the birth of a pattern...

it feels like I've dropped off the blogging space a little bit of late, and gosh, it's not like I don't have anything to share. In fact, I probably have too much. Soo very much seems to be happening at such a frantic pace, I am seriously still waiting for things to slow down and settle into place for the school term. It never happened in term one but here's hoping...


since last I wrote I have been frantically knitting, working out some sums and stuff, playing around with layout and tidying up my new pattern. Yep, another new one.  This one has been awhile in the making. Since the first heady days of Spring last year in August, in fact.  


I had an idea or two for a little cotton sundress, an idea totally fuelled by early Spring Weather.  And so I got knitting. A full sundress later and a bigger idea was forming. Unfortunately, for the sundress I decided the arm holes were too deep and so it got frogged. It's still being reknit but it did look a little like this.

What I loved most of all about this design was the ruching/gathering effect on the bodice of the dress.  I decided I really wanted to play more with that design element so I got a drawing, and came out with a number of incredibly rudimentary (ok pretty crap) design pictures. Thank goodness the finished products always look soo much better than my drawings!!!!  


Now some of those drawings are finally coming to fruition in the form of a pattern that will be released next week, May 1st. It's a pattern for a shrug and two cardigans, all based around a gathered bodice and raglan shaping.  So for those who aren't on Rav, here are some peaks at the new pattern. Tonight it's

the olearia shrug

I knit this way back in January, so I'm not really sure how it is I haven't got around to posting photos here. This is the same shrug pattern that I posted pics of in my last post but in a bigger size. 


It's knit from the yarn cafe's eco bamboo, which incidentally is being discontinued and is discounted.  I love how the bamboo drapes just perfectly for this garment. Bamboo is quite difficult to knit with and find the perfect project for, it does have a tendency to groooow with wear and has absolutely no memory or elasticity.  But for this little shrug it is absolutely perfect!  I had planned for this to be a short sleeved cardigan but was a bit worried that the bamboo would drop too much. 

I’m not sure the photos do it justice as my little model was being quite the silly little flippety gibbit. Lily insisted on the little bow button for the sleeve, unfortunately we only had one, but it is cute :) Buttons all from stash. I only had five for the front though, and needed six; so I sewed on the three for the time being until I can procure one more. Given that I finished this in January and still haven't got around to it, I can't see it happening anytime soon.

I have to say I adore this pattern, and am so totally stoked with the test knits from it :D I'm one very happy and excited gal ;)