Playing with Texture

Lately I have not been feeling stockinette stitch all that much. I mean, it’s quick and easy to knit, but it just doesn’t have a lot of personality. Maybe after knitting all the projects for a book that was mostly stockinette (thanks to it being a book on color knitting) I’m a little burned out.

Or maybe I’m just looking for something more interesting to keep me entertained through cold winter evenings knitting in front of the TV.

If you find yourself looking for something a little different, too, here are some projects that have caught my eye recently.

This Chevron Shawl from Yarnspirations is fun because it uses a chevron that switches directions, and a slightly shiny yarn for a bit of extra fun (though this would also be great in a plain wool, or even in cotton yarn for a super casual look).

Speaking of chevrons, the Zigzag Throw (shown as a shawl) is a beauty in jewel tones, and pretty quick and easy to knit thanks to bulky yarn. This is definitely one that would keep you plenty warm.

The Baby Alpaca Hues Cowl pattern from Plymouth Yarn uses a fun diagonal rib stitch to add texture to a fluffy multicolored yarn. And the Basketweave Afghan, another one from Yarnspirations, is a great way to keep warm with a pattern suitable for even beginner knitters.

Do you like to add texture to your projects with stitch patterns or are you more of a stockinette and garter kind of person? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Generally I like knitting patterns where I feel like you can use whatever yarn you have (because my stash is big enough and I want to use it, thanks) and make a successful project. This is one of those times when a special yarn makes the process that much easier.

The Floral Bouquet Shawl from Xandy Peters uses a specific extended color pooling yarn from Feisty Fibers, which allows you to place the bobble flowers with increasing frequency as you knit the project.

It starts with a solid color yarn, then the two color yarn is added in, and you make a bobble whenever you encounter the color pops. This would be hard to replicate with other yarn that doesn’t have the extended color pooling built in.

The background of the shawl is ribbed, making the project reversible.

The shawl uses fingering/sock yarn and comes out to be an asymmetrical triangle that’s 54 inches/137 cm long and 36 inches/ 90 cm deep and 60 inches/150 cm across the top edge.

Xandy says the pattern is for intermediate to advanced knitters. Knowing how to work traditional bobbles would probably help, but there’s a great video tutorial for how to work the floral bobbles so you can practice on other yarn or even incorporate the bobbles into other projects.

The bobbles are five-petaled flowers but they also kind of look like starfish to me, which could be fun on a child’s cardigan or other pattern. They’d also be fun on the leg of a sock or around the brim of a hat for extra whimsy.

The pattern includes photo and video tutorials, and written and charted instructions. It also includes tips on what to look for if you choose to use different yarn for the project, and instructions on how to dye your own yarn to use in the project.

If you want to give it a try, you can find the pattern on Ravelry.

[Photo: Xandy Peters]

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