One of the knitting techniques I really enjoy is double knitting, because every time I work in this technique I'm intrigued by the fact that the created fabric is reversible and looks beautiful from both sides since there seems to be no 'wrong side'. 

A double-knit fabric is comprised of two layers of fabric worked simultaneously. It is worked in pairs of stitches, for each knit stitch worked on one side, a purl stitch is worked next for the other side. This technique creates a thick fabric, which seems to have two right sides, because the wrong sides are facing each other in the middle of the fabric. 

The technique can be worked with just one colour for example for an extra thick scarf, but more often two colours are used to form motifs. The fun effect is, that the motif appears on the second side as a negative image with reversed colours. In the picture below you see the 'right side' with white lines on black and the 'wrong side' with black lines on white.

The first pattern in double knitting technique I published a while ago was the Rhomboid Cowl. Worked in a classic monochrome geometric pattern, enhanced with small details in a contrast colour as the eye-catching feature. The red 'line' above is the cast-on edge, done in the third colour; the optional contrast coloured diamond (in red in the picture) was added at random using duplicate stitch.

I've recently revised the pattern and added detailed written instructions for everyone who'd like to give double knitting a try, but is hesitant to work from charts. The pattern is available from my Ravelry store, here: Rhomboid Cowl.

Well, what can I say? Yet another one of my sock patterns was published this week: Slanted. The pattern is included in the latest Knit Picks collection Outrageous Socks, a stunning collection with 18 modern sock designs, all of them suitable for colourful yarn.

My pattern, Slanted, uses simple knit and purl stitches which create stripes that seem to spiral down the leg. The socks are knitted cuff down with a so-called hybrid Fleegle Heel, which is integrated into the leg and worked in rounds. The heel emerges neatly from the diagonal stripes and it also seems to wander into the right position. The toe is worked as a kind of star toe, which picks up the slant of the diagonal lines.

The pattern includes two sizes to fit approximately 19 ( 22.25) cm [7.5 (8.75)"] leg circumference. You can choose to work the stitch pattern from the charts or the written instructions.

The pattern Slanted is available as individual download or as part of the Outrageous Socks collection from the Knit Picks website, here.

... is the theme Zen Yarn Garden chose for their premiere pattern collection and designers were asked to design pieces inspired by the great impressionist painters. And well, there are just so many paintings with water, on which wind and sun create ripples and shadows, that an idea formed in my head right away. And why not turn the idea into the project I like to knit best? So...

please say hello to the Composition Socks, my contribution to Zen Yarn Garden's The Impressionist Colleciton.

Knitted in Zen Yarn Garden Superfine Fingering weight. a soft blend of 90 % merino with 10% nylon added for durability in the stunning colourway Eternity, the socks appear like a detail in Monet's Houses of Parliaments series.

The Composition Socks are knit cuff down with an all-over lace pattern, reminiscent of the wind rippling the surface of water. The hybrid fleegle heel is integrated in theleg, i.e. heel flap and gusset are worked in the round together with the leg. The used stitch pattern works very well with tonal variegated yarns. The socks are mismatched in that the ripples slant in different directions for a more random look. The pattern includes three sizes to fit 17.75 (20.25, 22.75) cm [7 (8, 9)”] leg circumference and it comes with charts and also written instructions.

Do you consider knitting a pair of composition socks? The individual pattern is available from Ravelry, here, and there are also kits with pattern and yarn available from the Zen Yarn Garden website, here. The kits are offered at 15% off for a limited time (through May 31, 2019), with the use of the coupon code IMPRESSIONIST15.

Another one of the patterns I really enjoyed working on last year can fianlly be shared, since the newest issues of Interweave Knits, Summer 2019 is now available. The magazine's theme is coast-to-coast knits and it is filled with a wide array of summery sweaters as well as socks and shawls in colourwork technique. My contribution is a large three-coloured shawl: the Tubac Stole.The semisolid and variegated colorways of the stole were inspired by the blue sky and dry desert of the U.S. Southwest.

The stole is constructed in a rather unusual way: It is worked from the center out in rounds, beginning with Judy's Magic Cast-On and then increasing on the four corners. The stole is worked with one colour at the time. The first colour change is done in mosaic technique, while the second colour changes blends in the new colour in rounds worked alternating between the two colours.

As per pattern the stole is approximately 195 cm (67”) long and 52 cm (20.5“) wide, but it could be worked to any desired size. However, the number of sitches cast on set the proportions. Fewer stitches = less length, more width; more stitches = more length, less width. The contruction method means that there are right from the start a rather big number of stitches to be worked, but everything is worked in rounds, so there are no 'annoying' purl wrong side rows as there are with many other shawls. I really enjoyed working on the stole and I've lately played around with an idea using a similar technique, but it's not yet in the state to tell you about it. Stay tuned.

Interweave Knits is available in print or as digital version from the Interweave website, here.

So thrilled to see that now the newest Interweave knitting book The Art of Circular Yokes can be pre-ordered. Why, you ask? Well, as I've told quite often, what I love to knit and design best is usually smaller things like socks, mittens, shawls, and only occasionally I tackle garments. So I am absolutely proud that one of my designs, the Scallops Cardigan, made it into this fantastic garment collection.

The Scallops Cardigan is knitted from the top down with a cabled yoke. The cables start small and get wider with each yoke increase. This shows how you can shape a yoke simply by shaping each cable or element in it. One of the cables from the yoke is continued onto each sleeve as an eye-catching extra; on the sleeve the cable gets gradually narrower before it 'vanishes' completely.

All edgings (bottom edge, buttonband, cuffs) are cabled too; buttonholes are worked into the cable. The cardigan is worked completely without any seams.

The pattern includes six sizes: XS (S, M, L, XL, 2XL) with a bust circumference: about 30 (34, 38, 42, 46, 50)“ (76 86.5, 96.5, 106.5, 117, 127 cm).

I really love how the cardi turned out and the chosen setting for the pictures in a museum is so appropriate. :)

The book - ebook or print - is available from the Interweave website, here.

Finished the hat for this cutie only this morning in the nick of time and now our gift for my mum is already enjoying the wonderful weather we are having this easter: Heli, the Easter Lamb.

Why is she called Heli, you ask? Well, when DH first showed me what he made, her ears made me laugh so hard and I said she looks more like a helicopter than a sheep... so Heli she was named right away. ;-) Now that she is completed, I think our joint project turned out great and my mum sure loves her.

Happy Eater, everyone!

Another club pattern that has been on the backburner for way too long, got finally repolished and is now available:  Rows & Rows Socks.

Basic knit and purl stitches combined to a beautiful pattern that forms rows and rows of horizontal, vertical and diagonal stripes. The socks are knit cuff down with a heel flap and gusset. The pattern includes three sizes: Women’s S, M and L and you can choose to work the pattern from the charts or the written instructions.

Phew, am I happy that this pattern, that I really like a lot, is finally done and available. As all my self-published patterns you can get it, here, from my Ravelry pattern store.

The queen of procrastinating (yes, I am talking about myself here) finally got her act together. Last month I worked on a pattern that was released years ago, as a club pattern available to members only, and ever since I thought that I would like to make it available for everyone to enjoy. Hm, it sure took its sweet time... Truth be told, there were some issues that needed to be solved and I didn't like the original layout one bit, so there was some work involved, including tech edting and a round of test knitting. But with all that done, the pattern was finally added to my store: Multidirectional Mittens.

It really is a pattern to show off the beauty of variegated yarn  because the changes in knitting direction create stripes that change directions too: vertical, horizontal, angular.

The individual parts of the mittens are worked using different techniques and are worked in different directions: The cuff is worked flat and knit sideways; lower hand and upper hand are worked in the round, part of the thumb gusset section is worked flat in short-rows.

The pattern includes three sizes, women's S, M and L.

The pattern for Multidirectional Mittens is available from my Ravelry pattern store, here, and thanks to all the positive feedback and suggestions, I've already worked on a fingerless version. That pattern though, needs another round of test knitting, but I hope it won't take as long as rereleasing this one...