Revisiting My Old Patterns

I am a member of Ravelry. (If you knit, crochet, or even tat, it's a fantastic gathering place of patterns and people. My favorite use is to look at what yarns other people have used for which patterns, and it gives me some great ideas.)
Anyhoo, I bopped over to the My Contributions page, and realized I've got 10 different patterns up already. Only two of them are for sale (although I have 3 more almost finished that will be for sale, and several more in the works).
I get a real kick out of seeing who has made things I came up with, what yarns they chose or changes they added, and what they have to say about it.

The first pattern I ever published is the Byzantine Strawberry Bag. It got published on Magknits, a now-defunct online magazine. If you follow the link above, it will lead you to the free pattern on the blog here. On Ravelry one person did a lovely grey yarn version, to use when going to festival, another made one for herself to wear out on the town on her birthday. :-}Thinking of my pattern Cloud On Her Head is bittersweet. I designed it a little big, using super soft yarn at the request of my friend Deb, to keep her sensitive head warm after she lost hair from chemo. She has since passed on, but she loved her hat. Others have gone on to use the pattern to make chemo caps for friends, and for charity. Again, link to the free pattern above.


Cloud On Her Shoulders is a companion pattern, and the first pattern I created to sell as a download. I am selling it for $3 per download on Etsy and on Patternfish (another fantastic site). One dollar from each download goes to the Susan G. Komen foundation. One person on Ravelry has made at least four of the shawls for friends, family and herself; and referred a friend to the pattern as well. She refers to it as one of the most useful projects she has made, which makes me glow. :-} Another made a beautiful silvery blue shawl for her mother in Paris, to hold close. A third says the pattern is totally functional, staying put just as I promised in the pattern description. Again, big ego boost there :-}

One of my most popular patterns (118 people have 'hearted' it; placing it in their favorites) is the Easiest Farrow Rib Scarf. People have made kid versions (those girls were darling!) he-man versions, short versions, skinny-yarn versions, scrap yarn versions and all look really nice! Many guys got one of these for Christmas last year, which makes me happy. Again, free pattern if you follow the link above.


The Easy Peasy Stash Busting Garter Shawl sparked off some neat projects, too. One person left ends dangling and used autumn colors in a combination of smooth and fuzzy yarns, it looks fantastic. Another did lots more increasing per row, and ended up with a skirt her little fairy daughter wears. Treasure, the woman who got my original, sewed the side points down to make sleeves so she can wear it while using her wheelchair or sitting at the computer keyboard.
(free pattern, follow link above)Many people have purchased the Elijah hat, (see photo at the top of this entry) and 57 have 'hearted' it, but only my project is listed on Ravelry. I received positive verbal feedback on the pattern, and I'm looking forward to photos of finished objects when the time comes. It is for sale on Etsy and Patternfish for $4.00 (Detailed instructions for several versions given.) My favorite part is it shows off my handsome husband, Oscar :-}

Faye's Cozy Shawl is another basic triangle garter stitch shawl, but made in a chevron pattern.
I love how the combination of yarns make it look almost velvety. One of the Ravelry knitters used just mohair, and it looks luscious! (free pattern, follow link above)
My Scarf of Mystical Stripes is far from the only one of it's kind, but it is one of the earliest patterns I wrote down. I like how the colors play off each other. (free pattern, follow link)The last of the ten is my Twist on the Wrist Warmers. Its a basic pulsewarming cuff, but fun to make with just a single tight cable to make things interesting. Several people made them during the Ravelympics (start knitting at the lighting of the torch, finish by the last day) and they all look warm :-} (free pattern at link above)

I really enjoy writing patterns. I get my Inner Geek on while figuring out the math and the shaping, my artist bits are happy playing with the shapes and colors, and having other people find them useful or pretty gives me a boost on days when I really need one. I am so grateful that people have knit what I've made, and I hope that by continuing to write patterns this year, I can help make more of a difference here at home, financially.

If you've read this far, thank you for joining me on my self-indulgent trip down memory lane :-}