Tag: pattern

  • Beautiful Snowscape

    Beautiful Snowscape

    Snowscape Hat and Cowl knitting patterns by Bronwyn Hahn -- When the snow has fallen but the wind continues to blow, that’s when the snowscape really comes to life. The wind transforms the terrain into a frozen wonderland. The fine powder skitters along until it finally catches and holds tight, leaving ripples of snowy waves.

    As I admitted a few weeks ago, I’m not a big fan of winter. This winter has been particularly brutal for much of the country. And we still have several more weeks before we’re out of the woods. Mother Nature sure knows how to put on a show, however. Whether it’s snow or frost or ice, I can usually find beauty in it once I overlook the cold.

    Snow is in the forecast again this week. This time, it comes in the form of my Snowscape Hat and Cowl patterns. I was inspired by drifting snow and how it paints a peaceful picture despite the fierce winds and bitter cold.

    You can buy both patterns from my Ravelry store now! They’re on sale through March 10, 2019. Save $1 on either of the patterns or $3 when you buy the e-book! No coupon needed.

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  • Inspired by Winter

    Inspired by Winter

    True confession: I don’t really like winter. Or summer, for that matter. I prefer the moderate, comfortable temperatures of spring and fall. However, winter does provide such a lovely backdrop for daily life; I just prefer to see it from the warmth of my living room window. Despite my objection to the cold, I do seem to find great beauty (almost) every time I step outside. Besides, winter lets me enjoy my knitwear every day.

    I have three new patterns that were inspired by winter. The first is Frost Heaves Cowl, and it’s available now! (Watch for Snowscape Cowl and Hat to be released soon!) This pattern has been churning in my head for a couple of years now. First of all, the nerd in me just loves that there is a word for the geological phenomenon. Frost heaving happens when the top layer of soil starts to thaw as groundwater refreezes and pushes the soil upward. There’s a bunch of science involved, but the effect is completely fascinating to me. The cables in this cowl mimic the swollen mounds of earth, and the lacy, shivering ribs resemble the broken soil.

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  • Indie Design Giftalong 2018

    Indie Design Giftalong 2018

    How are your holiday gifts coming along? Have you been shopping for deals in stores or online? Are you starting to feel the heat of gifting deadlines? Are you taking on big knitting projects this year, or are quick projects the way to go?

    Pattern sale!

    Well, I might be able to help! Have you heard about the Ravelry-wide Indie Designer Giftalong (GAL)? It’s part sale, part game, and part community. It begins tonight (November 23, 2018, at 8 p.m. EST) with a week-long sale on patterns by 349 independent designers, myself included. Each participating designer has created a bundle of 10-20 patterns that are included in the sale. Use giftalong2018 to save 25% on any or all patterns in the bundle! Sweet! But don’t wait! The code is only valid through November 29, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. EST. All of my patterns for sale on Ravelry are included in the sale, so now is the time to stock up! Most of them are quick projects, too, so they’re perfect for the busy season.

    Prizes!

    But that’s not all! Every project you complete from now until New Year’s Eve can help you win one of over 2000 prizes. Any pattern for sale (not free) from any participating designer is fair game. Be sure to post photos of your finished objects in the Ravelry forum for the GAL to win yarn and other awesome physical prizes. And there are some fun games to play every day; I’ve always loved the designer scavenger hunt and alphabet soup. You can win patterns for those!

    Friendship!

    Each type of pattern (e.g., shawls, hats, socks, etc.) has its own thread in the forums. There are general chatter threads, too. It’s fun to see everyone’s projects, read about their holiday traditions, I love the camaraderie of so many others working towards the same goal.

    I know the details of the GAL can be overwhelming and confusing, but my friend, Sarah Shira, made a video that explains everything far better than I can. 

    By the way, even though this is a GIFTalong, that doesn’t mean you have to give away your finished items. Feel free to make yourself a little treat, too!

  • Cupid in the Underworld

    Cupid in the Underworld

    I don’t know about you, but I’m always drawn to gradients. (Check out my tips for working with gradient mini-skeins.) I feel like gradients are special, though, and deserve an equally special pattern. As a result, those yarns you once fell in love with sit around in your stash for way too long. Well, Cupid has come to steal your heart!

    Now available in my Ravelry store!

    In Roman Mythology, Psyche was a princess and a mortal whose beauty made Venus jealous. Venus sent her son Cupid to sabotage Psyche’s love life, but he fell in love with her instead. Angry, Venus sent her on a series of deadly errands, but, with the help of the gods, Psyche outwitted Venus at each step. On her final quest, Psyche was to retrieve a gift from the underworld. It was yet another trick, and Psyche fell into a deep sleep. Cupid flew down to rescue her and carried her up to Olympus where he nursed her with ambrosia. This made Psyche immortal, and the two lived happily ever after. (Get it? She became immortal, too.)

    Knit your own love story with Cupid in the Underworld. The boomerang shape is like Cupid swooping down to save Psyche’s life. The bias is emphasized by the gradient yarn and a row of eyelets worked at each color change. Charming embellishments elevate the garter stitch shawl from earthly to Olympian. Simple embroidery along one edge represents the journey to find love; tassels at each end are sweet ambrosia to nourish your crafty soul.

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    Simple embroidery elevates this shawl from earthly to Olympian. Cupid in the Underworld by Bronwyn the Brave Designs.
    The simplest embroidery ever

    I hope you fall in love with Cupid as much as I have. From now until October 29, 2018, you can save $1 on this pattern with the code: CUPID. Are you on my email list? Check your inbox for a special code for an even deeper discount!
    You can find Cupid in the Underworld with my other designs on Ravelry.

    Cupid in the Underworld shawl knitting pattern -- Bronwyn the Brave Designs -- Knit your own love story. The boomerang shape is like Cupid swooping down to save his beloved Psyche from the underworld. Charming embellishments elevate the garter stitch shawl from earthly to Olympian. Simple embroidery along one edge represents the journey to find love; tassels at each end are sweet ambrosia to nourish your crafty soul.
  • Working with Gradient Mini-Skeins

    Working with Gradient Mini-Skeins

    Tips & Tricks

    Probably the hardest thing about working with gradient mini-sets is determining the order of the skeins. (WHY don’t dyers number them?!) The first thing to do is to swap the yarns in and out until you think the order is right. It feels a bit like you’re playing the cup game—you know, the one where you move the cups around and have to guess which one has the ball under it. Sometimes, it works to take a photo and convert it to black and white so you are forced to see just the tone. (Unfortunately, that trick doesn’t work all the time.)

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