New Knitting Pattern - Ascend Cowl

 

I'm very happy to introduce my newest knitting design, the Ascend Cowl.

I've long admired intricate Estonian lace knitting and I've knit a few projects in this delicate style, but I wanted to design a pattern that was approachable for newer lace knitters (especially without nupps!), cozy in a chunky wool, and pretty without being fussy.

After a little experimentation, I came up with a variation of a traditional Estonian stitch that swirled easily up around the cowl, in the manner of a spiral staircase, requiring nothing more of the knitter than working the simple pattern repeat. 

Spiral staircases can be so intriguing, and our trip to Ireland last May provided us the chance to climb dozens of them. This one is located in Aughnanure Castle. 

After joining in the round, the ribbing edge flows seamlessly into the main lace pattern, then back through the ribbing to the top, using simple lace stitches. 

Ascend is easy to wear singly or doubled up to keep out the cold. 

The yarn used is the gorgeous Plucky Bulky from The Plucky Knitter. Plucky Bulky is soft and cushy with a nice amount of twist, and it comes in an amazing variety of colors. The pattern project was worked in the Narragansett Gray colorway, a serene blue-gray.

The easy stitches, heavier weight yarn and larger needles make the project zoom by at lightning speed. Plucky Sarah also knit an Ascend up herself (in about a day!) in Snug yarn, featured on her Ravelry page in a delicious pink. 

If you'd like to try Plucky yarn, an update is scheduled for tomorrow and I recommend shopping early because her yarn sells fast.

My thanks to my 7 awesome test knitters - your expertise is appreciated!

Much of the US, including our area, has been hit with unusually early cold weather and snow, so I'm glad I've had my Ascend cowl to keep me toasty. I hope you are staying cozy where you are, knitting and crocheting with one of your favorite yarns. 

Thanks for stopping by today, happy stitching! 

Finding Your Muse - Design Inspiration

 

Now and then I am asked how I find inspiration for my designs and I always have to stop to think about how to answer that question, because the answer's often different for different projects. 

Ideas for designs are not something I normally go about looking for, they mostly just pop into my head, my imagination continually bombarding me with more ideas than I could ever process. Not necessarily good ideas, mind you, but a constant 'brainstorming' session. 

These ideas are prompted by any manner of things including my surroundings, perhaps by seeing a great stitch pattern, a new silhouette, or I might dream up some crazy concept I just want to try.

The Sweetgrass Triangle shawlette, shown above, was released last month in the Summer 2012 Knitscene magazine.

This design makes a good contrast to the way I was inspired to design another recent release, my Frostlight scarf design, featured in this post.

Most publications send out some sort of call for submissions that include photos and descriptions of themes they have in mind for an upcoming issue. In the case of the Knitscene sub call, I liked ideas that included warm summer days, boardwalks and beaches. 

I imagined what I would grab to throw in a beach bag as a quick accessory to go from day to night, or would want to wear with a sundress when the sun went down and the air cooled.

I pondered idealistic, lazy days in hammocks, 

and soft grasses swaying in the breeze. The photo below shows one variety known as sweetgrass (Hierochloe odorata), common to many parts of the northern hemisphere. 

The plant has a variety of uses, including in traditional basket weaving of the southeastern US.  

Taking all these ideas into consideration, I swatched and experimented with many stitch patterns to find something I liked - a simple airy, open mesh stitch pattern, and graceful knotted fringes that add sway and movement when worn. 

When I'd settled on the stitches, I submitted my proposal and was thrilled to have it accepted, albeit in a very different yarn and form than what I had submitted (the original proposal was in a much lighter gauge Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy yarn). 

If you are trying to design something of your own, there are many approaches to finding inspiration, but if you wish to try doing something similar to what I did, I suggest you start by asking yourself a few questions like Where will I wear this? What outfits would I like to complement with this item? What sort of mood do I want to capture (casual, elegant, sleek, playful)? Then begin to look through your closet, online, or in print magazines for items that in some way answer those questions. 

Put together a collection or 'storyboard' of your ideas including snippets of yarn you like, buttons, or other items, such as old photos or dried flowers for example, that fit the theme. Ponder these for a while then experiment with stitch patterns. Add your swatches to the collection.

Be willing to change up the collection, adding to it or removing things that don't seem to be working for you. Most of all, don't push too hard if the ideas aren't coming to you. Sometimes you need to back up a bit and ponder some more. It might just be that there is a better idea in the back of your mind waiting to pop up!

photos 
knitscene: http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/Magazines/Knitscene-Summer-2012.html?_iwcspid=88881,swing: http://pinterest.com/pin/281543696219069/, palm branch: http://earth-ism.tumblr.com/post/20761012485, hammock 1: http://pinterest.com/pin/61854194851644553/, hammock 2: http://shopruche.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-08-16T15%3A07%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7, hammock 3: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-new/B24401663.jsp, sweetgrass: photo by dianne faucett http://www.frauleindi.com/hiltonheadnature/plants/plants.htm, basket: http://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/decorating/charleston-goods-00400000065432/

Linen & Tweed WIP Update

It's been a long time since I've worked in costume or garment design, but I came across some beautiful linen fabrics and it set me to thinking of doing a bit of sewing.  

A stash dive unearthed charcoal gray Rowan Summer Tweed yarn and it looked rather nice with the fabrics so I've undertaken a complete ensemble design project - oy.  At the moment I am thinking skirt, tunic, and vest, but perhaps I will opt for billowy trousers rather than a skirt.  We'll see.  The knitted item will be for on top.

 

Summer Tweed cotton/ silk blend is rather dry to the touch, with a chalky feeling, and it sheds little bits of silk all over you when you knit with it.  It also has no give and can be tiring to work with.  

 

All those things considered, however, the tweed yarn has a rich, rough texture that I quite like paired with the smooth-but-earthy linen wovens, and a nice color with subtle black, gray, beige and tan variation from the nepps.

The gauge for this yarn is on the heavy side of worsted, but the silk should add some drape and I am planning a super simple, very open stitch to enhance this.  The blocked swatch looks quite nice.

It might be awhile before the finished outfit makes it debut, but I hope to complete it before the weather turns too cold to wear it, LOL.  

Knitting continues on my Beach Glass lace shawl from Diana's new pattern, and I've arrived at the bottom edging, but I had to put that project on hold this week until I finish some pressing items, then I should have FO photos soon after.  

This will be the last post before my one year blogiversary free knitting pattern and yarn giveaway contest ends. 

I'll use an online random number generator to choose the winner on the 22nd, and announce the winner's name in my next post!  Read all the contest details here.

Peace, blessing and happy knitting to all!