New Design - Nimrodel

“Beside the falls of Nimrodel, 

by water clear and cool, 

her voice, like silver falling fell 

into the shining pool”

Nimrodel is a cable and lace triangular shawl worked from the top down. The pattern can be easily customized by changing the number of repeats of Chart A. The pictured shawl uses approximately 700 yards of fingering weight yarn. 400 yards would make a shawlette size.

I knit to audio books a lot and was listening to Lord of the Rings, and trying to come up with something for my shawl exchange partner. She said her favorite colors were water tones, and the beautiful yarn from the yarn yard reminded me of cool water. So I tried to come up with a pattern that reminded me of water flowing over stones and this is what I came up with.

Kjærlighetsvotter

Kjærlighetsvotter is Norwegian for ”Lover’s mittens”. These mittens are patterned after the traditional rose or snowflake pattern seen in Selbuvotter. Selbuvotter are traditional stranded mitten patterns from Selbu, Norway, a small town about an hours drive from Trondheim. Traditionally, mittens were knitted using natural black and white wool, though modern knitters incorporate colors into their mittens. It was tradition to wear these mittens on festive occasions, including weddings.

The pattern set consists of the lover’s mitten, designed to be used by a couple wishing to hold hands inside the mitten, and the corresponding men´s and women’s mitten. It is optional to make a set of 5 mittens, a pair of both men´s and women´s mittens in addition to the lover´s mitten, but please note that the yardage given is for the set of 3. Using traditional Norwegian shaping and construction technique, the mittens’ stranded colorwork is knit at a tight gauge to keep your hands warm and protected from the elements.

I submitted the pattern to the December 2011 Knitty issue, but they were sadly declined recently. Which means I was in the running, but there are a lot of good designs out there ;) You can find them now on ravelry.

Aurum

My latest design Aurum is now available as a kit exclusively with Wooly Wonka Fibers here. This design was inspired by a good friend who is soon to be getting hitched. I wanted to knit her something special and came up with this lace and cable shawlette.Aurum is a crescent shaped shawl that is knitted from the bottom up using short rows. The main motif involves both a simple lace and cable design. The cable design is meant to be done without a cable needle, tutorials on this method can be found at the end of the pattern. It is finished with an I-cord BO. It will be offered on it own starting in Sept 2011 here.

Kobenhavn

My newest shawl pattern Kobenhavn is up! It can be purchased here from Knit Picks.Kobenhavn is a reversible triangular shawlette or shawl. The construction of this shawl is non-traditional. The shawl is CO at one end of the garter stitch triangle, increased to the desired size then decreased forming the triangular basis. Stitches are then picked up along the sides of the triangle, and a feather & fan chart is knitted top down. The shawl finishes with a knitted on edging.

It is shown here in KP Shimmer above, and KP Stroll Tonal below. The pattern is written for 2 sizes, but is easily customizable.

Socks, Shawls, and Smitten

Well I have been knitting up a storm. I finished my Kobenhavn sample, and the pattern is soon to be release on KP.

Socks to be gifted

I also made a pair of Kjærlighetsvotter or Lover's mittens for a wedding present. Aren't they great! So that you and your sweetie can hold hands in the mitten. I think I will write up another version of these that are slightly less traditional.


I tested out this lovely blouse and am starting on another test.

I have also finished testing my 3rd shawl design, but it is being kept secret for the time being. =)

Tempest Cowl

My Tempest Cowl is now up for sale here through KP IDP.

The stitch motif of this cowl swirls around the neck, like the wind and rain of a tempest. This lace cowl is knitted in the round. This cowl can also be worn as a wimple if desired, or shortened for a smaller cowl.

The example above was knit in Knit Picks alpaca cloud, below was knit with Knit Picks shadow.

Carol Stole

I take part in the bi-annual Ravelry Worldwide Shawl Exchange (RWSE). This year my partner inspired me to design a shawl and here it is.
Traditional Estonian lace stitches are used to create this lacey stole. This rectangular stole begins with a provisional CO and is knit in both directions. Side edging is knit as part of the main pattern and completes the ends using the knitted on edging technique. Beads are used in the last stitch motif and NUPPs can be substituted in place of beads.

The pattern is available for sale here, through Knit Picks IDP.