In October 2010, a talented indie yarn dyer whose work I loved announced a design contest. Two months, one new design, in any of her yarns. At that point, I’d been designing for just a few months, still finding my voice as a designer, so the timing felt perfect. There would also be not just one but two winners, so the chances felt good!

I cast on right away, using the dyer’s soft and luxurious MCN, a merino, cashmere, nylon blend. I wanted to create a set—a cowl and mitts that worked together but not as two separate projects. I made the first set in a teal colorway with earthy speckles, followed by a second set in a warm cinnamon. As I finished, I realized they’d each used exactly or just shy of one skein. That wasn’t by design; it just worked out that way.

The win came as such a validation. I was still so new to designing, and to have my work recognized alongside another designer’s? It gave me confidence to keep going and to trust that I had something to offer. I called it Dyade, a German word for a pair as well as a nod to my heritage and to how these two pieces were meant to function as one.

It’s a set that doesn't demand a big commitment—just one generous skein of fingering weight yarn in whatever color that speaks to you and a few evenings of knitting. You get to play with color and yarn and finish with something beautiful on your hands.

When I started publishing patterns in mid-2010, I was eager to find my own voice and to explore my personal creativity and style. To develop ideas that felt distinctly mine. By early 2011, I’d published a few patterns, and a design question emerged: What if I worked a triangular shawl from the bottom point upward, instead of using a traditional garter tab cast on?

I cast on Alivia with that specific idea in mind. I wanted the lace to develop naturally as the shawl’s size increased, without the typical center spine. The bottom-up construction gave me exactly what I was looking for and kept the center clean and whole.

The first version came together in three days—faster than I anticipated—in a beautiful aqua-colored silk/merino fingering weight yarn. When I blocked it, the lace opened up with gorgeous drape, light and fluid. It was exactly what I’d imagined. At the same time, my brother-in-law and his wife were experimenting with dyeing yarn. They’d given me a tight twist merino in a gorgeous berry tone that I knew would be perfect for this shawl too.

But rather than making the same shawl again, I saw the opportunity to explore something else. Since the beginning of my design journey, I’d loved giving knitters options, and I wondered, what if I swapped the lace center for garter stitch? I made a second sample and, just like the first, it was quick and satisfying to knit, but each one had its own personality. The garter center version was understated and meditative, while the lace center version was layered in texture and visual interest.

The best part? One version didn’t mean sacrificing the other. I could offer something for the lace lover and something for the knitter seeking an easier entry point to lace. Two distinct looks, both inviting you to make it your own.

A beautiful balance of stockinette, lace and texture come together to create Meira, a crescent shaped shawl knit in a versatile, sport weight yarn. This piece will be easily worn throughout the year, no matter the season! Its generous wingspan wraps gracefully around its wearer in a variety of ways, providing just enough warmth on a crisp Spring day, a cool Summer’s eve, or bundled under a coat during the Fall and Winter.