Ravelry Top Twenty Patterns OMG, have you seen this??????
Fox Paws, a wrap by Xandy Peters
Do you lurk daily on the Ravelry Top Twenty patterns? Imagine the swooning that has been witnessed here on this end? Between the latest release of Brooklyn Tweed's Wool People and now this designer, I should be in a Jane Austen novel with the vapors I have been suffering! I had to Instagram the news to my knitting friends when I found this treasure trove of ideas!
Fox Paws
What smacks you first? For me it was the colors, then the gorgeous stitch pattern and finally, the absolute originality of the concept! I consider knitting akin to doing puzzles, to knit this would be the equivalent in completing (correctly) the Sunday Times puzzle with no divine intervention. No, that's not accurate... completing a swatch in this stitch pattern would be just the thing to push my skills to a whole 'nother level. I would try this just for the brain stretching that would ensue, not to mention the challenge to create a unique color combination approaching the ones shown on Xandy's pattern page.
Another color version of Fox Paws
I pride myself on being a Ravelry stalker, in a good way of course! I am on the site daily, adding to my endless list of Favorites and Queuing things I may never, ever get to knit. It is the desire for omniscience of all things knitting that drives me to pursue this obsession. I love to enable, I enjoy sharing a new fiber, indie dyer or designer. In doing the enabling, I figure I am parceling out the projects I can only dream of.... would you buy this pattern just to show the love for the concept? I did just that and I urge you to consider joining me in my fervor to spread the word of a concept, pattern, yarn, or technique to anyone who will listen.
Image by Marj Loeper, imported from Ravelry page.
Fox Paws, by Xandy Peters. This is a wrap, but can be scaled down to a scarf or shawl size. The project is worked with over 1100 yards of fingering weight yarn on size 6 needles. The "stripes" are so elaborate and look like delicate feet. As described in her Ravelry project notes, the horizontal bands of color are shaped with increases and decreases, using two or more colors without strands or floats on the reverse side. Are you intrigued? How did she do that?
Fox Paws
Fox Paws is just one of ten designs by Xandy Peters. Take a look at the second one that appealed to me, Petal Cowl. This pattern is worked in fingering weight on size 5 needles. It is a smaller scale project calling for under 500 yards of self striping yarn, perhaps a relative quick knit? In choosing a self-striping yarn, the selection of an exciting color palette is done for you. The pattern was released in June 2014 and there are 55 projects listed already! Be brave, jump in!!
Endless possibilities for color combing!
The skills required to make Petal Cowl include knitting in the round, increasing and decreasing, and may I add, a brave quest to choose an edgy skein of self-striping yarn that combines and contrasts colors for the optimal effect.
Solarita
Have a look at Xandy's patterns page, if only for the sheer amazement factor. The third design that intrigues me is Solarita, this was actually the first pattern I looked at. It is currently on the Top Twenty Patterns page. The curved sweep is appealing, and the intricate edging is so different from any I have seen, it drew me in. The border takes me back to Greek art history classes, the repeated shapes call to mind urns and murals from long ago.
Wrapped Solarita, back view
The pattern design was inspired by the shifting colors of sunset and the need for an in-between weight wrap for cool summer evenings. The shawl is knit with Brooklyn Tweed Loft, a fingering weight yarn, on size 6 needles.
The final temptation is Feather Flame, a shawl pattern that was released in March of this year. (How much do you envy prolific designers?)
Feather Flame
The shawl is reminds me of feather and fan stitches but it is different. The chevrons are tipped in a bias fashion and the shape of the shawl has a bit of curve for ease of wear. The difficulty factor calls upon skills of increasing, decreasing and the pattern is both written and charted. The yarn featured on Xandy's project page are Lion Brand Sock Ease in the Red Hot colorway. Any fingering weight, self-striping yarns would be appropriate, the shawl is knit on size 5 needles.
More posts from
