Happy new year!

I wish you all and your families a very happy and healthy new year 2023!

Hopefully you had a good 2022 and had some time off during Christmas and were able to relax a little bit.

I'm looking back at a year filled with a lot of work which resulted in many beautiful new designs and also much time with my family and kids which I am so grateful for.
Being able to see them grow, hear them laugh and feel their love is the most valuable thing to me. Which makes me even more thankful for you all that make it possible for me to support our family with my designs and doing what I love. Thank you to every single one of you that bought a pattern from me this year! Thank you for following me on my knitting journey.

I am starting off the new year with a surprise for you:

NEW YEAR, NEW DESIGN!

Aella hat & cowl

It fills me with so much joy to announce my first new pattern in 2023 - AELLA!

 Aella is a set including a matching hat and cowl pattern. So yes, you're reading right: it's actually two patterns in one!
For this wonderful design twisted stitch twists travel alongside beautiful 4 stitch cables to then fall in love with the surrounding soft seed stitch texture.

Who doesn't love matching accessories? It just makes you feel beautiful and adds that little extra style to your outfit.
The inspiration behind Aella is a quiet winter forest during falling snow. The cables and twisted stitch waved lines remind me of trees and their protective branches. I love the harmony together with the soft seed stitch texture around them that hint at the peaceful and silent feeling of falling snow.

The pattern comes in three sizes:
Child (Adult S/M, Adult L)
Hat: To fit 50(56, 60)cm / 20(22, 24) inches head circumference.
Cowl: Finished circumference 49(59, 60)cm / 16(20, 24) inches.
Finished height 25(30, 39)cm / 10(12, 12) inches.
 
The pattern is designed for you to use your favorite soft and cozy aran weight yarn and then let go and dream about having this lovely duo caress your soul.

Aella is now available in my Ravelry Store  and to celebrate the release with me and you'll also receive 20% discount until January 8 2023! Use code AELLA and enjoy!

It would make me very happy if you use #AellaHat and #AellaCowl when posting your awesome knits on social media, so I and everyone else can find and share your wonderful project!

I hope you love my new design as much as I do and will give Aella a warm welcome into my collection of patterns.

I hope to have you by my side next year as well.
Happy new (knitting) year!!

Love,
Stefanie

New Pattern - SOLROS sweater

My new pattern Solros sweater is now available in my Ravelry Store!

Solros is a seamles top-down sweater with a beautiful textured yoke.
The design comes in 7 sizes ranging from 80-140cm / 32-56 inches bust circumference and uses fingering weight yarn to give you the perfect all year round favorite sweater. The pattern also has options to work either half sleeves or full length sleeves. For the perfect finish there are two video quick guides available as well on how to work the italian tublular cast on and the tubular bind off which are also explained in the pattern. 

Solros means sunflower which has been my inspiration for this design. I find sunflowers with their big flower heads just so beautiful. To me they are the essence of summer, the sun, of warmth and being happy and in a good mood. The texture around the yoke reminds me of the round textures of the sunflower seeds. The stockinette stitch in the sweater design creates the same stillness as the flower petals around the sunflower head. Together it brings a wonderful harmony.

Who doesn't love a good yoke sweater? They are one of my favorite things to knit. What makes this one special is the eye catching textured yoke with its intriguing stitch combinations which ware actually not too hard to knit. Solros' classic element of stockinette body makes it easy to style as well. 

 

With sweater weather already here and Christmas just around the corner it's the perfect time to start this addictive knit. 

>> Don't miss out on the release discount and get 20% off the pattern using code SOLROS in my Ravelry store. (valid through Sunday, November 20 2022)

Please use #SlorosSweater and don't be shy to tag me @thedrizzleofhoney on Instagram when sharing your project so I and everyone else can find it easily to share the joy.

Discover the pattern and add it to your library here!

I hope you'll love the sweater as much as I do!

Love,

Stefanie

News April 2022

Hi everyone!

A lot is going on around here. So much so that I had to skip last month's news update.

Much behind the scenes work. As you may imagine knitting samples and pulishing patterns is just a small part of all the work that goes into a design until it is ready to be published. 

But of course those are the most exciting parts of the process and the ones that are most interesting to post about. Whereas the not so interesting and "share-worthy" times include sitting in a bubble and designing, doing the math, writing up pattern drafts to knit a sample from and then refine and perfect until a pattern for testing is created, of course the test itself which usually takes several weeks and finally the last finalizing steps to get the pattern ready for publishing as well as creating all the materials and content that need to go with it. All those steps involve a lot of care, attention and love.

Besides that there's always a lot of behind the scenes that takes place in termes of running a business, especially since most of us are a one-woman-show.

But let's get back to what's new!

 

New pattern - Alora skirt

There is a new pattern available in my Ravelry Store - Alora!

 

 

If you are like me and like to wear your knitted pieces all year round, then this is one to consider for you: 

Alora is a very feminine knee length skirt that uses negative ease to create its flattering shape and accentuate your beauty. It’s intended to be worn high at the waist and uses a pretty and simple knit and purl pattern for super relaxing knitting and a stretchy fabric that allows for a very comfortable fit.
You can use any DK weight yarn you have in your stash and you will get the perfect not-too-hot-yet-not-too-cold skirt for in between seasons. Alora is available in seven sizes.

You don't have to knit sweaters only. Personally, I appreciate a nice change from time to time. So why not knit a skirt for yourself? I promise you’ll be surprised by how wonderfully warm, beautiful and comfy you’ll feel.

For more info on construction and sizing please see the pattern page.

I am very happy to finally be able to offer a new skirt pattern for you. Especially since I know how many of you loved my Amaranth skirt. And also now for Alora I've gotten positive feedback already in the test knitting stage. I'm looking forward to see many beautiful projects!
Please use #Aloraskirt and don't be shy to tag me @thedrizzleofhoney on Instagram when sharing your project so I and everyone else can find it easily to share the joy.

 

Sorley shawl

Currently I'm sample knitting on my next design: Sorley shawl.

This two colored shawl has a little different construction. No classic crescent or triangle shape. I often find myself craving a more unique shape of shawl when spring is about to arrive.
Starting point is a center diamond shape where stitches will then be picked up along the sides to work the shawls wings adding texture and pattern throughout.

Each of those wings has one of the two colors used as dominant and the other as contrast.

For the sample I'm using Manos del Uruguay Alegria in Atlantico and Butia. This is of course a fingering weight hand dyed merino yarn. This kind of yarn is always so wonderful to work with especially for shawls. And I know I'm not alone there ;)

So, I'm very excited for this design and how it will turn out. Yes, a test knit for this design will start soon. I will have to finish the sample (a little more to work on the second wing) and then put the pattern in testing shape. :) Follow me on Instagram and join my Ravelry group if you want to know first when the party starts! 

Next design - summer top

For my next design I have also started working on a summer top. Although I feel I am a little bit behind on the schedule on this one. But no worries, I will catch up! 

It will be a short sleeved, top-down, seamless, round yoke construction with a texture pattern in the yoke and stockinette body. I am already thrilled about the design. And it will be my first not free summer top. My other summer tops have been free patterns. So I hope you will love this one just as much as the other ones :)

Have a wonderful weekend and happy easter to you all!

Love,

Stefanie

News January 2022

 Happy new (knitting) year to you all!!!! 🎇

I wish you all a happy, healthy and wonderful new year!

First off all, I want to thank you for your love and support, for welcoming me back to work after having my twins. It's so exciting to be able to do what I love - designing. And this year too I will strive to enrich your lives by providing you with gorgeous knit designs, addictive knitting experiences and beautiful self-made pieces in your wardrobe.

The question everyone asks as a year's going to end: What have you accomplished this year? I think we can all give ourselves a little compassion when asking this particular question. Because it has been another difficult year for everyone. That does include me too. 

But I do have some things I am proud of myself for.
I am proud of having my pre-baby weight back after having three children. I didn't manage that after the first one, but I did now. That makes me very happy. I've been working out, so there's also more muscle which makes me feel great. I feel so much better with less weight, it gives me a new feeling of myself.
This also means I'm eating better which is also something I've been struggeling with when the twins were babies. They are 2 now, so they don't need as much all around the clock care as they did before. So there's more time for cooking :)
In an effort to focus a bit more on self care (because that's important as everyone with kids can confirm) and my own psychological health I made some adjustments. For example in an effort to watch less TV  I've read 42 books last year, nearly all of them from my local library. (spend less money on books was a thing too) And this habbit sticks with me. I love it! I have always been a book reader but I lost it a little bit during the past years and I am very happy to have it back.
And of course I am very grateful to have found a way to be able to work again with all my boys at home. It's a challenge of course to work something out that works for everyone. And that's always our number one goal when changing something. It has to work for everyone in the family. And I think we are right on track. I'm proud of that.

I hope you too have some things your are proud of yourself.

New patterns

EMBER

Three weeks ago I released Ember hat. I just loove this design!
If you're looking for a little variety from stockinette and garter stitch and are as fascinated by knitted texture as I am, then Ember hat is for you!

 

This hat is a gorgeous and cozy design that combines wonderfully rich texture with beautiful cables. The pattern features big and small cables, bobbles as well as a mini honeycomb pattern to complete the feminine design.

The pattern comes in three sizes:
Child (Adult small, Adult large)
to fit 50(56, 60)cm / 20(22, 24) inches head circumference and can be worked to make a beanie 20(22,22)cm / 8(9, 9) inches total length or slouch 24(26,26)cm / 9.5(10.5; 10.5) inches total length.
To make an even slouchier hat, the pattern has notes on how to easily adapt.

And it's a perfect stash buster too, using only between 180-220m/197-240yards of sport or DK weight yarn.

Have a look at the pattern in my Ravelry store here!

EMBERLY

Sharing the spirit - new year, new design, three days ago I also released Emberly fingerless mitts which are matching Ember for a set of the two.

I had the thought of designing matching fingerless mitts already when I started working on Ember. And I moved through with it, very happy that I did.

Emberly fingerless mitts are very cute and a creative and intriguing knit. By themselves or together with the hat they will add a stylish and feminine touch to your outfit.

The pattern comes in three sizes:
Small (Medium, Large)
to fit 16(18, 20)cm / 6.5(7.25; 8) inches palm circumference
The pattern includes suggestions for you to personalize your mitts.

Using only between 90-120m/99-132 yards of sport or DK weight yarn it’s a perfect project to use your stash.

The set of hat and mitts is a great addictive knit based on the same rich texture.

Since this pattern is a new release, there's also the release promo still running until midnight January 9, 2022. Use code EMBERLY and get 20% off the pattern on Ravelry.
I have another offer running: If you buy Ember and Emberly together (put them both in your cart before check out) then you'll automatically receive Emberly 50% off.

Check out the pattern in my Ravelry store here!

Moving forward, planning, new ideas, new designs

During the last days of the year I've been thinking a lot about where I would like to go with my designs this year. And now I'm planning and working on new design ideas. 

So I thought, what would YOU like to knit this year???
What would you like me to design for you?
Are you planning to take on a knitting challenge for 2022? Do you want to knit a lot of sweaters or shawls or hats?
If you have wishes or suggestions for patterns you would like to knit, just let me know in the comments or on Instagram @thedrizzleofhoney !

I'm looking forward to hear from you!

Love,
Stefanie