Vicinity Pullover

All right, there is officially summer and it is a time to knit summer tops, light pullovers, breezy tanks and many more quick and nice things to wear in hot mid-day or chilly twilight hours.
Well, here is my addition to plethora of summer knits – my brand-new design: Vicinity Pullover.
It is a top-down seamless pullover, worked in round. It is designed to be pretty oversized, at least 6'' of positive ease to make it very comfortable to wear these summer days.
Before I actually sat and started to draw the sketch and work on my swatches, I asked myself: "How would I describe the perfect summer top...for me?" Yes, that is my usual selfish approach to knitting design. And the list of features was like that:
– Oversized fit
– Drapey fabric
– Cables (yes, I don't want to abandon them even at summer:))
– Deep neckline
– Since I want it to be oversized, but don't want to look like a huge square in it with my D-bust, sleeves should be quite narrow. And short!
Well, once I was done with this list, the production itself was matter of days.
I was really happy with my sample and was so excited to see how this design would look when my lovely testers will start working on their projects. And results were beyond my wildest dreams. Every single project was so beautiful! Seriously, I was clapping my hands every time I saw the FO's pictures.
Here, you can judge for yourself: projects.

And as a special treat for my fellow knitters, I'm offering $1 discount on Vicinity Pullover pattern on Ravelry until June 21st (US PT).

I'm feeling quite guilty that I abandoned my blog for almost 2 months. Today I'll be a good girl and will tell what I was busy with all these weeks.

First, I am happy to introduce my very first top-down raglan pattern: Rye Field Pullover. Knitted in Anzula Sebastian, it became one of my favorite projects at the moment. I took the inspiration in I. Shishkin's picture "A Rye Field", which many of Russian students are very familiar with.

Once I saw this lace pattern I couldn't take the idea of rye ears off my head. So when I made the swatch of the pattern with this particular yarn color, this project's destiny was defined.

Pattern can be found on Ravelry, Etsy, Craftsy and Patternfish.



The other design called Distant Lights Top and this is my first summer knit pattern. Yes, there is a life of aspiring designer – so many things happened for the first time!:)
Distant Lights is super-fast project you could bring on the vacation as a project and in a few days actually wear it! Pullover is worked in the round from the lower edge to the underarms, then the front and back are worked separately back and forth. Shoulders sewn together using Kitchener stitch or 3-Needle Bind-Off. 

Pattern also available on Ravelry, Etsy, Craftsy and Patternfish.
And there is $1 discount on Distant Lights available exclusively on Ravelry until the end of May 2015.

Blanca

I am happy to present my new design: Blanca Sweater.

Everything started with yarn, Knit Picks' Capra. Once I touched this beautiful, soft, cream colored ball I knew it's going to be cables.
In my head words "luxury" and "cream cashmere cabled sweater" are kept on the same shelf, so it was a quick decision. 
Combination of raglan and cables always looks very flattering, because raglan shape helps to avoid bulkiness at the shoulder area and soften the silhouette. 

Also I liked the idea of traveling cables, drawing nice frame and slimmering the look of somewhat boxy shape. 
As for sleeves I decided to place medallion cable along with two simple six-stitch ones on the textured canvas of reverse stockinette to emphasize the volume of arans. 
Doubled neck band always looks neat, especially in worsted weight yarn, so I added it as a final touch to this pullover.

Pattern is available for download on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy.

How I spent my summer holidays

Do you remember those essays we had to write in school?  These bittersweet memories of passed days of freedom, joy and sunshine... 
Ok, enough with nostalgia. My summer this year was nothing but productive. Maybe I spent more time in my studio than outdoors, but I really like the outcome.
First project I'm done with in june was Route 1. 

There was some time spent on this sweater when we where traveling in Nor Cal, so it will always remind me of that beautiful landscapes:

Next one was Platinum Ingot, my first top-down cardigan, which I was little bit intimidated of at the beginning, but everything went surprisingly smooth.

 Then I finally started on Bailiwick. For some time I wanted to knit a modern version of traditional Guernsey sweater and this one was a love at first sight. Done in few days, it is immediately became one of my very favorite items.

Next project in my queue was Brooklyn Tweed's (Carol Feller's, to be absolutely accurate) Pente. Neither my husband nor my best friend weren't excited about this design at first, but when they saw the finished cardigan, they liked it! (Or were too polite to tell the bitter truth, haha). Anyway, I adore it and had so much fun knitting it.

Then I started to focus on my own designs and there was three of them I made back to back:

Glenelly, Vireo and Russian Doll. 

And it seems like designing the sweaters is my thing! I really enjoying this process, so I hope there will be more :).

Vireo

My husband and I both enjoying the birdwatching. We put some feeders and baths in our back yard and now watching birds making use of all this attractions.
One of them we were able to recognize was Plumbeous Vireo: small sparrow-like bird.

Although it is not most exotic-looking bird, it captured my attention because of elegant coloring of it's feathers. I was inspired by sophisticated combination of white chest and grey wings and back.
So here is my newest design: Vireo.

It features white cabled panels on front and back and grey horizontal ribbed sleeves and sides. This combination of colors and textures helps to create slimmer silhouette, flattering any figure.

Pattern for this design available on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy.

Glenelly

   Some time ago I found this beautiful yarn: Bamboo Ewe by Debbie Stoller. Really nice mix of wool and bamboo with wonderful sheen looks luxurious and inspirational (especially for the price!).
   It took about two years before I decided on project for this yarn. Non of designs I found were good enough and, eventually, Glenelly has come to life.

   Aran weight called for... arans, duh! And blue color and shine reminded me of water, of river. River it is, said I, and christened the project Glenelly, after Irish river.

   I always find very attractive combination of raglan sleeves, oversize fit and cables. And my project features all of the above.
   For back and sleeves I choose textured pattern, because it makes the perfect canvas for cables. This pattern looks like seed stitch, but all the RS rows are knitted, which makes it easier to knit for me as a combined continental knitter.

   I made this design in 4 sizes: XS/S, M, L, XL and you can find it on Ravelry, Craftsy and Etsy. Enjoy!