Favorite Pattern Friday - Summer Time

Only about two weeks left until summer break!

Even though, I will be busy interning at Stillwater Living Magazine (I'm so excited!) and taking three courses during the summer, I should still have a little bit more time for crafting than usually during a semester. YES!

Time to share some of my favorite summer patterns!

Whole Wheat Cardigan by Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe 

Published in Delicious Knits 

© Alexandra Charlotte Dafoe

I'm actually going to knit this cardigan for my mother soon. She will send her kiwi-colored Mille Fili cotton yarn in a few days! By the the it arrives, the Eyelet Pullover I'm currently working on should be long finished. Really looking forward to this one!

Razor Cami by Katie Marcus free!

Available on Ravelry.com

© Lomester

Monteagle Bag by Ann Hahn Buechner free!
Published in Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines;
also available at the Mason-Dixon Knitting Blog

© knitshearbliss

Semele by Åsa Tricosa 

Published in Åsa Tricosa Designs

© knittimo

Laar by Gudrun Johnston 

Published in The Shetland Trader-Book 1

© NoTailKit

 My favorite Laar project is NoTailKit's version by far.

It fits perfectly and I love the yarn she picked!

Favorite Pattern Friday - Jared Flood

©Jared Flood Photography

This FPF will be dedicated to one of my favorite designers, Jared Flood. 

Jared Flood is a Pacific Northwest native, founder of Brooklyn Tweed, knitwear designer and photographer. His outstanding designs are clean and strong and focus on quality, texture and detail.

Another thing I like about his patterns is that they are mostly worked in the round. As a fan of Elizabeth Zimmermann, who was big on easier, more adjustable 'recipes' rather than line by line patterns, Flood tends to use her construction styles and creates most of his designs to be as seamless as possible.

There was a great two-part article, titled "Going Seamless," by Jared Flood in Vogue Knitting about converting flat-knitted and pieced sweaters to a seamless version, specifically with bottom-up construction. You can read parts of his tutorial online in Vogue Knitting's article archive.

Martina Hecht, a German knitwear designer and writer, had really inspiring interview with him last year; it's available on her website MaschenGold.

Enough said. Time to share some of my favorites!

Tinder

Published in BT FALL 11

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Autumn Leaves Stole

Published in Brooklyn Tweed

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Umaro

Published in Brooklyn Tweed

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Brownstone

Published in Brooklyn Tweed

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Pavement

Published in Brooklyn Tweed

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Irving

Published in BT FALL 11

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Rock Island

Published in Brooklyn Tweed

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

More of his designs ..

Favorite Pattern Friday - Projects from fellow Ravelers

I will use this Friday to show some of the awesome and extremely creative work that's done by people like you and me on Ravelry. If there are any knitters/crocheters/weavers out there, that haven't signed up for this website yet, they should do so immediately! And if you are a person that would like to craft and do things, but think you are not talented enough, just try it! There are tons of websites out there that offer help and instructions for beginners.


But now it's time for 10 of my favorite Raveler projects:

 Joorwol's Blackburn

Orig. Pattern: Blackburn by Martin Storey

This project is from a Rav-friend of mine. Thanks to her, I was able to knit the beautiful Shibuya pullover I've blogged about before. She has tons of beautiful projects in her gallery, so it was hard to pick only one.. but I really like this sweater. It's a perfect fit, the yarn creates a really nice texture and the picture she took of it is really cool too! I'm not surprised her boyfriend wears it so often.

villapeikko's Arch-shaped socks

Orig. Pattern: Arch-shaped socks by Jen Showalter   free!

Awesome color & great modification with the rib pattern! 

strikkefrenzy's 14 Totoros

Orig. Pattern: Paper Dolls by Kate Davies

There is a reason this pullover pattern has 562 finished projects and is in 2,360 queues (including mine).. It is gorgeous and the possibilities of the yoke design are endless! Kate, the designer of Paper Dolls, wrote about some of her favorite customizations on her blog.
My favorite is and always will be the Totoro version from strikkefrenzy!

Purlescence's Catasaurus Rex

Orig. Pattern: Cats love Sweaters by Christine Landry   free!

I think this one is self-explanatory!

Taina's Miralda's Triangular Shawl

Orig. Pattern: Miralda's Triangular Shawl by Nancy Bush

Stunning Lacework! I love the color! 
I really need to buy some more yarn soon..  

KNITTINGinHI's Chullo

Orig. Pattern: Four Egg-Cozy Hats by Miriam G. Briggs

This is the coolest little kokeshi chullo ever!


More projects after the break!

Favorite Pattern Friday - Knitted Doilies

Doilies are nothing new to me; I crocheted more than 20 different designs during the last year. Most of them were made for family members as birthday or Christmas presents. I even sold one of them on Etsy once. At the moment I have one WIP hibernating in a corner somewhere.. It's really pretty, especially in the dark red thread, but I just can't get myself to crochet the last 2-3 rows right now.. blaeeh..

Some of my Doilies

I spend hours crocheting all of these and really enjoyed it, but for some reason the idea of knitting a doily really frightens me. I don't know why, it just seems so extremely complicated. I prefer other people making them and me looking at the pictures. Maybe I'll surprise myself and try it one day; until then: Pictures!

Knit Flower Doily by Coats & Clark   free!

Published in Coats & Clark

Coats & Clark

This one is still nice and cute..

Doily with Spiral by Verlag Otto Beyer Design Team   free!

Published in Yarn Over

Photo by Talsu

But then it gets to a point where I just can't follow anymore..

Stor Lysedug by Vintage   free!

Published in Yarn Over 

Photo by muumi

128 rows of crazy! Unbelievable.. I would never have the patience..
 

What do you think? Would you try it?

Maybe you already have?

Favorite Pattern Friday - Shawls & Wraps

I love looking at shawl patterns; there are so many beautiful designs out there! I can't wait to finally make one for myself. The only shawl I have made so far was Age of Brass and Steam for Maresa, which wasn't really that spectacular and done in less than two days.. These patterns on the other hand are a little more elaborate and might take a little longer to finish.

Juneberry Triangle by Jared Flood
Published in Brooklyn Tweed

 © Jared Flood

This is my absolute favorite. It's a design by Jared Flood and it's stunning like always.

The texture the yarn creates and the combination of the stitches are gorgeous!

Amelie by Eva Linus   free!
Published in Avelinux

 © Eva Linus

This is one of my favorite free patterns. It has relatively easy lace stitches, 

but still a really nice design. Unfortunately it's only available in German at the moment.

Henslowe by Beth Kling
Published in Beth Kling's Rav Store

 © Beth Kling

This irresistible pattern by Beth King has just enough lace work to give it a simple but elegant look. I am a huge fan of the yarn color she chose as well!

Have you knit a shawl before?
Show me some pictures!

Favorite Pattern Friday - Winter Knits

Time for a new beginning!

And because it's Friday I'll start of with continuing one of my earlier tradition!

  

It's not really that cold in Stillwater anymore, but the -20°C/-4°F weather in Bavaria is inspiration enough to provide the topic for this FPF.

Haven
Published in Heartfelt - The Dark House Collection

Photo by princessediane

If you never knitted lace before this design by Kim Hargreaves
might be a good project to practice your skills!

Composed Mitts
Published in Interweave Knits, Fall 2007

Interweave Knits

Super fun design by Michele Rose Orne.
Great project for using sock yarn leftovers!

Crochet Sampler Afghan  free!

Published in Lion Brand Yarn Free Online Patterns

Photo by lorilorita

Simple and easy, but definitely a great knit for cold days!
It's also a nice way to try out a variety of new stitches!

What are your favorite knits for cold days?