Planting Seeds for WILDFLOWER

The WOODLAND collection came together as a collection more or less by accident. I had a few designs I wanted to do and as I was working on them, I realized that they had a similar theme, so I decided to go with the flow. That said, I quickly learned that I liked working in the collection format - even if it mean photographing a half dozen things in about 45 minutes. So when I starting thing about where I wanted to go with my design work, doing more in the collection format immediately sprung to the top of list. 

And so, in December, I started thinking Spring. 

WILDFLOWER seemed like a good good follow up to woodland theme, so I started gathering images and thinking about what the collection would be. I also knew I wanted my work to be more collaborative this year, so I'm partnering with indie dyers NabiWoolStudio and RedSockBlueSock for two of the knitwear designs. At this point, all the planning stuff is pretty much done and I'm deep in pattern writing and sample making. There will be three new knitwear designs and three embroidery hoops and it's all going to be so pretty!

So wish me luck as I furiously stitch and try to find a spring-esque photoshoot location in Maine in Feb/March!

Inspiration images from top to bottom:

• Andrew Wyeth's Around the Corner
• Old farmer sowing seeds from traditional apron, Hilltown, Co. Down, 1970s, Bobbie Hanvey, photographer.

• "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney

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Introducing Souviens

Did you ever have one of the experiences that just stuck with you, in a good way? This past summer's trip to Quebec City, remains one of the best trips I've ever taken and the whole household talks about it constantly - making the Quebec motto of Je me souviens -  I remember - very appropriate.

This cowl/stole pattern is a tribute to that great city, and features a lace version of the Fleur di Lis so prominent on the province flag. The large scale lace pattern is backed with a no-sew lining, to provide extra warmth and a (subtle or bold) pop of color. The stole version also provides instructions for adding a drawstring, so it can be worn around the shoulders as shown, or cinched up into a big cowl. 

The samples shown are both knit in Coop Knit's Socks Yeah, a favorite yarn of mine for its color palette, texture, and affordability.  Souviens is available as a PDF pattern, a 2-skein cowl kit or 4-skein stole kit in three different colorways. 

The pattern can be purchased for $6 USD via the following:

Ms. Cleaver Shop | Ravelry | LoveKnitting

Share what you've made!

Use #mscleavercreations and/or tag me @mscleaver on Instagram!

Souviens Cowl/Stole Kits

from $28.00

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Introducing Sprout & Flutter

Sometimes, it's fun just to play - and for me as a designer, designing a hat is like play - after all, sometimes you need a sample you can knit up in under a week! 

The product of my early winter play is this pair of hats  - Sprout (blues) and Flutter (purple/pink). Both hats use simple construction and contrasting colors to play up fun-to-work stitch patterns that use slips and wraps to create texture. Quince & Co's Phoebe yarn, used in the samples, has a lovely kettle-dyed quality that lends extra depth to the colors. 

The samples were designed to be a closely-fit beanie/toque,  but instructions are included for making your version a more slouchy, as desired. I would have loved to have some "on-head" photos, but Little Miss Cleaver has definitively told me, "Mama, no pictures." But she's consistently wearing Flutter, and that's a win in my book, so I'm not complaining.

I'd also like to put out a special thank you to Patti, Katie, Maryellen, Jessi and Jodi for their feedback!

The PDF Pattern contains both designs (for the price of one!), and is sized from newborn to adult large.

The pattern can be purchased for $6 USD via the following:

Ms. Cleaver Shop | Ravelry | LoveKnitting

Share what you've made!

Use #mscleavercreations and/or tag me @mscleaver on Instagram!

Sprout & Flutter -PDF Pattern

$6.00

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Winter Warm Up Sale!

It's blizzard conditions here in Maine today, but even so, I'm focused on spring. At least design-wise, that is.

I'm hard at work pulling together my spring collection; WILDFLOWER, which means I could use some more space in the "Studio"/spare bedroom - so I've put a bunch of my winter kits, patterns, samples, and more on sale in the shop.  The items listed here are just a handful of the sale goods, so be sure to look around before the end of the sale on January 12th. And if you're more of a Ravelry person, all the WOODLAND patterns are 20% off for the same period, no code needed.

I get some space and you get some cozy knits for the long stretch of winter still to come. WIn-win!!

Felt Ornament Kit - Pink, Blue and Green

$23.00

Ice Skater - Complete Kit

from $9.00

Tidings Craft Fair

Southern Maine Folks! 

This Sunday, December 3rd, I'll be participating in my first craft fair! I'll be one of the many wonderful vendors at Tidings Craft & Art Fair at the Ocean Gateway in Portland. I'll have all my embroidery and knitting kits on hand, and some special fair deals. 

There's free parking , live music, and kids activities - so come on by!

Not in Maine? You can always order via the online shop, but if there's something you have your heart set on, I'd suggest ordering before Sunday, as I won't be restocking these items before the holidays. 

More details on the Tidings Fair can be found on their Facebook Page.

Indie Design Gift Along 2017 - Shawls & Cowls

It's GIft Along Time again! 

Every year a growing group of independent knitwear designs band together on Ravelry to host a knit-along to kick start your holiday gift knitting! 

This year there are 311 designers from 31 countries and 6 continents, with over 18,150 patterns eligible for the giftalong's 2,000+ prizes.

From now until midnight EST on Nov 28, over 5,000 of those patterns are 25% off with the code giftalong2017

But 5,000 patterns is a lot to look through, so over the next few days, I'll be highlighting some of my personal favorites from the offerings - today I'm wrapping up my list of favs with shawls and cowls.

Clicking on any photo above will take you to an individual pattern page, or you can see all my Gift Along favorites on Ravelry here. 

I've got 16 patterns in the sale,  including two sweaters.  

As an added bonus, all kits on MsCleaver.com are also 25% off for the same time/same code. - ENDING TONIGHT!

Happy gifting!!

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Indie Design Gift Along 2017 - Socks & Hats

It's GIft Along Time again! 

Every year a growing group of independent knitwear designs band together on Ravelry to host a knit-along to kick start your holiday gift knitting! 

This year there are 311 designers from 31 countries and 6 continents, with over 18,150 patterns eligible for the giftalong's 2,000+ prizes.

From now until midnight EST on Nov 28, over 5,000 of those patterns are 25% off with the code giftalong2017

But 5,000 patterns is a lot to look through, so over the next few days, I'll be highlighting some of my personal favorites from the offerings - today we'll be looking at those most gift-able of knits, Hats & Socks.

Clicking on any photo above will take you to an individual pattern page, or you can see all my Gift Along favorites on Ravelry here. 

I've got 16 patterns in the sale,  including two sweaters.  As an added bonus, all kits on MsCleaver.com are also 25% off for the same time/same code.

Happy gifting!!

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Indie Design Gift Along 2017 - Women's Sweaters

It's GIft Along Time again! 

Every year a growing group of independent knitwear designs band together on Ravelry to host a knit-along to kick start your holiday gift knitting! 

This year there are 311 designers from 31 countries and 6 continents, with over 18,150 patterns eligible for the giftalong's 2,000+ prizes.

From now until midnight EST on Nov 28, over 5,000 of those patterns are 25% off with the code giftalong2017

But 5,000 patterns is a lot to look through, so over the next few days, I'll be highlighting some of my personal favorites from the offerings - starting with Women's Sweaters.

Clicking on any photo above will take you to an individual pattern page, or you can see all my Gift Along favorites on Ravelry here. 

I've got 16 patterns in the sale,  including two sweaters.  As an added bonus, all kits on MsCleaver.com are also 25% off for the same time/same code.

Happy gifting!!

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FO Roundup - Fall 2017

One of the most fun parts of being a designer is seeing how others interpret your designs. Here are a few of my favorite finished objects (FOs) of late, with a focus on cool winter-y gray and blues, and shawls on chairs. (click on any photo to visit the knitter's Ravelry and/or Instagram page):

Toulouse - knit by lovegrayhues

Lamassu - knit by ninafer

Woodland hat knit by elainemaxseb

Dal, knit by rie4

Eiswasser knit by lucidfuse

Atlee - knit by kishpai

Fleet Fox knit by Knitty_Jo

Summer Rain knit by NeweJersey

Want to share your knits with me? Tag me @mscleaver on Instagram, or if it's on Ravelry, I'll see it. :) 

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Dal - PDF Pattern

Lamassu – PDF Pattern

Eiswasser - PDF Pattern

Woodland Hat - PDF Pattern

Atlee - PDF Pattern

Corrugated Ribbing Tutorial (for Two Hands)

Corrugated, or two-color ribbing, is a common decorative edging on many colorwork designs, including my Woodland Mittens. It has a great effect, but it can be a bit trickier than regular colorwork, which is usually done all in knit stitches.

I'm typically a "picker" or continental style knitter, but this tutorial will use both the "picking" and "throwing" techniques for the most efficient way to work this pattern. Not familiar with continental style? This is a helpful tutorial. 

By working the rib with two hands this way, you don't have to fuss with dropping and picking up a different color for each stitch.

For the purposes of this tutorial, the green will be our contrasting color, or CC; and the grey will be the main color, or MC. This tutorial also assumes you will be working in the round.

One important thing to know before you start, two-color ribbing will have less recovery/elasticity than regular ribbing, so you may wish to go down a needle size, especially if you're replacing a solid rib with a corrugated one.  

To start, cast on in your CC and join in round. Knit one round in CC.

Join your MC at the start of the round. From here, you will knit in the CC, and purl in the CC.

Take your CC, or the color you will be doing knit stitches with, and hold it in your right hand. Take the MC, or the color you will be doing purl stitches with, and hold it in your left hand, tensioning the yarn around your pinky finger as in Continental style. To begin, both yarns should be behind the needles, with the CC in front of the MC. 

Step 1: With the yarn held in your right hand, work a knit stitch by "throwing" or wrapping the yarn around the needle with your right hand. 

Step 2: Shift the left hand needle, so the MC yarn is in front of the work. Purl the next stitch Continental-style. Shift yarn back behind work.

Repeat Steps 1 and 2 until you reach the desired length of rib! 

Ready to Get Knitting?!

Woodland Mittens - PDF Pattern

$6.00

Woodland Hat & Mittens Kit

from $24.00