As a designer it is always a LOT of fun to look through the project made from your pattern. All the different color choices, the different yarns, and of course, the mods! As a knitter I almost never knit a pattern straight through without changing something (to varied results of course!), it’s in my nature. So it comes as no surprise to me that there are knitters out there tweaking our patterns to make their knits their own. Tanis, the genius behind Tanis Fiber Arts yarn has knit 2 patterns from Max & Bodhi’s Wardrobe and her take on Rocky and Fly Away are amazing!
Rocky
Since Tanis was growing a tiny person at the same time Max & Bodhi’s Wardrobe was released she was a little extra smitten with this book. With new baby in mind she whipped up these adorable Rocky joggers. I say ‘whipped up’ because that woman is a crazy speedy knitter! It seems she has a new FO to share on her blog every week!
(I had to put in the one of daddy and babe, big men and little babies will never stop being adorable to me!)
The lovely little detail that made me want to cast on a pair immediately is the little duplicate stitch heart. What a precious little detail! For info on how to use duplicate stitch there is a tutorial from the Purlbee here. The yarn is TFA Purple Label in ‘Sand’ and Blue Label in ‘Atlantic’, a combo I can definitely see myself using in the future!
Fly Away
Not only did Tanis bring her fabulous eye for color to her Fly Away blanket, but her designer’s eye as well. Her version uses the basics of our Fly Away pattern, but her yarn choices and layout make for one stunning effect!
In order to make a blanket from her ‘scraps’ (calling all those beautiful ball ends scraps feels wrong!), Tanis used all different weights of yarn and 20 different colorways, holding them doubled, tripled, or quardrupled to get the right weight. The finished blanket was a beautiful gift for her new baby boy Micah…but big brother Rowan is a pretty adorable model too!
The mods:
- instead of just a one stripe in the middle, she worked a stripe of equal width at the end, and in the case of the 4 squares with red in the center at the beginning and the end.
- Tanis worked 4 colors per square (as opposed to our original 2), and 5 colors per square for the 4 with red in the center. You can see the awesome diagram below to help you make the same mods for yourself!
I am always excited to see just what beautiful inspiration will pop up on her blog next! If you are looking for a little color inspiration for your own Tanis Fiber Arts Fly Away Blanket, the TFA Palettes are a great place to start! Tanis, in her infinite color wisdom, has chosen groups of 8 colors that shine together. Well, Tanis, these are truly some inspiring knits!
More knits from Max & Bodhi’s Wardrobe
September 6, 2015 @ 8:25 am
That blanket is beautiful, I wish I had the imagination to mod things!
August 13, 2015 @ 3:10 pm
What a gorgeous design! That blanket is beautiful! And I know what you mean about always having to tweak something in a pattern…I’m constantly trying to challenge myself with new techniques, and it’s a great way to personalize a pattern. Everyone has their own signature “thing”, whether it’s colors, beads, lace-work, or certain yarns…it’s cool to see all the variety that can come from the same pattern done in different styles!
August 13, 2015 @ 6:39 am
The sweetness! Beautiful color choices as well as design. A lucky baby to receive such wonderful items.