Design Portfolio

This page features examples of projects my patterns are based on, items I have sold or been commissioned to make in the past, and a fun collection of examples of past knitted projects. The image in the masthead is a back-lit photo of the circular mohair shawl detailed in the parade of past projects.

Contents

Parade of Past Projects (just for fun)

The items pictured below are not for sale, and most can't be commissioned due to complexity, unavailability of yarn, or lack of inclination on my part. I do have patterns available for a few of them, and indicate those. This is mostly just for fellow knitters to share! Updated frequently!

Continued obsession with Bathtime Blossom #1, this time in a thicker and brighter cotton, for my OWN bathroom! I spare you photos of the plain tan wedding gift ones.	This is a little cabled bag I made as a class sample. Wong background, no close-up. See it at the yarn shop.
I got on a washcloth kick, May 2006. This is Bathtime Blossom #1 in a festive cotton.	May 2006 Bathtime Blossom #3 pattern, in a cotton/rayon blend. I needed to block this one.	This belt is in Berocco Suede and is a Yarn Cocktails pattern I worked up as a class sample. Looks nicer in person. May 2006.
This May 2006 tam in bulky baby alpace is another Yarn Cocktails pattern I worked up as a class sample. Cute kid.	This is the NoniBags majolica bag I I knitted in April 2006 as a test knitter for the pattern. I did not do a good job on the flowers. But it was fun being a "test knitter" and I thank Nora for that!	A Lucy Bag in Silk Garden that I did in entrelac as an experiment. Then I washed it. It is incredibly soft. 3/06	This simple lace scarf from May 2006 is a Fiber Trends pattern in baby alpaca yarn. It is short because it is a class sample--would be twice as long with two skeins of yarn!
This is my "birthday 2006 sweater," complete 5 weeks after the big event.	A silk, modal and cotton blend and very soft, Gedifra TopSoft.This shows the details on the neck, which are also on side slits and the sleeves. I am very proud of how well I sewed the seams--they look as good as the sample in the yarn shop!	Elsebeth Lavold pattern in Hempathy. Light as a feather and fits beautifully.	Finally made a dog sweater for a dog, but he didn't appreciate it much. I used this to teach a design your own doggie sweater class, April 2006.
My glamour hair photo of 2006 also shows this beautiful vest, from the Dazzling Knits book, in Noro Silk Garden. It's a modular slip stitch pattern and was really fun!	Here's a back view in natural light so you can better see the colors. I used two different colorways of Silk Garden, and each changed at different rates, making each module different.	Here's a close-up of the stitches. I will always remember that I made this during the Winter Olypmics, so I will think of skiing and skating when I wear it (which is often so far). At right is my first dog sweater (winter) for the local yarn shop. Just one ball of Quest and one of Lazer FX and you, too, could have a stylin' animal. If you insist. See below for sweater #2.
My 2006 River Rock Slippers are really warm and look like Ugg boots. The main yarn is "Flauto," doubled. They are based on a baby bootie pattern, only made better! Pattern available!	Simpler booties I made for my sister out of Big Baby yarn. It's super-bulky, but I made it on small needles, so the booties are very durable.	Oh boy, more slippers. These I made in 2006 while teaching a class on my River Rock Slippers. The top is THICK, but nice and shiny!.	The "summer" sweater from a series I made for the local yarn shop in 2006. This is made from yarns I don't know the name of because the owner kept the labels for inventory!
This really cool 2005 fall sweater is a big circle with space left open at a certain point for the armholes. The outer face is reverse stockinet, with a VERY complex wrapping pattern, so complex I wouldn't use it again.	The sweater is knit in Lorna's Laces worsted weight and boucle yarns and is from the Fall 2005 Vogue Knitting. I sure look porky in this photo.		This exquisite scarf from late 2005 was made to keep me warm on trips up north. The yarn is Diakeito Diadomina, and it shades beautifully from one color to the next. The linen stitch pattern really enhances the changing colors. The scarf was knit in the round, so it is two layers thick, other than a garter stitch border that has the fringe attached. I sort of made up the bobbled fringe, which is a lot of fun to make. Pattern available!
This mitered square afghan from fall 2005 is from Berocco's Foliage yarn, which comes in fun colors. Yes, it is sitting on a tuba.	This knitted vest, from fall 2005, with crochet border is also of Berocco's Foliage yarn. I believe I got the pattern off the company's website.	I made this one out of a cotton yarn I have now forgotten the name of, in spring 2005. It's really comfy.	This 2005 sweater is from lovely yarn that is a blend of cashmere, silk and wool from Queensland. I wear it all the time if I am cool around the house.
	OOOH, AAAH, at left is the tie I knitted for my dad for Father's Day 2005 from exotic Diakeito Dialen yarn, 6 different fabrics in a strand the size and texture of dental floss. I knitted two strands together to get the gauge of sock yarn. The pattern is from knitty.com. Below is a close up--note it has sparkle in it, a strand of lurex. This is one snazzy tie.	A lovely felted mitred square bag in triangular shape. I took a class from Jennie at my lovely local yarn shop to learn this technique. It was fun. I think perhaps the purple fizz is a bit too thick. Yarn is Kureyon like the scarf below.	Another felted mitred square bag, this one four-sided. Darn the camera, the red is TOO red again. In any case, it's really cute and is for a gift.
This cloche looks much better on the wig model at the yarn store, where it now lives. It's made from 99% cotton, 1% lycra yarn called "Star." It is really "sproingy" and has an interesting texture. The flower is crocheted from Judi & Co. "Raffia," which comes in a cute egg-shaped skein.	Same crocheted rose pattern but in a lovely ribbon by the same company. I forget its name, as it lives at the yarn shop, but the color is Amaryllis. I was just making them some samples.	My beloved Lucy Bag, with rose. Wow do I love this precious felted darling. I now use it to carry all my work in progress. I used Cascade wool with leftovers from hats and the red bag above as stripes.
Gregory's Rainbow Scarf. Pattern available!	Gregory's Rainbow--I really wish the photos didn't come out so incredibly RED. This is beautiful yarh and the photos do not do it justice. It is Noro Kureyon The World of Nature, and truly made a rainbow for Gregory.		People liked the slanted stripe and asked me to write up the instructions, which I will share.
Palm side of my beautiful cashmere fingerless gloves, pattern from the book Not Just Socks. I wish the camera didn't make reds so flamingly red. This is lovely yarn.	Back of cashmere glove. I made them because my hands get so cold typing in my office. Thanks, Belinda, for the yarn, which is Mountain Colors Cashmere.	This scarf and hat in Lamb's Pride worsted was a holiday 2004 commission. I made a couple of other similar hats this year.	Here are the mittens I made to go with the hat and shawl. They really ARE the same yellow and green. I thought it was fun to make them in opposite colors.
Cowl neck poncho of Lion Brand Boucle.	This poncho and hat were the only things I made for ME in fall and winter 04!	See how cozy the poncho made me and my sweetie look! This better reflects the colors, which are not as flamingly red as the pictures at left would indicate. The pattern actually called for yarn that would have cost over $200 to buy! Yay Hobby Lobby sale prices.	Here Seamus the kitty tries to decide whether he'd rather knit or watch television. That's a multi-yarn scarf I was working on for my "mother-in-law." I never got a picture of the finished product.
Three different shawls--the one on the left is detailed above. Yes, I also did the wall hanging.	A circular, green mohair shawl, which I have made two of, one sold. The yarn was from a type that each color was named from the palette of a famous painting. I can't remember the name, darn it.	More accurate colors and an idea of the size.	A very simple afghan I crocheted for my best friend out of that inexpensive Lion Brand Homespun yarn. The pattern was on the label.
Gray circular shawl, based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's pi shawl. I added the diamond patterns to it and I think I put my own choice of edging on. I made this in 1989-90 so it is hard to remember. It's very fine wool.	Close up of pi shawl.	It's very large and very warm, since you wear it doubled. This is more like the real color.	A "blankie" was requested, so I made this blue one like the above only in stripes for my eldest son.
My cute dog sleeping under a very snazzy fair isle wool baby blanket out of the Vogue Baby Knits book (the small one). I used the exact yarn they called for--geez, it was over $100, but by the time I finished, the baby was a toddler. And it is too hot for Texas.	It will look much better blocked, which will happen some day.	This shell with a lace border is from a Knitter's Magazine pattern. I used the yarn called for! It's wool/angora.	You can see the traveling vine lace pattern better here, and how uneven my knitting was for some reason. There was a cardigan that went with this, but I didn't make it. It's very comfy for wool.
Very fluffy novelty yarn scarf--just plain garter stitch but a wonderful yarn I got in Chicago. I finished on the plane home! It's FOR SALE		Three hats I made over the 2002 holiday season. The first on the left is leftover yarn from the baby afghan above, and is felted. Really warm. The second is in a lovely cotton, and made to the young man's specifications, sigh. The one above came out funny. It is lovely chenille with an eyelash yarn, but can look like a wig when all my hair is tucked in. Not flattering.	Aww, this was Kynan's baby sweater, knitted in acrylic to match the colors in his baby bedroom. Note genuine stains. Wool fair isle vest made in the 80s. No seams. Made with weird remnant cone yarn that is scratchy.
The first thing I ever made in wool, my junior year in college. Still wear it!	Lopi Icelandic sweater from the 70s. It is all pilled. Sigh.	This is the afghan on my couch. It is really a shetland shawl, knit all in one piece from the first Knitter's feature on shawls, many years ago. I just did it in thick wool to make a throw rather than thin stuff. I'd lke to try this again in fine yarn.	MORE TO COME

Available for Custom Orders

Eros Scarves: I have made over 300 simple but elegant scarves in Plymouth Eros yarn (whish are WAY more attractive in person). You can purchase them at Unike Boutique, 3100 S. Congress Ave., Suite D, Austin, or contact me to order one. They work for all seasons and can dress up or down, depending on your outfit. Smaller people can use the scarves as belts, too (teens love it). The yarn is a fascinating ladder type of novelty yarn. The chunks of colors remind people of beads. There are over 50 colors you can choose from on this yarn, including ones with a touch of metallic thread. The links to Eros colors below are courtesy of Kaleidoscope Yarns, who have sold me lots and lots of yarn over the past year or two--I heartily recommend them.

Closer view of two scarves.	The scarf looks great livening up a winter coat. It is Eros 2027.	I discovered this burgundy, gold and brown one matched many of my outfits. It is Eros 7105	This is actually the first one I made, for my sister's birthday in 2003. This is Eros 4789, an all time favorite color.
Here is a much closer view or the scarves above, and you can see the yarn better in the enlarged view (click the image). The left color is no longer available; the right is Eros 7105.	I designed this mantilla, using 3 balls of Eros 3008, for a friend'smother to wear to church services.	Here my friends in St. Thomas model the tropical way to layer the scarves! They look really shiny in the large photo.	Denim colored Eros scarf for my friend in Washington DC. It is Eros 7112--perfect with jeans.

Socks!

My current craze, when not knitting scarves, is sock knitting. I don't make much on a sock, but I enjoy making them and they are sooo pretty in self striping yarns or lovely patterns. See for yourself! I am actually quite booked up on socks, so there is a bit of a waiting list. Older socks are at the top, newer at the bottom.

The First socks I made when I reluctantly gave in to the fun of socks. Very sober, plain socks--no slip stitch heel, either	Happy, cheap (Lion Brand) striped yarn where I really mesed up the heel, but learned a lot. Used a better basic pattern.	This sock is allover 2 x 2 rib on the leg, which is why it looks so skinny. It is made with really lovely yarn and fits great on a leg. No sagging.	Very simple Reggia Stripe socks for my sister's 2004 birthday. Came out a little thick for my leg, but I did my best--even on size 0 needles my knitting is large.
Now THESE came out so cute! The second pair I made for Connie, who ordered 14 pairs to wear in her work as a nurse. XXL pastel stripe with a simple baby cable top.	Detail of the baby cable top. I used toothpicks as a cable needle, which craked my dad up.	This one is such pretty colors, and such a lovely pattern, but the yarn is cotton and has no elasticity. It sags. Wah.	Here is a detail of the colors and stitching. I got the pattern in a leaflet--write for details.
This is such a luxurious sock. Leaf lace pattern in a Wild Foote yarn my friend Laura sent me. Even has reinforcing yarn in the heel and toe.	Detail of the lace. Sorry it is blurry. This sock also looks really nice on a foot.	The color of this one is off--it like a brick red. It is the second pattern in the leaflet from the socks above.	I used the stripe yarn so the up and down pattern would show up.
I made up this basketweave sock and it came out well--this is such neat yarn (Sockatta Color) that I want to make a plainer one so the pattern shows up.	Isn't this pretty? The yarn has a little white in it and the colors remind me of "Stripe" gum that I chewed as a kit.	OOOH the Mermaid Socks I made in the Virgin Islands. I was actually sorta happy when Connie rejected them. From the Cool Socks, Warm Feet book.	This is such a neat pattern! The spiral rib ends up looking like checks on a self-striping yarn. I LOVE it, especially the pretty toe. I don't like the heel, and next time will use a different one.
Another sock from Cool Socks, Warm Feet book, the crenelated sock. It has a weird scquare toe and is worked toe up.	This extreme close-up shows the cute border and garter stitch edging. The yarn is Opal. Connie liked these OK. I think the top is cool, but not the heel.	This view shows the top folded down and a good view of the "afterthought" heel, which was done after the rest of the sock was knitted.	These are little bitty baby socks. They are in the same yarn as the previous, but I had funny light. They are 40 stitches around and knit just like regular socks otherwise. The recipient put in a cord to tie them on and they work great.
These are also for Connie and are supposed to be her patriotic holiday socks. I added a six-stitch cable down the side for interest. Here's detail of the top and cable. This yarn is very soft. It is XXL from Germany.	I call these the Monet Lace socks because the colors look like a painting. This is the same pattern as the cotton one way up at top, but in wool so it does not sag.	This is a better view of the colors, but blurry. This sock is yet another Connie model. It is lovely soft wool.	This one is made of stretch wool. It is really comfy to wear and even fits under pink and green sneakers! I made it for ME.
A bit of fun for Connie, perhaps a holiday sock.	I like it better folded down.The main yarn is Reggia and not as soft as those German ones. Very sturdy.	These socks are made from Opal "crocodile" stripe in indigo and white. The patterns were SO much fun to see as they developed. The first socks I finished in 2005--I stopped working on them to do all my holiday knitting.	Here's a closer up view of these socks. The blue and white was really pretty.
This pretty 2005 sock has a cabled rib top and uses Opal yarn. I think it was my last Connie sock.	This lovely ribbed sock is in "pansy" color of Sock Garden by KnitPicks. I knit it on 000 needles, so it took a while.	The Perky Pink Party socks are also made from Sock Garden, the "stargazer lily" colorway. Pattern Available.	Sock from Online (I think) where on each foot I seed stitched one dark band, for fun. 2005. Nice yarn.
Another KnitPicks 2005 sock, which was supposed to be a scrunch sock, but later "someone" washed it in the regular wash, so now it is a semi-felted sock. Grr. Gotta watch those KnitPicks ones that are NOT superwash.	This 2005 sock is a plain ole sock knit with lovely Cherry Hill yarn that I got in Illinois when a bunch of friends and I went on a yarn search. Nice tuba, huh.	This 2005 sock is from Joslyn's sport weight sock yarn and is very comfy. The knot pattern was fun to knit. Note: after washing, the color is coming out. Grr.	My personal favorite 2005 sock, from Trekking 100, the best of all their colorways with a non-repeating pattern. I did a simple lace pattern on it, and love it to death.
Socks are slow in '06, but I did manage to knit up the Sockatta flag yarn quite festively!	late May, 2006	Scotch Lace Prancer is the name of this pattern--guess it looks like thistles? I adopted the pattern by adding an extra repeat, as it originally called for sport weight yarn. Made in Austermann Step yarn (with Aloe and Jojoba!) for Andrea.

Felted Hats

I made these fun felted hats in October-December 2004. From a lumpy "before," they become a snappy chapeau "after " a lot of hot water in the washing machine. The two hats below went to live in Sweden, as they were commissioned. Made from wool and mohair, they will keep someone's head nice and warm!

This is what the hats look like before. they come to your shoulders and look like big lumps. You can see each individual stitch.

This is the hat at left, once felted and blocked. It's a nice hat!

This one was two shades of purple. (There's a red one, the one I kept, in a poncho photo in the miscellaneous projects section) .

Heaven Shawls: I intended to make ONE shawl for myself out of this incredibly soft, cuddly and beautiful mohair yarn (Heaven, from Lorna's Laces). However, people want them and I truly love working with this wonderful yarn , so I will make them, though it takes a while! There are so many colors of Heaven that the web site can put you in Heaven! The shawl is a semi-circle made out of five pie-shaped wedges. It is fun to make, using short rows and large needles. Pattern credit goes to Lorna of Lorna's Laces.

You can see the nice edging here.	Backlit, you can see the short rows (if you click to see the larger version, it is really clear). Better light--you can see the size and design.	It looks very pretty worn, and is quite warm but light.	This one is the same Heaven yarn in all purples, for my friend Diane. It came out a bit thicker. Close-up showing stitches and fairly true colors.
		At left, the shawl worn with a day-glo tie-dye shirt--no wonder I look pained. Above, mirror image to the photo above of the first shawl!

Thanks to Jeffrye Tveraas for the photography with black backgrounds. Images copyright ©2006 SA Kendall.