem. I'll change up the neckline as well. Intrigued? Hope so.
hello Emma
Emma is done, and I'm a little sad actually - it was such a fun piece to knit I hate to see it come to an end! On to the next one - but instructions to be documented for both Emma and Dorothy before I do.
Click here for pattern details.
Lace series underway
It's been an active few months of lace knitting for me with lots of knit discovery along the way. I'm loving the lace despite my earlier doubts. It does take a bit more attention, but once underway not that much really. And the stitches are simple.
My favorite part of lace knitting is the final blocking that reveals its fabulous texture. This is Emma - incorporating a chevron eyelet lace. There'll be short sleeves here and a scoop neck. I love the way the color of an undergarment will show through.
Another design, Dorothy, is already finished. Its lace is a leaf pattern, a little more complex than the chevron so I kept it sleeveless. The patterns of both Emma and Dorothy are almost done, except for pictures. Hopefully I'll have these published on Ravelry within the next few weeks. There'll be a third too - longer sleeves, less of a scoop on the neck, and perhaps a bit longer on the hips. The lace pattern will be different from these first 2, though has not yet been decided. I'll commit to 3 in this series, but I'm enjoying the lacework so much there could be more. We shall see..
The Launch, at last!
I learned last week that Knitty has relinquished 2 of my 3 submitted designs (fingers crossed for consideration of the third in the Deep Fall issue!), which has now freed me to post on Patternfish and Ravelry. So, happily, Martha (shown on Juliet below), May, and Hattie are now launched - hopefully to accolades :), but honestly I find the Ravelry group to be so friendly and supportive. I'm already pleased with the response.
Recapping then, this first series of designs has been built on a shaped bodice with variations in the neckline. Next up I'm all about the lace. Smitten with my Jared Flood stole experience, I'm aiming to incorporate lace textures into a simple bodice. More on this to come.
Time flies
I didn't plan to let so much time go by between postings, been working on latest 2 sweater pieces - Hattie (as previously mentioned) and Hilda. Hilda's in final stages now, which I'll offer to Quince & Co. by next week. I don't know if they work with outside designers, but since I used Quince wool (chickadee) I decided to give it a shot. Their website is an inspiration too. Hattie's already submitted to Knitty along with Martha before that. The deadline is April 1st for early fall issue so I suppose they'll respond soon.
My first sale, typewritten, was made to my local yarn store back in 1983 – a favorite purple sweater with green hearts for daughter Juliet, then 3. She models for me now too. You'll see her wearing Martha soon, when I'm free to post it or it gets posted.
Hattie
I'm hard at work on my latest project, named Hattie. Not quite post-ready yet as there'll be a remake before I do. There's been too many changes along the way to trust scribbles without a double-check. Hattie (Harriet) was my grandmother's aunt, the youngest sibling of her mother Martha, born in 1888. I was a teenager when our paths crossed; she was in her late 70s. She appreciated my interest so I've got her knitting needles. Hattie, the sweater, has a shawl collar created as a separate piece that extends around the neckline and down the bodice front as a vertical insert.
Today
Today I started a blog - and it's taken the better part of it to figure things out.
I became a member of Ravelry a while ago but only recently checked back in. I posted a few of my sweaters and was shocked when within minutes members were responding. I've been added to several project queues and have made a few sales from the linked Patternfish site. The internet is a wonderful thing.