Kicking of the New Year with a happy new design: Dotty Scarf!

The scarf is knitted in the round in stranded knitting and it's a fab project to go wild with colours and/or use up all the little odds and ends we all have in our stash.

The pattern is included in the current issue of Knit Now magazine, available from newsstand in the UK or online from Craftstash, here.

The latest issue of Knit Now hit the shelves of the newsstands yesterday, so it's finally time to share a new pattern with you! Believe me, waiting for the release day often is the hardest part when working with third parties on my patterns.... so here we go, here's my contribution to issue 136: China Rose Hat and Gloves

The set, knitted in a oh-so-soft Sirdar Snuggly Cashmere Merino DK, features a distinctive cable pattern that forms an arrow shaped motiv on a background in Stockinette stitch. Both items are worked in the round from the bottom up and the pattern includes instructions for three sizes.

... that was released this year, is also included in my sales bundle for the Indie Design Gift-A-Long: Do you speak knit? Cowl.

If you have plans to make one for yourself or a fellow knitter, don't miss out. The pattern is available from my Ravelry shop at a 25% discount for another two days, here.

Today’s the day! The Indie Design Gift-A-Long starts on Ravelry!

Participating designers will make their bundles of sale patterns available on Ravelry, on Nov. 23 at 8:00 p.m. (EST). Use the code GIFTALONG2021 on Ravelry to shop the sale patterns at a 25% discount through Nov. 29 (end of the day, EST). See the Gift-A-Long group on Ravelry, here, to read all about the 6 week long KAL/CAL of holiday gifts made from patterns by independent designers. There’ll be fun games and contest and KALs and companionship to help you get your holiday crafting done. Hope to see you there - have fun!

In case you are not on Ravelry yet: Ravelry is a free site for knitters and crocheters and you need to be a member to play along. It's absolutely free and all you need to do is to register.

Time flies and just like that it's that time of the year again: If you want to give handknit gifts, now it's the time to ponder on ideas and start knitting. So the latest issue of Interweave Knits Gifts comes at the right time - and I'm happy I contributed a pattern to it: Boreal Hat and Mittens.

Named for coniferous forests often found in cold climates (boreal = related to or located in northern regions), the two-coloured Boreal Hat and Mittens are knitted using a simple yet beautiful colourwork motif to transition from one colour to the other and back again. The colours are reversed on the second item for a more playful look and to make the best of two skeins of worsted weight yarn.

Despite the fact that I've been knitting like a machine lately (lots of new samples and also socks for the Supersock World Championship just for fun), I found some time to work on a pattern that was previously published in Knit Now magazine: Sonic Interference.

The striking effect in these socks is achieved by working an easy to memorize mosaic pattern. The pattern is worked with a single colour at a time – making these socks perfect for a first project using more than one colour!

The socks are knitted top down with heel flap and gusset. Cuff, heel and toe are worked in main colour only; leg and foot are worked alternating between one round in main colour and one round in contrast colour.

You didn't really think you had seen all the pattern when we were done with socks for Monday to Sunday, did you? Of course we are not yet done, because already The Beatles sang about 'Eight Days A Week!. ;-)

When I was a kid I actually found the title really funny, because I couldn't understand why they didn't know that the week only has seven days... Of course, now  I know that you say 'eight days a week' because with this way of counting you mean today in a week and count today as the first day. Anyway, for all of you who can't get enough of hand-knitted socks and who would like to have an extra pair for today, here we go with Eight Days A Week.

We are almost done with our musical journey through the week - it's Sunday! Which is one of the days I had an idea in my mind right from the start of designing the weekday socks because one of my favourite songs is “Sunday Girl” by Blondie. Even though it’s one of the songs I am not quite sure what it is about – a pretty girl whose boyfriend is cheating on her? Never mind! I love the melody and enjoy to sing along.

For me it’s the perfect summer, sun, easy-going party song, so I picked a cheerful colour and a lacy pattern for my Sunday Girl Socks. The all-over pattern, two different alternating lace stripes, leeds into the heel flap which is integrated into the leg and knit with the leg in the round.

Well, in the introduction to my Eight Days A Week Collection I mention that the choice of the songs was done without a meaning behind it. The compilation is by no means a ‘best of’ nor is it the music I typically listen to, but I’ve chosen songs that I like for one reason or the other – may it be the voice, the melody, the rhythm, the lyrics…, songs that were earworms at a certain time, songs that I had an idea how to interpret in a pattern… you get the idea.

In today's case we talk about an earworm that by the time it was popular I found quite annoying... Saturday Night by Whigfield. Dee dee na na na...

Back in the 90’s when the song was popular, I lived in Spain next to an open-air club. Can you guess what I listened to every single night and sometimes even more than once? Hm... But I sure gave me an idea for my Saturday Socks. If you’ve ever seen a crowd doing the dance to this song, I’m sure you know right away why I created a ‘waves’ pattern for these socks.

I figure it's only fair to admit that I was quite happy when I reached the Friday socks in my musical journey through the week, because I knew right from the start what my Friday song would be: Friday I'm in Love by one of my favourite bands ever, The Cure.

Okay, there are songs I like better by the band, but Friday I'm in Love is a happy song to sing along and of course it was quite easy to come up with an idea for a pattern. I went with an all-over pattern with small hearts worked in purl stitch on a background in Stockinette Stitch. A fancy detail are the ribbed stripes that divide front and back and that are carried along the patterned heel flap and the toe.

Just like Wednesday, Thursday doesn't seem to be very high on the list of popular weekdays when it comes to song titles. It took me some research and listening to songs to find one to use as my inspriation for my Thursday socks and in the end I decided for Thursday's Child by Tanita Tikaram. Do you know the song?

I admit, I have no idea what the song is all about, but I love the happy folksy spirit of the melody, so I chose a playful all-over stitch pattern to go with this feeling. Floats created by slipping stitches are gathered to form 'butterflies'; a stitch pattern that works very well with variegated yarn. To even up the negative ease created by the slip stitch pattern and also for decorative reasons, the heel, sole and toe are worked in Eye of the Partridge pattern.

What I leart from my 'musical journey through the week' is that there are weekdays that are not very popular with songwriters. Like Wednesday... ;-) There aren't all that many songs with Wednesday in the title and it took me a while to decide on the song that I really like to use for my Wednesday Socks. In the end it was a sad song once again: Wednesday Morning by folk rock band America.

Wednesday Morning is a song about parting from each other, so I chose a single wide cable that is running down the front and the back of the leg and which is parting into two small cables to form the heel respectively the instep. The instep is worked in a subtle eyelet pattern, thinking abou the line in the lyrics that says 'Wednesday evening was the first time she cried'.

The socks are knit from the cuff down with heel flap and gusset. The 'split cable' is continued onto the heel flap and the gusset is patterned also; it is worked in the all-over textured background pattern.

Es ist endlich so weit  - Blue Mondays 'Geschwister' sind offizell erschienen und ab sofort gibt es die englischsprachige Eight Days a Week Kollektion in meinem Ravelry Shop. Die Kollektion beinhaltet acht Sockenmuster, eins für jeden Tag der Woche plus ein Bonusmuster. Alle Strickmuster können als Einzelmuster erworben werden oder - zu einem erheblich reduzierten Preis - als Gesamtkollektion mit allen Mustern.

Ich möchte Euch gerne jedes einzelne der Muster vorstellen und da ja heute Dienstag ist, hören wir doch mal rein, welcher Song mich inspiriert hat.

Hier sind meine Ruby Tuesday Socken, natürlich so bennannt nach dem Klassiker von den Rolling Stones.

At long last - Blue Monday's 'siblings' made an appearance and as of now the Eight Days a Week collection with one sock pattern for every day of the week plus one bonus pattern is available from my Ravelry store. All patterns can be purchased as single download or - at a heavily discounted price - as collection including all eight patterns.

I'd like to give a bit of spotlight to each of them and since it's Tuesday today, let's listen to todays song.

And here are the socks inspired by Ruby Tuesday, the classic by The Rolling Stones.

 So, I told you about the pattern which was a long time ago the spark of the idea for a new collection of sock patterns: Blue Monday.

It all started in a group on Ravelry I am in, where somebody suggested to knit a pair of socks for each day of the week over the course of a year. I knew right away that I would like to go ‘freestyle’, i.e. design my own patterns and the first skein of yarn I picked from my stash was a bright blue yarn with a bit of glitz added. And in my head the socks were called Blue Monday right from the start.

Now, Blue Monday is the name of a song by the British New Wave band New Order, which was very popular back in the 80’s and you couldn’t go to any club without hearing that song. I remember it immediately when working with my sparkling blue yarn and just like that the idea for a 'musical journey through the week' was born. Shall we listen to the song, what do you think?

...but I can still remember… humming the melody of American Pie while writing these lines and indeed, it’s somehow appropriate to hum because what I want to tell you about has something to do with music.

Literally years ago I published a sock pattern that was meant to be part of a collection: a pair of socks for every day of the week, inspired by songs. I started off with my Blue Monday pattern, but after the pattern was released… hm, for whatever reasons I neglected the idea and it took me until this year to finally get my act together and to finish all the drafts. But now I’m done! All patters are written, edited, test knitted, all pictures are taken and the whole collection will be available from my Ravelry store tomorrow. I couldn’t be happier! And in case you are curious what I am so excited about, here’s a sneak peek for you. 

Oops, telling you with a bit of delay about my latest pattern, that was published already last week: Coesite Mitts. They are included in the second editition of the digital magazine Quick & Easy Knits, available on the Interweave website. The pattern includes instructions for three sizes to fit hand circumference of approxiamtely 14.5 - 20 cm.

The mitts are  worked in the round from the cuff to the top. The pattern, an allover zigzag pattern formed with knit and purl stitches, gives the mitts their texture. The mitts are knitted with a thumb gusset, which emerges from one of the zigzagging stripes and blends in neatly with the all-over pattern.

So I didn't tell you all of it the other day, because I have not only the Teetering Socks but also a second pattern in the newest Knit Picks Collection Rockin' Socks: Hashtag Socks! Or as I call them: #socks ;-)

The socks are knitted from the cuff down. They are worked in mosaic pattern, which means the pattern is worked with one color at a time while the motif is created with slipped stitches. The socks are worked with a heel flap and gusset.

Knit Picks' latest collection of patterns launched this week: Rockin' Socks. And since socks are my all time favourite object to knit, I'm very happy to have contributed to this collection. These are my Teetering Socks.

Hm, I can't remember, have I ever told you that I particpated in the Malabrigo Shawl Knitalong in April? Well, I did, and I absolutely love the shawl I  knitted in my all time favourite Malabrigo Sock. It's acutally a shawl I'm quite sure I'll wear (as you all know, I enjoy knitting shawls much more than wearing them), because I like the clean look of the stitch patterns and of course, I used some of my favourite colourway. :)

The Temperance Shawl, pattern available for free from Ravelry, here, calls for three skeins of fingering weight yarn. I had quite a bit left of the three skeins (about 60 g in total) and well, not only do I like to wear fingerless mitts, I also wanted to avoid that my bag with leftover yarn will fill up again right after I had knit up so many of my scraps. So... ta-dah!

I received a lovely surprise in the mail today: The latest issue of Interweave Knits magazine, Summer 2021, is now available. Not only is the rainy afternoon sorted, but I am also thrilled to tell you that I contributed to this issues: these are my Peregrinate Socks.

The socks are knitted top down with a folded ribbed cuff which transisitons into meandering columns of fisherman's rib. The brioche stitch makes the socks extra thick and cosy, so they are a perfect companion no matter whether you take them on a camping trip to wear during cooler summer nights or whether you make yourself comfortable snuggling up on the sofa on a rainy day.

There's still a huge pile of patterns on my desk, which were previously published in some magazine,  I'd like to rewrite and republish -  but it's going slow. So I'm happy that every once in a while I have a success message for you. As of today the Black Forest Hat and Cowl Set is available from my Ravelry store, here.

Hat and cowl are worked in illusion knitting (also known as shadow knitting), a technique which changes the look of the knit depending on the viewer’s perspective. The effect of the diagonal stripes which appear when looking at the fabric from the right angle, is created by the clever placement of knit and purl stitches. Illusion knitting is worked with one colour at a time and there is a minimum of two contrasting colours required. The samples were worked with one main colour (black) and three background colours in different shades of grey.

Honestly, there's nothing good to be said about this year's spring: cold, rain, even snow, more cold... sigh. I am so done with this awful weather. It's bad enough we can't go anywhere thanks to the darn virus, so it shouldn't be too much to ask for some sunshine mid of April...

Well, at least I won't suffer from cold feet - because look what got finish yesterday:

My Crazy Dots socks. Absolutely love how they turned out - so there is at least one thing, that makes me smile -  and I cast on another pair in different colours right away. I think I'll have to turn the design into a pattern eventually... :)

Winter's back in Germany and for almost a week we had to deal with temperatures around freezing point, lots of snow and rain showers and really nasty weather. So it's good I knitted like the wind, isn't it? Because look, my scarf version of my 'Do you speak Knit?' pattern is ready.

I pefer to wear scarves to cowls, so this was an absolutely selfish project in my favourite colours. And just because I added a tiny pompom fringe as the finishing touch. And I love, love, love how it turned out - but I guess you can tell that from my face. :)

So, last week I showed you a picture of my Cube Mitts from the latest Knit Picks collection  - but you know what? There's more! I have a second pattern in the same collection called Block Stacking Cowl.

The cowl is worked in intarsia technique and thanks to the clever placement of the blocks, it always looks different, depending on which side is worn to the front and the angle of view. The cowl can be worked in a set color scheme or using as many different colors as there are blocks.

The pattern is available as individual download or as part of the Vertex: Colorblock Projects collection from the Knit Picks website, here.

I told you the other day about my new cowl pattern and yes, I love to knit and design cowls. But truth be told, I don't like to wear them. A scarf is much more up my alley and I'm happy it's so easy to adapt the pattern - which I still think is just fab - to a scarf. So here's the start, of course in my favourite colours. :)

And just in case you wonder what I have been up to the last few days... happily knitting away.

The  newest Knit Picks collection 'Vertex - Colorblock Projects' was published today and woo-hoo, I can finally show you one of my patterns included in the collection: Cube Mitts.

The mitts begin in the round with a one-color cuff in ribbing. The hand is then worked in intarsia, using two colors for each segment. The mitts are worked with a thumb gusset for a good fit, so there are individual instructions for the placement of the thumb gusset for left and right mitt.

As shown the pattern requires four different colours, but it's up to the knitter to work them in just two colours or in as many colours as there are blocks. Each block reuqires ony a couple of yards of yarn, so these mitts are a great project to use up leftover yarns from other projects.

Wow - I can barely believe it and I am impressed with myself: not only are both of my cowl samples finished, blocked and also photographed - but I've also worked with my tech editor on a pattern and it's done! Woo-hoo!

Above you see the sideways version of my Do you speak Knit? cowl. With one skein of Malabrigo sock as background colour, I was able to work 24 different motifs and the cowl has circumference of approximately 77 cm (30.25").  Just for the fun of doing it, I worked each motif in another colour of Malabrigo Sock.

But the bottom up version is ready to. That one has a circumference of approximately 65 cm (25.5") inches and I love how the pinks and reds 'pop' with the black background.

Did I tell you that I'm absolutely thrilled with my new pattern idea? Yes, I did. But what you don't know is that I love the idea so much, that I started a second cowl even though the first one isn't finished yet. The first one is knit sideways and someone suggested to knit one bottom up to make the abbreviations more legible - and yes, that's indeed a great idea. And I started right away...

These are such fun projects - I really can't wait to see them finished!

... my mystery shawl sits in the knitting basket to be finished some days. Nope, it's not the pattern, that's actually quite nice and relaxed TV knitting - but inspiration came along and now I can't stop to work on my new idea.

One of the themes in the Malabrigo group is colourwork cowls, knit in the round in stranded knitting and then grafted. And after looking at some patterns and pondering on my yarn choices, I had an idea! And I just think it's perfect: Do you speak Knit?

The idea is to use knitting abbreviations as motifs and I absolutely enjoy working on it. So I leave you here - I need to get back to my knitting! :)

All the snow, the snow shovelling, our wild tobogganing, the walks we took in winter wonderland and finally the problems we had with the snow that made it into our attic, made me completely forget to tell you about a new pattern that was released already two weeks ago: Sonic Interference Socks.

The socks are knitted cuff down in mosaic technique. With this techinque, the pattern is created by slipping stitches. Cuff, heel and toe are worked in main colour only; leg and foot are worked alternating between one round in main colour and one round in contrast colour. Since at all times only one yarn is used, these are a perfect first project using more than colour.

The yarn is West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4-ply and you can find the pattern in the current issue of Knit Now, Issue 125, which you can get here.

Slowly, very slowly getting back to work in this brandnew year 2021. May it be a lot better than the last one...

The first task I tackled was the rerelease of a pattern previously published in a Knitscene Accessories magazine: Ring-tailed Bandit Hat.

The hat is worked in the round from the brim to the top. The motif in stranded knitting , a nosy raccoon ravaging the trash cans at night is from the Alterknit Stitch Dictonary by Andrea Rangel. Before the motif, all stitches are bound off and then picked up again to create a distinctive chain detail; another chain detail is added with an Estonian Braid after the motif.

Fancy some illusion knitting? For me it's one of the techniques I really enjoy - so easy to work, but with a stunning result. Illusion Knitting, also called Shadow knitting is worked with two contrasting colours, but always with one colour at the time. From one angle the socks look like simple hooped socks, but from another angle the hidden motif of diagonal stripes appears. The effect is created by the shadow caused from the raised purl stitches worked throughout the pattern.

The socks are knitted top down with heel flap and gusset. Cuff, heel and toe are worked in main colour only; leg and foot are worked alternating between two rounds in main colour and two rounds in contrast colour. The pattern comes with charts and also full written instructions.

Guess what I found deep down in my knitting basket - some more cushion covers that wait for their finishing touch. These are my prototypes for the Wintertime Cushions pattern and well, they were ready except for the closure... sew them close or add a zipper. Even though I am not a fan, I decided for the latter and ta-dah, I got both doe in a couple of days. Very happy!

Now only to find the time and motivation to brush up the pattern to republish it in my store. Hopefully that'll happen still this year...

As I said the other day, my motivation seems to take a long break... but I got my behind into gear and worked on another pattern previsouly published in a knitting magazine: Oneway Slippers.

The slippers in a heavy weight yarn are worked in the round from the cuff down with an eye-catching panel in slipped stitches running from the cuff to the toe. They are knit in just a couple of hours and they also make a great gift for the loved ones in your life.

You can choose to work the slip stitch pattern either from the charts or the written instructions and the pattern includes four sizes: S (M, L, XL) to fit foot circumference 17.5 (19.5, 21.5, 23) cm 6.75 (7.5, 8.5, 9)“; foot length is adjustable.

As of today, the pattern is available from my Ravelry store, here: Oneway Slippers

So another pattern previously published in a magazine got a brush-up - and for once I started to work on it because I already had lovely pictures of the item taken. Usually the photography bit is what delays re-releases forever. Not this time, because I took the Bay Mitts with us on holidays the other day. And I really think I found the right setting for them.

The mitts, knit in fingering weight yarn, feature vertical lines of twisted ribbing that converge with horizontal rows of garter stitch resulting in a purposely skewed look because of the different row gauges.

These mitts are worked in the round from the cuff up, the thumb gusset is 'hidden' in the garter stitch section. The design is unhanded, i.e. both mitts are worked the same.

Today's the day and a fabulous new book (that for some reasons was in the making for what feels like forever) is now available in book stores: Operation Sock Drawer.

It is filled with  20 original designer sock patterns knitted using different techniques - and I am tickled pink that one of my patterns made it into the collection: Mesmerizing!

We've enjoyed our time on holidays so much, that there was hardly any time for knitting - but I did finish a new design I've been playing aournd with for a while. I think I mentioned before that I really have a soft spot for illusion knitting  and it was my goal to create a basic pattern to interest sock knitters for this technique. Here comes: Striped Illusion

The socks are knitted cuff down in two contrasting colours and they are worked always with one colour at a time. Depending on the angle you look at the socks, the diagonal stripes created by the clever use of knit and purl stitches, are either almost invisble or they are a prominent feature. I think the easy to memorize stitch pattern is a great introduction to illusion knitting (or shadow knitting).  The pattern will go into test knitting soon and I hope to have it available in my shop next month.

And once again is September 28th and once again it's DH's birthday! Congratulations, my love!

As some of you may know, Ulli always gets at least one knitted gift for his birthday, usually a pair of socks. And this year, I think I found the appropriate motif for his colourwork socks to remember 2020...

.. and I sure do hope that very soon all the craziness caused by the virus (or rather the measurements taken becaus of it) will be a memory only. Fingers crossed!

I've only finished the socks on our way to our holiday home, so they are not blocked and there still might be ends to weave in, but at least he didn't get his gift half-finished in a project bag, lol.

If the weather forecast is right, summer will be back for another round with temperatures around 30°C next week - so why not rerelease a pattern perfect for knitting on hot days? The Mantilla Stole is such an airy, lightweight project, knitted in a lace weight yarn on rather large needles in Shetland Lace motifs.

The stole is not only the perfect accessory for a chilly summer night, but it is also an eye-catcher when worn with your favourite outfit in the cooler season. Depending on the yarn blend and the colour, it goes with your favourite casual outfit just as well as with elegant evening wear.

From suffering from the summer heat to the first autumn storm in less than a week - not really happy that there might be a lot more of this grey, rain and 'ugh!' ahed. So some cheerfulness is definetly needed...

Like a new pair of socks in happy colours. Say hello to my Whirling Socks.

The socks are knitted form the cuff down, mainly in intarsia in the round technique. They are a great project for small amounts of yarn leftover from other projects, since for a pair as shown only about 25 g of fingering yarn in five colours are needed. The same colour is used for cuff, heel and toe and the same four colours are used for the stripes. But you can, of course, use as many colours as you like to use up smaller amounts of yarn.

Aaaaannnd - another pair of Chained Mittens jumped of the needles. This pair in Malabrigo Yarn Arroyo in colourway Pocion and I already know who is going to get these. Together with a matching hat and fortunately only for x-mas... since the hat is no more than a brim at this time and it already went on the 'must finish one day' pile thanks to some new pattern ideas on my needles...

I know, I know, it is still summer in the northern hemisphere and here she comes again with her winter wolies. But I 'm sure it's cold enough for mittens somewhere and also, we knitters like to be prepared, don't we? It doesn't make a lot of sense to start knitting the moment you need warm accessories and also, it's never to early to start the gift knitting and therefore: Say hello to my brandnew patterns: Chained Mittens and Chained Hat.

The patterns came to life, because I have this fancy for highly variegated yarns, especially the ones by Malabrigo Yarn are always so hard to resist - although I know that I usally love the look in the skein, but I am at loss what to use them for. So when looking for a pattern to showcase the beauty of variegated yarns without the yarn overwhelming the stitch pattern, I found that slipped stitches do the trick. And why not have them swirl in chains all around the project? No sooner said than done.

You know why it takes so often long before I get round to re-publish patterns from magazines? Because I need to take new pictures… and that can be a pain sometimes. The weather is wrong, there isn’t anybody around to take pictures or to model the things, the season isn’t right (no fun to take mittens pictures  at the height of summer) and truth be told, sometimes I’m plain too lazy to get dressed up for pictures… So it was just fab that my niece offered to model some of my shawls!

Of course, it had to turn into an extremely hot day on which you don’t even want to wear the airiest lace shawl, but thanks to the location we picked in the forest it was bearable. And my dear husband was not only our driver but also gave the 'clown' to make the model act silly and laugh so that I was able to get some really natural pictures. 

Yes, I know it’s weird I show you all this ‘winter warmers’ during the summer, but I am so proud I finally worked on my long neglected patterns from magazines, so here we go: Chequers Brioche Scarf, also previously published in Love of Knitting.

The scarf is knitted in two colour brioche, always with one colour at the time. The placement of the lighter and darker colours form ‘blocks’, so that the scarf gets an all-over checked pattern.

My dear husband will be happy that the pattern is finally re-released (because he was eyeing the sample quite a while but wasn’t allowed to take it from my office yet) and should you wish for a Chequers Scarf in brioche knitting for yourself or a loved one: the pattern is now available from my Ravelry Store, here: Chequers Brioche Scarf.

The other day somebody asked me what my favourite knitting technique is and I was at a loss. I don’t know about other knitters, but for me it’s often a ‘temporarily love’. Sometimes I work a couple of items using the same technique, like for example cables or stranded colourwork, but then I need a ‘break’ and won’t use the technique for a while. With some techniques I even learnt that I’m not the biggest fan of them, so I come back to these techniques very seldom, like for example Entrelac. I reallylike the look, but I don’t enjoy the knitting that much.

Anyway, the question was what I like, and closest is probably 'ribbing'. Even though it is not really my favourite to knit, I often come back to the basic 2/2 rib or a variation thereof for my patterns. I like that it is so stretchy and makes for great fit, which I think is important for items such as socks or fingerless. Also, it is a big advantage when knitting for someone whose measurements I don’t know exactly.

So I figure it comes as no surprise that I’m playing around with a new pattern idea using rib…but pst, it's still a secret, a colourful secret... You'll learn more in a couple of months. 

Seems I am on the roll to brush-up with my pattern from quite a while ago, since today the Guernsey Shawl, also previously published in Love of Knitting, found its way into my store.

The shawl is generously sized and knitted in worsted weight yarn, so it’s really something to snuggle up in on a cold day. It is knitted from the top down, featuring traditional knitting patterns. The name refers to the fact, that knitters in Guernsey decorated close-fitting fishermen’s sweaters know as ganseys or jerseys with similar knit and purl motifs.

Of course, I’ve also worked my very own version of the second pattern included in Knit Picks Vivid Shawl Collection or, to be honest, of the Hashtag Shawl I’ve finished two meanwhile. The one below, in Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in colourways Bordeaux and Sterling shows the motif very well, but the colour combination has a bit more elegant and subdued look.

My favourite though, is this version in colourways Black and Kenai as shown in the book. However, I reversed the colours and made Kenai the contrast colour that form the motifs and this makes the ‘hashtags’ stand out even more this way. I’m not much of a shawl person, but I think this one stays in my wardrobe. ;-)

Years ago one of my hat pattern was published in the (unfortunately discontinued) Love of Knitting magazine and I finally found some time to give the pattern a brush-up: Pearls Hat

The hat is knitted from the brim to the top always with one colour at the time. On a background in whichever colour you like (I, personally, love this pattern with a variegated background), ‘strings of yarn pearls’ are worked in a contrast colour. The knitter can choose to vary the number of strings or their colours, e.g. use a different colour for each string and also the placement of the ‘strings’. In the pattern they are worked at regular intervals with 6 rounds of Stockinette stitch between them, but the distance between the strings can be changed easily.

The pattern includes four sizes to fit head circumference from approximately 45.25 to 53 cm (17.75-20.75”). It is now available from my Ravelry store, here: Pearls Hat.

So I told you the other day about my new shawl pattern Playfully, which is available from the Knit Picks website, here.

I absolutely love the version worked up for the collection with all the triangles in high contrast, but for my very own sample I decided to go for a more subdued look and combined a skein of Stroll Handpainted in colorway Northern Lights as background colour with a Stroll Mini Pack in colourway Aquarium for the contrast coloured triangles.

For me the highlight of this shawlette are the long tassels and I think the pattern looks just as lovely with colours from the same colour family. How do you like it?

The best things come in threes - which in this case is even true with my patterns. Together with Knit Picks' shawl collection, a colleciton with patterns in mosaic knitting was realeased and ta-dah! I also contributed a pattern to Mosaic Medley: Slip-Stitch Colorwork Collection. My pattern is a poncho-style wrap knitted in one piece called Maze Ruana.

Inspired by the colorful ruanas created and worn in South America, this wrap makes an eye-catching outdoor piece. Its mesmerizing mosaic pattern reminiscent of a maze dazzles when worked in a gradient yarn.

The Maze Ruana is worked in one piece from the bottom of the back towards the shoulders, where it is split into two sections for the fronts, which are worked from the top down. For a good fit, the neckline is shaped slightly. Front bands and a shawl collar are added after finishing the main piece. The mosaic stitch patterns are written and charted.

So I told you the other day about the new Knit Picks' shawl collection and my Playfully shawlette, but there's even  more to tell, because I've even contributed a second pattern to said collection: Hashtag Shawl.

The shawl is started at one of the top corners and is worked on the bias as a sideways triangle with a centered bottom. It is worked with one color at the time; two rows in MC alternate with two rows in CC. The stitch patterns are written and charted.

The Hashtag shawl combines stripes in Garter Stitch with motifs and borders in mosaic knitting. The mosaic pattern is reminiscent of the hashtag symbol, which has become so popular in the last couple of years.

With a bit of delay, thanks to the stupid virus that messes with my everyday life and even with third party release dates, here's finally something new to share. Knit Picks latest collection of shawl patterns knitted in fingering weight yarn is now available from there website and I'm thrilled that I contributed to it!

The shawlette named 'Playfully' is knit sideways completely in Garter Stitch. At given intervals, triangle shaped insertions are worked from the bottom edge, creating the crescent shape, using German Short Rows. As the eye-catching finishing touch, tassels are added to all triangles in contrast colors.

... my wrist bone has stopped being nasty after the fracture and knitting has become a tad easier. I still only knit a short while each day, but since there are so many almost completed items in my knitting basket, there are finished projects  to show every now and then. Like this new pair of Irregular Socks.

And I'm so happy I finished them now - because I got to take this picture. Isn't it just adorable with all the forget-me-not in the background? The colour works so well with my pair of Jeans, swoon... Ah, how I wish this wonderful flower would bloom all summer long.

I knitted the socks in Dream in Color Smooshy and the pattern is Irregular Socks, available form my Ravelry shop, here.

The other day I had a nice chat with some fellow designers and it was quite interesting how differently we all tackle the pattern writing process. I am not talking about the idea for a design itself here, but about the way the idea turns into a project. To my surprise there were quite some who sketch and calculate a lot and have all their numbers ready before they even start to knit.  I am somewhat in awe how organized they are because, hm, I'm quite the opposite... My new designs almost always start with a swatch and often - because I knit quite a lot of accesssories - by starting the project itself and then I'm all game for a bit of 'trial-and-error'.  I rip back and re-knit until the items looks like I imagined it and usually I just scribble some notes on whatever piece of paper I find.

Yes, true, the latter gave me trouble every now and then, not only because I tend to omit which project the notes refer to but also because it took my dear husband a while to understand that under no circumstances he's allowed to throw away receipts, junk mail or tickets without checking them first... ;-) But we are on the same page now and meanwhile it's actually a source of constant amusement for him. 

The above, some notes scribbeled onto the back of a concert ticket, is basically the first draft for the Warm Feet, Warm Heart sock pattern I released in March for the Knitter's Pride / KnitPro charity craftalong and which is now available for free download in my Ravelry store, here.

How's everyone doing? With scary message about the virus coming from all over the world, I hope you and all your loved ones are doing well during this difficult times. In my neck of the world life has come to an almost standstill with schools and most stores closed and all events, no matter whether sports, theater play or concerts, cancelled. But it can't be helped, the only way out is through this - and we are all in this together!

I've followed the advise of staying at home as much as possible right from the start and one postive aspect is that I knit way more than I usually have time for. Among other projects (which I can't share yet) I happily work on are my charity socks and here's a progress picture.

One down, one left to go. But I've started and I'm sure there'll be some more progress this weekend. Really happy how these turn out! I hope you, too, have something to keep you busy and that relaxes you in this stressful times! Stay safe, everyone!

I told you the other day briefly about the charity craft-along Knitter's Pride organizes this spring, but let's chat some more about it. The craft along is open to everyone who wants to knit or crochet a pair of socks (perferably for charity) within the next six weeks. You can use any pattern you like , but there is a brandnew knitting pattern available for those who sign up for Knitter's Pride newsletter: Warm Feet, Warm Heart.

And there are awesome prizes such as needle sets to win! All you need to do to participate is to knit or crochet a pair of socks by May 1, 2020 and share a picture in their Ravelry group or on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #KPCharityKCAL

Are you game? I'd be happy to see your socks!

I've decided to knit along (but of course I can't win), having thanks to the darn virus more knitting time available than usual. Here's a first picture of my Warm Feet socks.

There are so many things to love about my crafty hobby, but one thing that I particularly enjoy is the abilitiy to create handmade gifts for loved ones as well as for those in need. What I knit most often to donate to charity - usually to local homeless shelters - are socks. There are so many unfortunate people living on the streets, and it makes me happy to imagine that my craft helps a little to give them at least warm feet.

So I was glad to be chosen by Knitter's Pride for a cooperation for their first charity craft-along in 2020. I wrote up my go-to sock pattern for socks I knit I plan to donate and I called it:  Warm Feet, Warm Heart.

 The socks are knitted from the cuff down, almost entirely in ribbing patterns with an integrated heel. They have sufficient elasticity to fit differently shaped feet and even accommodate to the needs of people with swollen ankles. I developed the pattern  especially for those of us who enjoy knitting for  charity, having unknown recipients in mind.

One of  the patterns I absolutely enjoyed designing and that is still one of my favourites is Cube Socks, so I more than happy that it is finally available from my Ravelry store.

The socks are mainly worked in intarsia in the round and I know that not everyone likes intarsia, but it really is easy-peasy. There is a pictured tutorial in the pattern and I'm sure it enables even newbie intarsia knitters to manage the technique.

The socks as shown require five colours of sock weight yarn, approximately 25 go of each. However, when I started with the pattern, what I had in mind was to make use of leftover bits and bobs of yarn. Each block uses less than 5 g -  can't you just imagine these using different colours for each block?

I wasn't sure whether to turn it into a pattern at all, but now that I see the blocked shawl I know it's worth it! Love how the pattern pops in this gradient yarn.

The gradient yarn by Wollelfe jumped into my shopping basket last year when I bought a gift for a friend, ahem... But we all know how much I love green and how could I resist something called 'Radioactive Neon', lol. Now to get my behind into gear and work on the pattern!

... since  I told you the other day about my cardigan design in Interweave Knits - but there is even more to tell. In the same issue there's a hat pattern of mine: Devonshire Beanie.

The hat, knitted in an oh-so-soft cashmere blend, is worked in sections: First the cable band is worked in rows from side to side and grafted. A tutorial on grafting knitted cable patterns is included in the magazin. Next stitches are picked up on each side of the cable band and the ribbend brim and Stockinette stitch crown are worked in the round. If desired, a pompom is added as the finishing touch.

The newest issue of Interweave Knits is now available and I'm happy to tell you, that I contributed a garment pattern to it: Sandness Cardigan.

The cardigan with dropped shoulders is meant to be worn with an oversized fit. It  is worked from the bottom up in pieces and seamed. The key features are the wide cabels running up both fronts and the back, embedded in lines of ribbing.

After a bit of a relaxed and lazy start into 2020, I'm finally back on my desk, taking care of my patterns. And the first one to release this year (well, actually it is a re-release since it was published in Knitscene before), is Accented Socks.

The pattern is a great introduction to stranded knitting. The stitch pattern forms geometrical shapes, so it’s easy to keep your place in the chart. Also, they’re designed so that you never have to deal with a long float; the small pattern repeat keeps the yarns tidily lined up on the wrong side.

These socks are worked from the cuff down with a so-called mock short-row heel. This type of heel is worked with decreases and increases (by picking up stitches). The pattern includes three sizes, woman's S, M and L and it comes with charts and full written instructions for the stranded motifs.

As of today, Accented Socks is available as individual download from my Ravelry Store, here.

I hardly ever knit a pattern more than once - but every now and then there is an exception to the rule and I've started of the New Year with one of these exceptions.

The last few days I've happily knitted away on another pair of Thank you for the Music Socks as a birthday gift and I think they turned out great  - now to hope the recipient will like them. 

A short while back I received a lovely surprise in the mail: my copy of Knits from the Greenhouse.

It came as a surprise since the release of the book was postponed from June to 'some day' (thanks to the insolvency and the following sale of Interweave Books to Penguin Random House) and when it was publsihed in November it happened rather silently and unnoticed. Which is a pity, because this book, dedicated to designs using plant-based fibres only is filled to the brim with 18 gorgeous designs for accessories and garments.

My contribution to the book is the Spring Sprout Stole, a rectangular stole inspired by rows of cultivated seedlings, worked from one short side to the other.

The garter stitch blocks seem to be tipped at angles, but are simply worked in straight lines. The groups of increases and decreases, which slant either to the left or right, pull the garter squares one way or the other, creating a most unusual pattern. The simplicity of the stitch pattern makes the stole a perfect project for relaxed knitting.

What do you need when it's all the time grey, cold and ugh outside? Yes, exactly, you need to knit a pair of lacy socks in a cheerful summery colour. So that's what I did. And not only that, I turned the idea into a new pattern right away.

Okay, the picture taking bit means that you either freeze your butt off or you have to stick to indoor pics, which makes you go bananas because of the poor light, but still: My new socks make me really happy.

I called the pattern Ornamental Socks because of the intricate lace panel running down the front of the socks. The easy to memorize lace pattern is worked with clustered stitches for extra texture.

How difficult can it be to take pictures? Well, very difficult, if you ask me... when I've got time for it, it's either the weather not being nice enough, or there isn't anybody around to take the pictures (or model the knitted item) or the season doesn't work for me. Somehow it feels  plain wrong to take pictures of gloves in the summer... but finally:

Cassandra's Gloves! The pattern was previously published in Interweave's Jane Austen magazine and it was inspired by the fact that during the Regency era, gloves were always worn outside the house. They varied in length from above the wrist for day wear to above the elbow for evening wear.

These gloves, knitted in a fingering-weight yarn, make a great pair for everyday use and will not only keep your fingers warm but will add an elegant touch to your wardrobe. They are knitted from the cuff up to the fingers and you can choose to work the cable pattern from the charts or from written instructions.

As of now, the pattern is available from my Ravelry store, here: Cassandra's Gloves.

Working all the time on all the patterns that were previously published in an Interweave magazine.  The (very ambitious) goal was to have them all available in my Ravelry store by the end of the year - but it's so not going to happen. I didn't even realize how many there were! Anyway, another one, and actually one of my favourites, is now available: Agatha Shawl.

The Agatha Shawl is knit sideways on the bias. It is knitted back and forth in rows, mainly in garter stitch stripes with a wide border in mosaic knitting as the eye-catching feature. To add additional interest to the knitting and the look, small mosaic insertions are added to the garter stitch stripes given intervals.

What I really like about mosaic knitting, is the fact that the knitting is always done with one colour at the time. The zig-zagging pattern is simply created by slipping stitches. The most important thing is to keep the yarn in the correct position when slipping stitches, but once understood, the shawl is  easy to work and a beginner friendly project.

The pattern includes boths, charts and written instructions, and it is availble here: Agatha Shawl.

Ich habe Euch ja neulich von meinen Wintertime Kissenhüllen erzählt, aber ich habe Euch glatt verschwiegen, dass noch ein zweiten Muster von mir im selben Heft veröffentlicht wrude. Oneway Slippers.

Wenn es Euch so geht wie mir, dann heißt Winter auch gerne mal kalte Füße und was wärmt Füße besser als ein kuscheliges Paar gestrickte Hausschuhe?

Die Hausschuhe werden in Runden gestrickt, vom Bündchen zur Spitze. Die Ferse ist mit verkürzten Reihen mit Doppelmaschen gearbeitet; im Magazin gibt es ein bebildertes Tutorial für diese Technik.

Der Hingucker an den Hausschuhen die hauptsächlich glatt rechts gestrickt sind, ist ein Band mit einem Muster aus abgehobenen Maschen, das sich vom Bündchen bis zur Spitze zieht. Gestrickt in einem dicken Garn, Stylecraft Special Aran with Wool, sind die kuscheligen Hausschuhe in kürzester Zeit fertig gestellt.

Das Strickmuster findet sich im Magazin, Knit Now Issue 109, das jetzt in Geschäften überall in Großbritannien erhältlich ist und ebenso als digitale Version von moremags.com,  hier.

So I've told you the other day about my Wintertime Cusions, but I haven't yet told you that there is a second pattern of mine in the same issue of Knit Now: Oneway Slippers.

If you are any like me, winter is the time of could feet and what better way is there to keep your feet warm than with a pair of knitted slippers?

The slippers are worked in the round from the cuff down. The heel is worked using German short-rows with double stitches. There comes a tutorial with the pattern to explain the technique.

The eye-catching feauter is a pnael in slipped stitches running from the cuff to the toe. Knitted in a heavyweight yarn, Stylecraft Special Aran with Wool, these comfy slippers are finished in a couple of hours.

The Oneway Slippers pattern is inculded in Knit Now Issue 109, now available from stores across the UK and also online from moremags,com, here.

Truth be told, especially in winter when it’s cold and grey I enjoy staying at home, snuggled up on the sofa with my knitting. And what makes a home more welcoming and cosy than handmade decorations? So I'm happy to tell you that today the latest issue of Knit Now magazine hits the news stands  and it includes one of my patterns: Wintertime Cushions. 

This matching pair of cushion covers are worked using stranded knitting. They are both worked using the same colours, but feature different patterns that combine the clean look of geometric shapes with traditional Scandinavian stitch patterns. The cushion covers are started with a provisional cast-on and are then worked in the round from the top to the bottom. They were knitted in West Yorkshire Spinners
Colour Lab DK in colourways Harbour Blue and Natural Cream.

The pattern for the Wintertime cusions is included in Knit Now Magazine Issue 109, now available in shops across the UK and also online from moremags.com, here.

There really is no denying it: what I like to knit best are socks! But then, who wouldn't wish for a new pair of socks, now that the days are getting colder? So here's what I  have for you today: Irregular.

 Irregular socks are knitted from the cuff down, entirely in narrow knit and purl stripes which head towards each other, stay combined for a short while and then separate from each other again. The pattern is absolute regular - but nevertheless it seems to form irregular lines and segments.

For a good fit the socks are worked with heel flap and gusset; the heel flap is worked in pattern too.

I've been working on some brand new patterns which can't be shared yet - but I've also got something new in my Ravelry pattern store previously published by Interweave: Zinger Socks.

And here we go again: one of the patterns I really loved when designing it for Love of Knitting quite a while back, finally got a thorough revision and it is now available from my Ravelry pattern store: Bargello Socks.

Worked in stranded knitting, zigzags in varying widths create an all-over pattern. Place the stripes at random, or use a wildly coloured self-striping yarn as the background colour, to make your pair of socks unique.

The socks are worked cuff down with heel flap and gusset. The gusset decreases are done at the sole towards the middle of the sole.

Did I tell you that my dear friend Evey from Canada visited in September? Well, after we had agreed on which weekend she had time to spend with us, I came to realize that she would be here for her birthday. So I needed the perfect gift, right? And what else would I give to a fellow knitter than a handmade gift... so Evey got this:

A shawl in fingering weight yarn her favourite colours, knitted in mosaic knitting technique. And I think you can tell how much she loved it. :)  I made the pattern up while knitting, so at the moment it really is one of a kind - but should there be a pattern one day, Evey already named it: Celebrate!

Another one of my patterns came to light today: The Central Wrap is included in the brandnew Knitscene magazine, Winter 2019.

The wrap is worked back and forth in rows on the bias in  an allover garter-stitch diamond pattern. Thanks to the construction, from one c