Friday, July 28, 2006

Embroidery on Knits again

The new issue of Interweave Knits is almost out. I've got three projects this fall - two in print and one on the web. I'll write about the two print designs next week since I don't think the mag has even hit subscribers yet. But the website is up with all the new down-loadable patterns. I think this is a great thing for magazines to do - have free patterns on the web. As a former person who had to purchase and design printed pieces for a yarn company, I know how much space on paper costs. Sometimes there just isn't the space for long patterns and interesting technique articles. Here's the link to the adult cardigan - it's halfway down the page and there is a pdf file: LINK.

My new pattern is an adult version of Julia's Seeing Dots Cardigan from the Spring 2006 Knits issue. I wrote about it March 21st. I just love this sweater. I want it myself. It's the kind of design I would wear everyday. Knit in plain stockinette stitch with drop shoulder sleeves, this design is perfect for advanced beginners. No nasty shaping except for sleeve width increasing and neckline decreases.

The edging is picked up all the way around the sweater with a circular needle and worked in garter stitch in the round. To make the mitered corner, increases are worked on each side of a central stitch evey other row. It looks so smart and it's really easy. There's something else new for beginners to learn - embroidery on knits to make the polka dots. You'll only need to do one stitch (the spider web stitch) which you add after the whole sweater is complete. I added a separating zipper to give it a real Fred Rodgers feel - love that guy! I'm working on a little sewing in a zipper tutorial for those who haven't done it before.

It's knit in Julia Wool/Mohair/Alpaca - what else? - in three lovely colors of Espresso No. B118, Blue Thyme No. 3961, and Lady's Mantle 3961 with the Blue Thyme as the base. Your choice of colors is large - so pick one main color and two other favorites. This fall you may even find Julia at your LYS. Soon you'll have a classic, but chic zippered cardi. Now when am I going to make one for myself?

Here's a link to the embroidery article I wrote last spring that is also a pdf file to download. This will give you more How-To about stitching on knits:
How to Embroider on Knits Link.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

can't believe that you posted about this today!! i posted about finding your Julia yarn and what i decided to make with them today on my blog!!!!
good luck to you in the growth of your sales.

Connie said...

I got my IK yesterday and liked your designs very much. I also finally found Adorn at Joannes and picked that up too - and I am getting your book in the mail this week. I do think yarn stores would sell your kits if they had them, because so many people do more than one craft. My LYS shares space with a quilting shop. Good luck with getting them picked up.

Anonymous said...

I just got my copy of IK yesterday too. I really love the spartan pullover. My husband has been wondering when I'm going to knit him a sweater, and I think that is just the thing. I'll put it on my list of projects for the fall :o)

Anonymous said...

I received my copy of IK in the mail yesterday, too, and as I was strolling to the house from the mailbox I opened it up for a quick preview. The page it opened to was the second page of the Little Majolica pattern (I think there was a blow-in card on that page, which is why it opened to it immediately) and I knew INSTANTLY it was one of your wonderful patterns before I saw the designer credit!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your patterns -- I was thrilled to see them as I scanned through my IK. I love the child's sweater -- it's gorgeous.

Krawuggl said...

This cardi is so nice and I love your polka dots. I have used them before on a cushion, which I made for the Project Spectrum in March. I just finished another cushion, on which I tried to embroider again and I loved it. Every morning, when having my first cup of coffee, I like to leaf through your book, look at all those beautiful embroideries and tomorrow I am going to town to buy some linen fabric to start my first "real" embroidery. Thank you so much for having written this book, it´s one of my favorite, most-loved crafting-basics now. And I am looking forward your sewing-in-a-zipper-tutorial, this is the thing I need urgently for my next project. Hope, it´s coming soon.
Greetings from Bavaria,
Suzi

Anonymous said...

I received my issue of IK on Friday too, and I wanted to say, the little girl modeling Little Majolica looks so happy to be wearing that sweater! I think that is a great endorsement for the pattern!

Anonymous said...

love seeing julias happy b-day cake. we miss you. it's awful hot in d.c bye bye, p.s the boy's will be here till thursday nite. love u

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