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):

Fleet Fox knit by Knitty_Jo

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

Dal - PDF Pattern

$7.00

I love textured stitches in Lark, and chunky cables on top of texture just pop! Knit and purl stiches combine for a cushy body, while a stockinette sleeve keeps this cozy raglan from being too busy.

Finished measurements
30¾ (34¼, 37½, 41, 44¼, 47¾, 51, 54¼)"
[78 (87, 95.5, 104, 112.5, 121.5, 129.5, 138) cm] bust circumference; shown in size 34¼" [87 cm] on a 31" [79 cm], 5' 7" [170 cm] tall model (3¼" [8.5 cm] positive ease)
Yarn
Lark by Quince & Co
(100% American wool; 134yd [123m]/50g)
• 10 (11, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17) skeins Carrie's Yellow 125
Needles
• One 32" circular needle (circ) in size US 8 [5 mm]
• One 16" circ in size US 6 [4 mm]
• One set double-pointed needles (dpns) in size
US 8 [5 mm]
• One set dpns in size US 6 [4 mm]
Or size to obtain gauge
Notions
• Stitch markers
• Cable needle
• Waste yarn
• Tapestry needle
Gauge
22 sts and 32 rnds = 4" [10 cm] in stockinette stitch with larger needles, after blocking
19 sts and 32 rnds = 4" [10 cm] in basketweave pattern with larger needles, after blocking.

Lamassu – PDF Pattern

$6.00

The shawl is worked from the top down. It consists of a trinity stitch body, with crescent shaping, and border of Gilgamesh’s beard and Lamassu feathers. The crescent shape of the body is acheived by increasing 2 sts at the beginning and 1 st at the end of every row.

Skills required : knitted cast on, increasing and decreasing (single and double).

Charts and line-by-line instructions included.

52 “ wingspan, 25” depth
504 yds of Fingering weight yarn, sample shown in Quince & Co. Sparrow in Blue Spruce 204
32-inch circular needle, US 6 - 4.0 mm
20 stitches and 32 rows = 4 inches in trinity stitch

Learn more about the Lamassu Shawl in the Chronicles

View it on Ravelry

Photos © Quince & Co.

Eiswasser - PDF Pattern

$6.00

Inspired by the snowpack on top of the mountains that melts into rivulets, which turns into streams and rivers, Eiswasser (or ice water in German) recreates those streams in a densely-cabled toque that is incredibly warm, despite its name and lighter-weight yarn.

Top it off with a fluffy (faux) fur pompom or leave the spiraling crown open to view.

Size

17”/43 cm circumference unstretched at brim, to fit 20-21”/51-53.5 cm head circumference. 9.5”/24 cm high.

Yarn

Manos Del Uruguay Milo in i2464 Lisboa (65% Merino/35% Linen, 380 yds [347m]/100 g/3.53 oz.)
Alternatives: approximately 380 yards of heavy fingering/light sport-weight yarn.

Gauge

64 sts and 36 rnds = 4”/10 cm in Cable Pattern on larger needle.
36.5 sts and 36 rnds = 4”/10 cm in k1, p1 rib on smaller needles.
Adjust needle size as needed to match gauge.

Needles & Notions

US 2 [2.75 mm] 16”/40.5 cm circular needle or dpns
US 6 [4 mm] 16”/40.5 cm circular needle or dpns
Cable needle
Tapestry needle
Removable stitch marker
Bernat Faux Fur Pompom in Grey Linx (optional)

Read more about Eiswasser in the Ms. Cleaver Chronicles

View it on Ravelry

Photos (c) Bristol Ivy/Ms. Cleaver Creations

Woodland Hat - PDF Pattern

$6.00

Woodland is a colorwork hat and mitten set. The thick fabric from the colorwork makes it perfect for keeping you cozy during your walks in the woods.

Size
16”-26.75” circumference, depending on gauge (see chart)

Yarn
1 Skein Each: Nature Spun Sport by Brown Sheep Company (100% Wool; 184 yd [168m]/50g)
MC: Ash (720S)
CC: Pewter Green (401S)
OR yarn you can achieve a gauge w/ between 6 -7.5 sts/in.

Gauge
Because the pattern repeat is so wide (32 sts), the easiest way to change sizes is by changing your gauge, in conjunction with adjusting the stitch count. Use the chart below to match your gauge to the desired finished circumference.

Measure gauge in blocked colorwork pattern, using suggested needles, then reference chart to choose size.

Sample shown in 128 st cast on at 7 sts/inch (18.25” circ) on an average adult woman sized head. The smallest size would fit a young child, and the largest would fit a man.

Needles & Notions
US 4/3.5 mm 16” circular or dpns
US 6/4 mm 16” circular or dpns
OR SIZE TO ACHIEVE DESIRED GAUGE
Tapestry needle
Stitch markers

Available as part of and ebook or as a kit

Atlee - PDF Pattern

$6.00

Summer begs for basics, and Atlee delivers. In Cleaner Cotton™ Willet, with an a-line shape, scooped neckline and textural details in the yoke, Leah B. Thibault’s tee is a picture-perfect essential for easy days in the sun.

Shown in size 35” / 89 cm with 1” / 2.5 cm positive ease

Bust Circumference: 33 (35, 36¾, 39¾, 43¼, 45, 48, 50)" [84 (89, 93.5, 101, 110, 114.5, 122, 127) cm] bust circumference
Yarn: 5 (5, 6, 6, 7, 7, 7, 8) skeins of Willet by Quince & Co in Sail (701)(100% cleaner cotton; 160yd [146m]/50g)
Needles:

32” circ in size US 5 / 3.75 mm
16” circ in size US 4 / 3.5 mm
set dpns in size US 4 / 3.5 mm

Gauge: 25 sts and 33 rows = 4”/10 cm in St st on larger needles

Learn more about Atlee in the Chronicles

View it on Ravelry

Iran 2007 081 Persepolis Gate of all Nations

What is a Lamassu?

A winged, human headed bull frequently seen in ancient Mesopotamian (modern Iraq & Syria) myth and art - most frequently as looming sentinels at the gates of major cities.
My latest shawl design for Quince & Co. yarns

How does one morph into the other? Where that's where the fun of designing comes in!

Back when I was in college, I was a Theatre major and the midst of my Senior year, I decided to swap my English minor for one in Classical Studies, following my increasing interest in the topic. I had an excellent Latin professor (Ortwin Knorr), who got me interested in the subject beyond the language and introduced me to Roman Cookery and the Archaeological Institute of America (of which there are sadly, no Maine chapters).

I had taken a lot of Latin courses, but to complete my minor I took two additional classes: Introduction to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and Introduction to Ancient and Medieval Art History.

My textbook for the Art History class is the only one I regret selling back, but it was the Old Testament course that has had one of the longest lasting impacts of any of my school courses. Taught by professor and archaeologist David W. McCreery, this 100-level course was the hardest course I took in my college career. But, as they say, nothing worthwhile is easy.

One day while discussing Noah's flood in Genesis, Professor McCreery mentioned that there was an much earlier, but very similar, version of a Great Flood story that appeared in the Epic of Gilgamesh (c. 2100–2000 BCE). Following class that day, I stayed late to express my interest in the Gilgamesh tale, but as the professor was busy with another student at the time, I merely stated my interest and left conversation for another time. It was to my surprise then, when at the next class session, he handed me one of his personal copies of the tale (Herbert Mason's verse narrative), with the following inscription:

October 2004 Dear Leah There is a lot to learn from this "oldest story ever told." Enjoy! Dave McCreery

I fell in love with the Gilgamesh story, particularly his adventures with the wild-man Enkidu, so much so that I wrote and produced a play about it. It's a story that's stuck with me ever since. So when I was talking to Quince about doing a new shawl design, it was Gilgamesh, and his Mesopotamian brethren that sprung to mind.

As is the way nowadays, I started collecting some images on Pinterest and I kept coming back to two things, the lamassu and king's beards. There was a distinct texture and style of the beards that the more I looked at it, the more knitterly they seemed. A stitch dictionary provided the trinity stitch that mirrored the curly portion of the beard by the mouth, and some time with swatches and graph paper yielded the banded columns and feathery bits I call Gilgamesh's Beard and Lamassu Feathers.

Since Mesopotamia was part of the fertile crescent, a gentle crescent shape for the shawl seemed only natural and of course, when given the option to pick my yarn, I had to go with that ancient near-eastern fiber: linen.

----

And that is a long story behind a fairly simple shawl.

If you'd like to knit one for yourself, the pattern is available now in the shop or you can queue it up on Ravelry.

And to make the long stretches of trinity stitch go faster, I suggest you listen to the following while you knit (I did!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVcvGxEZZwc

Photo Credits:

Quince & Co.
Lamassu by Jasmine Ramig
Quince & Co.
Iran 2007 Persepolis Gate of all Nations by David Holt
Quince & Co.
Untitled by E.N.K

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