new shawl designs

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

Any of my readers who are also on my Ravelry group probably already know I’ve been working on several new shawl designs – after taking a break from shawls for a while to work on afghans, squares, American Girl Doll designs, and so on.

Well, I’m pleased to announce two NEW shawl / wrap designs, both top down crochet designs written for two sizes, with notes for making them larger if you so choose. I’m not only really excited about both beautiful designs, but I’m even more excited because I had an absolutely beautiful model to work with, my coworker’s daughter Zoe.

First, the Hawaiian Sea Glass half circle shawl

Shown in Noro Taiyo Sock, size large, 150 grams were used.

Only $5.00

Next up, Peacock’s Plume, a wrap / scarflette that can be worn in many, many different ways… I made two samples in two different weights, but it’s also very easy to resize so can be worked in any weight / any gauge of yarn.

Above shown in Knit Picks Swish DK, almost 4 skeins used.

And the fingering weight version, crocheted up in LB 1878, a fingering weight yarn sold on 1 pound cones – 572 yards were used.

Thanks for looking!

new designs

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

Good morning! As promised, here are the last two recently published designs of mine!

First, the Pinecone Square, which is the May CAL square for the ongoing afghan CAL on my Ravelry group, Anastacia Knits Designs. It’s free through the end of June.

This square has been a long time in coming. I had actually originally written this as a Pinecone Afghan, with a sample made over a year ago. But the afghan didn’t lay very flat after it got about 2 feet wide, and the pattern directions were ridiculously complicated. I kept telling myself to rework it, and rework it I did, but the directions remained ridiculously complicated. Some things, like sweaters and cardigans, need complicated directions because you are making a complicated item, but afghans? nah, I want something fun and easy to memorize. So after more thought, I decided to turn my afghan idea into a 12″ square, and this is the result.

I don’t normally design one color squares, but at least now you know why I designed this one!

Next is the Free Spirited Shell Shawl – try to say that name 3 times fast! It’s a sideways shawl, worked in any weight / any gauge, and made to any size. I made one sample using Knit Picks Chroma in Fingering weight and another in Red Heart Super Saver.

the chroma

and the red heart

Pattern is only $4.50.

WIP Wed: socks & shawl

Posted on April 17, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! How are you? I’m so excited to share several WIPs with you this week, because that means I actually managed to get my act together to take WIP photos! yay!

First up, MUCH progress on the ASJ – it’s so hard to photograph this as a wip, but I am almost done! I need to lengthen the sleeves, sew the seams, and finish tucking in all the ends. I mainly wove the ends in as I go, but I missed a few. After the cardigan is seamed, I’ll then block it, and after it dries I’ll trim all the ends or weave any in more that might have been missed the first few rounds.

Next up, a pair of scrappy socks, starting with this pile of yarn…

They’re loosely based upon a German sock pattern called Fade in Fade Out socks, but the original is a) in German b) cuff down and c) sport weight yarn. I changed them to my usual toe up formula and I’m using up scraps of “summer” yarn – cotton / bamboo blends.

You work 4 rounds with color A, then 4 rounds of simple fair isle (k1 A, k1B), then 4 rounds of color B, and so on. Since I’m using up some really small scraps in some cases, sometimes I have to fudge a little, but look at how pretty they are coming out so far! Normally when I make “monster” socks, I don’t fuss about matching, but I’m trying to match these somewhat, so I’m trying to use one color on one sock for the 12 rows of the pattern, and then work it on the other foot. I’m not switching colors exactly at the same time, and because I’m using mainly self striping yarn, they don’t match too much, but for me… they are perfect.

Next, I have two design wips that I can share, as I’m self publishing both of them. First, my next pair of toe up socks…

I’m pretty excited about these socks, which I’m calling Saturn Storm Socks (yes, once again I’m naming a pattern for the storm when I wrote up the design!) Why am I so excited about a pair of lace socks? Well, I charted the lace pattern all by myself! The pattern is being tech edited so we’ll see what she says about my chart! It’ll be available for testing shortly, and purchase after that!

Next up, a new sideways asymmetrical crochet shawl, called the Free Spirit Shell Shawl.

Perhaps you recongize the yarn? It’s Knit Picks Chroma in fingering. The shawl is made sideways and is a simple 2 row repeat, and after the last pattern repeat is worked (crocheting until you are almost out of yarn), you work the one row border. It’s slightly asymmetrical, meaning it’s not a perfect triangle shape, which to me just adds to the charm.

Shawl is currently being tested in my group & will be available very soon!

new design: Short Sands Shawl

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

Good morning, peeps! I want to share my latest shawl design. I named it the “Short Sands Shawl“. Regular readers know I have a horrible time naming my designs & often ask my testers for help & just as often, I name the designs for the place where I took the photos (York Shawlette and Wells Ripple) or sometimes just local landmarks (Webster Lake Shawl). So, this shawl was named after Short Sands Beach in York, Maine, one of our favorite beaches.

This shawl, like my latest free shawl, the Three Triangles Shawl, is made of three triangles. It was designed in response to my wonderful testers in my group. It started off with one of them asking for a “three triangle” shawl, good for stashbusting & charity, so I wrote up the original Three Triangles Shawl. But many of the ladies wanted more texture, different stitches, just MORE… so, the Short Sands Shawl was born, which features crossed double crochet stitches in just one of the pattern repeat rows, for a little bit of texture. Crocheted loosely & heavily blocked, it ends up a great mix of “lace” and “texture” even though absolutely no lace is involved.

The sample in the photos above was stitched with yarn from a thrift store sweater. It’s 100% wool, about a DK weight, and used just over 7 ounces of yarn.

I also stitched up a scrap busting acrylic version

Pattern is available for sale for only $5

how to wear a scarf

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

Have you seen the new Knit Picks video, about how to tie a long scarf? I thought I knew every way there was, but this video shows five ways, four of which were new to me! Enjoy!

terrific crochet shawl designers round up

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Anastacia Knits

(Stepping Stones)

No, I’m not the one doing the round up!

But i was very, very honored when I read that Kathryn from Crochet Concupiscence had done a very nice round up of ten terrific crochet shawl designers, and that I was on the list! Of course I am mainly a crochet shawl designer, but it’s such a huge thrill that my work is starting to be recognized. She wrote a very nice post, shared lots of photos and talked about each designer’s unique work. She mentions my Stepping Stone shawl, my very popular half a granny square shawl, and also mentioned Snowdrop (shown above), that was published in Crochetvolution. If you’ve always wanted to make snowdrop, now’s the time to do so, because on the Crochet Shoulder Wrappers group on Ravelry, there’s a CAL going on starting February 1, and everyone is already planning their yarn choices. I’ll be hanging around as well if you need a hand!

Thanks again, Kathryn!

friday fo: Aleatha Shawl

Posted on November 9, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Good morning!

I actually made this shawl months ago, as part of a CAL on one of the Ravelry shawl forums. I just used a skein of mystery yarn, roughly a sport weight, & I had ever intention of donating it. Well, right after I finished it, it disappeared. This happens frequently: my husband is a neat freak & I’m not, so he’s always “helping” by picking up things & “putting them away” – in this case, something freshly off the hook, with the yarn ends still dangling, & something not photographed.

Well this past week I was cleaning out my closets & clothing drawers – I lost a lot of weight a couple of years ago & I’m just now getting brave & donating all my hand mades that don’t fit any more. Well, wouldn’t you know it – I found the missing Aleatha Shawl!

wip wednesday

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

After a little more stitching, I have more pieces done to my scrap afghan…

I have enough pieces done that I’ve started to border & join them into lapghans for charity.

I’ve also been working on this stack of squares…

and this stack…

and while on vacation, I started this…

February Lady sweater, stitched with Vanna’s Choice yarn in black, cast on in the truck on the way to Maine, & photo taken after hiking up a mountain in Maine…
by the last day of vacation, the cardigan looked like this…

body all done, just waiting for the sleeves!

I also worked on this…

it’s a slip stitch shawl that I’m working on for my slip stitch e-collection that I’ve been working on. It’d done entirely in slip stitch crochet & will be available in a couple of different sizes.

Seashell Fans Shawl

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Happy Labor Day weekend! It’s the unofficial end of summer this weekend, unfortunately. As always the summer flew by …

I wanted to share with you some of the shawls my testers made for the Seashell Fans Shawl, who kindly gave me permission to post here.

First, from mariak515

She used 6 skeins of Lion Brand’s Amazing yarn & measures 34″ by 46″, & she adds she could have used more yarn for a bigger shawl. This is her first test with me

Next up is a repeat offended (*grin*), QueenE79

She used a skein of Knit Picks Stoll handpainted in hayride, and also said she would have liked to have used more yarn.

here is Blacky67‘s gorgeous shawl…

and the beautiful shot of the border…

and, one final shawl photo, which shows that this pattern works well for solids as well…

crocheted by the very lovely pixie56

another gorgeous shawl from a dear friend, QueenE79

who used a skein of Knit Picks Stroll Hand-Painted.

I also wanted to share honeystalks shawl, which, as you may or may not agree, doesn’t quite work. I think sharing shawls that don’t work is just as important as showing gorgeous shawls… And it’s definitely part of the testing process.

She used Berroco Sox Metallic. The yarn is pretty & shiny… and the stitching is great… but I don’t think the two make a perfect pair.

Thank you ladies for letting me test & for letting me share your wonderful creations!

sweet shawlettes book review

Posted on July 11, 2012 by Anastacia Knits

Sweet Shawlettes, by Jean Moss, is a great little book showcasing 25 shawlette, capelet, wrap, & cowl patterns. (Though I admit to being pretty disappointed with the cowl patterns in the book – they are very unusual, which is cool, but a “cowl” is NOT a “shawlette” and shouldn’t be in a “shawlette” book. Unfortunately most of the patterns in the book are a cowl).

(photo taunton press)

Bronte is my favorite, though it’s knit with Rowan Purelife Revive, a yarn I’ve never heard of before, a DK weight yarn not even listed in Ravelry.

There’s also Kardamili, a two color shawl made with Sublime Bamboo & Pearls,

Harlequnn, a fun entrelac number knit with 2 skeins of bulky weight Rowan Colourscape Chunky for a fast, quick gift.

Kitty is beautiful, though not really my taste, and Mantilla, a lace weight wrap that I think will prove to be quite popular in time.

All in all, it’s a cute little collection of knits that has a nice variety of projects in it, from fair isle, lace, cables, entrelac, and some unique ones I’m not quite sure how to describe.

Anastacia Knits

easy, elegant & edgy crochet designs

Tag Archives: shawls and scarves