Summer Swatch Me week 12!

This week our Summer Swatch Me focus is on pattern manipulation. There are a few simple ways one can take a stitch pattern and modify it for very different effects. We played with some of these simple manipulations already. With stitch pattern 8, I used garter stitch instead of stockinette stitch to give a different look. The first way I manipulated our stitch patterns was to mirror them, as we saw in some of our mitt patterns and both sock patterns. Stitch patterns 3, 5, 7 and 9 can all be mirrored with ease. One can use this technique for a "right and left" purpose as I did for mitts and socks, and also for the look you see above. This photo shows stitch pattern 9 and its mirror, side-by-side. Both our special patterns this week use stitch pattern 9 and its mirror. A third way to modify our stitch patterns in by changing their size, which I use for the border of our first project today. The final photo in this post will really show you what I mean by changing the size of a pattern, to the extreme...

First, we have the Lilac Stole. This piece is knit using ArtYarns Silk Mohair and some 8/0 beads. The yarn has the drape of silk and the froth of kid mohair, making a lovely wisp of a stole. I use stitch pattern 9 and its mirror for the body of the stole and stitch pattern 6 for the border, but in a larger format than the 14 stitch repeat we used for our sampler.

The border runs along the bottom edge of the piece only, and creates points using increases in the final section. The main section also scallops, so the side edges have points too.

This piece is romantic and dressy and really lovely to wear!

You can see the bead detail below, along with just how gossamer this fabric is...

The second special project this week is called Falling Leaf Cowl, also using ArtYarns Silk Mohair and 8/0 beads.

For this piece I used stitch pattern 9 and its mirror, along with inserts to create the shoulder shaping.

This piece is also very romantic, but not so formal, looking good with both jeans and something a bit more dressy

Finally, I want to show you something I am working on, which uses a super-sized version of stitch pattern 9 for a really different look! Much more bold modern...

I am posting the patterns for Lilac Stole and Leaf Cowl at the Summer Swatch Me Group today. Both patterns are also available in my Ravelry Pattern Store, for immediate download, in case you missed joining my summer group this year.

I will be back next week with more Summer Swatch Me fun, including ideas to design your own stole with the charts we used this summer and details of my Summer Swatch Me gallery post contest! Stay tuned and knit on!