KnitPicks IDP

... aka the Independent Designer Program, of which KnitDesign by Caroline is now officially a part! They've been a pleasure to work with. The patterns now available through KnitPicks are:

Octavia's Garlands Lace Shawl (abridged version) - $4.99 US

Octavia's Armwarmers - $3.99 US

HarpStrings Double-Knit Accent Scarf - $4.99 US

So, you ask, what are the differences between patterns sold through KnitPicks versus those sold through Ravelry or Patternfish?

For one thing, the prices. KnitPicks has set prices from $1.99-$4.99 (US). Purchasing one of my patterns through them means you get a bit of a discount. However, I want to be fair to those who buy the patterns at the higher prices. The KnitPicks patterns, while producing the same garment, have a different layout and different photos. They are "Special KnitPicks Edition" versions. The yarn colors have been changed to reflect colors that are currently produced. As a knitter, something I appreciate is the Kit Builder option on each pattern page. It makes it easy for new knitters to find and order appropriate KnitPicks yarn for the pattern while showing images of the available colors for the chosen yarn.

Also, The Octavia's Garlands Shawl available from KnitPicks has two song options - Twinkle, Twinkle and up-and-down scales. The full price version from Ravelry and Patternfish contains seven musical options plus a blank chart to insert your own music. Choose your priorities. :)

And now, my little chickadees, you may be wondering why there haven't been new patterns in awhile. Rest assured, there will be some soon, once blocking and photography are completed. The past few weeks have involved working on the three KnitPicks patterns and a forthcoming yarn company pattern. That project shall remain nameless until such time as it is officially released this autumn, but I'll post about it then all right! The yarn is absolutely yummy, and I'm really enjoying working with it. Meanwhile, I've been helping clean and paint a house containing a "Mamie Pink" bathroom. The tiles are a combination of white and warm pink. It was a bit hard finding a way to decorate it that neither looked overwhelming nor required us to remove the vintage tiles. We chose "Coconut Scent" (pale warm yellow) for the walls and white curtains with battenburg lace edging. The end result was warm, pleasant and airy - I think we met our goals. Here's a photo:

Until next time, Happy Knitting!

Strawberry Diamonds Scarf

Traditional Orenburg patterns (large strawberries and diagonals) grace a delicate yet substantial reversible lace scarf.

The 3 page PDF includes color photos, including closeups of the lace medallion. Though it looks complex, the pattern works up quickly. Patterning occurs only on right side rows - all wrong side rows are knitted. The lace medallion pattern is included in both charted and written form. You can use whichever format which is easiest for you.

The scarf shown used 2 skeins of Reynolds Kids Wash-Day Wool (100% superwash) in color Red. Since gauge is not critical for this project, the scarf can be worked in any yarn. Using needles appropriate for your chosen yarn, follow the pattern until the scarf is the desired length or you run out of yarn.

Strawberry Diamonds Scarf
$5.95 at Ravelry

Busy busy busy! and a new pattern: Victoria's Violets

Despite the lack of new patterns, the past 3 weeks have been busy for me design-wise. Three of my already existing patterns will soon be available on KnitPicks as part of their Independent Designers Program. This is exciting to me as a long-term KnitPicks customer (I love their yarn, and I'd say that even if they weren't going to sell my patterns) and a relatively new designer. Since the original designs were knit with discontinued colors, they needed to be made again with colors that are currently produced. I hope you like the new color choices - I do!

The patterns that have been submitted are the Octavia's Garlands Shawl and Armwarmers and the Harpstrings Double-Knit Scarf. You'll find that the prices are different with KnitPicks - lower, though not by much. I do want to be fair to those who have already purchased (or who will purchase) these patterns at the higher prices. The KnitPicks versions are special editions, with different layout and photos than the originals. The shawl contains two music options (Twinkle, Twinkle and the scale), as opposed to the 7 options plus blank staff chart contained in the full-price version. I hope everyone will find a choice that works for them!

In other news, one of my designs has been accepted for a yarn company's fall pattern line. I can't say any more about it now, except that I'm very excited about this, too. The pattern is coming along well, and k nitting of the sample will hopefully begin within the week. I'll be sure to post when the pattern is released.



Meanwhile, a new pattern has been released today for your enjoyment: Victoria's Violets Lace Collar, available for $5.95 from Ravelry. It's dressier than a cowl and stays in place better than a shawl. It would make a lightweight yet very warm layer beneath a coat, thanks to the laceweight alpaca yarn. The 6-page PDF includes charts and written directions for the lace collar, border, and inset patterns, as well as closeup photos of each lace section. Detailed instructions guide you each step of the way.

Tree of Life Through the Seasons: My first pattern collection

The Tree of Life Through the Seasons is a set of five fichu patterns depicting the Tree in spring, summer, autumn, winter, and paradise. The basic outline, a crescent with a wide lace edge at the hem, remains the same for all five. The difference is in the details - what surrounds the tree? How dense are the leaves? How much has the trunk grown? What type of edge detail fits each season?

Each fichu begins at the back of the neck and is increased on every right side row until the fabric forms a wide crescent. The stitches are left on the needle without binding off. The lace edging is knit sideways and attached as you go, so no sewing is necessary and the hem remains elastic. Mix and match to create your own shawl: because the lace edge is knit on sideways, you can use the chart for any lace edging with any of the body patterns.

Each of the patterns included in the collection is available separately, but if you want the best value, purchase the pattern collection. See footnote The 29-page PDF includes all five patterns for the price of four, plus an introduction and extra photos of each shawl. Each fichu pattern in the collection includes charts for the border lace, the entire body of the shawl and color photographs.


buy now for $27.80 at my Ravelry store
buy now for $27.80 from Patternfish

Tree of Life in Paradise Fichu - Fifth in the Series

The fifth and final (for now) fichu pattern in the Tree of Life Through the Seasons depicts the Tree in in Paradise. Rays of light emanate from the center of the Tree, and lush flowers fill the outside corners. The lace border is composed of flowers and leaves. Glimpses of tropical blue sky peek through warm, lush jungle colors. The fichu shown is knit with two skeins of Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi in Color 119.

The Tree of Life in Paradise Fichu is a crescent-shaped shawl with elongated “wings” which help it sit securely on your shoulders. The shawl is cast on at the neck edge and worked downwards, culminating in a 4 1/4”-wide sideways lace border which is joined progressively to the live stitches along the bottom edge of the shawl. No sewing is required. Increases are worked along the front and sides of the shawl to avoid a pronounced triangle point at the center back.

The 5 page PDF contains charts for the border lace, the entire body of the shawl and color photographs.

buy now for $6.95 from my Ravelry store

Fourth in the Series: The Tree of Life in Winter

Brand new today: the fourth entry in the "Tree of Life Through the Seasons" series.

These fichus been incredibly fun to design and make. It's endlessly fascinating to me the way variations in color and border and rearrangement (or redesign) of simple background motifs make an entirely different piece with a completely different feel. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.

buy now for $6.95 at my Ravelry store




This isn't all, either. Soon to come, one more pattern: The Tree of Life in Paradise. For a limited time, here's a special offer: if you purchase the first four fichu patterns, you'll get the 5th free.

Knitter's Graph Paper

You can chart knitting on regular graph paper, of course, but remember: knit stitches are wider than they are tall. It's much easier to get an idea of what your finished product will look like if you use graph paper with blocks that are rectangles rather than squares.

Click the image above for a full-size JPG of knitter's graph paper. Feel free to print or save the image for your own design use. Happy knitting!