Design Diary Part 1
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The Bellingham Bay Shawl is inspired by
days spent knitting in near the sea while my family splashes about. She is a bottom up, triangle shawl bordered by tiny lace sailboats riding a waves of my favorite Old Shale pattern. This shawl was my submission to the MT Studio Design and I am honored to be sponsored by Madeline Tosh for this project.
Dropping May 21 (or perhaps sooner, make sure you are on my email list cause I promise a super duper discount there), The Bellingham Bay Shawl will be sold in the SunDaughterKnits Store and on Ravelry. As always, I will be using the Pay What Works Model of Pricing with this pattern because I believe money isn’t the only way to measure value, everyone should be able to create regardless of current income status and designers should be paid for their work.
If you wanna get a jump on the release date, track down 800 yards or about 2 skeins of your favorite fingering weight yarn. I used Madeline Tosh Tosh Merino Light and I just LOVE how it is so soft and drapy. All the pattern deets are in the photo attached. Looking for some ideas? Check out the beautiful shawls knit in testing! I just love how every knitters personality shines through while we all work up the same project! All these makers are amazing and so inspiring. Their Instagram handles are all linked and I encourage giving them a follow if you want to stay in the loop with the newest patterns, down right gorgeous yarn porn and motivating fiber journeys.
Deepsha, @yarnsandcofee, made her Bellingham Bay Shawl in LovelyByLee Fingering. First let me gush about this yarn. Amanda Lee’s gentle totals are perfect for really showing off the lace “picture” of sailboats and waves in this shawl. I was super excited when I learned that Deepsha would be using this yarn. And now I gush about Deepsha! Omg. Every photo this lady submits looks like it comes from a studio! She is IN THE KNOW when it comes to the hottest patterns from the greatest new designers and I was honored to have her help me with this project.
This stunning red shawl tip is a detail from Cindi, @cindisurovi, knit in Tosh Twist Light from Madeline Tosh. That twist made these stitches so crisp and clear! Cindi’s support is priceless, she can be counted on for honest and insightful feedback and is a joy to interact with. Some people just bring light with them and Cindi is one of them.
Patty’s Bellingham Bay Shawl was knit in a BFL fingering from Home Row Fiber Co. That BFL brings such glorious drape to any pattern, but its especially suited for the stockinette body of the Bellingham Bay Shawl. And the depth of this purple! Patty, @pmombomb, brings her attention to detail and her great taste in fiber into every test and any project she is involved in is better for it.
Mia, @theyarngoddess, is a rockstar tester who can always be counted on for helpful feedback and beautiful yarn choices. She knit her Bellingham Bay Shawl in Montana Crochet Yarn (can you even imagine all the squee noises I made when I learned of this yarn choice?!) This young lady is also IN THE KNOW about the newest upcoming patterns, the must have new yarns and which designers you should keep your eye on. If Mia is testing a pattern, you want to pay attention! haha Everything she does is beautiful and full of enthusiasm.
Gloria @ladyknightdesigns, has had my back sense the second design I ever brought to life. She is a cheerleader when I need one and will tell it like it is when I need to hear that too. She brings her experience and support to every project I have ever worked with her on, and I'm so glad for her in my design journey. She made her shawl of Knit Picks Palette in the color way Pool, which I couldn’t be more tickled about. Its gotta be one of the best colors in the whole world.
Catherine, @knitthestars, is another kickass young tester, an indie dyer and a budding designer. I can count on her for great feedback and a wide range of yarn choices. As a designer, this is so important, it informs me how my design will work up in different fibers, and qualities of yarn. She made this Bellingham Bay Shawl in Loops and Threads Woolike. Rumor has it this whole project cost her less than $4! And its beautiful!
I was super excited to have Frankie, @frankiesaysknit, on our testing team because this was the first time she had knit lace! She knocked it out of the park and her feedback really helped to create a pattern that is accessible to beginning lace knitters (though I would still call this an intermediate skill level pattern). She made her Bellingham Bay Shawl out of Spun Right Round Classic Sock and the speckles have me spamming all the heart eye emojis!
When Kiryn, @kirynskriations on Instagram, first shared their yarn choice I was stunned by the creativity. It never even occurred to me to use two colors! And they work together in such a beautiful and subtle way, I just love this version. It is knit in Loops and Threads Woolike for the boarder and Hypothesis MCN Sock for the body. These two yarns are utterly different in their source and production and yet Kiryn managed to pair them like they were dyed up to go together! Her eye for color is just fantastic.
Arianna Frasca, @ariannafrasca82, also knit a two color version, but her’s is high contrast and brimming with personality. Arianna is a designer as well as a tester and her love of golds and deep navy into black is dramatic. I‘m here for it and once you check out her website and her Instagram grid you will probably be too! Oh and this lady does Pinterest like a pro! Also: make sure you visit her blog for lots of free patterns, and great tips (you are welcome). She knit her Bellingham Bay Shawl in Diablo Glitter along with Mayflower Easy Care, both available from Hobbii yarn.
Elizabeth’s romantic take on these photos gave me all the May Day Feels. Knit in Ducky Darlings Superwash Merino/Nylon 75/25, her shawl shows off the details along the boarder in a way I can only hope a test would. The superwash merino brings in that glorious drape to the body while the nylon adds a crispness to the stitches that really highlights the lace. Her knitting style is intuitive, which means she knew where I as a designer was going with an idea and is able to then check my actual instructions to that idea. This is a quality in a tester I value greatly. For loads of beautiful knits and the occasional rabbit spam check out @thespottyrabit on Instagram.
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