Inspiration
Jen Geigley for MDK Atlas
Greetings, knitters!
When we got our first skeins of our first-ever yarn, Atlas last summer, we sent a batch of it off to Des Moines, Iowa, and designer Jen Geigley got to work. Earlier this week, she published her very own collection of 10 individual designs for Atlas, and we could not be more pleased and excited.
There is so much to love here. Jen’s vision is so distinctive. A professional graphic designer who also designs for knitters, her eye is clear and crisp. These are patterns for every knitter. If you haven’t tried Atlas yet, Jen’s beautifully photographed, well-written patterns are a great way to put a new yarn through its paces, and also create a stack of appealing knitwear for yourself and those you love.
Let’s take a look, shall we? Clicking on the orange links will take you to the Ravelry.com pattern page for each design.
There are 10 patterns, so settle in. We’ll start with accessories, but don’t miss the sweaters!
Accessories
A few skeins of Atlas and a few hours of knitting time will put you within reach of any of these winsome accessories. They’re not just for looks—Jen lives in Iowa, where winter means business and woolly basics are a must.
Grid Hat + Cowl
You never know when inspiration will strike. In the case of the Grid Hat and Cowl, the color scheme was inspired by a striped linen sack dress that both Ann and I own, and have been known to accidentally wear to the same event. We’re flattered that this super attractive garment caught Jen’s eye!
There’s something magical about the juxtaposition of two murky shades, Truffle and Peat, with the translucence of Seaglass and Leek. These quick, simple knits showcase Atlas’s aptitude for stranded colorwork.
The Grid Hat is sized for 18-, 20-, and 24-inch head circumferences, and you can make any of the sizes with one skein each of Atlas in Truffle, Peat, Seaglass, and Leek. The Grid Cowl is one size, and requires 1 skein each of Truffle, Peat, Seaglass, and Leek.
Kai Mittens and Peace Mitts
How do you like your hand coverings: cozy mittens, or freewheeling fingerless mitts? Jen has designed one of each. Both of these patterns are excellent for first-time mitt-makers, or for producing a happy stack of presents in short order. Who doesn’t want a pair of cheery mitts?
These color-blocked Kai Mittens are not identical, but they’re friends. Three skeins will make 4 pairs of mittens, with colors alternated. The mittens shown used 4 colors of Atlas: Wintergreen, Tutu, Lapis, and Truffle.
The Peace Mitts are even more minimal and even quicker to make. The colors shown are: Pear, Peat, Tutu, Skyline, and Lapis.
Rue and Helm
The fashion week shows sent a clear message: balaclavas are not just the ultimate in winter warmth, they’re fashion. Jen has designed two of them, because we don’t just have one balaclava mood—sometimes we want to switch it up!
The Rue balaclava makes a graphic statement, with its prominent stripe. The bottom part keeps the ice out of your face, and it can also be worn folded up, as a double-layered hat. The Atlas shades here are Truffle, Natural, and Barn Red—1 skein each.
The Helm balaclava deploys sculptural ribbing, for a snug fit. It’s a fun puzzle to knit—can you visualize the construction? (Hint: you make the top first.) To make this one-size adult accessory, you’ll need 2 skeins of Atlas, shown here in Pear.
Jules
Jules is a jaunty keyhole scarf with a knitted-in i-cord edge that makes you feel like a very clever knitter. The textured pattern is reversible. For a color blocked scarf as shown, you’ll need 2 skeins each of 2 colors (shown in Truffle and Natural), but an understated solid version would also be very cool.
Falling Triangles Cowl
We love this style of cowl, which gives a double-thickness fabric. Falling Triangles starts with a provisional cast on, and is knit in a tube, which means that the stranding of the colorwork and any ends are tucked away on the inside, for fuss-free finishing. The stitches are left live at the end of the knitting, the provisional cast-on is unzipped, and the live stitches at both ends of the tube are joined with either a graft or a 3-needle bind-off. Either way, it’s neat as a pin.
Bow ties! This is the sweet spot of stranded motifs: it holds your attention but is easily memorized. You’ll need 2 skeins each of 2 shades of Atlas, shown here in Tutu and Barn Red.
Drei: Hats 3 Ways
With one pattern, Jen gives us 3 hats of increasing skills: plain, striped/blocked, and intarsia striped/blocked. The first two are knit in the round, and the third is knit flat and seamed.
For a newer knitter, there’s a lot of learning, in a fun, portable format that finishes with a great hat. With 4 adult sizes from small to XL, you’ll need one skein of Atlas for the plain hat, and one skein for each color in the striped/blocked versions. You’ll have leftovers—perfect for a pair of Peace Mitts, or for other scrappy projects. Meet Drei.
This is the plain beanie everybody on your list wants. Shown here in the shade Shale.
The striped version, shown here in Tutu, Peat, and Pear.
Another version of the striped hat, this time in Lapis, Pear, and Skyline (with matching Peace Mitts).
The multi-stripe intarsia version is knit flat (for intarsia ease) and then seamed. The shades here are Barn Red (brim), Tutu (color block), and Natural, Lapis, and Truffle (stripes).
I mean: how is this not fun?
Sweaters
Jen did not forget about sweater knitters! She has designed two—a pullover and a cardigan/jacket. And a little bird tells us there is a very special colorwork yoke sweater on Jen’s needles this very minute, so stay tuned for that, especially if there is a sheep and wool festival on your calendar for this autumn. (Shh! We say no more!)
Main Squeeze Pullover
We’ve been waiting for this! Jen’s superchunky Main Squeeze Cardigan from MDK Field Guide No. 12 is a fan favorite. For this pullover version, Jen down-shifts to Atlas’s worsted-weight gauge, transforming the Main Squeeze into a wear-it-everywhere, wear-it-everyday workhorse.
A great combination of boxy ease plus a short-ish shape that grazes the hip. This seamless pullover is worked bottom-up, in the round. The sleeves are worked separately in the round to the underarms. The pieces are joined and the yoke is worked in one piece to the end, with raglan shaping. When the knitting is done, so is the sweater.
Zoom in for my favorite detail: the sleeves are in stockinette stitch, for a smooth counterpoint to the textured stitch of the body.
The Main Squeeze pullover is sized for finished chest measurements of 36-59 inches, and requires 6-13 skeins of Atlas, depending on the size. Shown here in Pear.
Mabel Cardigan
Be still my heart! Mabel is a classic jacket-style cardigan, in seed stitch, with patch pockets.
Mabel is worked top-down in one piece with seamless raglan shaping. The patch pockets—and their buttons—add vintage interest. Easy to throw on, a great layering piece for any season, any outfit. It almost makes me wish I had a job interview coming up. Did I mention it’s in seed stitch?
I really can’t stand the excitement. I need Mabel in my life, asap.
The name gives away Jen’s inspiration: Only Murders in the Building.
Thank You
Having our own yarn adds a whole new dimension to the MDK story. When we were plotting and planning our dream yarn from our respective lockdown abodes, we envisioned indie designers embracing Atlas someday, and publishing designs we would love to knit and wear, but could not yet see. And here comes Jen Geigley with that dream all wrapped up and ready to knit. We send all the hugs and heart eyes to Des Moines for giving Atlas such a sweet start. Thank you, Jen!
We hope you’ll enjoy whipping up some of these knits, small and large, and that you’ll tag, share, like, and favorite them on Ravelry, Instagram (#myMDK), and in the MDK Lounge. We want to see them ALL, do you understand?
Images © Figment Art Photography
I kept looking for the link to buy the book with all the patterns. The Atlas field guide part 2? Is it coming?
These are individual patterns. Tap the links to find them at Ravelry.
Oh! These sweaters are wardrobe must-haves!
Big thanks to MDK and Jen! These patterns are fantastic!
Love Jen’s aesthetics. Will look forward to a lighter main squeeze pullover bb
Brava!
Stunning!!
Wow, what a nice collection of patterns, and so many of them. Thanks! And fresh colorways too.
I spotted the Mabel a few days ago and it’s in the queue for daughter’s birthday sweater next fall. She’s choosing Atlas Lapis! Won’t it be beautiful.
Wow Jen! You’ve outdone yourself. There should definitely be an Atlas Field Guide!!
I noticed that several colors of Atlas used in the model designs are not available in shop. Do you know when they might be available? Thanks!
Hi Terry,
We are expecting a restock of Navy and Cedar this week and more of the other colors soon!
Kay
Thank you for your quick response!
I know this wasn’t planned, but the second version of that striped hat would be perfect to show some support!
For Ukraine that is
fabulous and inspirational!
I have just purchased Main Squeeze! Now to decide on a color…
I keep seeing it in Seaglass or Peat, which are very different moods!
All these designs are gorgeous, but i especially want the intarsia hat and the two sweaters in my closet right now! The design of Mabel especially – seed stitch, like garter stitch, is a basic you can overlook until you see it in a new way.
OMG!! I love it all, but I’m absolutely swooning over those sweaters! And Atlas is is soft and smooshy, I can’t imagine having too many Atlas sweaters. And the accessories are hip enough I may be able to send my boy off to college with some! Bravo, Jen!!
This is like a whole extra Field Guide (or two) of patterns! I love the design and the colors Jen used in the Grid hat and cowl in particular.
I need Mabel in my life.
I’m a huge fan of Jen and this collection. I think Mabel will be my first cast on.
Hi hi hi this is a test comment from Kay.
Love Mabel! Anyone know the ease allowance?
The Ravelry pattern page has the knitted measurements compared to body measurements here: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mabel-19
Looks like Mabel is designed for 2-2.5 inches of ease.
Thank you
Intarsia version watchcap. Way cool.
According to the Ravelry page, the Main Squeeze pullover looks like it allows for approx 2” of positive ease (eg, if you have a 34” bust and you knit that size, you would wind up with a sweater measurement of 36”.) I am guessing that the model, however, is wearing the sweater with a lot more than 2” of positive ease—any info on that specific look? That is the look I like, and I don’t think I would get it from knitting “my” size sweater…. Thanks!
Hi Beverly, I’m about to get started on the Main Squeeze pullover, and trying to decide what size to make. I don’t think it was mentioned on the pattern what the recommended ease is, they just gave measurements. What size did you end up making in order to have lots of ease?
Great patterns! I just wish Atlas were available in the colorways I would want to knit. Please bring back Peat and that teal!!
Hello Kay! I am almost ready to go with the Main Squeeze pullover. I fell in love with a beautiful gray from Malabrigo Rios, and I’m wondering if you think that this would be a suitable substitute for the Atlas. Sorry Atlas, I will use you in a future project, but the variegated gray from Malabrigo was calling out to me.
I am having a lot of trouble with Mabel. The stitch count isn’t working for me. Is the fact that the smallest size is the only one with an odd number of stitches an issue? After I increase the knit/purl pattern of seed stitch is off.