OLGAJAZZY

Awa-Awa is another onomatopoeic word that means “soap bubbles” in Japanese..

I must admit, ever since I have gotten my knitting machine back in 2011 in Japan I have discovered a whole new way of looking at hand knitting in absolutely new angle! Machine knitting and hand knitting couldn’t be any different from each other. Complete polar opposites in my mind, but the thinking that machine knitting triggers for a hand knitter is so illuminating and it opens up a well of new techniques and ways to explore that knowledge and implement it if possible into hand knitting! I remember talking to my friend and fellow designer Kirsten Johnstone , who together with her friend Suzie Fry just had taken their machine knitting course and we got into conversation about how various techniques can be achieved. My excitement about my new “toy” often wouldn’t let me sleep. As I explored around in search of any machine knitting courses while in Japan, I was out of luck for not being fluent in Japanese to take them. Machine’s manual, YouTube videos. Numerous swatches later I felt like I was learning a new language. Even though it is still both knitting, they reside in separate universes. Later on thanks to Marianne Isager who introduced me to Mette Hyllested-Winge, Danish machine knitwear designer living in Tokyo at the time, who basically became my machine knitting teacher. She let me ask all the questions and work out all possible ideas I had brewing in my head. I have been so lucky to have met her! Engaged into two different worlds of knitting we often spent hours and hours contemplating and bouncing ideas off of each other, and get inspired by one another! That’s how I have discovered what is called “plating” in machine knitting world, which Awa-Awa’s technique is inspired by.

When Carrie (editor of Making magazine) approached me about my submission for DOTS issue , I had way too many ideas. I had some still lingering from my mini-collection with Quince & Co called Circles+Dots and I had just heard about Yayoi Kusama’s exhibit coming to a museum DC with a retrospective show. She is the world known Japanese artist famous for her works reflecting love of polka dots, circles and their infinite use among many others. I was eager to dive into the process and explore, to swatch and discover which marriage of stitches, yarn and color might be the best option to fit the indigo-themed issue. Several attempts and stumbles later resulted in a pile of new swatches and techniques, where Awa-Awa‘s patterning resonated both with Carrie and me. But why is it that I enjoy the process of development so much – I got 3 more solid concepts using circles, that I filed it in my “ideas bank” to knit up later.  For me personally, this is just an example how endless swatching and brainstorming can lead one thing to another, and end up being something that can be knit and hopefully enjoyed when being knit and worn by others as well. And remember, inspiration is all around us, sometimes you just need to look down, like this awesome manhole cover I photographed somewhere in Japan.

Just as in any knitting with color, picking them can present a challenge, so I have swatched several options for you to consider based on the color values.

The yarn used, Woolfolk Tynd, comes in an array of colors that you can carry together and pairing them together can produce truly different effect each time.

Left to Right : High Contrast, Medium Contrast, Low Contrast.

In original Awa-Awa I used Woolfolk Tynd in color 1 (white) and color 9 (light blue), which created a combination somewhere between a low and a medium contrast fabric.

But what’s so great about a range in colors is that you can pick your own and choose how pronounced and sharp you wish your “bubbles” to be visible.

High Contrast Swatch shows the polar opposites and among favorites of mine for daily wear: Black and White. Quite stark and bold as a result, this swatch used color 1 (white) and color 15 (black).

Medium Contrast Swatch has quite a bit of bright color in it, but the effect is moderate and both “bubbles” are equally noticeable without harshness of the lines. This swatch used color 7 (medium bronze) and color 14 (pine green).

Low Contrast Swatch of mine still shows quite a bit of color, but the values are much closer. This swatch used color 4 (dark grey) and color 12 (burgundy).

And here are the same swatches again only converted into greyscale, where all the color is removed, but you can see the values and their contrast. If you are interested to learn more about picking your colors using value scale, you should read this wonderful 2 part blog post from Jared.

The techniques used in Awa-Awa are not complex, you need to know how to do some basic colorwork here and there. Within the pattern you will find tips and details on how to trap all your floats, and you’d trap them in pattern. Since this is a wrap and you wouldn’t want any floats catching on jewelry or buttons, and it simply makes a nice clean finish on the wrong side as well. With this technique you don’t have to utter world “intarsia” and the shapes that you can create are limitless – circles, diamonds, squares, hearts… anything you desire and put your needles to!

Currently, the original Awa-Awa Wrap sample is on it’s way to Loop London and you will be able to touch and try it on there very soon along with a couple of my other trunk show pieces for the couple of months.

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…in Danish that is!

But GULD is also my new deep V-neck pullover design for Woolfolk LUFT collection, that just launched on Earth day. I feel lucky to be in this group of talented designers showcasing Woolfolk’s brand new yarn called LUFT, literally meaning “air” in Danish. And it, in fact, feels just like air! What strikes you right away is the juxtaposition of bulky gauge yarn and how extremely lightweight the yarn feels in a skein, but also the feather light garments it produces. And that makes you really wonder what is this yarn and how is it made!? LUFT has an unusual construction of organic pima cotton cage or a tube that gives that crisp feeling once you handle it, but the inside of that tube is still filled with amazing Ultimate Merino® fibers!

Once you have worked through the skein or two, you experience this deja vu feeling as if you are working with cotton, except you are not, not really. The “hand” of this yarn is truly unique, you feel you are being constantly deceived whether it’s cotton as  you might feel the subtle grab on the needle, except the peeking through fibers help it move along and knit up very fast. Once washed and blocked the yarn blooms even more, the tube allows just enough of the fibers to show and bloom through, and the difference in color of the cotton and the fibers create this really dimensional effect in the finished garment or accessory. Just like in my GULD here, the color is L.04, the cotton tube is of medium grey hue, while the fibers inside are vibrant ochre color, and when mixed in they produce this muted, complex, yet sophisticated color.

I wanted to create a sweater design that would feature the most qualities of LUFT and to do that I have chosen to create an updated classic pullover. V-neck is deep but easily can be layered with a camisole underneath. Slipped garter rib trims and all over garter stitch give it this sumptuous all over texture. But modern fit and updated details turn the process of making it fun, while still keeping it as an intermediate level project. Front and back have a little bit of hem difference and a split. Both are worked flat, then seamed at the shoulders with an exposed seam. The sleeves in turn are shaped in the round with sleeve cap for a modified drop shoulder, which is then set in using Mattress stitch. Same seaming technique is used for the side seams. And with subtle positive ease, this pullover is really great for several of the seasons and the transitional weather, whether layered or worn on it’s own, it still feels light as air.

photos ©woolfolk and vanessa yap-einbund

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As it’s true for many, most of the process on each of my designs often takes place over a period of time. Sometimes it’s months, sometimes years!
Having ideas in my notebook sitting around awaiting that perfect match with yarn to be made. But sometimes it’s the yarn color(s) that strikes the inspiration pot to start churning.

Last year I was visiting my parents and the weather has been quite typical for their summer, numerous thunderstorms and couple of hot days, but the views afterwards have been quite stunning that I had to document them. As I kept looking at those images when I got back home I got reminded about 2 sets of gradient kits that I got from Miss Babs trunk show hosted at Fibre Space the year before. I’ve bought Taurus and Ursa Major colors without a design or idea in mind, simply because I was being drawn to that unusual color combination.

The rolling cloud shapes are very often interpreted in variety of ways in knitwear, but for striped wave effect I wanted to have the most of color visible as possible! Old Shale is probably one of the oldest stitch patterns around that I could immediately think of when wanting to create waves with the stripes and through years there have been so many wonderful renditions in different designs of it. I wanted to do something different, I definitely didn’t want to do lace. I wanted for the texture to be as much of a key player as the color of these beautiful gradients and with them being worked in a way that would showcase each color when worn. The most exciting part for me as a designer these days is the mathematical puzzle that a stitch pattern can present. Settling in with some graph paper and a pen first, then some charting software on the computer, I created first couple of increasing motifs that made me giddy with excitement as I dug into my swatch. How long and how wide… but the idea of having all this is shaping to be incorporated directly into the patterning indeed have worked out!
Math, you thing of beauty that make this knitter’s heart sing!

I rated this pattern as Beginner Intermediate, which is a rare one for me. Those who have knit several of my patterns know that I love puzzles and creating patterns that teach or have some unusual twists to them! All you need to know is to how cast on, knit, purl, increase, decrease, bind off! I am also offering a narrower, scarf-like size of Denpa, just in case you are not used to or not keen on wearing wide shawls as much!

The thing about stripes is that if you cannot find a gradient kit available to you or if you don’t have enough yardage, you can easily customize and substitute the ombré dyed yarns with solid dyed colors. Find a yarn that you love and that has a big range of colors available, so that you can build your own gradient. And it doesn’t have to be 2 gradients, you can choose to do 1 gradient but for the contrast pick one color only that would compliment and work with all of the colors of that one gradient. You can put the solid color into foreground or into background. You can do the entire wrap in 2 colors only. The choices are endless! Just let your creativity and imagination loose and I am sure you can find the right color and yarn for your Denpa to make it unique, and to enjoy knitting and wearing it!

You can find more details on Denpa pattern here. And don’t forget to check Denpa projects already in progress on Ravelry.
Remember, if you share your project on social media/Instagram, make sure to tag it so I can see it #denpashawl

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Congratulations to Christina, Paula Castro and Archipurlago!  You three won the yarn and Swirl Necklace pattern to make your own!

Thank you to everyone playing along on this giveaway. I hope this little accessory inspired you to craft your own regardless the climbing temperatures.

And Happy Easter to all those who celebrate today!

Growing up, Spring’s arrival always coincided with the meteorological spring, but what has always stuck was the first spring holidays every year falling on March 8th, International Women’s Day. Men hurrying with tulips, cakes and chocolates trying not to leave their colleagues and loved ones out, that was sort of what we celebrated first before any Valentine’s day was introduced into our culture.

This year East Coast has been served an obscene doze of snow and harsh weather, but at least it wasn’t snowing that day here! I was treated to my most favorite Lavender Moon cupcakes as I got to pour over the pages of the new issue of now my favorite magazine – The Gentlewoman. A true collective of great journalism covering stories of different and amazing women around the world. I really was hoping to spend that weekend in New York trying to attend Bjork exhibit at MoMA, but decided it was still too cold for a field trip and should wait until the madness around the exhibit dies down a bit and the temps warm up, that is probably wishful thinking.

With Spring’s arrival many of us are longing to put away all those heavy knits and jackets to think of lighter garments and accessories we can enjoy wearing when the warmer weather finally arrives. One of the most gratifying knits I have found are accessories as they are fast and pretty and can use up small quantities of yarn. I have knit and designed several necklaces before and which brought me back to one of my all time favorite ones as it was inspired by something when I still lived in Japan. Swirl Necklace was commissioned by Blue Sky Alpaca‘s sister company, Spud & Chloe for their “On the Run” Series. Patterns for smaller projects that can be easily carried around and worked on while you on your way some place or have time on your hands in a waiting room. And all with a quick result!

Ever since creating the sample for this, I have been missing having one for myself. So I have picked a skein of Spud & Chloe Fine in Hippo colorway at Fibre Space, my LYS, and my tiny dpns just for the convenience of carrying small needles around to work on this. Later, I have found a cool 3 eye sliding lock clasp for it for minimal finishing and here it is!

Even though the original necklace is not seamed to allow for movement of the “curls” in the circles, you can definitely make it more permanent by overlapping and stitching it up invisibly in several points as shown with some pins in a photo below.

And even though the holiday has passed I think Spring is the time for renewal, new expectations and beginnings. You can continue celebrating Spring and women in your life or simply treat yourself this small Swirl Necklace that can make as a simple yet curious addition to your spring outfit or as a gift brighten the day of a woman you know! Or simply let you practice and learn some new skills while working on a small project with a gratifying and wearable result.

Team at Blue Sky Alpacas/Spud & Chloe kindly donated 3 skeins of Spud & Chloe Fine and 3 copies of Swirl Necklace patterns for me to giveaway to 3 lucky commenters!

Please leave your comments by end of Monday, March 16th while I go dig out some spring clothes from my closet and hope for those temperatures to keep climbing up!

Happy Spring, Everyone!

I want to thank all of you for complimenting so generously on my Woolfolk Collection and I can’t even express my delight over your excitement about the pieces in this collection! I am so happy to know that every person is drawn to at least several and sees that the garments as well as accessories are timeless and ageless. In other words, anyone who chooses to can wear and love them! Sorry it took me a while to get back to this,  I had to break away last minute as I made an impromptu trip to New York city for Vogue Knitting Live event. Which was my first time ever attending it and a first visit to NYC in over 5 years!

But I will stop torturing you by prolonged talking of my experience and please join me in congratulating Erica and Jessica, who each won some Woolfolk Får and Tynd to try and the entire set of Woolfolk Collection FW 2014/15 printed patterns! YAY!!! Congratulations, ladies!

Let’s start this year with luxury! Isn’t that a good New Year’s resolution, especially if you are all about new yarns and new adventures and other things new! Even though this yarn and collection were launched late last year, I feel like right now is the time I can look back and reflect on this whole process and development of how it came to be.

Around May last year, Kristin Ford, who I have worked with previously, shared her ideas for a new venture and quite unique fiber that she has discovered and that noone in the North America was offering to hand knitters. I was thinking we were already quite spoiled here with a wondrous fibers available in yarn form, so this was very intriguing. I think the moment I have touched the skein, my words faltered in trying to describe the feeling. It was just undecipherable “Ahhhh!” and “Mmmm” followed by questions in my head – How?? How?? How is this just a merino!? I have knit with fair share of merino yarns before and they have been very soft but nothing felt like this. I don’t think cashmere yarns I have knit were often even this soft before wash. To learn the why’s and how’s of this amazing fiber Ultimate Merino® please head over to the WOOLFOLK’s website to read and watch a beautiful video about Patagonia region and the efforts for the grassland regeneration. To add more, each company that is part of this project is paying back the farmers to continue helping them to continue maintaining sustainability and quality of the fleece. So when you pay for it, you contribute to that as well!

Now as for the yarn, Clara Parkes of Knitter’s Review was among the very first people to touch and graciously review the yarn and you can read her detailed description of experiencing Får here.
Woolfolk yarns currently come in 2 different weights – FÅR is a Worsted weight, chain-like construction and TYND is a fingering weight is a nice 2 ply twist.

When approaching ideas for designs in these yarns, I tried to go a different route than I usually pick when designing olgajazzy patterns. The quality and luxury of the yarn itself was dictating or even demanding the minimally textured, classic, yet clean and conservative modern knits approach. With well-thought out details through medium of construction to keep any knitter’s brain occupied, but not requiring every bit of concentration, so knitting itself is enjoyable. You and your Woolfolk yarn need some quality time to truly appreciate the tactile enjoyment of working with this yarn. And with a great knit result that can be worn on any occasion when you wish to wrap yourself in a cloud.

(Click each image or design’s name above it to see more images of them).

KNUS

FLET

BYGGE

Small details and accents that draw the eye, but are not distracting from the fiber of the yarn and overall look of your knit.  These knits have no time, no age, they are the kind of knits most of us want to wear or do wear every day, Woolfolk just adds that doze of scrumptiousness.

KNOP

SKYGGE

As I was editing through my process I have found it quite satisfying. The yarns  and the collection read very Scandinavian-style to me just like the founder’s ancestral roots  and make me proud to have created something absolutely new to me. And reminded myself why I collaborate on projects like that, to make me step out of my comfort zone and learn something more about myself as a designer. As the moment we stop pushing ourselves and trying, creativity tends to stagnate.

RIBBE

FURE

VINKLER

I want to thank everyone who has already knit many many sweaters and accessories and wrote about this collection,  I am truly humbled that you love it so!
I want to thank Kristin for creating such a unique opportunity and for her unique vision and my brilliant friend and Ori Ami Knits co-author, Vanessa Yap-Einbund, who did an amazing job on the collection’s photography as well as Woolfolk‘s  (and mine!) websites.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! And in celebration of it – the luxury giveaway!

I am giving away the entire (8) printed  patterns WOOLFOLK COLLECTION FW 2014 as well as a skein of Woolfolk Får and a skein of Woolfolk Tynd to 2 lucky winners!

Please leave a comment below until end of Tuesday, January 6th (which is going to be my Xmas eve) and I will draw the winner the following day!

Good Luck and Happy Knitting!!!

Wishing you all a Wonderful and Joyful Holiday Season! I really wish we had a white Christmas in the forecast, I miss the snow! But a Christmas in wool is the best kind of Christmas! And yes, 2015 is a year of a sheep/goat! Sounds like the best year yet to be in the knitting industry!

Happy Holidays!

Congratulations to Jen! She is the winner of printed copy of ELEMENTS book from my previous post. YAYYY!

Happy Knitting!!!