Indie Designer Gift-a-long 2017 - New Fav Designer

Guess what?  I can't pick just one :-D  Over the course of looking through all the designs available in the Indie Gift-a-long, I ended up favoriting 8 designers!  These are not necessarily my favorites to actually make, but they just have some amazing designs.  In no particular order, check out these knit and crochet designers...

Irina Tarasova has designs for THE MOST ADORABLE bunny and outfits!  This bunny is pretty cute, but the outfits really knock it out of the park.  I think my fav would be Set in Boho Style (pictured left).  The patterns appear to combine knitting and crochet so be sure you know both! 






This is one that I'm just admiring, I haven't made or purchased anything.  That being said, these are pricey patterns that appear to be very detailed according to the description.  I did see some comments from a buyer that it was not all they expected but there are also some very happy bunny's!

Elizabeth Felgate had a few knit designs that caught my eye... but this hat, Hick City, is one I've looked at again and again.  It's perfectly slouchy and lose which I like for my curly hair.  We must not overlook some other designs she has that are ingenious!  The Gaugeless Sweater, Gaugeless Lady Cardigan and Gaugeless Cardigan 2.  The name may give them away, but you can make any of these with any yarn and needle combination with no gauge calculation required.  I really like the stitch used for the shoulders and arms on the Gaugeless Sweater.  The Gaugeless Lady Cardigan has a bit of a shawl look from the back, with three increase eyelets sections running down it, while the Gaugeless Cardigan 2 has a more traditional cardi look.


 Up next, Nim Teasdale who caught my eye with her gorgeous lace shawls.  I'm not much for lace knitting these days but some day I'd love to make one!  I think the The Peacock's Tale is the one I'd go for and the gradient yarn used is the perfect effect.










Emily Ross is not really new to me, not that I actually knew that to start with...  she is the designer behind the Haruni Shawl, a free pattern that has over 10,000 projects!  She has a bunch of other knit lace shawl designs that are beautiful, as well as many Haruni inspired patterns.  While I really love all the shawls, my favorite is probably the Haruni Cowl for its easy wearability.

While little toys look easy to make and I'm always drawn to them... I know they're fiddly and usually don't end up making many.  That doesn't mean I can't admire the designs by cheezombie.  There are knit and crochet items which is nice, as I am more likely to try a crochet toy.  My favorite though, is a little knit sheep, the Sheepish Toy Pattern. 

Crochet peacock items?  Yes please!  Look no further than Christa Veenstra.  There is an amazing array of different things with different style peacock 'feathers' such as a stool cover or bookmark.  I'm hard pressed to find a favorite among these, but if I had to pick one I'd go with Peacock Feather Motif Art Nouveau mostly because I love the color scheme used on the pattern page. 

Kari-Helene Rane has some real fashionable designs, which would make sense as she is a fashion designer.  You get a real sense of her style looking through her designs.  She has a range of knit accessories and garments for adults and children.  While it would be a commitment at 1500-2200 yards of sport weight yarn, the Maddie Dress is simple yet effective.







Another designer that I didn't know I knew, because often times designs are popular by their name and the designer gets lost, Mary Annarella is the designer behind Shleeves and Stranger Things Cowl.  Those are great representations of the knit designs she tends to create, garments and colorwork.  While I do like those two items, I'm more drawn towards the Funicular.  This hat seems a great way to do some simple colorwork and short rows, just think of all the color combos!

Have you made anything from these designers?  Or maybe you just discovered them too?  Have you found some new favorite designers too?

Indie Designer Gift-a-long 2017 - Foot & Leg Things

When it comes to this category, I don't have much to contribute...  almost all of my socks are plain vanilla, no patterns for me!  I did manage to find four designs that were worth favoriting for my purposes.

My very favorite (and already on the needles!) are the Thrumbelina aran weight knit slippers.  These slippers also use roving, to make thrumbs.  I've never done this technique before but these slippers would be perfect for gifts.  There are plans to make FIVE pairs, but to be sure I understood the technique, I started the pair for myself.  These should be a quick knit, but making thrumbs is a little tricky.  I think they'd make a good PT exercise for those with wrist problems (yeh, like me).  So my plan is to make as many thrumbs as I can manage and then knit with those until I run out.  Back and forth should give my wrists a break from monotony. 

Another fun and quick slipper pattern, Strange Jewels Slippers are knit up with super bulky weight yarn.  These also don't use much yardage and might be nice for handspun.

The deep roots leg warmers are knit up with worsted weight yarn.  Utilizing just knits and purls, you can create these cozy leg warmers or boot cuffs.  I love the idea of making them long enough for leg warmers but still wearing them under boots and folding the cuff down.

A more traditional boot cuff, in my mind, should have a little lace.  The Old English Lace Boot Cuffs are perfect.  They are knit up with fingering weight weight yarn, but boot cuffs in any yarn weight can be a quick knit!

Have you found some neat Foot & Leg Things?  Share, share share!  And if you're making any, be sure to pop onto the Foot & Leg Things thread and tell about it.

Indie Designer Gift-a-long 2017 - Scarves!

Another potential gift I've got on my mind is a scarf.  It could also be a shawl, but for today we'll focus on scarves.  Something easy to wear and of course, the quicker I can finish it, the better!

So lets start with some of the quicker possibilities and focus on worsted weight scarves.  The Samara Scarf is a crochet pattern that actually utilizes a skein of worsted weight as well as a skein of fingering weight yarn.  Worked up on the bias alternating the skeins gives the body of the scarf a cool affect with a fun stitch pattern on the edges for added interest.  Another scarf that has one stitch pattern for the body and a different on the edges is the Cloud Covered Scarf.  This one is mostly lace with garter stitch on the edges and looks so warm and cozy in the pattern page photos!  Not exactly a scarf, the Impari Shawlette would still be a quick knit.  I especially like the feature of 2 different ties that can be incorporated on the shawlette making it super wearable!

There was one mid-weight yarn design that I found may fit the bill.  The sport weight Duara has a similar theme of using two different stitch patterns.  This one begins with a short bit of rib, followed by a flower motif, back to a bit of rib, flower motif and finally the short rib section.  The styling in the feature photo is just marvelous!

And as crazy as a fingering weight scarf may seem when we're in a time crunch, I found plenty of options in this category as well.  The crochet scarf Prelude uses under 200yds so it's still fairly quick.  It's mostly a fairly simple stitch with short row borders that result in a softly curved edge.  The Phoenix Feather scarf is a gorgeous scarf that is worked up in two halves and seamed together.  I have to keep checking because the lace is so unique, this is definitely a knit pattern!  A reversible scarf with a mix of different stitch patterns, Interlacing Scarf is knit on the bias.  Another design that caught my eye because of the styling in the photos, I really love the tied look of the 5th image!  While you could theoretically add fringe to any scarf, the Crooked River Scarf makes my list because the fringe, among other things.  The way the dropped stitches are worked in a rib like manner make for a cozy scarf that isn't too hot.  For a delicate looking scarf, check out the Frideswide.  This would work beautifully with a monotone indie dyed yarn and it features a reversible cable edging and ruffle!

There are a few scarves that I think deserve 'honorable mention'.  They don't exactly fit the bill for my recipient, but might be a good selfish knitting item or it's just so interesting I have to share...

The Clincher was originally a knit design, but since has been released for crochet as well!  This might be an ordinary fingering weight triangle shawlette, except for the added feature along the one edge (icord I believe?) that makes wearing the shawlette that much easier.  It's so hard to explain, so go on and click the link to see it!  The Art Deco Beaded Scarf looks like a fairly simple knit scarf but the addition of beads make it so classy!  This DK weight scarf is gorgeous and reversible.   I'm a sucker for crocheted flowers and this scarf just calls my name!  The Floral Whisper Scarf could easily be a cowl and should finish quickly with worsted weight yarn.  Always on the lookout for patterns good for bulky handspun, the Brioche Stitch Infinity Scarf looks like a simple knit with beautiful results!  Did I mention loving crochet flowers?  Well, not exactly flowers but still right up my alley, the Myrtle Crochet Scarf is made up of circular motifs and could be a great way to use up fingering weight scraps!  Another uniquely shaped scarf, the Spring Runoff Scarf utilizes short rows to give it the shawl like sections that add up to a stunning scarf knit fairly quick with sport weight yarn.

What do you think?  Any scarves here that would work for your gifts?  If you end up making one, be sure to join the a-long for Cowls, Scarves and Other Neck Things.