Inspiration
Pattern Party: Socks, Scarves, and Shawls
Ready for designs to delight and dazzle (and make your queue longer by 20)? Day four of Pattern Party celebrates socks, slippers, wraps, scarves, and shawls that were nominated by MDK readers.
Remember our Pattern Party purpose: to show love and support to independent designers, who give us knitters so much excitement and joy throughout the year. If you like a pattern, click on the name of the design (a Ravelry link), favorite it, queue it, and consider buying it if you can. The designer’s name links to a website or Instagram account where you can find out more about their work.
If you’re just tuning in, find more Pattern Partying here and here and here.
Note on links. Links are in red/orange type. The name of the pattern links to Ravelry.com. The name of the designer links to their website or Instagram account.
KORO KORO by Olga Buraya-Kefelian
Simple slip stitches, brilliantly arranged. We love this triangular addition to the LOLO and KOKO family of dimensional-stitch designs by Olga Buraya-Kefelian. Go graphic with two highly contrasting shades, or emphasize the sculptural quality of the stitch pattern with two subtly different shades.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Mohonk, Hektos, or Felted Tweed
Sørine Slippers by Kristin Drysdale
It’s Sunday morning and you’re kicking back with coffee and a good read and you spy these over the top of the book. Ahhhh. Stranded Norwegian slippers with the added fun of braided edges. And a cleverly placed motif on the heels (see the gallery up top)!
Yarn Idea from the MDK Shop: Léttlopi
Salmiak by Lisa Hannes
Another modern classic from designer Lisa Hannes. Columns of ribbing are bound by capsules of slanting cables for high drama when wrapped around your shoulders. Or swaddle your neck for cozy chic. A quick knit in worsted and aran weight yarns.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Lichen and Lace Superwash Worsted, La Bien Aimée Merino Aran, or Hektos
Skylar Shawl Scarf by Rastus Hsu
Small shifts to the super simple motif of this design create a panoramic effect across this rectangular wrap: limitless horizon or space odyssey? We’re delighted readers nominated new-to-us designer Rastus Hsu.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Freia Yarn Bombs, NFC Rustic Fingering, MDK Getaway Set, or Mohonk Light
Yorisou by Destiny Itano
Readers highly recommended Destiny Itano’s design for first-time two-color brioche knitters. We agree. Start small at the center, and your confidence grows as the shawl grows!
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Mohonk, Caravan, or Hektos
Aberdeen Socks by Knox Mountain Knit Co.
Another great starter brioche pattern! Columns of brioche mimic the basalt columns of the Aberdeen Plateau in British Columbia. Cozy up with doubled fingering weight socks by the dynamic duo Sasha and Willow of Knox Mountain Knit Co. The pattern includes sizing from baby to adult XL.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade, Barnyard Knits, Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock, or Zauberball Crazy
Thicksgiving Socks by Summer Lee
Doubled fingering weight socks were a definite trend in 2020 with everyone padding about more at home during the pandemic. Summer Lee combines marling, cabling, and multiple heel treatments in her Thicksgiving Socks pattern set. An explosion of happy-making possibilities here.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade, Barnyard Knits, Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock, or Zauberball Crazy
Venezia Shawl by Joji Locatelli
Che bellezza! One skein wonderful—lace edges an elongated diamond of classic rib columns in Joji Locatelli’s shawl perfect for cool summer nights.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Barnyard Knits, NFC Studio Sock, Zauberballs, Freia Shawl Ball, or NFC Rustic Fingering
Rainbow Ripples by Ute Nawratil
Innovative construction and dazzling yarn effects caught our eyes here. Designer Ute Nawratil sets up a circle and adds two wings for her rippling shawl that especially celebrates gradient yarns.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock with Zauberball Crazy or two Freia Shawl Balls
Cinnabar by Andrea Mowry
Andrea Mowry has a way with Dyed in the Wool. Against a solid background, ridges of garter stitch and syncopated columns of brioche play across the surface of this glorious asymmetric shawl.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Mohonk with Dyed in the Wool
Radvent Wrap by Ambah O’Brien
Parallelogram joy! We were immediately captivated by Ambah O’Brien’s novel arrangement of gradients in radiating fields from the periphery inward. Readers commented that this wrap was an excellent adventure in the making and delightful to wear.
Yarn Idea from the MDK Shop: Freia Yarn Bombs
Illumination Socks by Carlie Perrins
There’s a lot going on in this two-color design—with no stranding. Carlie Perrins uses slipped stitches to wrap your toes in zones of ribbing, stripes, and garter stitches in these playfully modern socks.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade, Pada Sock, or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock
Refracted Socks by Ethan Pyle
Ethan Pyle is a newcomer on the sock-designing scene. We love the adventurousness of this debut pairing variegated yarn with slipped stitch slanting lines wrapping all around the foot—even the heel. Bravo!
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Barnyard Knits, NFC Studio Sock, or Zauberballs
Birch Creek Shawl by Rachael M. Reese
Another easy yet engaging way into the world of two-color brioche. We love how Birch Creek Shawl (and its sister pattern Birch Creek Bandana) mimics the look of woven fabric.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: NFC Rustic Fingering, Caravan, Felted Tweed, Freia Shawl Balls, and Mohonk Light
Rapson by Scott Rohr
Hello! Rapson had us at “Blocks of color against a neutral background.” We love the simple geometry and play of texture across this generously-sized intarsia design.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nua Sport or Felted Tweed
Don’t Fret by Jo Shaw
Slipped stitches create a guitar fretboard motif along the surface of this whimsical design by Jo Shaw. It’s knit on the bias and can be adjusted easily to your preferred depth and length.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nua Sport or Felted Tweed
Now & Next Socks by Marceline Smith
Designer Marceline Smith plays with the effects of texture shifts on variegated yarn in these cuff-down socks with a no-fuss, no Kitchener toe. The sample pictured here by Denise DeSantis picks up a color in the variegated yarn for a contrasting cuff.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Barnyard Knits, NFC Studio Sock, or Zauberballs
Number 10 by Lori Versaci
A 10-color party for her tenth year designing! Combining inspiration from Wes Anderson, Sonia Delaunay, Hilma af Klint, Wassily Kandinsky and Frank Stella, this joyful design is truly a celebration. Congratulations, Lori.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock
Botanic Shawl by Stephen West
A perfect beginner’s shawl pattern that makes the most of self-striping yarns and uses simple slipped stitches to draw perpendicular lines up the triangle as it grows from tip to opposite edge. Easily adjustable and the best kind of beach, park, anywhere plein air knitting.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nomade or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock with Zauberball Crazy
Tough Nut by Martha Wissing
Martha Wissing’s design plays with blocks of color and texture using simple, vertical-line intarsia to keep things interesting as you work your way from edge to edge.
Yarn Ideas from the MDK Shop: Nua Sport or Felted Tweed
Love these shawls!
I just purchased the pattern for the Skylar Shawl Scarf. I love it’s bold, clean lines and rectangular shape. I also love its symmetry (I prefer the symmetrical over the asymmetrical shawls). I find that the color play with this wrap is also highly appealing. Thank you Mr Hsu.
Thanks MDK.
My favorite category so far. I wouldn’t have expected that because I don’t knit socks and feel all shawled out. But I love the color play — refreshing and fun! So many opportunities for stash-busting. And so many ideas that could be adapted for sweaters, blankets etc.
Thank you so much for including my Thicksgiving Socks among so many gorgeous designs!!!
What an excellent pattern parade! I thought that I kept up pretty well but many of these are new to me. Well done, Kay and Ann, and MDK readers! Getting showcased on MDK is a really big deal.
Oh my goodness! I didn’t know Rastus Hsu either, but his designs are wonderful! And given my current obsession with both big rectangular wraps, and Freia yarn bombs, that shawl is going right into my library. I’m thinking one yarn bomb, and one solid color….
Oh my goodness. This was going to be my least favorite category (I just don’t “do”socks, etc.) but all the innovative colorwork on everything here really has me thinking. Thank you for the creativity shake-up!
Just saw MarthaW’s comment. My “oh my goodness” was sheer (creative, obviously) coincidence! Not meant ironically, sarcastically, or plagiaristically. Two superlatively linguistic minds, of course:).
Great minds gallop together!
“Great minds gallop together!” That’s a gem I’ll remember and have fun using.
Ann, Kay, and team, what a burst of creative joy you’ve brought us! Thank you for all you do for the passionate fans of making beauty with yarn.
So many shawls…….so few socks……..so sad!
I made Koro Koro what a wonderful pattern!