I promised you mystery information, and here it is!

The pattern is fully designed and tech edited before you see it. I haven't knit or photographed the sample, however, so I'll be knitting along too.

You can join on Ravelry by adding the free pattern to your library by May 1st. I will deactivate the pattern sometime in the evening of May 1st (Italian time), or possibly very early May 2nd. I can't promise exactly when - but it won't matter because if you're interested, you'll sign up right away!

If you aren't on Ravelry, or simply prefer it, email me by May 1st via the contact page and ask to be added. Be sure to add me to your address book so that the clues don't get caught in you spam filter.

The KAL is free for participants who sign-up by the deadline, the pattern will be available for pre-order after that, and when the last clue gets sent out it will be available at full price.

The first clue will go out on May 2nd, with one or two weeks between clues, depending on how big of a chunk it it. I'll post on here, Twitter, Facebook, and Ravelry when I release the clues, so make sure to follow me at one of those places so you know when to expect the emails with the new info.

If you want to use the same yarn I did, which I highly recommend just because it's beautiful, go to YarnLove's etsy shop, or visit an online retailer that carries her yarn. The yarn is called Cleopatra, and is 100% Tussah Silk. In gorgeous colors.

The photo above is of Emma Woodhouse, in Cranberry.

If you're interested in choosing a color related to the inspiration, look up crespuscular rays. They occur in water, at sunrise, and sunset, so that actually covers most colors.

There are instructions for beading the shawl included, but these are optional. If you aren't lucky enough to have a local bead store, I recommend Earthfaire. You need 8/0 seed beads.

There are instructions for two shapes, one which involves doing short rows in the lace pattern. I will post a VERY detailed tutorial on my blog, and if enough KAL people want it I will make a pdf version as well (I'll do a poll when it gets to that step). The other special techniques are visible on the first page of the pattern.

I can assure you it is very pretty, fancy, and completely wearable. If you can't join in this time, at least tell a friend. I don't want to knit alone, and my online knitters are all I've got.

 

As promised, kits of my Slanting Plaid pattern with YarnLove's yarn are now available! YarnLove has them in her Etsy shop kits, and they are included in a Black Friday-Cyber Monday Sale (with free shipping and gift wrapping). If you know a knitter who would love to knit the stole, the kits are a great option. You get to save on a beautiful knit, and support self-employed dyers and designers at the same time.

You could also buy the gift wrapped kit for a non-knitter to open, with the promise to knit it in January or February, to spread out the gift-knitting a little.

The kit is available in three colors: Cranberry, a gorgeous wine-y pink; Art Deco, a deep teal; and Gossamer, a subtle yet stunning grey/green.

I did it, I finally had a design published in Twist Collective: Voluta, a wrap or drape cardigan with a cabled edging that I invented. The pattern is available through Twist Collective here. It has eight sizes, and all kinds of design details that I love. It is definitely the most complicated thing I've designed so far, and the most complete, coherent idea, so I wanted to blog about the little things that make it special. (NB: all photos not of me are copyright Jamie Dixon and Twist Collective, used with permission).

I thought that releasing my own version of a previously published design would be easy. Just put what I sent to Interweave into my own style sheet, use the photos I took before I mailed it off, tech edit, and boom, new pattern. Well....I've realized something about myself. It's not that simple to release my own version, but I think the extra effort is worth it.

I didn't have a minute to write about this pattern when the magazine first came out - but there is still plenty of time for gift knitting, and these gloves are versatile and beautiful for a wide range people.