On the Importance of Details

I love simple patterns that include just one or two little details that make them really special. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to add those kinds of touches to my own designs, whether it’s an interesting hem line or a simple stripe or something a little more complex.

In the case of Schoonheid, a free pattern from Berroco, it’s a panel of lace that runs along the edge of an otherwise stockinette stitch triangular shawl. That little detail doesn’t boost the skill level significantly but it does make the project a lot more interesting and special than if it had been completely stockinette or worked with something like a garter stitch edging.

The yarn its worked in — Ultra Alpaca Light — is a beauty, too, reminding us once again that the yarn choice is super important when a project is simple because the quality of the yarn really shines through.

I may not ever knit this project but it sure has taught me a thing or two anyway!

[Photo via Berroco.]

Next Pattern:

As I write this, it’s probably time to start thinking about winter knitting if you haven’t already. And it’s definitely time to think about gift knitting if you have any of that you plan to do for the holidays.

The Dreamy Waves Scarf from Knit Picks, designed by Stacey Winklepleck, would be a great project to go in either category.

It uses two different multicolored yarns and a simple repeating wave pattern to make a project that looks a lot more complicated and dramatic than it is. The gradient look happens naturally just by switching which yarn you’re knitting with.

This pattern uses worsted weight yarn so it’s a pretty quick project even though a scarf is large and this one is pretty wide. It measures 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) wide and 63 inches or 120 cm long. Of course you can make it longer or shorter as you like. As written it takes one ball of each color so it’s a pretty economical project, too.

It’s rated for intermediate knitters but if you know how to do various increases and decreases you’ll be all set. The pattern uses knit 2 together, make 1 left and right, centered double decrease and slip slip knit. All of the stitches are explained in a glossary in the pattern so even if you haven’t done all of them it shouldn’t be too hard to figure out.

The pattern also includes tons of options for different colorways in yarn that Knit Picks sells, so you can see how different combinations knit up before you buy the yarn. That’s such a great idea!

Of course if you already have two multicolored yarns with long color runs on hand, you can absolutely use them, too. It might also be fun, but would give you a totally different look, to use a solid color and a bunch of scraps or one multicolored yarn to see how the different colors play together. So many options!

You can grab this free pattern and check out all the color options at Knit Picks.

[Photo: Knit Picks]

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