Ok, so maybe a little late to the ball on this one. Other folks have been naming their favorite designs and projects of the year since early January. Oh well. Better late than never, I guess.
2019 was a little up-and-down design-wise with the failure of a major client, but ultimately some really lovely things got published and some wonderful new roads were drawn. Here’s my Top Nine for 2019 in no particular order.
Lake Effect
I love working with Sweet Georgia Yarns. They are such lovely people and they make lovely yarns too.
Simple and homey, this generous wrap is a dream to wrap up in. Worked as a classic triangle, the pairing of Stockinette stitch, slipped stitches, and garter-rich openwork has a wonderfully geometric firmness that is as super fun to knit.
Osier
The experience of working with Brooklyn Tweed is really unparalleled. The collections are deeply designer-centric and beautifully curated and photographed.
Decidedly urban and minimalist, the Osier cardigan combines modern drape with rustic tweedy texture in woolen-spun Shelter yarn. Deep ribbing edged in garter stitch forms wide bands in front and a standing collar in back. The textured stitch pattern, comprised of simple knits and purls, sings in Osier’s simple silhouette. In both cropped and longer length variations, with an open front and roomy side pockets, Osier is a sophisticated wardrobe workhorse for everyday wear.
Baja Hoodie
I have a particular fondness for an old Mexican blanket belonging to Miss Laura. It is old and soft from a million washings. It is pink, black and white and it is what I’ve been given to sit upon on the porch at Sterling. The Baja Hoodie is a modern manifestation of that blanket.
A handknitted version of the classic surfer sweater of the 1970s, the cotton-merino Baja Hoodie looks great on men and women. The pattern brings four colors of stripes and patterns together in harmony. The V-neck sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up, and it has a front kangaroo pocket.
Mended Heart
I was really inspired when a KnitScene call for submissions asked for elements of creative mending. I remember my Mother darning socks over a little chipped black oval of wood.
The Mended Heart Hat and Socks Set features embroidered hearts that showcase the resilience and passion of the heart. The hat is worked in the round from the bottom up, and the socks are worked from the cuff down with a short-row heel.
Slade
Simplicity is so difficult. I remember designing this sweater and editing out every detail except the most salient. I like the “essential” quality of this sweater. (I also love how the model looks like she just woke up in a tent!)
Super warm and roomy, the Slade Pullover features clean lines, a sophisticated saddle shoulder, and a minimalist panel of seeded rib pattern. Its deep funnel neck can be drawn up close around the neck for extra warmth, while a kangaroo pocket with slanted inserts waits ready to warm chilled hands.
True North
As a Canadian girl in the Deep South, I’m often inspired to represent winter as I remember it. True North reminds me of walking to school as a kid in Hamilton, Ontario.
Snowflakes falling on piney woods, pick-up hockey on frozen ponds, hot chocolate and crackling fires are all recalled in the new True North Mittens. Whimsical and retro with a distinctly Canadian vibe, True North combines simple stranded knitting with smooth fields of stockinette and easy shaping to create a perfect first fair isle project. And the silky-soft tweedy texture really looks like it’s snowing!
Cumberland
Believe it or not, Cumberland was inspired by hominy grits! It was originally slated to be part of the Knit.Wear Food Issue. If you look closely, there are little ears of corn in the all-over lace pattern.
The elegant Cumberland Pullover is the perfect companion for beachside outings and events. The body and sleeves of this 100-percent merino pullover are worked in the round from the bottom up to the yoke, then the pieces are joined for working the raglan yoke.
Orphism
The Orphism Pullover was inspired by the work of Sonia Delaunay who used geometric patterning in an immanently feminine way.
The repeated lines and graded shadows in this modern drop-shoulder pullover take their inspiration from twentieth-century French painter Sonia Delaunay. Combining geometric forms with pure color, she and her husband worked in a style that they called the Orphism movement. Her groundbreaking textile designs have impacted art and fashion for more than a century.
Early Crocus
Out on the west coast of Canada where Sweet Georgia is headquartered, crocuses flower early in the year, often pushing their blossoms through a layer of snow.
Lined with rows of delicate eyelet flowers, this simple triangular shawl is a beautifully easy accessory perfect for spring. Bands of drop stitch ribbing topped with a few rows of simple garter traces its way around the V-shaped edge, promising a delightful knit for new shawl knitters.
Those are my highlights for the year. It hasn’t always been easy, but I like the results just fine! Here’s to a new year filled with creativity and happy collaboration.
Love,
Cheryl
