Category Archives: pattern design

Introducing: Half the Knit Sky

Posted on July 7, 2020 | 7 comments

Half the Knit Sky is a half pi shawlette, based on a time lapse photo of the night sky. Shown above in Knit Circus Sparkle Gradient, The Knit Sky, and Knit Circus Trampoline, Mistress of Myself.

Photo by Nikita Maykov

This easy knit uses only one color per row. Slip stitches create the colorwork star trail stripes, and the Star Stitch rows are a pop of fun. A bit of lace near the end sends you into orbit! The half-pi construction keeps your patterning simple with only occasional changes in stitch count.

Shown here in Knit Picks Hawthorne Kettle Dye, Delphinium, and Knit Picks Hawthorne Speckle, Blueberry Speckle.

The pattern is easily adjustable to the yardage you have. It requires two 100g skeins of fingering weight yarn.

Half the Knit Sky pattern is available through Ravelry, and it’s 10% off through July 14, no coupon code needed. If you’re a newsletter subscriber, check your email for your special offer. If Ravelry’s recent website renovation renders the site unusable for you, please email me or leave a comment here, and I can send you an invoice through PayPal instead. It’s a little slower, but it works.

I’m planning a KAL for this design, to be through this blog, Instagram, and Ravelry. Whatever works best for you! Please use #halftheknitsky to participate on Instagram, or this thread on Ravelry to participate there. Comment on this post, or any later posts about Half the Knit Sky, to participate through the blog.

I’m very pleased with this design, and hope you love it, too. Come knit with me!

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(Re) introducing Just Enough Lace

Posted on June 28, 2020 | 3 comments

This is my Just Enough Lace shawl. I designed it for the Knit Picks Delicate Details Collection two years ago, and now it’s available on Ravelry, too.

Just Enough Lace is an asymmetric triangle knit on the bias. It features a leafy edging along one edge, and a stockinette body with occasional bands of eyelet lace. The leafy edging is a perfect place to add beads for sparkle and drape.

The pattern is easily adjustable to the yardage you have. It is written for 150g/660 yards of Knit Picks Gloss Fingering, but you can make it longer or shorter as you wish. You’re the boss of your knitting!

I wish I had the original Blackberry version of this shawl; I had beads on the edge. I gave it to mom-in-law for her birthday way back when, and somehow I never took a proper FO pic! But here’s the edging.

To celebrate the re-launch of this shawl, I’m offering it at 10% off the Ravelry price through July 8, 2020, no coupon code needed. Ravelry link here. (As always, newsletter subscribers get a bigger discount; subscribe to my newsletter here.)

If you’re having trouble working with Ravelry while they work through their site re-vamp, message me and I can send you an invoice for direct payment and then email you the pattern. It takes a little longer that way, though; I’m not automated!

The pattern is also available through Knit Picks, that link is here.

PS: I had a really fun time doing a Facebook Live Zoom interview with Hannah from Knit Picks last week. You can watch the replay through Facebook with this link here. Not a Facebook user? It will eventually be posted on YouTube, and I’ll post that link when it’s ready. Not yet!

Happy knitting!

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Virtual VKLive Round 3 coming up!

Posted on June 28, 2020 | 2 comments

I’m pleased to be teaching at the July edition of Virtual VogueKnitting Live! More brioche, and more entrelac. And for the first time, they have a preview page so you can see what the class offerings will be. Link right here. Sign up for their newsletter, and you’ll be first to know when registration goes live, which will be very soon.

I’m knitting away on my second Half the Knit Sky. Pattern coming soon; 2/3 of my test knitters are done. I’m ready to rock and roll! Would you be interested in a Half the Knit Sky KAL? I’d be happy to organize one, if the interest is there. This is lovely lightweight summer knitting.

What are you knitting now?

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Facebook Live with Knit Picks

Posted on June 24, 2020 | 5 comments

I’m having a chat with Hannah from Knit Picks on Thursday morning at 8:30 am PDT. Late notice, but here we go! Here’s a link if you want to chime in. We’ll talk about design and more! I’ll bring my current shawl knitting; I’m knitting another Half the Knit Sky with Knit Picks Hawthorne.

Hope to see you in the morning!

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Coming soon: Half the Knit Sky

Posted on June 8, 2020 | 10 comments

Unless you have a better name for it, this will be Half the Knit Sky.

This shawlette is based on a time lapse photo of star trails in the night sky. I love half pi shawls because they’re half the yarn, half the knitting, all the glory by the time you’re wearing it.

I’ve been dreaming of this shawlette for a year or so, and it finally found the right time and the right yarn. I love it.

Knit Circus Sparkle in The Knit Sky, and Trampoline in Mistress of Myself Speckle.

The pattern has been tech edited, and is now being test knit. Coming soon! What would *you* call it?

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Fern Lace Shawlette update

Posted on May 22, 2020 | 3 comments

Beads and Lace

I’ve just updated my Fern Shawlette pattern to streamline it for classes. The i-cord edging, garter stitch body, and lace edging are now all on the same chart, and together in the instructions, instead of my previous modular approach.

I’m leaving both versions in the downloads section on Ravelry, so you can choose which way works better for the way you think! If you previously purchased Fern, you’ll find an update notice in your Ravelry library.

To celebrate this update, I’m offering 10% off the pattern through May 29. Use coupon code FernUpdate on the Fern Lace Shawlette Ravelry page here. Current newsletter subscribers, check your inbox for your code.

I’m using this pattern at Virtual Knitting Live in June. If you’re taking this class, make sure you download the file that says “Fern Shawlette for classes 05.20” for the updated version!

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Knit Circus The Night Sky

Posted on May 4, 2020 | 4 comments

This showed up in the mail, just before the stay-at-home order took effect. Isn’t it gorgeous? It’s from Knit Circus; the sparkle gradient is The Knit Sky, and the speckle is Mistress of Myself.

I bought these with an idea in mind, something I’ve been dreaming about for a year or more. I’m finally ready to play with it. My initial swatching looks promising. A shawl, and it’s *not* brioche. I know, unbelievable!

More later. Gotta go knit.

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Kerfuffle Cowl update, and Kerfuffle Zoom class

Posted on April 19, 2020 | 5 comments

Read to the bottom if you’re interested in class!

Young woman wearing snowflake colorwork cowlLarge cowl

I’ve updated the pattern for my Kerfuffle Cowl to streamline it for classes. I’ve been saying for years that I was going to do this, and now I have a little time to get it done. Here’s what I’ve changed:

  • Changed the needles to omit the smaller needle for the ribbing. Now the ribbing and the body both use the same larger needle. It works fine, and makes class that much more accessible.
  • Omitted the purl stitches in the first 3 and last 3 rows of the charted pattern. I was concerned about the edge flipping, but blocking takes care of that, and it’s one less thing for a new colorwork knitter to think about.
  • Added a larger 30″ size to the original 24″ size. Knitter’s choice!

The Kerfuffle cowl is a great project for first time stranded colorwork. There are only two colors used per round, and I’ve taken care that the motifs don’t have long floats that need to be trapped.

To celebrate this update, you can purchase the Kerfuffle Cowl pattern for 15% off through April 24, 2020 using the coupon code FRESH when you purchase it through Ravelry. Newsletter subscribers will have a 25% discount in the next newsletter. Not a subscriber? Sign up here!

Small cowl

I’m teaching a Kerfuffle Cowl stranded colorwork class through Zoom on Wednesday May 6, 5:30 to 7:30 pm. The class is being organized by Fuchsia Troutman at Weird Sisters Yarn Shop. She’ll have class kits available, and a special pattern discount, too. Register here!

By the way, my May 2 Petite Brioche class is now full; thank you for your interest! This will be a great way to get into the swing of Zoom classes. I’m looking forward to being able to teach from home, and I hope you enjoy learning from home, too.

Three of my four Virtual Knitting Live classes are full (that was quick!). There are a few spots left in my Minerva Entrelac class, so if you’re interested in that, register now. VKLive link is here.

Let’s knit together, apart!

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Introducing: Minerva Entrelac Cowl/Scarf and KAL

Posted on March 20, 2020 | 16 comments

Minerva is an entrelac cowl or scarf, knit flat. She’s a twist on my Athena Cowl, which is knit in the round. You can choose your pricing; see below.

Why knit a round cowl flat? To learn all the elements you need to know for any entrelac project, and to avoid a huge game of yarn chicken on a long scarf or loop cowl knit lengthwise! Entrelac looks like it’s woven, but it’s just a lot of squares and triangles, knit one at a time. You’ll want to knit just one more square…

Knit to the length you like! Samples shown in worsted weight yarn, but I’ll be knitting one in Huckleberry Knits American Dream DK for a KAL.

Short cowls, steam or wet blocked

100g/200 yards will give you a short cowl.

Noro Silk Garden, 115 g (2.3 balls)

I used 115g of Noro Silk Garden for the longer cowl. 200g/400 yards of Noro will give you a 60″ scarf or cowl.

Test knitter Paula Sadler’s Minerva Scarf, 4 balls of Noro Silk Garden

I’m planning a KAL during this time of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Come knit with me at a distance! I’ll be posting the updates here on my blog. I’ll also be posting pictures on social media; I’m @pdxknitterati on Instagram, and PDXKnitterati on Facebook. Use #minervakal2020 and #pdxknitterati on Instagram. I’ll help you through the tricky spots!

The Minerva pattern is available through Ravelry Minerva Entrelac Cowl or Scarf (Ravelry link).

Let me know if you’d like to learn entrelac with me. I’ll post soon about choosing yarn and getting started.

Thanks to tech editor Meaghan Schmaltz, and test knitters Kristine Alcade, Ann Berg, Anne Fields, and Paula Sadler.

Edited to add:

All Minerva KAL 2020 posts:
Introducing Minerva Entrelac Cowl/Scarf and KAL
Minerva KAL: Choosing your yarn
Minerva KAL: Casting On
Minerva KAL: Base Triangles
Minerva KAL: Tier 2
Minerva KAL: Finishing Tier 2

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Minerva and KAL coming soon!

Posted on March 19, 2020 | 3 comments

I’ve decided that this version of my upcoming Minerva Cowl is as long as I want it to be! I like my cowls to be about 34” long; they fall well on me there. Right now this is 35”, but I couldn’t resist that last color I was knitting. I’m ready to give it a little steam block, and then seam it with a 3 needle bind off. I started with a provisional cast on, so that will be easy.

I know there’s not enough yarn to get to 56”, which is what I’d want for a double loop cowl, so I’m stopping now!

I’ll be releasing this pattern soon, with free and paid options, and having a virtual KAL via social media. Would you like to learn entrelac? It’s really fun, and looks really clever. Stay tuned for more info!

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