Three weeks of posting in a row! This is surely a record for me, but there is just so much to post about! I’m really looking forward to mid-September, when my new collection will be released. Then it will be non-stop blogging for a while!
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I have yet to introduce my newest design, the Collie Cowl!
Like most things in my life, there is a story behind this cowl. Several years ago, I released my Cowl’s Meow design, which is the feline companion to the Collie Cowl.
The Cowl’s Meow turned out to be quite popular among cat-loving knitters – one of my best selling patterns, in fact!
Over a year ago, one of these knitters sent me an email to tell me how much she liked the cowl pattern. She had knitted it five times, in different colors, for various friends and family. In the same message, she kindly asked if I might be able to create a similar design featuring border collies. She even sent me some cute drawings that might inspire my design.
I wrote back and promised that I would try my best to create a collie companion for the Cowl’s Meow. Then . . . things happened. Work, COVID, all sorts of things. But I didn’t want to forget my promise, and that border collie cowl brewed in the back of my mind for a year. Finally, with my pattern collection complete and ready to go, I could move on to other projects, and the Collie Cowl was the first on my list! It took quite a while to get the charts right. It’s not easy to capture a border collie in silhouette on charted graphs!
I was finally satisfied with the charts – they complemented my cat motifs without being too similar.
Next, because my Cowl’s Meow features pinks, oranges, and yellows, I wanted to choose a cooler hued gradient yarn for the Collie Cowl. For my first test I used Yarn Treehouse Melody, a lovely but discontinued yarn line, in blues, greens, and golds.
I was happy with the look, but I had to find a current yarn line to suggest, rather than a discontinued yarn from my stash. I had been sitting on a ball of Knit Picks Chroma Fingering in Surf’s Up, a blue/green gradient. It’s much more vibrant than the Melody, and I was a little concerned that it would be too dark in places, and the contrast with the black would not show.
Despite the deep hues, I think the contrast still works well!
With two test knits complete, my last task was to translate the pattern into Italian. This was relatively simple, since I’d done all the work of translating the Cowl’s Meow pattern, and there were only minor changes for this pattern. With tech editing and photography complete, the Collie Cowl was ready to go!
I was happy to write back to my fellow knitter and thank her for the inspiration with a complimentary copy of the pattern. She was thrilled! I hope dog lovers of all sorts, especially border collie enthusiasts, will enjoy this design.
Now, before I go, just a few quick updates. First of all, Knit Picks has released a new series in their popular Palette line, called Palette Twist. It’s a marled two-color twist in natural hues. They asked me to create a free pattern using Palette Twist, and it should be available on their website very soon. When they release the pattern, I’ll also release it on my Ravelry site. But for now, here’s a quick sneak peek of the mitts!
They should be a quick, fun fingerless pattern, great for the coming fall weather! More on those soon. I’m also working on a new sock pattern for a call for submissions (my second pair of socks ever, hahahah!) and I am excited to get working on the design! And finally, I’m in the testing stages of an adorable baby/child sweater with a stranded knitting design. I’ll be excited to release it, either just before or just after my collection goes live! I’ll return with more news shortly. Until then, stay safe and healthy, and happy knitting!
The cowl is cute. I like the blue color too.
Thank you Elizabeth!