Patterns – Page 2 – Ann Budd Knits

A New Cowl Pattern

August 27, 2019 / Accessories, Cowls, Patterns

Designed for my Fall 2019 Knit For Fun Retreat in Mont Tremblant, Quebec, Canada, The Mont Tremblant Cowl features cables and directional decreases in a diagonal pattern that makes me think of ski and snowboard trails in the snow.

The relatively simple pattern repeats over18 stitches and 6 rounds. The yarn, a delightful DK-weight blend of 90% superwash merino and 10% silk was specially dyed by Canadian dyer Julie Asselin in a colorway inspired by the blue water of Lac Tremblant and named Knit For Fun.

Both charted and written instructions are provided.

Use the code TREMBLANT to receive 20% off the Ravelry purchase price of Mont Tremblant Cowl between now and midnight Mountain Standard Time on Friday, August 30, 2019.

Oh, Baby!

July 16, 2019 / Accessories, Baby, Home, Patterns / 1 Comment

In celebration of my niece’s baby (the first grandchild on my side of the family), I designed what I believe is my first knitted baby blanket. I named it Walker Baby Blanket, in honor of my side of the family. My hope is that this soft and squishy blanket will keep her little nugget warm and cozy in a stroller, car seat, or crib.

The blanket begins with a circular cast-on in the center, and then progresses outward in four sections of ever-widening stripes of moss stitch bounded by eyelet increases. It’s edged with garter-stitch stripes and finished with a decorative Channel Island bind-off.

This practical blanket is knitted out of machine-washable Knit One Crochet Too DungarEASE (60% cotton, 40% acrylic; 250 yards [228 meters]/100 grams) in Sand (gray), Chambray (blue), Cactus (green), and Buttercup (yellow) on size 8 (5 mm) needles for a gauge of 18 stitches per 4″ (10 cm).

To encourage the new parents to use the blanket, I added a fun “wear it out” tag that I purchased from Four Purls knit shop in Winter Haven, Florida, last fall.

Use the code BABY to get 20% off the purchase price of this pattern on Ravelry between now and midnight on Friday, July 26.

Beach Cusps Cowl

June 25, 2019 / Accessories, Cowls, Patterns

I’ve added a new cowl pattern on Ravelry.

Designed for my Spring 2019 Knit For Fun Retreat in Freeport, Maine, this lacy cowl is named for the cuspate deposits of beach material created by wave action along shorelines. The rolled cast-on and bind-off edges and scallops in the modified Old Shale stitch pattern mimic rippling waves, the eyelets are reminiscent of sea foam, and the garter ridges represent undulating deposits of seaweed, shells, and sea glass.

The yarn is a luxurious blend of merino, cashmere, and nylon in a specially dyed Sea Glass colorway by Maine’s own Seven Sisters Arts.

Worked in the round, the pattern repeats over 18 stitches and 10 rounds.

Use the code BEACH to receive 20% off the purchase price of Beach Cusps Cowl on Ravelry between now and midnight Saturday, June 29.

Junior Goat Herder

April 30, 2019 / Children, Patterns, Sweaters / 1 Comment

With 2529 likes and 121 projects on Ravelry, the Goat Herder Pullover is one of my most popular single-issue patterns. I designed this sweater for my oldest son, who was raising pigmy goats at the time, as a challenge to come up with a sweater that was interesting to knit but not too fancy for males who prefer “plain” sweaters.

Following a bit of knit-two-purl-one ribbing at the hem, wide ribs at the lower body give way to a chevron pattern worked with twisted stitches (no cable needle necessary!). The body is worked in rounds from the hem to the armholes, then the back and front are worked separately in rows to the shoulders. Stitches for the sleeves are picked up around the armholes and the sleeves are worked in rounds down to the cuffs, with a chevron pattern across the upper arms.

Happily, there are no seams to sew!

The original pattern includes four sizes: 35 3/4 (40 1/4, 43 3/4)” (90.5 [102, 113.5, 124.5] cm) chest circumference. However, I’ve been asked to provide it in children’s sizes as well.

To that end, I’m now working on a toddler version knitted out of fingering weight yarn (the original is knitted in worsted weight).

The yarn is Emma’s Yarn, dyed by seventeen-year-old Emma Dobratz of Winter Haven, Florida, in the colorway Beach Please on size U.S. 3 (3.25 mm) needles.

I’m thinking of adding buttons across one shoulder to facilitate putting the sweater on an active toddler. I hope to make significant progress while on my upcoming travels. Stay tuned!

Pretty in Pink

April 2, 2019 / Baby, Patterns, Sweaters

With my niece expecting the first grandchild on my side of the family, I’ve been enthusiastically knitting baby things. I designed the Aubrey Cardigan in case her baby is female (though there’s no reason a male wouldn’t look adorable in it, too!).

Knitted in the softest pink color, this sweet little cardigan is worked in one piece from the top down with yarnover increases along the four raglan lines. Sleeve stitches are then placed on holders while the body is worked to the hem. Stitches are increased across the back to create a feminine ruffle and a comfortable fit. The lower body, cuff, and neckband edges are punctuated with eyelets and a simple rib pattern. Tiny shell buttons provide the finishing touch.

The pattern is available in two sizes: about 191/2 (221/2)” (49.5 [57] cm) buttoned chest circumference, which fit 3-6 (6-9) months. The sweater shown here is knitted in the larger size and shown on an 8-month-old miracle.

You can use any fingering weight yarn for this design. I used Manos del Uruguay Alegria (75% superwash merino wool, 25% polyamide; 445 yd [407 meters]/100 g) in color #A2149 Petal. I used size 3 (3.25 mm) needles for a gauge of 16 sts and 21 rows to 2″ (5 cm).

Use the code SWEET! to receive 20% off the Ravelry purchase price of Aubrey Cardigan between now and midnight on Sunday, April 7.

A Whole Lotta Love!

February 5, 2019 / Accessories, Patterns, Shawls

When I was the Knit Doctor at the first-ever retreat sponsored by LoopsLove in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last January, Ross of Dye For Knitting created a colorway in my honor called Loops Loves Ann. I was so touched that I asked Ross to dye a semi-solid to pari with it, which I asked him to name Ann Loves Loops. I combined the two in the brioche shawl shown here, which I’ve called Loops Amore Shawl.

This two-color shallow crescent shawl begins with a 3-stitch garter-stitch tab around which stitches are picked up and worked for a few inches in a garter-stripe pattern. The pattern then shifts to classic two-color brioche rib and ends with the colors reversed for a brioche lace edging.

The shape is achieved by increasing 6 stitches (3 stitches at each end of the needle) every 2 rows in the garter-stripe pattern, then 6 stitches every 8 rows in the brioche rib pattern. I used the Italian method (also known as the K1, P1 Tubular or Invisible Rib method) for a smooth bind-off along the lower slightly scalloped edge.

The reversible shawl has all the squishy appeal of brioche and it stays put on the shoulders.

You can purchase a kit from Loops for just $54.99, which includes the pattern and two skeins of each of the two colors in three possible colorways.

You can also buy the individual Loops Amore Shawl pattern on Ravelry. Use the coupon code LOVE FEST to receive 20% off the Ravelry purchase price between now and midnight Saturday, February 9.

One Step Forward, One Step Back

January 29, 2019 / Patterns, Sweaters / 4 Comments

For the past couple of years my friend Cindy and I have spent New Year’s Eve together bing watching Gray’s Anatomy and casting on sweaters for ourselves for the new year.

This year we both purchased Julie Asselin Nurtured from River City Yarns in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. This yarn is an amazing blend of Rambouillet, Targhee, and Merino in stunning heathered tones. I chose Tisane, a reddish purply-pink; Cindy chose a dark gray.

After a lot of searching on Ravelry, we both decided to knit Kiki, a textured top-down cardigan by Julie Weisenberger, that uses Julie’s signature Cocoknits construction. (Be aware that you’ll need a copy of Julie’s Book Cocoknits Sweater Workshop in order to follow the instructions in the Kiki pattern.)

By the end of the cast-on day, I had made good progress on the back neck, shoulders, and fronts, and I was feeling pretty proud of myself. Unfortunately, I failed to notice a mis-placed column of knit stitches next to each of the back cables. I probably could have dropped down stitches and corrected them, but it would have meant dropping back ALL of the back stitches. I decided it was better to rip it all out and feast on a large slice of humble pie.

I happily knitted most of the upper body before I noticed that I had twisted two (2!) cables in the wrong direction, one of which was 60 rows back. Because only 12 stitches were affected, I chose to drop down those 60 rows and pick up the 12 stitches row by row, correcting the errant cable crosses along the way.

I admit that I was feeling a little discouraged at this point. However, I ate more humble pie and soldiered on. I’m afraid that I ran into a couple other mishaps along the way that I didn’t bother photographing, but I’ve now finished the body and am delighted with the results.

It *should* be smooth sailing from here on, but I’m determined to stop and examine my stitches every couple of inches.

My your New Year’s projects give you fewer fits!

Knit For Fun, Canada, ReCap

November 27, 2018 / Cowls, Patterns, Retreats, Travel

I can’t believe that it’s already been four weeks since my Knit For Fun Retreat in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. My rock star teachers were (left to right) Bristol Ivy, Justyna Lorkowska, and Carson Demers. The outstanding marketplace was hosted by (left to right) sisters Barb Barone and Cynthia Hyslop of River City Yarns in Edmonton.

Eighty-some attendees, ranging in age from their twenties to their eighties and traveling from both the U.S. and Canada, joined us at the very comfortable DoubleTree by Hilton where there was ample space for community knitting and camaraderie.

Included with a lot of other stupendous swag, each attendee received the yarn and pattern to make the Silver Lining cowl (shown at right), which is now available for purchase through Ravelry. The bulky-weight yarn is Merino Slipper by Fleece Artist dyed in the custom Silver Lining colorwary and is only available from River City Yarns.

We’re shaking things up for our Canadian retreat in 2019. The retreat will take place in Quebec at the four-diamond Fairmont Tremblant hotel in the mountain resort of Mont-Tremblant August 8 – 11. Check out the details on my website. Registration opens December 7 at 10:00 am Mountain Standard Time.

Silver Linings

November 22, 2018 / Accessories, Cowls, Patterns

In honor of my Fall 2018 Knit For Fun Retreat in Edmonton, Canada, I designed a thick and cushy cowl to protect against frigid temperatures and blustery winds.

The bulky yarn is Merino Slipper, hand dyed by Fleece Artist in a custom colorway that resembles the stark contrast between bare trees and snow-covered fields. Named “Silver Lining,” the colorway is a reminder that there’s beauty in even the harshest of landscapes.

The simple texture pattern repeats over just four stitches and two rounds, and is easily memorized. At a gauge of just 2.75 stitches/inch, it’s possible to complete the cowl in a single evening.

The Silver Lining cowl is now available on Ravelry. Get 20% off the $6 purchase price by using the code SILVER LINING before midnight November 25.