in process

A few projects in process... and I'm feeling winter in my bones.

annikki

This little knit has been quite the adventure. It was originally intended to be a shorter version of Norah Gaughan's annikki sweater coat. While knitting up the swatch, however, I read this blog post and was so inspired I tossed out the pattern for annikki, checked as many Elizabeth Zimmerman books and Barbara Walker books I could out of my library, and got to work. It was SO liberating to be free of a pattern, and to make so many design choices. I feel as though I've been knitting with my head and my heart, instead of someone else's directions. Of course, it was a lot trickier than just following a pattern! I knit and ripped and calculated and sketched and knit and ripped some more. It's not perfect, but I gained a lot of confidence to continue designing. Here are a few of the things I learned from this sweater:

knitting from the top down
provisional cast on
knitting a set-in sleeve sweater in the round
short row shoulder shaping
faux side seams a la Elizabeth Zimmerman
knitting a set in sleeve from the top down
knitting a stockinette buttonband with facing
using short rows along the length of the button band to keep the band from sagging
designing my own shawl collar
designing roomy, short sleeves for easy layering

Knitting seems to have much of my attention lately...sometimes I feel one of my passions grabs me by the hair and doesn't let go until I've worn out my head and hands with it...though I've been sewing and drawing and making as well... more to show you soon!