Introducing: Elkko!

Hello!

Winter Knitty is out and I am in it with a sweater pattern, available for free! Whoop!

Elkko is a top-down sweater with stripes and lace-details in the yoke. It is worked in a gorgeous aran-weight wool from Kettle Yarn Co. and features short rows, compound raglan increases and waist shaping to make this easy-to-wear sweater a great fit.

I mean, just look at how much fun it is to wear this!

If all photo shoots involved swings, I wouldn’t be so reluctant to take part.  There were, in fact, several photo shoots for this sweater, including one featuring tiny ponies.

And then there were some alpacas…

And also some Christmas wrapping selfies…

Please do have a look at the page here and it would be wonderful if you could give the pattern some love by favouriting and commenting on Ravelry!

In other news, the Klee Collection Knit Along is underway. Please join us in the Ravelry group and take part to win some beautiful yarny prizes. Although I have started the KAL in December, at the height of present-knitting season, I think it is really suited to the selfish knitter and so it runs through until February 2016.

Happy knitting,

R.

Reflector

Hello!

I learned to knit rather late in life, maybe six or so years ago. Not from some beloved grandmother or other family relation, but I learned to knit from the wonderful world wide web.  It was a magical thing, that internet learning and Knitty was one of the first resources I found. I loved that the patterns and information were free–just the kind of entry-level drug necessary to get me and thousands of other beginners hooked and on our way to becoming intermediate knitters and craft evangelists.

When I first thought about designing, I looked to Knitty and began trying to write up those early, terrible patterns.  It took me a few goes to get an entire pattern, but I managed it in the end and I am incredibly proud to have my first pattern published in Knitty’s 50th issue: Reflector.

Reflector was the solution to a problem. I love to cycle, I get cold ears and I believe in ‘Safety First’! Also, I had all this amazing reflective yarn and no idea what to do with it. After much yarn play, I decided a double-faced fabric would be the most comfortable way to wear it and that knitting with 2 very different yarn thicknesses created an interesting contrast in the fabric.

It all begins with a tubular cast-on, followed by ribbing which turns into double-knit vertical stripes and is topped with a reflective pompom.

Many thanks to my long-suffering models Ben and Linda!

Retroglo yarn is available at the EastLondonKnit Etsy shop here,

For more information, see Reflector on Knitty here.

Happy knitting,

R.