Jennifer

Recovering attorney and emigree from 7th Avenue, I now combine my technical and creative passions to design knitwear. My design viewpoint is all about making simple, attractive garments and accessories, using a bit of interesting construction or an intriguing detail.

Courser Shawl

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Nov 102016

Courser Shawl cover | The Knitting Vortex

Five textured stitch patterns combine in a completely reversible classic triangle shawl worked in soft and cozy worsted weight yarn, ideal for cooler temperatures. Both variegated and semi-solid yarns are perfect choices for showing off the textures; completely reversible, the right side displays a rib-based fabric broken by bands of seed texture, while the reverse side shows a more nubby and rustic overall fabric, with a high-relief, welted bottom edging.

Construction: Worked from the top down beginning with a garter tab, the Courser shawl is a classic triangle worked in five different highly textured and reversible stitch patterns. Repeating bands of broken rib alternate with welted slipstitch and reverse broken rib, adding a strong vertical element to the horizontal textures. Elongated slipstitch creates weight and dimension at the bottom edging, while the garter stitch spine and selvedges provide a linear framing structure. Wear it with either side showing; the reversible stitch patterns look great on both. Customize your shawl by mixing and matching any of the stitch patterns, to use any amount of yarn.

Techniques & Skills Used: garter tab CO, knit/purl, slipped stitches, increasing; stitch patterns are both fully written and charted.

Size: 60” length and 28” depth, customizable to any size.

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rios (100% superwash merino wool; 210 yards/ 192m/100g), shown in Tranquilo; 3 skeins, or approximately 630 yards of worsted weight wool yarn.

Other Materials: US 8 (5mm) 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; Stitch markers (4); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 28 rows/4” in Broken Rib, 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.

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Courser Hat

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Nov 102016

Courser Hat cover The Knitting Vortex

Four ribbing-based textured stitch patterns combine in a slouchy hat that is completely reversible. The combination of knits, purls and slipped stitches is highly effective with variegated yarns, and equally beautiful in semi-solids.

Construction: Worked in the round from the bottom up, Courser alternates bands of welted slipstitch with broken rib and reverse broken rib. The brim is plain ribbing that transitions perfectly into the stitch patterns, adding a strong vertical element to the horizontal textures. The reverse side of each pattern is more nubby but just as beautiful, making the hat attractive on both sides and completely reversible when finished carefully.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, slipped stitches, decreasing, working in the round; instructions for stitch patterns are fully written.

Size: S (M, L); 16 (19.25, 22.5)” brim circumference and 8.5 (9, 9.5)” tall, unstretched; sample shown in size M.

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rios (100% superwash merino wool; 210 yards/ 192m/100g), shown in Candombe; 1 skein, or approximately 115 (145, 175) yards of worsted weight wool yarn.

Other Materials: US 7 (4.5mm) for brim and US 8 (5mm) 16” circular needle and dpns, or size 32” circular needle if using Magic Loop, or size to match gauge; Stitch markers (8); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 28 rows/4” in Broken Rib, unstretched after blocking.

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Refracted

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Oct 112016

Stitches refract at a central point, interrupting the line of a stripe and sometimes becoming another stitch pattern entirely. Worked in a combination of solid, stripe and slipped stitches, this garter shawl begins at one tip and grows asymmetrically on the bias in two halves simultaneously, with patterns which diverge at the center.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, slipped stitches. Instructions are fully written, with charts also provided for the slipstitch and stripe sections.

Size: 64” length and 20” depth, customizable.

Yarn: Dark Harbour Yarn Starboard (70% superwash merino wool, 30% silk; 438 yards/400m/100g); 1 skein each MC and CC, shown in Great White and Arthur Kill, respectively. The sample as written used approximately 315 yards MC and 225 yards CC of fingering weight yarn.

Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Stitch marker (1); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 24 st and 32 rows/4” in garter stitch, 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.

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Mazerunner

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Oct 042016

Mazerunner cover | The Knitting Vortex

Sinuous crossed paths run a maze around mesh diamonds on this triangle shawl worked from the bottom up. The crimpy fiber of the cormo creates a very lofty and bouncy fabric, giving the lace a refreshingly rustic and woolly dimension.

Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, cables, easy lace; this pattern is both fully written and charted.

Size: 60” length and 26” depth; customizable.

Yarn: Sincere Sheep Cormo Fingering (100% Cormo wool; 500 yards/ 457m/113g); 1 skein, or 500 yards of wool/wool blend fingering weight yarn. The sample as written used the entire skein; you may want to have additional yardage on hand, as the shawl may easily be enlarged.

Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Cable needle; Yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 32 rows/4” in stockinette stitch, 20 st and 30 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.

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Line Art

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Sep 202016

Line Art cover| The Knitting Vortex

I created this short row shawl pattern as an indie complement to my book, Knitting Short Row: Techniques for Great Shapes and Angles. Thank you for supporting Indie!

Contrasting garter lines accent the clean stockinette canvas of this sideways swoop shawl. Choose bold monotones or a rainbow of colored leftovers to create your art; the elongated bias shape suits men or women, and can be made to any size.

Techniques & Skills Used: cable CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, German short rows with link to my tutorial.

Size: 60” length and 16” depth; this shawl may be customized to use any amount of yarn.

Yarn: Spirited Fibers Fingering (80% superwash merino wool, 20% nylon; 400 yards/366m/100g), shown in Silver; 1 skein, plus about 12 yards each of 3 or more contrasting color fingering weight yarns. Any amount of MC may be used, as well as an infinite number of contrast color scraps.

Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Stitch marker (1); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 19 st and 30 rows/4” in stockinette stitch, 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.

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Knitting Short Rows

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Sep 132016

Knitting Short Rows book

Knitting Short Rows: Techniques for Great Shapes and Angles is my new book with Interweave, and it’s available now from Amazon. From the book intro:

Shape your knitwear seamlessly using short row techniques, including wrap & turn, yarnover, German and Japanese methods, and twin stitch shadow wraps.
The beauty, ease and charm of knitwear comes in large part from its organic nature, from the curve of a sweater around the body, the depth and texture of a warm scarf, or the perfect slouch of a hat. I love designing knits that shape the fabric or create interesting detail using various knitting techniques. One of my favorite techniques of all is short rows.
Short rows are an invaluable technique that allow the knitter to create curves, angles and depth, resulting in modern, seamless knitwear that is both engaging to knit and flattering to wear.
Knitting Short Rows is both a technical learning resource with tutorials, and a beautiful design source that embodies modern, seamless knitting with 17 designs including garments, accessories and wraps.

See all the patterns from the book on Ravelry.

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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, and different yardage requirements.

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Block Theory

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Aug 042016

Block Theory | The Knitiing Vortex

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 intarsia color blocks grows through the size range, to create a similar visual result for all sizes.

Techniques & Skills Used: Italian tubular CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, intarsia, German short rows, cable CO, applied I-cord (provisional CO and grafting), 3-needle BO; links are provided to my techniques tutorials.

Size: 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 48, 52)” bust; sample shown in second size worn with 1” negative ease.

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima (100% pima cotton; 220 yards/200m/100g), shown in MC 3718 Natural and CC 3729 Gray; 2 (3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4) skeins MC and 1 (2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2) skeins CC, or approximately 425 (475, 500, 525, 575, 600, 625, 725, 800) yards of MC and 210 (230, 250, 270, 290, 310, 330 360, 390) yards of CC dk weight cotton or cotton blend yarn.

Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; US 4 (3.5mm) 32” circular needle for CO; Stitch markers (4); Stitch holders (3); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 22 st and 28 rows/4” in Stockinette stitch, after blocking.

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Indium

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Jul 062016

Worked simply, in summer yarn with a bit of lace, Indium is a bubble tank perfect for lazy warm days. Topdown seamless construction with no shaping makes a carefree top with a casual fit; wear it longer like the sample, or make a cropped version and accentuate the easy shape.

Construction: Indium is worked seamlessly from the top down all in one piece; the straps are CO provisionally and worked as I-cord, then stitches are cast on to the live straps and joined in the round for the top edge. After the lace and cable top edge is complete, stitches are increased for the body and worked straight to the hem, where a rapid decrease pulls in the bottom ribbing, creating the bubble shape.

Techniques & Skills Used: provisional CO, cable CO, I-cord, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, working in the round; pattern instructions are fully written, with a chart also provided for the lace stitch pattern.

Size: 32 (34, 36, 38, 40, 44, 48)” bust; sample shown in second size worn with 1” negative ease at bust and 4” negative ease at hip. The straight body creates a bubble shape, fitted at the top and bottom, with positive ease between.

Yarn: Knit Picks Shine Sport (60% pima cotton, 40% Modal; 110 yards/ 100m/50g), shown in Platinum; 5 (6, 6, 6, 7, 7, 8) skeins, or approximately 550 (575, 600, 650, 675, 750, 800) yards of sport weight cotton blend yarn.

Other Materials: US 3 (3.25mm) dpns (optional) for icord; US 3 (3.25mm) and US 4 (3.5mm) 24” circular needles, or size to match gauge; Stitch marker (1); Scrap yarn for provisional CO; Stitch holders (3); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 24 st and 33 rows/4” in stockinette stitch on larger needle, 20 st and 32 rows/4” in lace cable pattern on smaller needle, after blocking.

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Vamping

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Jun 162016

In jazz music, vamping is playing the same short phrase over and over; in this shawl you create a glamorous vampy piece by working a simple syncopated eyelet repeat on a wrap with an intriguing shape. Knit asymmetrically from side to side, the long gradient color change builds slowly as it expands with the shawl.

Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace; instructions for this pattern are fully written.

Size: 70” length and 20” depth.

Yarn: KnitCircus Yarns Lavish (70% superwash merino wool, 20% cashmere, 10% nylon; 600 yards/548m/170g); 1 skein, shown in Vampire Boyfriend. The sample as written used approximately 585 yards, but instructions are included to customize your shawl for different amounts of yardage.

Other Materials: US 6 (4mm) 32” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Removable marker (1); Yarn needle.

Gauge: 20 st and 30 rows/4” in stockinette stitch, 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.

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