Wildflowers Don’t Care

This asymmetrical shawl is based on a Dolly Parton song that includes the line,”Wildflowers don’t care where they grow.” To me, it is a song about surviving, possibly even flourishing, in difficult times. The piece is worked entirely on the bias. The body of the shawl starts with a small number of stitches and grows out with KYOK double increase on right side rows only, with a simple yarnover edging on both sides. An applied border is then worked perpendicular to the piece. The little flower pops in the pattern stitch will show up subtly against a bright backdrop of color. This shawl is fun to knit and wearable year round.

Published in the Fall 2023 Issue of TKGA’s Cast On Magazine.

KYOK and Purl Cluster Demonstrations

This is a video to demonstrate some special stitches I use in my Wildflowers Don’t Care Shawl.

The KYOK stitch is the increase I use.

KYOK – Knit one stitch but do not drop it off the left needle, yarnover, knit the same stitch once more. Two stitches have been increased.

The other stitch demonstrated is a three stitch purl cluster, which is neither an increase or a decrease – it is purely decorative.

Cluster 3 – Purl 3 stitches together but do not drop off the left needle, yarnover, purl 3 together once more. The stitch count will remain the same.

Alternating Long-Tail Cast On

I’m adding this video here, because I use this cast on frequently. It is easy to learn if you know how to do the basic long-tail cast on. It mimics ribbing and can be used for any combination of knits and purls. I prefer this to the alternating cable cast on, because it is faster for me to work and seems to have a bit more stretch. Hope you find this useful!

Over My Head

This cute but elegant and super soft cowl is knit in Malabrigo Mecha bulky weight and can be knit up easily in a few hours. It will transition from being worn in a slightly chilly office setting to being an extra layer of warmth when you need a heavy coat. The suggested yarn is simply yummy to work with, so knitting it is a pleasure as well.

The piece is worked flat and grafted together with Kitchener Stitch.

Circumference (Adjustable)
20.5”/52cm, Width 8”/20cm

Detailed notes are included to make adjustments. Making the cowl larger will require more than the one hank that is called for in the pattern.

Little Green Apples Socks

This pattern, along with ten other Washington-inspired designs, can be found in issue eight of Nomadic Knits, which is available now.

To order a physical copy, complete with stunning photos printed on 140 pages of beautiful matte paper, along with a Ravelry download code, visit your favorite local yarn shop or the Nomadic Knits website.

Little Green Apples Socks

Luray Mitts

A person holding a newspaper while wearing grey fingerless gloves. ©stitched.zone

Hand with gray fingerless glove putting a key into a locked door. ©stitched.zone

Originally published in stitched.zone, these unisex mitts are named for Luray Caverns in the Shenandoah Valley and were inspired by cave formations of stalactites and stalagmites. I can see both of those features in the stitch pattern I “unvented.”

The stitch is worked all the way around, and both mitts are knit the same, which is convenient for the wearer (as well as easier for the knitter). Overall, in spite of the elaborate texture, the pattern is very easy to work, and the sizing is generous due to the ribbed nature of the stitch.

Gauge Unstretched: 28 sts and 32 rnds = 10cm or 4” over
Luray Stitch.
Stretched to fullest: 18 sts and 40 rnds = 10cm or 4”
over Luray Stitch.

Sizing Adult S (M, L) stretches to fit 6 (7, 8)” or 15 (18,
20.5)cm
Finished Measurements: 4 (5, 6)“ or 10 (12.5, 15) cm (unstretched)

Hell Gate

The main stitch pattern used here immediately made me think of bridges. I see beauty in even the coldest looking industrial bridges because they present us with a way to connect to each other. This bridge seemed particularly romantic to me as it has seen so much traffic over the years.

Hearth Keeper

This crescent shawl was inspired by a family name. When researching our family tree, I found that the translation for Heitkamper
was “keepers of the hearth.” My grandparents, Edward and Katherine Heitkamper, were living examples of what love is, and they kept the
home-fires burning. The edge of the shawl is aflame, but it is intended
to wrap around you like an embrace from a loved one.

The shawl is worked from the neck down in garter stitch with increases
worked near the edges on right side rows. The flame lace border is knitted on and serves as a bind off for the live stitches. This part requires attention at first, as the stitch counts change, but as you work it becomes intuitive quickly.

Sample was knit with one skein of Miss Babs Yowza in colorway Wanna Go Crazy. Thanks to Miss Babs for use of the lovely photo and for being great to work with.

Bruised Orange

Named for my favorite John Prine song, these socks are an easy toe-up sock pattern with a Strong Heel. I prefer this heel to a standard short row heel because it allows room for my high arches. The other benefit is that the heel turn is akin to that of a flap heel sock except that there is no heel flap or picking up stitches. The pattern is written needle neutral, so use whichever sock method you like.

Love It or Leaf It

This sock is worked cuff down with a Strong Heel. There is a gusset, which provides extra room for your arches, but there’s no need for a heel flap or picking up stitches. The pattern is written needle neutral, so use whichever sock method you like. Because this pattern is intricate, and I wanted to offer generous sizing options, I found it necessary to divide the instep and back leg/heel stitches unevenly on two of the sizes. For your convenience, I am including those numbers here.