Featured • The Knitting Vortex

Issykol

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Mar 282019

Luxurious cashmere yarn and mosaic slipped stitch chevron patterns make a stunning bias shawl, featuring two rich colors alternating in a striking zigzag across a lighter contrasting background. June Cashmere’s ethically sourced and organically dyed yarn, which behaves like a light fingering weight, originates with fiber from small family farms in the mountain communities of Kyrgyzstan along the ancient Silk Road. As part of their mission to be an engine for social and economic change in the region, the company partners with local shepherds to bring fine quality fiber to the international market for fair compensation. Issykol is named for Issyk-Kul Lake, the seventh deepest and tenth largest lake in the world, located in the globally significant and biodiverse Issy-Kul Biosphere Reserve. Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, cable CO, knit, increasing/decreasing, slipstitch colorwork. Instructions for this pattern are fully written, with charts also provided for the slipstitch colorwork. Size: 72” length and 17” depth. Highly customizable, with an adjustable 12-row repeat to alter the zigs and zags and infinite garter stitch bordering each end, . . .

Tilt Box

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Nov 152018

Simple stranded colorwork with a modern graphic design, Tilt Box combines traditional fit with geometric contemporary visual style. Use a combination of bold or neutral colors, suitable for both men and women; color choices are endless, allowing you to select the perfect match of colors for the wearer. Tilt Box is one of a bundle of modern stranded hats featuring strong motifs for fresh style, and is pictured with some of the companion designs. Techniques & Skills Used: Twisted German CO, knit/purl, stranded colorwork, decreasing, working in the round. Colorwork is charted only. Size: 20” brim circumference and 10” tall, unstretched. The pattern consists of a 18 st and 18 row repeat, and accommodates heads from 20-23” in circumference; to adjust the size further, go up or down a needle size. Yarn: Cascade 220 (100% peruvian highland wool; 220 yards/200m/100g), Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted (100% fine highland wool; 123 yards/112m/50g). Hat shown in Cascade 9600 Antiqued Heather (A) and Woolstok 1317 Midnight Sea, 1 skein of each color, or approximately 100 yards A and 50 yards B . . .

Goblin Queen

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Oct 052018

Alternating checks created by slipped stitches trail uniformly across the topdown triangular shape of this shawl in ever-widening bands. When one edge is bound off, the other then zooms off to one side in a long tail, for a simple graphic wrap that’s easy to wear. Techniques & Skills Used: garter tab CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, slipstitch colorwork. Instructions for this pattern are fully written, with charts also provided for the slipstitch colorwork. Size: 80” length and 23” depth. Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles (100% merino wool; 400yards /366m/100g); 1 skein each colors A and B, shown in Typewriter and Goblin, respectively. The sample used approximately 355 yards A and 395 yards B. Using a drapey single or loosely plied yarn will help minimize rolling at the long bottom left edge. Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Markers (2); Yarn needle. Gauge: 20 st and 40 rows/4” in garter stitch, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or . . .

Polytope

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Aug 222018

A bias rectangle worked from one short edge to the other, Polytope is more than a parallelogram. A line of centered double decreases zooms diagonally across the shawl from one corner to the other, creating a chevron dip where the stitches change direction. A repeating mix of easy to work garter stitch stripes, plus mesh lace, both highlight the angles and keep the knitting interesting. The resulting asymmetric shape has four sides that are not quite parallel, not quite straight, and not the same length – but they make a wearable and fun shape that can be styled to show off any of the stitch patterns depending on how it’s wrapped. Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace. Instructions for this pattern are fully written, with a chart also provided for the mesh lace. Size: 68 (76)” length along longest edge and 14 (16)” depth at shallowest part of rectangle; diagonal center spine measures about 50 (56)”. Sample shown in smaller size. Yarn: Miss Babs Hand Dyed Yarn Yummy 2-Ply (100% superwash merino wool; 400 . . .

Throwing Shade

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Oct 052017

Throw this generous sportweight wrap around your shoulders for a lovely extra layer. Knit in luxe yarn from 2 stitches cast on at the tip, Throwing Shade features allover diagonal lace sweeping across a right triangle shape. Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, lace, increasing. Instructions are both charted and fully written. Size: 104” length and 44” depth, after blocking. Yarn: madelinetosh Pashmina (75% merino wool, 15% silk, 10% cashmere; 360 yards/113g), 3 skeins, shown in Composition Book Grey. The sample used almost all of 3 skeins; see Designer’s Notes for suggestions on adjusting for different yardage. Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Stitch marker (1); Yarn needle. Gauge: 18 st and 24 rows/4” in lace pattern, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished shawl, and different yardage requirements. See it on Ravelry, to read more or purchase the pattern. Save

POPstripes

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Jul 202017

From light to dark and dark to light, two gradient yarn sets move across one another in reversing waves of color. Using just knit, purl and simple slipped stitches, lines of colorful stripes with exploding POPS sweep along this asymmetric bias shawl, and finish with a gradient stripe edging. Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, slipped stitches, increasing/decreasing. Instructions are fully written, with a chart also provided forthe slipstitch section. Size: 90” length and 24” depth. Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Reversing Falls Gradient Pack (100% superwash merino; 435 yards/398m/100g), 2 packs of five colors each; shown in Fog (A) and Rugosa (B). The sample used almost all of the yarn; see Designer’s Notes for suggestions on adjusting for different yardage. Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Stitch markers (2); Yarn needle. Gauge: 20 st and 30 rows/4” in POPstripes pattern, 20 st and 40 rows/4” in garter stitch, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a . . .

Brae

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Apr 292017

Journey along this asymmetric garter based shawl, as colorful stripes and simple slipped stitches build upon each other. The Brae shawl is knit on the bias from one end to the other, with stripes flowing into a rippled slipstitch pattern, interspersed with solid bands of color. Pair two contrasting colors, or a variegated or tonal skein with a neutral complement, and have fun watching the colorful contrast advance across the shawl while knitting. Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, slipped stitches. Instructions are fully written, with a chart also provided for the slipstitch section. Size: 65 (75)” length and 13 (15)” depth, customizable. Instructions are included for two finished sizes; choose the larger version to use up most of two full skeins, or the smaller version when working with partials, see Designer’s Notes. Yarn: Miss Babs Yummy 2-Ply (100% superwash merino wool; 400 yards/366m/113g); 1 skein each A and B. Small version shown in Pewter and Lotus, and large version in Parchment and Denim, respectively. The sample used approximately 250 (360) yards A . . .

Kline Shawl

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Apr 212017

Originally published in knit.wear Spring/Summer 2016, the Kline pattern is now available from my Ravelry store, as an individual download in my usual pattern format. Bold strokes of alternating smooth and rough texture stretch fluidly across this asymmetric shawl. The strict monochromatic palette is broken with colorful accents that transition to dominance at the far edge; try pairing a speckled yarn with a bold contrast for a striking visual result. Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing. Size: 80” length and 21” depth, customizable. Yarn: Madelinetosh tosh merino light (100% merino wool; 420 yards/384m/100g); 1 skein each MC and CC, shown in Optic and Edison Bulb, respectively. The sample used approximately 420 yards MC and 340 yards CC, but any amount of yarn in any combination may be used; see Designer’s Notes. Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Yarn needle. Gauge: 20 st and 32 rows/4” in stockinette stitch, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller . . .

Love Me True

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Apr 072017

Subtly different textured stitch patterns define the front and back of this boxy cardigan. The back and shoulders feature an unusual construction that creates a casual, modern silhouette, with dropped shoulders and a shallow v-shaped back neckline echoing the deep v of the front. The mid-length oversized body is cropped enough to wear with pants and skirts without overwhelming them, but still long enough to work with casual leggings. Slim sleeves also balance the oversized body, and an uneven split hem further reduces bulk; applied pockets make it even more practical. Worked seamlessly from the top down with a knit-in button band, finishing is minimal, and style is major. Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, backwards loop CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, working in simple pattern, German short rows, picking up stitches. Size: This boxy cardigan is designed to be worn with at least 4-6” of positive ease; with this amount of ease, the size range is suggested to fit actual bust sizes of 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 48, 52)”. Yarn: MollyGirl Yarn Rock . . .

Rib Run

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Mar 212017

There’s nothing more classic than a ribbed hat, and Rib Run adds just a little twist by morphing the ribs into twining cables that run from brim to crown. Techniques & Skills Used: Twisted German CO, knit/purl, cables, decreasing, working in the round; instructions for stitch patterns are both written and charted. Size: 18.75” brim circumference and 8.5” tall, unstretched, shown on a 22” head. The rib-based pattern is very stretchy and easily accommodates heads from 20-23” in circumference; to adjust the size further, go up or down a needle size. Yarn: Brim Collections Breakfast DK (100% merino wool; 230 yards/210m/100g), shown in Earl Grey; 1 skein, or approximately 175 yards of DK weight wool yarn. Other Materials: US 4 (3.5mm) 16” circular needle for brim and US 6 (4mm) 16” circular needle or size to match gauge for body; cable needle; Stitch markers (5); Yarn needle. Gauge: 25.5 st and 36 rows/4” in cable pattern, unstretched after blocking; 1 cable repeat of 24 st and 36 rows equals 3.75” wide and 4” tall. See . . .

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