Knitting Pattern for Voyager Sweater

Voyager Sweater

In January last year I started to make sketches for Voyager Sweater. It was an independent project, that I had to put aside whenever knitting work for a third party landed on my needles and desk. I have finished the sample last June. I started to work on the pattern in July and that part of the whole process took the longest. Originally I created six sizes. Then I decided to make additional sizing to make it available for more variety of knitters. The final pattern is available in twelve sizes. The sweater has two length sizes, and the sleeves are also possible to customize.

The pattern went through several TE readings and I have to say that my collaboration with Maggie of Midnight Purl has been fabulous.  Here is the link to her website.
https://www.midnightpurl.com/

The pattern has also been test knitted and the sweaters the test knitters made look amazing.

Voyager Sweater

I have to say this is my first knitting pattern for a sweater in 12 sizes. It has been a long journey, but the results are satisfying. You can purchase the pattern in my Ravelry store, on LoveCrafts, or by clicking on this button: 



I am already thinking about other sweater designs. This Voyager sweater has reignited in me the spark for sweater knitting. My first ever knitting project was a sweater, which I designed myself. After that I was knitting sweaters for many years until one day when I just stopped knitting sweaters. I was knitting everything else but sweaters for years. In the meantime I began my knitwear designer career as a self-publishing designer, also working with various yarn companies, and having my patterns published in various knitting book collections, magazines, and websites. In a way this Voyager Sweater is my way to revisit the beginning of my knitting experience. I love the process and hope to continue to create more.

My first sweater

Voyager Sweater

Some details about the sweater sizes and yarn:

Finished Sweater Measurements:

Sweater at bust: 32.5” (82.5 cm) [34.75” (88 cm), 37” (94 cm), 39.25” (100 cm), 41.5” (105 cm), 43.75” (111 cm)] {46” (117 cm), 48.25” (122.5 cm), 50.25” (128 cm), 53” (135 cm), 55.25” (140 cm), 57.5” (146 cm)}.

Length: 22.50” (57 cm) [27.25” (69 cm)].

Sweater Sizes:

For bust circumference sizes: 30.25” (77 cm) [32.5” (82.5 cm), 34.75” (88 cm), 37” (94 cm), 39.25” (100 cm), 41.5” (105 cm)] {43.75” (111 cm), 46” (117 cm), 48.25” (122.5 cm), 50.25” (128 cm), 53” (135 cm), 55.25” (140 cm)}.

Suggested Yarn: Cascade Yarns Eco Peruvian Tones, Bulky (100% Peruvian Highland Wool; 478 yards (437 meters) /250g (8.75 oz) 2 [2, 2, 3, 3, 3]{ 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3} skeins (shorter length), 2 [3, 3, 3, 3, 3]{ 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 4} skeins (longer length).

Yardage:

Shorter length:  835 y (764 m) [890 y (814 m), 930 y (850 m), 1005 y (919 m), 1060 y (969 m), 1115 y (1019 m)] {1155 y (1056 m), 1235 y (1130 m), 1290 y (1180 m), 1350 y (1234 m), 1405 y (1285 m), 1434 y (1311 m)}.

Longer length: 935 y (855 m) [995 y (910 m), 1040 y (951 m), 1120 y (1024 m), 1180 y (1079 m), 1240 y (1134 m)] {1290 y (1179 m), 1375 y (1257 m), 1434 y (1311 m), 1505 y (1376 m), 1565 y (1431 m), 1600 y (1463 m)}. 

Thank you for visiting.

PS: Since I have posted this pattern to Ravelry this morning, the pattern made it to page 2 of "Hot Right Now". That is awesome. Thank you for everything.

Knitting Pattern for Corinna Checker Blanket

photo by I Like Knitting

My pattern for Corinna Checker Blanket is in August issue of I Like Knitting Magazine.

Corinna Checker Blanket

The pattern is now available on Ravelry in my store:
Link here
or you can purchase it by clicking on this button:



or you can buy it on Lovecraft:

Link here

In my yesterday post I was musing about deadline versus leisure knitting and this blanket is a perfect example of how the deadline knitting can be stressful.

WIP 

The day the yarn arrived from Cascade Yarns I have managed to burn my hand.  It was painful. However I had a contract and a rather short time to knit an entire afghan and I needed to include the fabric liner to hide the floats on the back and to make the blanket look really neat. 

I have calculated that I needed to knit about 5000 sts each day to finish everything on time. Somehow I have managed to do that and I shipped the sample to the magazine on time.  

Here are a pictures of the two layers being pin together and hand sewn. 

Checker Blanket WIP

 While I was still finishing the sewing the dog decided to test out the blanket. 

Checker Blanket

Thank you for visiting.

Knitting versus Deadline Knitting

I like to knit.

Playing with yarn

Ever since I learned how to knit I enjoyed the process. I have knitted all those years when knitting was not fashionable. My first ever finished project was a sweater. I actually unknowingly started my knitwear designer career with my first knitting project when I calculated the number of stitches to cast on and how many rows I needed to knit. I also used three colors and intarsia technique, without actually knowing how to cast on. My mom helped me with the cast on process, and I continued from there. I knitted the sweater and created an original design element, small holes in the place where the yarns should have been twisted around each other when I changed them. I didn't know that at the time. I finished the sweater, my grandmother helped me to sew the pieces together and made the crew neck around the neck opening. I had that sweater for years. Last year, when I visited my mom I found an old picture of me in that first sweater.  The picture was taken by my grandfather. He was an excellent photographer and writer.

First sweater

I kept on knitting all those years. I might have thought about knitwear designer career from time to time, but I never pursued that until few years ago. It was when a friend of mine mentioned the website Ravelry and I joined the knitting website when I realized that there is a possibility to be a knitwear designer. I was given the opportunity to share some of my ideas and projects, and I learned to write knitting patterns. I started to submit to various magazines and yarn companies and to my surprise my ideas were accepted. This whole thing is a work in progress and I am still learning.

Somehow my hobby turned into a part time job.  I can create and knit, and sometimes I earn some money. With the opportunity to have my work published by magazines, yarn companies, or in a various knitting books  the deadline knitting arrives as well.

Knitting is a leisurely process created one stitch at the time.
However when working under contract for a third party, knitting turns into a deadline knitting and the process is suddenly less of a leisure and more of a stressful event as the whole process needs to be finished on time and delivered to the third party by a certain date. Sometimes there is plenty of time to work out the pattern and knit the sample. Other times the process is more limited and has serious time constraint.

There have been moments when I am complaining about knitting. It feels frustrating, especially if something is not working the way it should, or if I make a mistake and have to rip out portion of my knitting and start over. Yesterday morning I emailed the finished pattern and in the afternoon I mailed out finished sample that will be published by a third party. Now I have to wait until the pattern is published to share the pictures of my work.

Today I spend my morning in the garden picking out the berries.

Berries from our garden

And because I like knitting, I already started to think about my next knitting project. But that has to wait, first I need to finish the final read of my Voyager Sweater pattern.

Voyager Sweater

Thank you for visiting.