Patterns • The Knitting Vortex

Honeydana

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Nov 112024

Deeply textured honeycomb cables decorate this seamless double layer bandana cowl. Begun flat and then joined in the round, the shawl structure shows off the beautiful stitch pattern, with all the convenience of an easy to wear cowl. Construction: Honeydana is knit seamlessly from a topdown provisional CO and begins like a triangle shawl, worked with elegant tubular edges. Once a comfortable neckline circumference is reached, stitches are joined in the round and worked like a cowl, with a honeycomb cable pattern on the body and continued shaping to create the bandana front. The lower edge is finished with a sculptural ruffle. Pull the neckpiece over your head, tuck in the top, and enjoy your comfortable, stay-in-place bandana cowl. Techniques & Skills Used: provisional CO, cable CO, knit/purl, increasing, cables, working in the round. This pattern contains fully written instructions, with a chart also provided for the cable repeat. Size: 32” circumference at bottom edge and 16” tall. Yarn: Green Mountain Spinnery Mewesic (100% fine American wool; 180 yards/165m/58g), sample shown in Purple Rain 8951; 2 skeins, or . . .

Ink Scarf

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Nov 102024

Worked in the round from one end to the other, Ink Scarf uses the helix knitting technique to create easy jogless one-row stripes on a long tubular scarf. Completely reversible thanks to invisible color changes, one side displays stockinette stitch and the other reverse stockinette, each with a slipped stitch decorative linear detail. Pair two contrasting tonal yarns as in the red sample, or introduce an array of leftovers as shown in the blue. Versatile fingering weight yarn makes a lightweight scarf that can be knit to any length. Construction: the helix knitting technique avoids the jog in color between stripe rounds, as well as removes the ridge where yarns are carried on the reverse of the work, making the scarf delightfully reversible. Helix knitting is used in the striped sections of the Ink scarf, with 8 stationary markers to indicate the position of the vertical slipped stitch columns. No EOR marker is needed, as the “round” is constantly spiraling around the work. The solid sections utilize normal circular knitting, where an EOR marker is . . .

Ink Hat

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Nov 102024

Worked in the round from the brim to the top, Ink Hat uses the helix knitting technique to create easy jogless one-row stripes. Completely reversible thanks to invisible color changes, one side displays stockinette stitch and the other reverse stockinette, each with a slipped stitch decorative linear detail. Pair two contrasting tonal yarns, or match a neutral main color with a self-striping contrast or an array of leftovers. Versatile fingering weight yarn makes a comfortably chic lightweight hat. Construction: the helix knitting technique avoids the jog in color between stripe rounds, as well as removes the ridge where yarns are carried on the reverse of the work, making the hat delightfully reversible. The Ink Hat offers two brim variations; cast on using the tubular method with color A for a smooth, infinity edge and continue 1” in double knitting for a stockinette appearance, or transition to comfortable K1P1 ribbing. Add color B for the helix stripes section, worked with just one color every round. For my video tutorial of helix stripe knitting & the special . . .

Rhombic Flow

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Oct 032024

A current of rhombus shapes flows along the length of this stole, expanding and contracting within a bed of comforting garter stitch. Worked in ethereal lace weight yarn, this scarf can be made as long as your yardage allows, while maintaining a featherlight quality that spans the seasons. Construction: Rhombic Flow begins at one end and is worked to the other, with geometrically expanding and contracting interlocking lace diamonds and a wide garter border. Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace; this pattern is both fully written and charted. Size: 108” length and 13” width, customizable. Yarn: Forbidden Fiber Company Whisper (70% alpaca, 20% silk, 10% cashmere; 875 yards/800m/100g); 1 skein, or 870 yards of luxury wool blend lace weight yarn. Any amount of yarn may be used. The sample was made with discontinued Whisper shown in color Winter Dusk, and as written used approximately 823 yards. Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 24” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Markers (3, or more if marking repeats); Yarn needle. Gauge: 17 st and 34 rows/4” in garter . . .

Amalee

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Feb 282024

A tidy and feminine seamless cardigan, Amalee adds a touch of whimsy with bell sleeve cuffs and a romantic peplum. Worked from the top down using the seamless, simultaneous set-in sleeves method, the silhouette is slightly relaxed with gentle A-line shaping, a flattering hi-hip length, and elegant tubular rib finish. Construction: Amalee uses the seamless, simultaneous set-in sleeve method, which allows you to work the back, front and sleeves of a sweater all at one time from the top down, while creating a tailored, set-in sleeve fit. Stitches are cast on for the back, and the back shoulders are shaped with a few short rows to create the shoulder slope; stitches are then picked up for each front shoulder, and shaped with identical short rows. The back and fronts are united, while at the same time stitches are picked up at the shoulder edges for the sleeve caps, and sleeve cap shaping begins. Body and sleeves are worked at the same time, with a deep V neckline, and tailored armhole shaping. When the armhole depth . . .

Allotrope Cubes

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Oct 282023

Diamond is the compact and dense allotrope, or distinct structural element, that forms from carbon at very high pressure. This shawl is a lattice of interlocking cubic shapes in garter stitch and yarnovers, worked from the bottom up in an expanding structure. Wide garter borders on all sides create a simple frame for the strong and striking geometry of the diamond arrangement. Construction: Allotrope Cubes begins at the bottom center point, and is worked to the long top edge, with geometrically expanding interlocking lace diamonds and a wide garter border. Techniques & Skills Used: longtail CO, knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace; this pattern is both fully written and charted. Size: S (L); 83 (87)” length and 29 (32)” depth. Yarn: Dream In Color Smooshy (85% superwash merino wool, 15% nylon; 420 yards/284m/114g); 2 (3) skeins, or approximately 750 (900) yards of wool blend fingering weight yarn. The size L sample was made with discontinued Dream In Color Stardust Experimentals (98% superwash merino wool, 2% nylon; 450 yards/411m/114g), shown in Persimmon; 2 skeins. Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle, . . .

Honeydip

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Sep 122023

Deeply textured honeycomb cables decorate the body and outer sleeves of this topdown seamless sweater. Victorian references style the bell shaped silhouette, with a high neck, slim sleeves, and fluted hem. Compound raglan shaping ensures a good fit for all sizes, while waist shaping further refines the silhouette. Construction: Honeydip is knit seamlessly from the top down using raglan construction, in a textured honeycomb cable pattern on the front, back, and along the outer sleeves, with smooth stockinette at the body side panels and undersleeves. Compound raglan shaping, in which the rate of body and sleeve increases varies depending upon size, is used to ensure a good fit across the entire size range. Stitches are cast on in the round at the neckline, the front and back neck are shaped with short rows, then the body is worked to the bottom of the armhole. Sleeve stitches are placed on hold while the lower body is worked with gentle shaping to the fluted ribbed hem which flows smoothly from the cables. Sleeves are then continued to . . .

Chunnel Vest

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Aug 122023

Chunnel Vest features a relaxed modern silhouette worked in textured half fisherman’s rib. European shoulder shaping places the shoulder seams toward the back, eliminating bulk and creating a flattering smooth drape at the front. Fully fashioned shaping emphasizes the neckline, armholes and sideseams above the hem, for visible style lines that contour to your shape. An elegant tubular bind off finishes the ribbing at the hem, armholes and neck. Construction: Chunnel Vest is cast on at the back neck, then the shoulders are shaped with increases to create an ergonomic fit. Once the shoulder width is reached, the upper back is worked with integrated shaping, to the bottom of the armhole. The back is put on hold while stitches are picked up along the shoulder edge for each front, then worked to the armscye depth, with rounded crew neck shaping. Back and front are united, then the body is worked in the round, with shaping above the ribbed hem to emphasize the fitted bottom finish. The hem is worked in K1P1 rib, finished elegantly with . . .

Kimberlite Pipes

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May 182023

Kimberlite Pipes is a shawl that represents the transformation of carbon into diamonds, working their way up through the earth’s mantle. Cast on at the bottom point, this shawl expands upwards in tiers of interlocking diamonds, beginning fully as lace, transitioning through half garter/ half lace, and finally reaching fully garter shapes. Diagonal rows of yarnovers separate the diamonds throughout, and outline the wide garter borders on all sides. Techniques & Skills Used: knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace; this pattern is both fully written and charted. Size: 74” length and 40” depth, customizable. Yarn: Birch Hollow Fibers Morrison MCN Sock (80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon; 435 yards/ 398m/100g), shown in Winter Wheat; 2 skeins or 870 yards of wool blend fingering weight yarn. The sample used almost all of the yarn; see Designer’s Notes for suggestions on adjusting for different yardage. Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 24” circular needle, or size to match gauge; Markers (3, or more if marking reps); Yarn needle. Gauge: 16 st and 32 rows/4” in garter stitch, 16 st and 24 rows/4” in . . .

Courser Loop

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Mar 162023

Worked in the round with a half-twist, Courser Loop is a moebius infinity cowl that alternates long rounds of slipped stitch, broken rib, and reverse broken rib patterns, and is finished along the outer edge with K1P1 ribbing. The reverse of the stitch patterns each create a unique and beautiful fabric, taking advantage of the moebius structure which magically displays the RS on one half of the length, and the WS on the other, making the cowl attractive on both sides and completely reversible. Designer’s Notes: This infinity loop is worked in the round outwards from the cast on, which becomes the middle of the loop, until the outside edge is reached and bound off. To adjust the length of your loop, CO more or fewer stitches in multiples of 2; to customize the width, work the various stitch patterns in any combination, for any number of repeats. Techniques & Skills Used: moebius CO, knit/purl, slipped stitches, working in the round; instructions for stitch patterns are fully written, and a link to the moebius CO tutorial . . .

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