Pattern Scout
Inspiration in the Aisles
As one might assume, spending any amount of time here at the MDK World Headquarters is an opportunity to find special items to take home. Now imagine being here five days a week, six hours a day. The aisles are a siren singing their ensnaring song to me all day long.
For as long as we have carried Adella Colvin’s Lolabean Yarn Co., I have eagerly eyed the varied and brilliant color concoctions of Pinto Bean, a DK superwash Merino. We brought in this yarn for Fatimah Hinds’s designs in MDK Field Guide No. 27: Sock Odyssey, but I keep imagining it in patterns that are not socks, too.
White Mountains Light by Midori Hirose
The pattern comes with multiple ideas for customizing your perfect top. The newly updated sleeveless version is my favorite. Normally, I’m not one for a cap sleeve, but the raglan seam gives it some interest and structure. It’s simple yet interesting and allows your eye to take in the balanced details—the perfect base for any of the variegated hues in the Pinto Bean line.
I think this sleeveless top would be a superb knit in Salt Water Taffy, a lovely creamy white with a delicate sprinkling of color.
Sadie Sweater by Ozetta: Hailey Smedley
Another pattern in which its simplicity lends itself to a perfect canvas for colorful yarns is the Sadie Sweater. I love the easy shape of this classic sweater—not too boxy, but perfectly relaxed and cozy. My favorite feature of this sweater is the rolled hems. It reminds me of an old t-shirt that has been cut over the years and has softly rolled up over time.
I can envision two versions of the sweater in Pinto Bean: Audrey II if you love to wear bright colors and El Bosque if you are more of an earthy, neutral person. Both would be both elegant and captivating.
Hollo Bandana by Yiğitcan/Pufido
The instant I saw the Hollo Bandana, I fell in love. The wavy texture with the hole details is so dynamic, which is perfect for a small accessory. I am a sucker for a pop of interest, and this one fits the bill.
I think you could make this in absolutely any color and it would be beautiful, but Electric Youth with its neon markings and the perfectly tropical-water-hued Agua Dulce would be delectable. This one is going to stay at the top of my list!
Figures by Audrey Borrego
I had to include Figures, a modern, geometric cardigan. For whatever reason, I have always believed that cardigans fall into the accessory category and therefore easily pull off a lot of color and pattern.
Immediately, I imagined this eye-catching cardigan in a combination of El Bosque and Strange Brew—a perfectly laidback duo that balances out the bold colorwork. It feels like that favorite fall cardigan, which is constantly on my mind as I eagerly anticipate the cooler weather ahead.
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Thnx for the suggestions! Always looking for ideas. White Mountains Light is a very versatile pattern after looking at all the pix on the “details” page on Ravelry.
Thank you, Ashley, for these great suggestions! There are a few going right onto my Ravelry favorites list. Also, Adella posted about a gorgeous new colorway coming this fall.
Ashley, I spent 3 years looking for a perfect white sweater, found it, love it, wanted another color but none available. And today, thanks to you, it IS the Sadie Sweater! Thanks for the fun read!
I love your color suggestions…out of the box which is also what my stash looks like. It’s like having permission to do what I see too!
Thanks!
These are so beautiful! Ashley has such an eye for patterns!! I may need to add that cardigan to my TBK list…
Ashley!!! Stop feeding the knitting monster! It wants to do all the patterns!
I do agree, however, that Lolabean yarn is beautiful, and the colors are amazing, and they are a siren’s song of ‘knit me!’. Lucky you, getting to see it almost every day.
Any Christmas yarn?
Love the colors you selected for Figures. Interesting, not a jarring contrast.