Anemone: Construction

To balance the complex and eye-catching stitch pattern, I kept the shape of Anemone sweater sweet and simple. It is worked from the top down and features a round yoke construction, extra back rows for a higher back neck, and underarm bridges.

The top is pretty wide given its relaxed shaping at the body and sleeves, but the hem and cuffs are slightly gathered while working the edging.

The stitch pattern was designed so as to allow making changes as-you-go easy; you can enlarge (or make smaller) each next row PR (star and eyelet rows) as much as you wish by adding (or decreasing) as many stitches as desired without breaking the stitch pattern.

Waist and hip shaping, custom sizing, narrow sleeves, fast increases to make folds, even and smooth decreases – all of this is possible and the stitch pattern still remains smooth and perfect. Hope you enjoy it!

Links:
Anemone pattern on Ravelry
Breeze Collection on Ravelry
Breeze Collection Lookbook

Yarn:
Malabrigo Arroyo in shade Reflecting Pool

Anemone: Stitch Pattern

Anemone design was started first and finished last. The original idea and the stitch pattern were different from what you see in the photo.

As usual (frogging is a designer’s most important skill!), I managed to complete the project and then realize that I didn't like it due to the short color variegations making the stitch pattern almost unnoticeable what with all the busy and spotty color pooling.

Such small lengths of color requires the stitch to use less yarn (like knit/purl st in knitting). But in crochet, this could be a slip stitch only, which is not a solution for a garment, IMHO.

I thought of a stitch that is able to represent the beauty of such color variegation, the star stitch. It has multiple legs, each of which is short enough to use up those little bits of color causing the different tones to blend and combine smoothly into a beautifully colored fabric.

I wish that one day yarn dyers will create variegated colorways specifically for crochet stitches, which use more yarn for each stitch than knit ones.

Here is the modeled close-up photo to give you an idea of the size of the stitches.

Links:
Anemone pattern on Ravelry
Breeze Collection on Ravelry
Breeze Collection Lookbook

Yarn:
Malabrigo Arroyo in shade Reflecting Pool

Tunisian Crochet: TCAL, discounts and free patterns!

The Tunisian Crochet Explorers group on Ravelry has launched a Tunisian Crochet-Along which started on August 1 and will continue until September 15th, 2019. I am one of the many designers who is offering a discount on their Tunisian crochet patterns for this event: all my Tunisian crochet patterns are 20% off until the end of this month.

This event also reminded me of a bunch of Tunisian entrelac motifs I designed a few years ago.

In the summer of 2016, I took part in the KnitPro design-along, dedicated to Knit For Peace charity program. I was asked to design a Tunisian crochet motif. It needed to be 15x15cm square and, being worked in Tunisian entrelac technique, consists of 7x7 entrelac squares. I also had 4 colors to play with: dark and light blue, yellow and white. Here are some of my sketches:

4 balls of Debbie Bliss Rialto DK were enough to crochet 7 motifs. One of these motifs was published by KnitPro and the instructions for the other six I shared in this blog.

All these motifs are worked in the round first, and the remaining portions (the corners) are worked in rows. Some rounds/rows use two colors, but the color change is done in a special way which does not require the yarn to be cut: the unused yarn is hidden under the stitches.

When I was a child, my favorite toy was a kaleidoscope, and it's pretty obvious that I still cannot resist playing with colorful geometric pieces every time I have a chance to. Each design includes the additional 3x3 motif layouts. It's fascinating how different the layout might look after only a minor change has been made (for example, replacing one color). The more changes made, the more options arise!

motif Lily

Lily layouts

It also amuses me that some motifs which are not very impressive, look absolutely terrific after joining them all together! And some fabulous-looking single motifs create a regular and simple patterned fabric.

motif Daisy

Daisy layouts

Click on the links below for the instructions and layouts!

Motifs: #1 Fire | #2 Well | #3 Daisy | #4 Lily | #5 Flower | #6 Matilda

Links:

Tunisian Crochet Explorers Play with Color CAL (August 1 - September 16; discounts, prizes).
Tunisian crochet pattern bundle, 20% off until the end of August
KnitPro Knit for Piece e-book

Anemone: Inspiration

Anemone is the second garment included in the Breeze Collection. The name anemone comes from the Greek word for "windflower." I love the hidden reference of the breeze in this design's name!

I used this shape of the traditional Ukrainian blouse as an inspiration and a guide for the Anemone design. I love the combination of a fitted yoke, with almost no ease at the top, and a very relaxed silhouette right below it.

Links:
More traditional Ukrainian blouses on Pinterest
Anemone pattern on Ravelry
Breeze Collection on Ravelry
Breeze Collection Lookbook

Yarn:
Malabrigo Arroyo in shade Reflecting Pool

Mainsail Shawl: Pattern Release

I am very excited to present a brand new pattern and my new favorite shawl, Mainsail!

Timeless stripes, vibrant waves, two colors to create balance with many outfits – this shawl is destined to become one of your favorite shawls to crochet and wear!

The shawl's stitch pattern features many relaxing and repetitive ribbing rows, which creates a soft and squishy fabric. To keep you interested, the repetition is balanced with quick color changes in the stripe sections interspersed with billowing rows of the wave stitch pattern.

The pattern is written for one size. Mainsail is designed and calculated the way it is in order to use two skeins of each color almost completely with very little leftover of either color, and to also create a well-balanced palette of the striped and solid sections, all while keeping in mind what worked best for the ease of crocheting the stitch pattern.

However, technically the size of the shawl is easily adjustable by placing the increases at the sides until you reach your desired depth (the distance between the top edge and the bottom corner) and then working the decrease section in the same manner as provided in the pattern to straighten the edge of the shawl.

Hope you enjoy it. Happy crocheting!

Links:
Mainsail pattern on Ravelry | Etsy | LoveCraft
Mainsail Newsletter (you will find the discount code there!)