Welcome, Sestina!

If you know me, you know that I’ve always had a bit of a KnitPicks habit. They offer luxury fibers and blends at reasonable prices; they stay on top of trends and keep their inventory fresh and enticing. The color ranges, especially in the Palette line, are broad and sophisticated and they offer limited edition products too, such as my guilty pleasure, the self-striping Felici. So you’ve got to know I was thrilled when my design proposal for a fingering weight cabled sweater was accepted for the new Windward Collection which went live on Wednesday.

The idea was to exploit the tender but toothy, woolen-spun character of KnitPicks Palette to create a lighter-than-air pullover packed with delicate cables. I wanted a modern silhouette in drape-able lightweight fabric.

Rhythmic cables play across the fabric’s surface, rich in texture, yet open and uncluttered to allow the simple charm of reverse stockinette to shine through.

Sestina is spare of form; simplest raglan shoulder shaping highlighted with a graceful rope cable creates a wide, slightly squared neckline that is universally flattering. Sestina is worked with 4″-6″ positive ease allowing for lyrical drape and creating a trendy, slightly oversized fit.

I so love KnitPicks Palette! I love the light-twist wooliness of it that is perfect for cables or stranded color work. I love that it comes in literally hundreds of colors. For a knitter, it’s like that giant box of crayons we always wanted as a child. I’ve actually fantasized about ordering one skein of each color and I’ve certainly spent hours combining them into pleasing groups. I’m sure I’ll own them all some day…one…skein…at…a…time.

Windward is available now from KnitPicks and patterns are available separately from Ravelry. I think you’ll love them all! Cheers!