Invincible Summer

I finished a knitting project a couple of weeks ago that I’m just in love with.  This is my Invincible Summer, designed by Susanne Sommer and featured in the newest issue of Laine Magazine.

The bulk of the yarn is Fiberstash Dyeworks, an indie yarn dyer in the neighboring state of Vermont.  I discovered her at this year’s New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival and bought four hanks of yarn, not knowing what I’d be using them for.  At the time, I assumed that I would be knitting socks with them, but I had enough foresight to also choose colorways that created a fading effect, just in case I found a use for them in one big project.  Fading colors is very popular with knitwear designers right now (see my post on my Find Your Fade Shawl that I finished this spring). For this project, I used her Purple Butterfly, Mud Pies and Lace, and Tale As Old As Time colorways.  The bright pink is Hedgehog Fibres’ Sorry Not Sorry, which was left over from my Find Your Fade Shawl.

This pattern was heavy on brioche – which I only learned this fall.  But brioche is also very in right now in the knitting world and I am overwhelmed with all of the options for my next shawl!  Brioche is sometimes called reversible knitting – when you use two colors, one color is featured on one side, while the second color stands out on the reverse side – how cool is that?!  I also love how squishy and soft the brioche stitches are.  They are almost puffed up, which seems to create an extra cozy fabric.

Also featured in this pattern is an i-cord edging, which I’ve never used before.  But doing this creates such an even and loose edge and makes me wonder why other patterns haven’t used this edging… it would have come in extra handy with the Color Affection shawl that I knitted a couple of years ago!

This was an easy pattern to follow and very well-written.  I didn’t try to memorize any of the pattern because I was worried I would get something backwards with the brioche and throw the stitches off, so referring to my book every row slowed me down a little bit.  I would gladly do it just as slowly again – I am so happy with the finished product!  Better safe than sorry 🙂

I was able to wear my shawl to work a couple of weeks ago because we had a little cold front go through – one of the things that I love about living in New Hampshire.  Fall is my favorite season and I’m trying to stock up on new woolens in preparation for the cooler days – I am very happy with my progress!