And Then There Was a New Knit Design

Photography (c) Interweave, used
with kind permission

It is a wonderful day when I get to announce a new, published design. It never gets old, and that's a good thing.

My latest design, The Aviatrix Pullover, has special meaning: it's inspired by Baroness Elise Raymonde de Laroche, one of the female pilots profiled in Leather, Lace, Grit & Grace. Worked up in Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Chunky in the fantastically industrial Patterson Park colorway, this super easy pullover earns its wings in the details: the seed stitch edging all around, as well as the wonderful grommet insert at front hem. The design's complete lack of lace, dropped shoulders and weightier yarn echo a trademark sweater worn by the Baroness during many of her flights. Of course, this design is updated for 21st century appeal with a casual v-neck and a closer fit. Chunky yarn and big needles means you can whip one of these up for yourself in plenty of time to show it off at Rhinebeck this year. What's not to love about that?

Photography (c) Interweave, used with kind permission

Additionally, I also penned an in-depth article on the Baroness that is included with the design in the Fall 2017 edition of Knitting Traditions. It was a real treat to be able to get into details of her flying career that I could not in LLGG (time and space are issues no matter the type of publication). It was a real treat to interact with this material again after some elapsed time since LLGG's publishing. Because Knitting Traditions is an Interweave publication, they had access to certain archival photos that I did not as a sole author; as a result, the article's details really come alive. I would urge everyone interested in this subject matter (as well as the Victorian era generally), to pick up a copy of the 2017 Knitting Traditions issue. There's a wealth of really good reading that will keep you engaged as you work through one (or several) of the included 18 designs.