New pattern: Little Grey Stormclouds

These are my Little Grey Stormclouds.

These are my typing gloves, my reading gloves, my knitting gloves, my this-office-is-too-darn-cold gloves.

These were my mojo-rejuvenation project, my startitis project, my instant gratification project.

Easy, lazy knitting, and a well-loved FO. For me, they're the ideal combination of process knitting and product knitting. I loved knitting them and I love wearing them even more.

They're a straightforward knit, with practical touches:

1. Mock cables

I love the look of cables, but I do not like knitting cables. This mock cable is dead simple when you get the hang of it, and I include a photo tutorial in the pattern.

2. Open thumb

No waste yarn, no picking up stitches. Just bind off and leave your thumb free.

3. Short hand length

Again, it's all about keeping your fingers free. Nothing getting in your way, just a little extra warmth around your palm and wrist. And less length means less knitting, so they knit up super-quickly.

4. Tight gauge

Knitting these gloves at a dense gauge makes the stitches really pop, and gives them extra durability. I've been wearing mine since 2015, shoving them in pockets, tossing them in bags, and generally mistreating them - and there's still not a single pill. From a 100% merino yarn!

It's a simple but very effective pattern, and I've graded it for four sizes to fit a range of hands for all genders.

for $5.00

Sizes: 7 [7.75, 8.25, 9]" (18 [20, 21, 23]cm) measured around the hand at the base of the fingers

Yarn: Between 110-165 yards of fingering/4-ply weight yarn (Shown: Shibui Sock, 100% merino). That’s less than 50g of your typical sock yarn.

Needles: US 1.5 / 2.5mm DPNs or circs, or whichever size gives you 8.5 stitches per inch in stockinette in the round

Pattern is fully written (not charted), and includes a photo tutorial for working the mock cable stitch.

~Joyuna

Pinstripes & Chains set - now for sale on Ravelry

The Pinstripes & Chains mitts and tam patterns, originally published in Knit Now Magazine, are now available as Ravelry downloads.

These quick accessories are easier than they look - the slipped stitches are a clever way to create vertical stripes while only working one colour per round. If you're up for more of a challenge, you can work the cabled "chains", but they're totally optional.

Since you're using two colours, these are a great project for using up the odd balls and scraps that you might have accumulated - and there's lots of room to experiment with colour combinations.

If you make size Small or Medium, you can make both a hat and pair of mitts with one 50g ball of each colour.

If you buy both the hat and the mitts together, you'll get a $3 discount.

Buy the set:
$7.00

Buy the mitts pattern:
$5.00

Buy the hat pattern:
$5.00



~Joyuna

Dusting off some old patterns

I was still in university when I published some of my first knitting patterns. While I remain proud of all my knitting designs, I've never been a graphic designer, and many of my early PDFs reflected that fact.

In my current day job I've been gaining experience in Photoshop and InDesign, and I've been able to transfer those skills back to designing. One of my projects for the year is to re-format as many of my old patterns as I can, using real layout software (no more layout in OpenOffice!) and the principles I've picked up from web design (white space! balance! nicely edited photos!).

I think you will find the new layouts much clearer, with more logical organisation, and generally more attractive. Plus, the PDF conversion is optimised so that in many cases the file sizes are smaller too.

The first patterns to receive this treatment are the Unbraiding Cables hat, Chain Link Tank, and Dogwood Shawlette.

If you've already bought these patterns on Ravelry, you should already have the update in your library. If you bought them on another platform, contact me at Joyuna at Gmail dot Com and I can send you an updated version.

~Joyuna

Choose Your Own Adventure Gift Knitting

Holiday knitting? It's a phrase that inspires glee and excitement or panic and fear, depending on who you ask. Knitting for your loved ones is a thoughtful gesture, it can save you some money, and we all know handknits are better than store-bought woollens any day of the week. However, some of us overcommit, or pick the wrong pattern, leading to deadline disasters and less-than-thrilled recipients.

Fear not - this doesn't have to be a season of stress; all it takes is some careful planning and everything will go smoothly. Picking the right pattern(s) is an important step in the process. Answer the questions below and choose your own knitting adventure!

How much time do you have to devote to knitting between now and Christmas?
a. I can be a full-time knitter the whole holiday season! (proceed to next question)
b. I won't be knitting any more than usual. (proceed to the next question)
c. I've waited to the last minute... I need something quick! (proceed to next question)





Do you want to buy yarn for this project, or knit from stash?
a. I want to bust some stash. (proceed to next question)
b. I want to go yarn shopping! (proceed to next question)





Stashbusters
Knitting from stash is always a great idea. A skein of sock or lace yarn can be turned into a gift with no trouble. But what kind of thing would you like to knit?
a. Something simple and repetitive, but with a great end result. (proceed to your patterns)
b. Something intricate and beautiful, that will keep me on my toes. (proceed to your pattern)
c. Simple but not too simple, but cute is a must! (proceed to your pattern)





A few new skeins
Now's your chance to go to the yarn shop and pick up a few special balls of yarn. How lovely! These skeins are happy to come home with you. What is their destiny?
a. They'll become a matching set of woollies. (proceed to your pattern)
b. Just a hat will do. (proceed to your patterns)





Large Gift Projects
Since you have a lot of time to devote to this project, you have the freedom to go all-out. A larger project can make a statement and your giftee will really appreciate the time and effort you have taken.
Which would your giftee appreciate more?
a. Light as a cloud, soft as a feather, something delicate yet warm (proceed to your pattern)
b. Something heavier and cosy to snuggle into (proceed to your pattern)
c. A matching set of winter wear (proceed to your pattern)





Last-Minute Gifts
Even if you're in a rush, you can still create a sweet and thoughtful gift.
What would your gift recipient enjoy most?
a. Toasty toes with a touch of whimsy (proceed to your pattern)
b. A home full of lovely smells, or a place to store tiny keepsakes (proceed to your pattern)





Russell Square

A coordinating set of patterns, these Mitts and Hat are simple enough to knit up in a jiffy but interesting enough not to bore you. All it takes is 3 balls of yarn to make a complete set.


Continue...





Elven Slippers

One of my most popular patterns, and an ideal gift. These petite slippers knit up very quickly and take only a small amount of yarn - sock or shawl leftovers are ideal.

Continue...





Three Sachets

A choice of three differently shaped sachets for stuffing with lavender buds or potpourri - or soft toy stuffing. These tiny sachets knit up in a jiffy, and totally seamlessly. Use up your bits and bobs of yarn to create a fragrant pouch, or a little treasure bag.

Continue...





Garden Path Moebius

An engaging knit in a variety of sizes. This moebius wrap or poncho features an undulating cables-and-lace pattern and a playful ruffle.

Continue...





One Skein Scarves
These one skein sideways shawlettes are sure to please. They're easy to wear and the lace borders add a lovely touch. With the bodies being in stockinette, once you've got the border down they go by very quickly.

Dogwood
Appleby



Continue...





Cute Cabled Hats

Interwoven
Unbraiding Cables (unisex!)


Continue...





The Grateful Crane

Soft and downy wings will wrap around you (or your giftee) - this interestingly shaped shawl's lace patterns look just like feathers on giant wings. Knit in mohair yarn it is warm, light, and fuzzy - knit it in a smooth yarn for an even more delicate look.

Continue...





Rose Tendrils Socks

A work of art in knitting, inspired by the art of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. These beautiful socks have a textured bud and leave pattern over the instep and a lace rose on the ankle. A treat for the adventurous sock knitter.

Continue...





The End
Don't like your ending? Play again, or browse the full range of patterns on Craftsy below.
Visit Joyuna's Craftsy Pattern Store »



~Joyuna

Socks that tell a story - American Sock Knitting

I have a new design that's been a long time coming, but I'm very pleased to see it come to light - it's called From the Fields to the Stars, and it features in the new book American Sock Knitting.

American Sock Knitting is a book of sock patterns inspired by US states - mine takes inspiration from my home state of Ohio. Ohio is the birthplace of presidents, astronauts, innovators, those whose names end up in the history books; but it's also the home of farmers, factory workers, those who have shaped the country in an often-forgotten way.

These toe-up socks are a journey - from waving wheat fields, over the horizon, and up into a star-studded sky. They're fun knitting, too - they feature mini-cables, a touch of lace, and Fibonacci striping. You can knit a pair with a 50g ball each of the two colors, so they're great for stashbusting or leftovers. They are a real treat for a process knitter.


~Joyuna

Stitching in the Stacks

Cooperative Press (and Sarah Barbour)'s latest book, Stitching in the Stacks, has just been released. I'm just stoked to be a part of it.

My contribution to this project is the Jessamyn Mitts, inspired by Jessamyn West. I've admired Jessamyn for some time now, so I was thrilled to hear that she would be getting involved with the book too. Not only did she provide the foreword for the book... She also wrote it while wearing a pair of the mitts bearing her name. :)

Photo © Caro Sheridan
The pattern is a fun knit, if I do say so myself - quick but engaging. I've made two pairs so far (one for the book, and one as a gift for my mom). In DK yarn, they really knit up in a flash.

It features an unusual stitch pattern with lots of texture created by increases & decreases, which also form the thumb gusset and wrist shaping. The right and left mitts are mirror images of each other - the stitches form a stair-step pattern. Plus, they’re worked in Debbie Bliss Andes, the cushiest most gorgeous alpaca-silk blend yarn.

This book has been a long time coming, and besides my own pattern I'm thrilled to see what the other designers have come up with. There's functional librarian gear (Kindle cover or French Press cozy, anyone?), and garments & accessories both practical and fanciful.

It has patterns inspired not only by classic pop culture librarians like Barbara Gordon and Mariam "Madam Librarian" Paroo, but also real-life librarians. Flipping through the book, I've learned about incredible women such as Belle Greene and the Pack Horse Librarians.

You can buy Stitching in the Stacks digitally on Ravelry or at the CP shop, where you can also pre-order the print version.

~Joyuna

Etsy Gift Cards and Instant Downloads!

Just a quick note to say that Etsy has finally implemented an instant download system for patterns - and I'm signed up for the beta test. So, all the patterns in my Etsy shop will now be available for download instantly after you purchase them - no more waiting for emails!

At the same time, I've also enabled Etsy's direct checkout, which will allow you to pay by card without Paypal, and allows me to accept Etsy Gift Cards. So now it's even easier to buy. :)

~Joyuna

Post your FOs and Win!

I love, love, love seeing the FOs people have made from my patterns. For me, it's the ultimate compliment that someone would use their precious knitting time and materials to work up something I designed.

Sometimes people make lovely modifications, or they take beautiful photos, and sometimes they just look really happy with their FO. And that makes me happy!

So if you've made something from one of my patterns, I want to give back. Head on over to my Ravelry group and find the Post your FOs and Win thread. Just post a picture of your FO - that's it. Then, I'll have a drawing and the winner gets a free pattern. :)

~Joyuna

Jane Austen Knits: Lady Russell Shawl

Jane Austen Knits is a fabulous magazine series from Interweave. (Whoever thought it up must have been a genius. The Regency aesthetic lends itself so well to knitting.) And with the fall 2012 issue, I am proud to be a part of it!

The Lady Russell shawl is a sort of hybird - half semicircle, half stole. The long arms are perfect to tie, drape over your front, or just leave at each side. The lace pattern is quite simple so it's a surprisingly quick knit. The edge is finished off with a feminine ruffle. (I love ruffles!)

The shawl takes its name from Lady Russell, Anne Elliot's good friend in Persuasion. It's knit with 2 skeins of Fyberspates Ethereal 4-ply, a delectable fingering weight cashmere/silk blend. You could also sub in any 4-ply / fingering weight yarn that has enough drape - look for drapey fibers like silk or alpaca.

Jane Austen Knits is available now digitally and the print edition is available for pre-order, to be hitting newsstands soon. You can also find the pattern's Ravelry page here to fave or queue.

~Joyuna

Pinstripes & Chains in Knit Now

The Pinstripes & Chains set is my latest design, in issue 12 of Knit Now - it's at newsagents now in the UK, and should be at select shops in the US next month.

This hat & mitts set makes use of stripes and slipped-stitch colorwork to create vertical stripes - optional cables add an extra bit of interest. Best of all, the above hat & mitts set took just one 50g ball each of the two colors! Time to shop the stash...

I loved knitting these - the slipped stitches are so simple and I love the pinstriped effect. Carrying the yarn up the inside of the work means a minimum of ends to weave in. While knitting the two sets of mitts (one with cables and one without), I had a serious case of "one more round"!

You can find the Pinstripes & Chains Mitts and Pinstripes & Chains Tam pattern pages on Ravelry.

~Joyuna

Knitted Planters for Eco-Yarnbombing

There's been some yarnbombing going on in my area lately - or the 'Phantom Knitter', as the press have dubbed her/him. Knitting cozies for lamp posts and trees is great, but you know what I think is even better?

Knitted plant pockets!
Yes, you can knit your own little home for succulents or other plants, then hang them up somewhere that could use a little bit of greenery. Click on over to the links above for a pattern and instructions for the pockets, or try plant pillows where the plants are literally growing out of the knitting. I think those would make great gifts.

This, combined with some moss graffiti, would make an awesome living art project.

~Joyuna

Dogwood Shawlette pattern available for download!

My Dogwood Shawlette, published in Knit Now last winter, is now available as an individual PDF download. You might recognize it as the shawl in my blog header :)

This side-to-side shawlette is designed especially for special skeins of hand-dyed yarn -- it takes just one skein of lace or fingering/4ply yarn. The stockinette body shows off variegation while the lace border adds a bit of interest.


for $5.00

Yarn: About 700 yds of lace weight yarn (knit doubled) or 370 yds of fingering weight yarn (Shown: Skein Queen Delectable, merino/silk lace yarn, doubled)
Needles: US 6 / 4mm straight or circular needles
Special Techniques: Knitting lace from charts or written instructions, blocking



~Joyuna

Platinum Scarf in Clotheshorse

As one online mag closes up shop, a new one opens up too - I am proud to be a part of the very first issue of Clotheshorse, an online mag devoted to fashion-inspired knits.

My contribution to the first issue is Platinum, a double-sided lace scarf that can be worn in a number of different ways - loop it around as a circle scarf, fold it in half as a reversible scarf, loop it around several times for a cozy cowl.

Photos courtesy of Clotheshorse

~Joyuna

Introducing the Appleby Scarf

The first new pattern of 2012 is the Appleby Scarf.

Appleby is a lace-edged scarf with tapered edges and a stockinette body. This is a pattern which has a very interesting effect for self-striping yarns. Knit from tip to tip, the stripes start thick and get thinner and thinner towards the middle of the scarf, and then start to thicken again on the other end. Large swathes of stockinette give striping the center stage, while a garter lace edging knitted at the same time gives added interest, texture, and a scalloped edge. The pattern would also be lovely and sophisticated in a more solid shade. The scarf is knit at a relatively large gauge for a light, lacy feel and a quick knit, using only one 100g skein of sock yarn.
for $4.00

Size: 70” (175cm) long and 10” (25cm) wide
Yarn: Less than 100g or 438 yds of fingering-weight yarn (Shown: Shirekat Yarns Silver Showgirl; color Caribbean Stripes)
Needles: US 6 / 4mm Straight needles
Special Techniques: Basic lace, increases & decreases


~Joyuna

Interwoven Hat available for individual download

My cabled beanie Interwoven, originally published in Knitcircus this past fall, is now available as its own PDF. If you missed out on the Knitcircus issue, take this opportunity to knit a fun, quick hat with an interesting twist - the cables that start in the horizontal band twist off vertically onto the body of the hat! Add an extra dimension to your knitting and try knitting Interwoven.
for $5.00


If you like the hat but need to bush up on a few techniques before you start, remember to check out the free Twisty Wristband pattern, which includes tutorials and tips for techniques like provisional cast on, 3-needle bind off, cables & charts.


Interwoven
Sizes: S [M, L] to fit head circumference of 18" [20-22", 24"]
Yarn: About 100 [100, 150]g of DK-weight yarn (Shown: Debbie Bliss Rialto DK, color 23015)
Needles: US 6 / 4mm DPNs
Special Techniques: Knitting in the round, cables




~Joyuna

Dogwood Shawl in Knit Now

My latest design - Dogwood Lace Shawl - is in the just-released issue 3 of Knit Now Magazine.

Dogwood is knit with doubled laceweight yarn, which can easily be switched out for single-stranded fingering weight yarn. Knit sideways from tip to tip with a sweet lace border, it’s a quick knit for yourself or a lovely gift. It takes just one 100g skein of Skein Queen Delectable yarn - a lovely merino/silk blend which is lovely soft and nice and drapey.

Within the UK, you can find Knit Now at newsagents and most stores that stock magazines (such as Tescos, WH Smith, and Hobbycraft). Outside of the UK, Knit Now is expected to be stocked at Borders soon, and check this Ravelry thread for details on international subscriptions.

for $5.00



~Joyuna

Rose Tendrils socks

You may remember that when I went up to Scotland for The Glasgow School of Yarn, I had a sock entered in the Charles Rennie Mackintosh design competition... Well, the design has finished test knitting and tech editing, and is ready for sale.

I'm so very happy to release the Rose Tendrils toe-up socks. These socks are an engaging knit for someone who wants a little bit of a challenge, and a beautiful pair of socks at the end of it. The textured knit & purl pattern on the top of the foot was adapted from two different Japanese stitch patterns, and the lace motifs clocking each side of the ankle, in the shape of a Mackintosh Rose, are wholly original. The sock is constructed from the toe up with a gusset and heel flap, and has three sizes for an easily customized fit.

for $5.00

Yarn: 100g/400yds of fingering / 4ply / sock weight yarn (Shown: Juno Fibre Arts Milly High-Twist, color Rosewood)
Needles: US 1.5 / 2.5mm
Special Techniques: Toe-up socks, short rows, charts

~Joyuna