Inspiration
It’s Here! MDK Field Guide No. 6: Transparency
Just in time for the light-filled days and lightweight knitting of spring, we proudly announce our brand-new Modern Daily Knitting Field Guide No. 6: Transparency.
Order your copy here, and you’ll soon find yourself in a very peaceful and beautiful place.
For this Field Guide, we invited Amy Christoffers, one of the most agile designers we know, to explore the idea of transparency. We encouraged her to go beyond the obvious transparency of lace knitting. The four projects in this little book are Amy’s graceful response to our invitation.
The result? Wearable, gift-able, portable projects that you can carry around with you and knit, knit, knit.
Albers Shawl
Inspired by the work of textile artist Anni Albers, this is an airy shawl/scarf with “windows” of color that form effortlessly. It’s the ideal travel wrap, a joy to wear on planes and trains, at the beach, and in air-conditioned offices.
Our Albers Shawl yarn kit features our favorite summery yarns from Shibui: Reed, a soft 100% linen; and Pebble, a lush blend of recycled silk, merino, and cashmere. The drape and airiness is what we crave so much this time of year.
Cockleshell Cardigan
A baby sweater (because who meets the world with more honesty and transparency than a baby?) with just a touch of lace and an unusual yet plainly apparent construction.
To continue the theme of purity and innocence, we knitted this wee cardi in Nutmeg Fibers Hearth, an organic, hand-dyed merino from Meg Anderson, a wonderful Nashville hand dyer. You’ll find it in the Shop in six shades, in limited quantity.
Also in the Shop: the extremely lush and lovely Blue Sky Fibers Hand Dyes for the Cockleshell Cardigan. The six colors will suit any baby under the sun. The 50% merino/50% royal alpaca is a bit more round and dense than Nutmeg Hearth. How to decide which yarn to use? Our solution, of course, is both (and the number of skeins required is the same in both yarns).
Shakerag Top
Amy conjured a lightweight tee in a fabric that is striped, yet uses only one color of yarn. It is opaque to wear—no underlayer needed—but the stripes are apparent in a subtle way, and more distinct when held to the light. This is the layering piece we want to wear this summer.
The yarn? It’s one of our very favorites, Jade Sapphire Sylph—a blend of 52% cashmere and 48% linen. We carry it in the Shop in sixteen shades, because a knitter needs options.
Peek-Through Cowl/Scarf
A layering of lace that both reveals and obscures the pattern, and is an amusingly tricky knit. Amy Christoffers imagined a scarf with two shades of mohair and silk, an amazing interplay of color and texture and pattern.
We have two yarns in the Shop for this dreamy puzzler: Neighborhood Fiber Co. Loft, and Shibui Silk Cloud. Part of the fun here is picking your pair of colors. We have 20 shades in all, so let your imagination go wild. Or mild. We do recommend going with high contrast so you get a lot of color action in your Peek-Through Cowl.
Let the Cast Ons Begin
In the coming weeks, we’ll be cooking up all sorts of fun—knitalongs, giveaways, general hullabaloo. We’ve been waiting to cast on ourselves, but no more! Stand back, everybody!
We’re thrilled finally to be able to share Field Guide No. 6 with you. It is the work of so many talented people: Melanie Falick, our magnificent creative director; Sara Remington, photographer; photostylist Alessandra Mortola; Will Brady, graphic designer; Sue McCain, technical editor; Mary Neal Meador, proofreader; sample knitters Sally Carey, Judy Carey Nevin, Julie Lindsey, Susan Mitz, and Nell Ziroli. We’re so lucky to work with this all-star team.
We hope you enjoy Field Guide No. 6: Transparency. It is truly a labor of love.
Yay! Everything is so beautiful and unique. What an ethereal feel to the wrap, tee and cowl. I haven’t worked these fibers before and it’s very exciting
Gorgeous! You are six for six on these delicious little books.
Yay!!! I see that two of my friends were test knitters for this field guide – I’m so excited! Will order the second I finish this comment. The designs are just beautiful.
I’ve looked and looked …. where can I find info on how much yarn each project uses? I’m in love with the Shakerag Top, but can’t figure out how much yarn I need to order for it! HELP
Good morning! The Ravelry page for the Shakerag Top has all the details, too.
Thanks for catching that Karin! Updating the listing for Sylph right now.
It’s done, Karin! Thanks again.
This is too much in all the right ways. I love it. Now, where to begin?
Albers Shawl. I can’t wait to see how it’s done, and then DO it! <3
Although I will admit I was hoping for lace, I can see myself knitting every one of these patterns! I’m especially intrigued by the Shakerag tee – I need to see how that’s done!
I am looking forward to knitting the Albers Shawl — the effect is lovely and the technique looks like fun. A slight cavil, though. I wish you had named it otherwise (the Anni Shawl, perhaps?) to avoid conflict with Ann Weaver’s popular Albers Cowl and Albers Shawl, both of which were conceived as tributes to the “Homage to the Square” paintings by Anni’s husband, Josef Albers. Too late to change, of course, but it seems to me a different name for the shawl would have been more respectful to both Anni, the brilliant weaver, and Ann, the excellent knitwear designer.
Love all of it. However, the link to the Albers shawl kit doesn’t work. It keeps taking me to the dashboard. hope it is fixed soon.
Fixed it! Thank you, Mary Alice!
Me too!
This all looks great! Am on the road at the mo and I can’t wait to see it on a screen bigger than my phone.
I just purchased and this is so wonderful. I must make the Shakerag immediately. Can you mention which colors it is worked up in in the two finished images in the book?
So glad you like it. The color is Hush in both images.
I’m making mine in Rustle, which is also a light neutral, with a bit more of a grey cast than Hush.
Love the latest addition to the Field Guide series. One question – the Slyph yarn is quite expensive, any suggestions for a more budget-friendly option?
Congratulations, and Hooray!
I have mine. Very tempting patterns. The Albers shawl and the little Cockleshell got my attention. Thank you MDK!
Bought the book at one of my favorite LYS. I have several! Shakerag top is calling my name. Now to check out Sylph…