Avian

Avian has flown the coop!

I’ve been waiting a loooong time to get both of these designs released together as a package, and I’m thrilled that they’re ready! As I may have mentioned already (and probably more than once!), the name for the designs comes from the featured cabled texture that is reminiscent of birds in flight. And as I joked to someone, because I did two photoshoots at two very different beaches to get all of these pictures, maybe the birds are seagulls? terns? pelicans? 🙂

Photographed along the expanse of Narragansett Beach, RI, the luxurious blue triangle shawl (shown in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in “Lapis”) is created by knitting the cabled edging first, picking up stitches for the body and finishing with a simple lace edging.

Snapped along the beach edges of Atlantic Beach, NY, the elegant white rectangular stole (shown in Yarns International Shetland 2000) is worked in one piece from edge to edge, surrounding flocks of cables in a lacy, transparent mesh.

Both pieces are knit with 1,000 yards of fingering weight yarn on US 6 needles to create a delicate, ligher-than-air fabric.

While both of these designs are rendered in traditional shapes, e.g., a triangle or a rectangle, that lend themselves to traditional modes of wearing them, don’t let that limit your imagination! Sure, the triangular shawl will cover your shoulders and torso, but you can wear it piled up like a bandanna or encircling your waist over a neutral colored skirt! The stole is beautiful enough to gift to a bride and casual enough to be wrapped around my neck four times in the dead of winter for the ultimate scarf. Knit one, or both, and make them your own. They’ve got the hallmarks of traditional knitting, but are generously sized for myriad modern uses.

A BIG THANK YOU to my test knitters, Jan and Fran, who offered their time, expertise, and keen editing skills so graciously. I’m a lucky girl to have them 🙂 And an especial thank you to my photographer/stylist/grip/lighting specialist husband, Andrew! Whether it was a chilly 50-ish degrees or a sticky 80+ degrees, you captured some really inspired photos that made my vision a reality!

As always, you can get your own copy of Avian through Makewise Designs here or you can find it on Ravelry as well. And if you’re on Ravelry, be sure to share all of your progress and your finished projects at our Makewise Designs group!

Enjoy! xoxo Danielle