Wednesday, April 23, 2025

DIY Rainbow Shawl

Mini skeins are fabulous! I use them as a way to try new dyers or colorways, easy to purchase a few to support a new local yarn shop, and a fantastic way to try new colors outside of your regular palette. 

DIY Rainbow Shawl is the second installment of the Leading Men Fiber Arts quarter designs from All Knit Up Designs. You can check out the 'in-house designer' post here


My newest shawl design is an asymmetric triangle shawl that uses as many or as few mini skeins as you'e like! Original sample used 9, 20gram mini skeins to create a kaleidoscope of color on your needles. DIY Rainbow uses two color garter to create unique blends of color between 2 mini skeins. 

The original sample used a variety of dye styles; tonal, speck and variegated but they were all 20 grams. You could also use all 10 grams or 50 grams if you'd prefer. The slip stitch edges give a clean and crisp finish with a nice i-cord bind off. Any minis with a base you're comfortable wearing around your neck are perfect. 

If you'd prefer to use the two color garter technique with less colors and bigger skeins you can check out Dillon or Splash. If you'd like a crescent shape vs a triangle Me Before Brioche is for you. I can't wait to see the Rainbow you come up with! 

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

In House Designing

 Last April (2024) I attended/vended at Makerfest in Loveland CO. I met lots of lovely vendor and fiber enthusiast. Among those fabulous people were Steve and Andy owners of Leading Men Fiber Arts. Both appreciated my use of scraps and mini skeins in my designs. A bit after the event they reached out and asked if I'd be interested in being the 2025 in-house designer for their mini skein monthly club! Are. You. Kidding. Me. I was so flattered that they asked, but as this is business I asked for details of what this collaboration entails and what the benefits for both sides are. 

All that to say, I'm the in-house designer for Leading Men Fiber Arts for 2025! Once a quarter I'll put out a pattern using mini skeins and Leading Men Yarn while Steve and Andy will put all pattern information into that month's mini skein shipment. After the shipment goes out they will run a knit along with my patterns. 

The patterns will be available to everyone, mini skein subscribers get a special discount code. First pattern is Street Mitts and the second is coming at the end of this month!