May Quickie: Blips by Sierra Kreun
The sun is starting to shine a little brighter, the days are getting just a little bit warmer, and I don’t know if it’s Spring Fever or the looming Summer break, but attention spans definitely seem significantly shorter these days! If that sums up your life right now as well, then the May Quickies project is definitely one that you will want to check out. Blips, designed by Sierra Kreun of All Knit Up Designs is spectacular for variegated yarns!
It is designed for just 2 skeins of Mechita and is shown in the Viola colorway.
Sierra took some time to share a little bit about her design with us.
1: What is your favorite part of your Quickies design and why?
My favorite part of my Quickies design is how great it looks with variegated yarn! Sometimes it can be so difficult to find a pattern that is fun to knit but also compliments a variegated yarn. Blips was designed to highlight the amazing qualities of variegated yarn so you can really how off this amazing piece of art. The blips that run along the edge each highlight individual colors and make everyone’s shawl completely different.
2: What should knitters pay attention to when working this pattern? Do you have any tips or tricks that will make knitting this pattern easier?
The nature of hand dyed yarn is that every hank (even ones that come from the same dye pan) can look radically different. I worked both skeins at the same time so the color combinations are more even. If knitters are going to follow the same guideline I would suggest changing yarns at the beginning of the row and bringing them up the side.
3: What do you think knitters will enjoy the most about this project?
I think knitters will enjoy how easy Blips is to memorize. After a few repeats most knitters aren’t going to need the pattern until the bind off. I love a project I can take along and knit without worrying that I’m messing the pattern up. I will rip and reknit if I mess up but I really try and avoid doing it. I design patterns for social knitting and Blips is right in line with that goal.
4: What does your design process look like?
My design process usually starts with the yarn and I let myself daydream about it. I do keep notebooks of sketches and ideas when they pop into my head without a yarn in mind. Usually i carry the yarn around and let it sit in the same area of the house that I’m hanging out in. This process can last a day or a few weeks.
After I’ve drawn my idea then I start a swatch in a similar yarn or if its a shape I’m familiar with I jump right into the design. Usually the first 3 or 4 cast ons get ripped out and reworked until I find the numbers and stitch patterns coming together in an easy to follow manner.
I finish my samples a couple of months ahead of when I plan to release so that I have plenty of time to write, edit, photograph and promote. This helps me, as a person with anxiety, to have all my plans laid out and I have a good idea of what my next 6 months looks like. I’m always super excited when I release a pattern because then I get to wear my design! I keep everything folded up until release incase I need to take more photos, so release day is very exciting.
5: What is the one thing you wish people knew about you as a designer?
Even though some of my designs look complicated they really are simple and easy to memorize. Most of my patterns have less than 10 rows per repeat which makes them ideal as a social knitting project and I just really, really love yarn.
6. What beverage are you most likely to have by your side while designing?
My go-to design drink is Kombucha. I brew my own at home so I usually have a mug of it that follows me around from place to place. Winter time is definitely peppermint hot chocolate.
Thanks for sharing a little about your process and your design with us.
You can find Blips for purchase in the following places:
Ravelry: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blips-2
Payhip: https://payhip.com/b/6u4a
LoveCrafts: https://www.lovecrafts.com/en-us/p/blips-knitting-pattern-by-all-knit-up-designs