colorwork • The Knitting Vortex • Page 2

Bubble Tea

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Nov 162017

Simple stranded colorwork with a modern graphic design, Bubble Tea combines traditional fit with fun contemporary visual style. For the samples, I used a combination of bold and neutral colors, suitable for both men and women; color choices are endless, allowing you to select the perfect match of colors for the wearer. Bubble Tea 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 9” tall, unstretched. The pattern consists of a 24 st and 36 row repeat, and accommodates heads from 20 – 23” in circumference; to adjust the size further, go up or down a needle size. Yarn: Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted (100% fine highland wool; 123 yards/112m/50g), Cascade 220 Heathers (100% peruvian highland wool; 220 yards/200m/100g). Grey hat shown in Woolstok 1304 Grey Harbor (A) and 1317 Midnight Sea (B), red hat shown . . .

Venn Diagrams

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Nov 162017

Simple stranded colorwork with a modern graphic design, Venn Diagrams combines traditional fit with geometric contemporary visual style. For the samples, I used a combination of bold and neutral colors, suitable for both men and women; color choices are endless, allowing you to select the perfect match of colors for the wearer. Venn Diagrams 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: 19” brim circumference and 9” tall, unstretched. The pattern consists of a 13 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), Harrisville Designs Harrisville Highland (100% pure virgin wool; 200 yards/182m/100g), Patons Wool Worsted (100% wool; 210 yards/192m/ 100g), Blue Sky Fibers Woolstok Worsted (100% fine highland wool; 123 yards/112m/50g). . . .

Down Arrows

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Nov 162017

Simple stranded colorwork with a modern graphic design, Down Arrows combines traditional technique with contemporary visual style. For the samples, I used a combination of bold and neutral colors, suitable for both men and women; color choices are endless, allowing you to select the perfect match of colors for the wearer. Down Arrows 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 9” tall, unstretched. The pattern consists of a 24 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: Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool Worsted (100% merino wool; 250 yards/229m/113g), Patons Wool Worsted (100% wool; 210 yards/192m/100g). Brown hat shown in Stonehedge Midnight Lake (A) and Lilac (B), purple hat shown in Stonehedge Lilac (A) and Patons . . .

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 for the slipstitch. Size: 90” length and 24” depth, customizable. Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Reversing Falls Gradient Pack (100% superwash merino; 435 yards/398m/100g), shown in Fog (A) and Rugosa (B); 2 packs of five colors each, OR 435 yards of two different gradient sets, OR 870 yards total of at least two but as many colors as you like, of fingering weight yarn. The sample used almost all of the yarn, but any amount may be used; 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 . . .

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 . . .

Potions Mistress

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Sep 072016

Become the mistress of your own potion, and mix up a concoction to satisfy and delight. Use three (or more!) colorful yarns as ingredients, and blend them together to produce a bias shawl that evolves through dynamic color changes. Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, increasing, easy lace; instructions for this pattern are both fully written and charted. Size: 80” length and 40” depth; this shawl may be customized in length and depth to accommodate varying yardage. Yarn: Julie Asselin Milis (100% superwash merino wool; 475 yards/ 438m/115g), 1 skein each colors A, B and C; shown in Clair de Lune, Sunset and Arlequin, respectively. The sample used almost all of the yardage from each skein, 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: 18 st and 36 rows/4” in garter stitch and lace pattern, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for this project, however a different gauge may result in a smaller or larger finished shawl, . . .

Block Theory

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Aug 042016

Bold blocks of intarsia decorate the front and back of this long and lean tank. Worked flat from the bottom up with a slightly longer back, the built-in rib edging is seamed at the sides, leaving slits at the hem. Waist shaping and an a-line flare at the hip emphasize the casual breeziness, and deep v-shaped armholes add to the strong linear styling. Construction: Block Theory is worked separately for front & back from the bottom up, beginning with an Italian tubular CO that flows beautifully into narrow ribbing, and then transitions to stockinette stitch with intarsia color blocking. The narrow rib continues up the sideseam and armhole edge, with shaping worked within the body for hip, waist and bust, making it simple to seam the front and back together beautifully, and eliminating the need for armhole finishing. A shallow scoop neck worked with a few short rows balances the cut-out armholes, the shoulders are seamed with a 3-needle bind off, and then tidy minimalist applied I-cord finishes the neckline. The width and spacing of the . . .

Vary

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Nov 032014

vary: to change periodically or in succession; differ or alternate An asymmetric shawl that combines various patterns, this bias wrap moves from simple garter stripes through slipstitch colorwork and back again. Cast on at the long, narrow end, Vary grows on the bias, only ever using one color at a time in each row. Choose two colors or even more, and make it your own by varying the placement of the different stitch patterns; the simple construction adapts easily to different amounts of yardage and to your artistic vision. Techniques & Skills Used: knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, slipstitch colorwork; the slipstitch pattern instructions are fully written only. Size: 105” length and 21” depth, customizable. Yarn: String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn Selku (50% silk, 50% merino wool; 375 yards/343m/113g), shown in Viola (MC) and Juice (CC); 1 skein MC and 1 skein CC. The sample used about 340 and 370 yards respectively. Other Materials: US 7 (4.5mm) 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; Yarn needle. Gauge: 15 st and 30 rows/4” in garter stitch, after blocking. Gauge is not critical for . . .

Sneak Peek: Vary

FOs 2 Responses »

Oct 312014

My giant, asymmetrical, two-color shawl Sundry is one of my most popular designs. It’s so over the top, I had no idea what sort of reception it would get once released. But people seem to like it, which is always great. I think it’s the opportunity to mix and match colors, and to customize their placement. A look at some projects on Ravelry shows all sorts of beautiful choices: One of the reasons I love the sample so much is the yarn I used; Selku by String Theory Hand Dyed Yarn. It’s a wool and silk sportweight blend with excellent drape, and the gorgeous colors for which Karen and Tanis are known. I was fortunate to see their lovely yarns in person at out tiny, local sheep and fiber festival at the beginning of September, and inspired to create another design using Selku. I was looking for something to pair with the purpley-blue Viola colorway I had been hoarding, and found a deep raspberry that was perfect. For fans of Sundry, my new shawl Vary . . .

Sneaky Sorbet

FOs, WIPs Comments Off

Apr 232014

I finished the knitting last night, so today was all about weaving in ends – and with a multi-striped sweater, there were a lot of them. Working in the round and twisting the colors created a tidy RS, but a bit of work to do on the private side. After a soak and block, I’ll see how the final result looks. And I’ll just mention that with the coming of spring (finally!), my mind is totally on sorbet; blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, pistachio . . .

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