I'm absolutely thrilled to announce the release of Speckle and Stone, my independently-published knitting pattern collection featuring 5 all-new designs. It also happens to be my birthday, so it's going to be a very fun day!

I'm offering the collection for sale as individual pattern pdfs ($6), an ebook ($15), and a beautifully printed softcover book ($20).

I am planning a series of blog posts over the next couple of weeks to discuss each of the designs, plus a blog tour with some of my favorite bloggers, and podcasters, but in the meantime, here are a few pictures (click the links for more info).

Arno Pullover

Mezzo Cardigan

Tiber Cardigan

Dolo Mitts

Brenta Hat

I decided to create this collection independently, which is to say I deliberately did not seek out a publisher. I've had generally positive experiences working with publishers large and small alike, but I wanted to see if I could pull it off on my own. I wanted complete creative control from start to finish.

Working with a big publisher is great in many ways, of course. When I wrote Graphic Knits with Interweave Press I was truly able to focus on design because they took care of absolutely everything else. All I had to do was produce a draft of the written intructions, and the finished samples. They did the photography, layout, editing, promotion, and distribution. What a luxury! They are real pros and it turned out beautifully. I still love that book, and wouldn't have done anything differently.

The downside is that it took more than 2 years. By the end of the first year, I just really wanted to focus on something new, but I had a whole year left in the process! That's when I first started to dream about doing a small self-published collection.

About six months after the release of Graphic Knits, I found myself ready to take on a new creative challenge. So I signed up for a pottery class with my good friend, Erika.

This was not my first time making pots. I actually studied pottery in art school, many years ago. I had a dual-focus on painting and pottery—man, those were some amazing years! I never could pick a favorite, but after graduation I didn't have access to a pottery studio anymore so painting and graphic design kind of took over organically. I missed the pottery studio sorely though.

I was a little nervous returning to the pottery studio after so many years. To cope with this anxious feeling I started doing some research. I dug out my old pottery textbooks, opened up my sketchpad and started working on concepts for my new pots. The sketches of pots and bowls started mingling with sketches of sweaters and hats, and before I knew it I had developed a dozen new knitwear designs—Speckle and Stone was born.

I didn't realize how much my knitwear designs resembled the pots I created until well after the fact. Of course it's obvious now, but the origin of creative work always seems much clearer in retrospect.

I have talked about the influence of pueblo pottery in my design aesthetic before, so I probably shouldn't have been surprised to realize the correlation this time around.

The pottery class ended, and I turned my focus to the collection. I truly relished having complete creative control. I edited the collection to just five pieces that I wanted to make and wear most. I ordered yarn in colors that would fit into my own wardrobe. I knitted the samples at a pace that seemed natural to me. I ran the photo shoot the way I wanted, and made sure I got all the pictures I needed using models that eat doughnuts and pizza sometimes (me and my friend Katie). I even designed the layout of the book, the diagrams, and the charts. I completely own this thing!

This project has “me" written all over it, and I couldn't be more proud to share it with you all now. I have a fun series of blog posts planned to talk about each piece, so stay tuned for that. I also have a great blog tour lined up with giveaways, interviews and reviews. See below for dates.

I'm absolutely dying to know what you think! Send me some good vibes on my birthday, and let me know if you have a favorite design in the comments section below :)

BLOG TOUR

11/23- Berroco Blog (kit giveaway!)

11/25- The Knit Girllls video podcast (book review at 51:00 mark)

11/26- Stockinette Zombies video podcast (book review at 50:00 mark)

11/30- Allyson Dykhuizen Sweatshop of Love (special discount!)

12/02- Melissa Wehrle Neo Knits

12/06- Beatrice Perron Dahlen Thread & Ladle

12/09- Alex Tinsley Dull Roar