originaldesign • The Knitting Vortex • Page 5

Mazerunner

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Oct 042016

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. See it on Ravelry or . . .

Line Art

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Sep 202016

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 . . .

Knitting Short Rows

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Sep 132016

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 . . .

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 . . .

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 . . .

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. See it on Ravelry or on Payhip, to read . . .

Diamond Lanes

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Apr 192016

Geometric lace forms textured diagonal diamond lanes leading upward and outward on this simple but stunning triangular shawl. Techniques & Skills Used: knit/purl, increasing/decreasing, easy lace; this pattern is both fully written and charted. Size: 52” length and 21” depth, customizable. Yarn: Seven Sisters Arts Apex (60% superwash merino wool, 20% yak, 20% silk; 400 yards/366m/100g), shown in bleu grey; 1 skein, or 400 yards of wool blend fingering weight yarn with good drape. The sample as written used the entire skein; you may want to have additional yardage on hand as insurance, as the shawl may easily be enlarged using any amount of yarn. Other Materials: US 5 (3.75mm) 32” circular needle or size to match gauge; Markers (3); Yarn needle. Gauge: 20 st and 40 rows/4” in garter stitch, 18 st and 34 rows/4” in diamond 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, or on Payhip, to read more or purchase the pattern.

Sweet Chilly

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Mar 172016

As comfy as your favorite sweatshirt but made stylish with special details, Sweet Chilly uses seamless topdown construction and textured stitches in a modern knit sweater. Shifting Broken Rib panels create the look of a deep raglan, while the Twisted Rib featured on the dolman sleeves continues along the sides providing natural shaping. Construction: Sweet Chilly is worked seamlessly from the top down with textured stitches. The back is cast on and the back shoulders are shaped with German short rows worked in Twisted Rib, then the textured Broken Rib panel is set up and the back is worked to the armhole depth. Stitches for each front are picked up from the CO shoulders, and shaped similarly to the back while also shaping the front neck. The fronts are then joined and worked to the armhole depth, where stitches are bound off at the underarms to create the dolman sleeves, then front and back are joined to work in the round to the hem. The Broken Rib panel moves toward the sideseams, consuming the . . .

Shadowling

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Jan 192016

A topography of shadow cables is knit as a flat rectangle and folded, then two short seams form this cocoon cardigan. Short rows shape the wide ribbed edging, creating a warm and dramatic shawl collar that hugs all the right places; an elegant applied I-cord neatly finishes the edges and cuffs. Construction: Shadowling is cast on provisionally and worked as a flat rectangle to the final body row, which is left live. The piece is folded horizontally and seamed, leaving armhole openings; stitches are picked up around the openings and worked in the round for long ribbed cuffs, and finished with applied I-cord. CO and final row stitches are then worked in the round in rib with short rows to shape the shawl collar, and the long edge also finished with applied I-cord. Instructions are written for the German short row method, but your preferred method may be substituted. Techniques & Skills Used: provisional CO, cable CO, knit/purl, cables, short rows, working in the round, applied I-cord; stitch pattern is both written and charted, with a link . . .

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