I cannot believe how quickly this year is marching by; somehow, it’s already March! It’s that time when the weather is not quite sure what season it is (and if you were just affected by the time change, you might not be entirely sure what time it is either!) Not only do we have our lovely KAL going on right now, but today we have our March Quickies pattern, the Heartsone Hood designed by Arianna Soloway. This design is the perfect complement to the weather confusion, and it brings a splash of color to what might feel like endless grey days. Ariana is not only a designer but also the store manager of Must Love Yarn in Shelbourne, VT.

Heartsome Hood is knit in 2 different colors of Rios, and it is offered in a Toddler/Child version and an Adult version. It is the perfect opportunity to play with various color palettes, making that colorful variegated skein in your stash pop!

Ariana took some time to answer some questions about her design, and we look forward to sharing it with you now!

1: What is your favorite part of your Quickies design and why?

I played with a couple of different methods of shaping the hood as I worked on this design, and the one I settled on making a well-fitting hood and a fun design detail along the side!

2: What should knitters pay attention to when working on this pattern? Do you have any tips or tricks to make knitting this pattern easier?

Watch the video about the unique decrease technique. It’s weird but so satisfying once you do

it!

3: What do you think knitters will enjoy the most about this project?

Playing with the alternating-colored stripes.

4: What does your design process look like?

As a yarn store manager, I’m lucky enough to spend all day around yarn. A lot of my designs are inspired by yarns we carry in our store, unusual color combinations that customers choose or some minor detail from a pattern that they bring in. From there, I’ll start doodling until the pieces fall into place and then knitting. I do minimal calculations to create and then write as I go and size when I’m finished knitting the sample.

5: Was there any particular inspiration you had when creating this piece?

The idea for this piece started with the idea to use alternating stripes and slipped stitches to create a hidden shape. At first, it would be a cowl, but it evolved from there.

6: What is the one thing you wish people knew about you as a designer?

This is about all designers, not just me, but I’d like people to know that we don’t always have all the answers. We have ideas and calculations, but sometimes, we’re just flying by the seat of our pants.

7: What beverage will you most likely have by your side while designing?

A cup of green tea, probably several hours old and at room temperature. (As a grad school student and busy mom of 5, I had to laugh at this answer as I fully understand Ariana and her cold tea, although it is usually coffee in my mug!)

You can find the Heartstone Hood on Ravelry here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heartstone-hood

Be sure you are following Ariana on IG @arianna_solowau_designs