There's absolutely no way I'll be able to fill you in on all of my knitting adventures in the last couple of years. I'm still irresistibly drawn to sweater patterns, I'm still working as a sample knitter, and if you're dying to see the beauties I've been creating since I've been gone (there are just so many!), you can link directly to my Ravelry page with the fancy schmancy button in the right sidebar.
However, the piece of news I'm most excited to share with you is that I am now designing my own patterns!!! That's right, I now have two of my very own patterns up on Ravelry. (I've also added a section to the right with direct links to anything I have already designed and will add more as I continue to publish).
My first was a pair of mittens, called Crystalline Mittens:
I knit them in Quince & Co.'s sumptuous Tern, which is a sprightly blend of wool and silk. Just the sort of fiber you want warming your delicate fingers.
The inspiration for this one, oddly enough, from the color. It's called "Back Bay" by Quince & Co. The title, I'm sure, honors the prominent bay in their hometown of Portland, Maine, but it made me think of cool temperatures and elegant ice crystals. So here they are, complete with sharp, sophisticated cables, my Crystalline Mittens:
My second pattern was also a handwarmer, Carolina Gloves:
I knit them in SuriPaco's Springvale Collection, a blend of alpaca, wool, and silk. SO soft! The name, as many of you know, is for my sister Caroline, whose Christmas request was gloves. And overly-ambitious crazy person that I am, I thought, "Sure, Caroline, I'll just go ahead and design you a new pair!" I must have problems with saying "no."
The design itself was loosely inspired by the warm colors and geometric patterns of the American Southwest. I would say I was lucky enough to spend a little time there recently, but the real reason for the trip was to mourn my recently deceased grandfather, who was based in Santa Fe, NM. I wanted to honor his memory with this small tribute to his chosen hometown, one more token of affection from his granddaughter.
And they sure came out pretty, didn't they? I couldn't be more pleased.
So please, check out my new patterns! Tell all your friends! There's a new designer in town, baby!
Until next time...
-Allie
