New Pattern: Mormont

colorful wrap draped scarf-style

It’s been a long, long time since I published a new pattern. Suffice to say, it’s been a tough couple years. This particular design has been on the needles since May 2019, when I saw the Resolute Lady mini set from A Hundred Ravens and absolutely fell in love:

a mini-skein set from AHR; seven colorful skeins of fingering-weight yarn

You see what I mean? Starting with this delightful colorway as inspiration, I returned to some previous designs as a touchstone: my Hillcrest and Charm both use instarsia to create a stained-glass feeling with garter stitch blocks and i-cord “leading.”

a young person models a mostly-grey sweater with a long "stained glass" panel down the front; pattern resembles stained glass motifs from Frank Lloyd Wright

I had a few false starts, but soon enough I found the right balance of color and contrast, and I love the way minis let me control exactly when and where the “steps” begin and end.

The "Mormont" wrap laid out flat, showing stepped color transitions from end to end

Last week the pattern cleared my tech editor, and I managed a mini photo shoot — no worries, I stayed socially distant from Matilda, my model :). Mormont is now available on Ravelry.

Also, keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming Mormont KAL with Kel from A Hundred Ravens! There will be prizes …. just saying.

New Pattern: Happy Hour Shawl

Be a knitting mixologist with the Happy Hour Shawl! Choose from a variety of lace patterns and stripes to create a unique cocktail of color and fiber that pleases you.

Happy Hour Shawl Prototype

Happy Hour Shawl Prototype

The Happy Hour Shawl is worked from the top down, beginning with a triangle and moving into heart-shaped wings. The sample follows the “fancy” charts for both the start and finish; the pattern includes the stripe sequence used in the sample.

This design calls for two skeins of fingering-weight yarn for the main color and 5 minis (at least 50 yards each). For the main color, choose a fiber that blocks well (wool, for example), but for the minis feel free to experiment! Silk or linen could be the perfect garnish. Color choice determines the intensity of your finished shawl. Go bold or subtle … the choice is yours.

Full written translations of all charts are provided.

Seeking Test Knitters for New Design

I just finished a new shawl design, created especially for an upcoming color collection from AHR. The design encourages each knitter to play with color and create a “mixed drink” that pleases them. Here’s the prototype:

The pattern includes two versions of the top lace and the edging, and stripe type and frequency is totally in the hands of the knitter. I really want to have a bunch of different versions to inspire knitters!

To that end, I’m running a test knit, with the goal of trying out a lot of different combinations of color, stripe patterns, and both top/edge lace patterns.

Sound like fun? Come on over to AHR forum on Ravelry for more information and to sign up as a test knitter!

New Pattern: Threadle Sweater

Now available on Ravelry: Threadle Sweater!

This design has been on the needles for a full year, so I’m extra excited to share it with you.

I designed the main cable pattern specifically to look like a lot of cabling, without the heaviness that complex cables usually give knitted fabric. The big cable weaves back and forth across the column, and reminded me of a dog agility maneuver called a “threadle” that allows the dog take two side-by-side jumps in the same direction by weaving between them.

A Hundred Ravens Epona — between 6 and 9 skeins, depending on size. To enable your obsessions, AHR sells “sweater bags” of yarn (all dyed on the same time to reduce variability) with a small discount as a thank-you for a big purchase. (Email the shop for details.)

This sweater is meant to be a comfortable “just throw it on” kind of garment — so it’s designed to be worn with a bit of positive ease. There isn’t any shaping in the body, but the ribbing under the arms means it will gently curve with the shape of the wearer’s body.

(shown in size S on a 5’9″ model with a 37″ bust)

 

 

 

 

New Pattern: Kukulkan

Now available on Ravelry: Kukulkan!

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This striking shawl evokes the step pyramids of Chichen Itza, which served as a temple to Kukulkan. Little is known about the original mythology of this “feathered serpent” deity from Mesoamerica. In modern folklore, one story tells that Kukulkan flew to the sun to try and speak to it. The sun, too proud to speak to a plumed snake, burnt Kukulkan’s tongue.

20170114_143943Designed especially for Aesir Minis from A Hundred Ravens, this shawl highlights the beauty of gradient mini sets. The rectangular tabs are worked first. The main body is worked from a combination of picked-up stitches and cast-on stitches. After the main body is complete, the small solid squares are worked from picked-up stitches. No seaming required!

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This pattern has full written instructions (no charts). This pattern has been professionally tech edited.

 

 

 

New Pattern: Mini Mazy

 

Now available on Ravelry: Mini Mazy!

How did I miss this? This pattern went live in November, and it’s been a big hit! My apologies to blog readers who may have missed out.

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Lose yourself in the labyrinthine turns of Mini Mazy! This asymmetrical triangle-ish shawl is designed especially for gradient mini skein sets from A Hundred Ravens. The sample uses one set of minis in “Starry Night” and a skein of Iachos in “Loyalty” as the background color.

The design would also do justice to a highly-variegated skein, combined with a solid skein to anchor it.  I’m working up a sample in Tyche in “The Captain’s Parrot” and “Oceanus.”

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Mini Mazy is easily adapted to larger or smaller amounts of yarn, and to other weights of yarn. Simply choose a needle appropriate to your yarn, and knit until you run out of yarn.

Mini Mazy is worked sideways from the small end. The design uses basic increases and decreases and a handful of picked-up stitches to create the surprising right-turn.

 

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New Pattern: Mini Meltdown

 

Now available on Ravelry: Mini Meltdown!

Get 50% off from now until the end of July 2016 with coupon code SummerMeltdown!

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Colors melt into each other, draping beautifully around the neck in a mix of lace and simple stockinette stitch. Mini Meltdown was designed especially for gradient mini skein sets from A Hundred Ravens; the design would also work well with single-skein gradient yarn, as well as many tonal and mildly-variegated colorways.

IMG_0749Mini Meltdown is worked top down, both in the round and flat, using short rows to shape the cowl. Lacy sections are charted, with full written directions for all charts.IMG_0764

The sample used about 360 yards as pictured. It would be relatively easy for an experienced knitter to modify the design to be larger (which would, naturally, require more yardage).

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