In this episode I talk about my Osculation Shawl design for Twist Collective. I describe the design path from my Flying Jib Shawl to Liinu Shawl to Osculation Shawl. I also show my current WIPs and upcoming Star Toe sock pattern.
Osculation Shawl
Liinu Shawl
Flying Jib Shawl
Kaiku
Exploration Station by Stephen West
Odensjön Socks by Suzanne Sjögren
Osculation Shawl
Liinu Shawl
Flying Jib Shawl
Kaiku
Exploration Station by Stephen West
Odensjön Socks by Suzanne Sjögren
Pattern: Osculation
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light, colorways Stovepipe (100 g), Duchess (40 g), Dahlia (36 g), and Rose (30 g)
Needles: 4,5 mm (US 7)
In Episode 2 I tell about my trip to Jyväskylä Summer Knit Festival. Jonna Hietala interviews festival teachers on Laine cruise: Heli Rajavaara, Anna Johanna, Veera Välimäki, Julie Asselin, Nathan Taylor and Melanie Berg.
Mentioned in this episode:
Osculation Shawl
Kaiku Wrap
Lehtokerttu Top
Plan A socks
Tour-de-Sock
Mentioned in this episode:
Osculation Shawl
Kaiku Wrap
Lehtokerttu Top
Plan A socks
Tour-de-Sock
Birkenwasser knits is on YouTube! Check out Episode 1 where I talk about my latest design, Alignment Sweater, and the inspiration and design path towards it. I also talk about a couple of current projects, and there's a little giveaway as well!
In this episode I talk about
Alignment Sweater
Tauride Shawl
Lemon by Helga Isager
Summer by Ankestrick
Lanitium ex Machina
Call for test knitters
In this episode I talk about
Alignment Sweater
Tauride Shawl
Lemon by Helga Isager
Summer by Ankestrick
Lanitium ex Machina
Call for test knitters
I have a new pattern published on Ravelry: Alignment Sweater! This sweater is knitted seamlessly top-down. The top of the sweater is decorated with aligned Vikkel braids and the neckline, hem and cuffs also feature Vikkel braids. The sweater has a flattering, boxy shape with tight-fitting ¾ sleeves. The silk yarn makes the horizontal Vikkel braid texture shine and draw attention to your face.
Pattern: Alignment
Yarn: ONline Linie 321 Silk (colorway 3), 410 g (1230 m)
Needle: 3,5 mm (US 4)
The relaxed fit and enough length have made this my absolute favourite - I have been wearing the sweater so much that it's starting to pill, even if it's only the release day! Of course, I started wearing it after the photo shoot was done, so I have been wearing it all the time while my super efficient test knitting crew was working on their part.
This sweater is for the experienced knitter who likes a challenge: mastering Vikkel braids takes some practice. The end result is well worth the effort, though. Don't you just love the look of those lateral cables! If you are not familiar with the technique, there are several good tutorials on YouTube. Vikkel braid is also known as Estonian braid.
My Kaiku wrap was published in Taito magazine issue 3/2018. It was a collaboration with Lanitium ex Machina, and I used their Alpaca Silk Linen for the sample. While I was waiting for Nea to dye the yarn, I worked on a prototype using WalkCollection Linea that has the same fiber content. Unfortunately, I only had 1.5 skeins of Linea left from a previous project (prototype for my Sylphide design) and I noticed that it wouldn't be enough for the wrap. As I was in a hurry to get the pattern tested, I had to ask my test knitters to work with a picture of the prototype at a point where I ran out of yarn. Thanks to the talented test knitting crew, they were able to finish their projects with the picture below and I only finished knitting the sample after test knitting.
So I had the pattern and sample finished and sent to Taito, and I was left with the prototype that no one was going to be able to use. As Mother's Day was approaching, I started thinking about a gift for my mother. I remembered that I had half a skein of Linea left from my Sylphide sample, and also some leftovers from the Kaiku sample. One of my test knitters worked her Kaiku in two gradient sets, striping the eyelet sections in contrasting colors and that's where I got the idea to use all these scrap yarns to make a striped Kaiku.
Pattern: Kaiku
Yarn: WalkCollection Linea in colorways Strawberry Cheesecake (96 g) and Cosmic Chaos (33 g) and Lanitium ex Machina Alpaca-Linen-Silk (27 g)
Needles: 3,5 mm (US 4)
With this many stripes, there's a huge amount of ends to weave in. It was a good thing that I had the Mother's Day deadline so I had to get it done. I think it was worth the effort, though, and, of course, I'm also super happy for finding use for those scrap yarns!
My May was filled with Madelinetosh projects: I participated in MadMay 2018 SALs (Stitch alongs - both crochet and knit accepted) in Madelinetosh Lovers Group on Ravelry. One of the SALs was General Sweater (work any sweater in Madelinetosh) and I decided to knit the super popular Tegna by Caitlin Hunter. I had a sweater quantity of Madelinetosh Dandelion in my stash, so I was all set to cast on on May 1st.
Tegna is worked bottom-up, so you start with the lace at the bottom, then continue in the round until armholes and then separate front and back which are worked flat, then joined at the shoulders with three-needle bind off. The lace is not too simple, so it took me three weeks to work the lace part. That didn't leave much time for the remainder of the sweater, but luckily it's only stockinette stitch with large needles. I even finished one day before the deadline!
Nonnu Neuloja podcast is hosting a Tegna knit along in her Ravelry group, so if you are looking for good company to knit your Tegna (and speak Finnish), I recommend that you check it out!
Linking up to CreaDienstag.
Yarn: Madelinetosh Dandelion in colorway Pink Clay (845 m)
Needles: 4,5mm (US 7)
Tegna is worked bottom-up, so you start with the lace at the bottom, then continue in the round until armholes and then separate front and back which are worked flat, then joined at the shoulders with three-needle bind off. The lace is not too simple, so it took me three weeks to work the lace part. That didn't leave much time for the remainder of the sweater, but luckily it's only stockinette stitch with large needles. I even finished one day before the deadline!
Nonnu Neuloja podcast is hosting a Tegna knit along in her Ravelry group, so if you are looking for good company to knit your Tegna (and speak Finnish), I recommend that you check it out!
Linking up to CreaDienstag.
