Inspiration
Poppin’ Fresh: The Paragon Popover
Ever since our early forays into log cabin knitting and all things mitered square, we’ve loved modular knitting. There’s something so satisfying—especially when it’s hot out, or you’re on the road—about building a fabric up from simple motifs, simply joined.
But we’d never seen modular knitting like this. Olga Buraya-Kefelian’s Paragon Popover is a piece of practical magic.
Just amazing. A breeze to knit, with a spectacular result.
This project showcases Olga’s fascination with positive and negative space—half of the diamonds that require no knitting at all—and her deft ways for neat, elegant joining.
How the Heck Did Olga Do that?
How is this unusual knit constructed? You’re curious, right?
The popover is worked in columns of diamond motifs that are joined as you go. Stitches are cast on for the entire bottom edge, then the first column of diamonds is worked to the end while the remaining cast-on stitches are left out of work.
Each subsequent column is worked in a similar manner, but the first stitch at the widest point of each motif is joined to a motif in the previous column. Two motifs in the center of the piece are left unjoined to create a neck opening. Or not! If you’re going to wear it as a wrap instead of a poncho, keep joining!
Choose Your Adventure
The Paragon Popover is a great starting point for all kinds of play: with form, color, and yarn. Check out what Paragon Popover test knitters have done—it’s fascinating. You can knit it as written and wear it as shown, or you can change up the shape, do a fade with several shades of yarn, or go full-on color-wow with a hand-dyed yarn.
Popover Yarns Galore
The choice of yarn can steer the Paragon Popover to the way you want to wear it. To wear it as a poncho or wrap, as shown, cashmere-like Woolfolk Tov DK is the epitome of luxe style.
For a cute casual coverup, consider Rowan Handknit Cotton.
Or how about Rowan Creative Linen, for smooth, swingy drape?
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However you knit it, the Paragon Popover is going to be an easy-going take-along project and a versatile piece for your wardrobe.
I LOVE THIS!!!!! Buying a copy of Field Guide No. 24 RIGHT NOW.
This wrap is clever and unique. It reminds me of some high fashion on the runway. That said, I doubt it would look as stylish on my short round self! And speaking of popping fresh, this white version looks like biscuit dough! As a field guide subscriber, I enjoy seeing new stuff, but this one is not for me.
I agree. It may be fun to knit, but how do you wear it without getting your fingers caught in the holes? I guess you have to wear it only where you can stand and pose like a model rather than move around like a regular person.
Or wear it in New York where people will ask you where you got it! I going to wear mine wrapped around my neck/shoulders as shown in some of the test knitters’ photos.
I am so glad I’m a Field Guide suscriber. This will soon be on my needles!
I find this fascinating, but totally not my style. It’s giving me ideas, though!
I love that it’s “sparking” ideas for you. Personally I’m plotting a gradient version, that I’ll likely wrap around my neck instead of popping over….but then I do turn everything into a wrap!
P. S. I wanted to check out the various versions by test knitters, but the link above just took me to the Ravelry page which only had the Poppin’ Fresh version.
Log in to Ravelry to see more details on the page. There is a link to 5 Projects in the righthand column.
I love this! It reminds me of Summit, a Knitty.com design I’ve loved for years. Paragon Poppin ups the ante with its innovative wearability, it’s such a fresh fun design!
Yesss! Summit which is a great concept but, I think, less row counting here?
I also followed the link, but the “5 versions” link you speak of did not work for me either. I’m thinking of making the popover a little shorter by one diamond row on each end. I’m short so I think it will work better for me. It just looks like too much fun to “pop over” any outfit, summer or winter.
If you’re not logged in you’ll only see the Ravelry pattern page, but if you log in you can see all the test knitters’ projects.
Seems like a perfect project for Freia minikins. One minikin per column of diamonds!
Would be a small shawl but maybe use as a scarf instead.
Love the idea with the minikins!
Already cast on, and I’m excited about it for the same reason some are saying they won’t make this project. It’s unlike anything I have made or currently wear. New skill, new style – very exciting! Bonus – I can’t wait to meet and learn from Olga this weekend at MDK HQ!!
See you Saturday, Jenn! All is in readiness!
Me too
“Form follows function” is one of my life rules. This is clever, but not practical. You will get caught on everything everywhere and it will not add any warmth whatsover, the prime justification of wraps in my universe. If they are pretty on top, so much the better. This is simply something to have fun with while knitting, but has very little practical value.
Now underlay this with a knit background of thin mohair silk, use a gradient for the overlaying paragons, attach to the undercarriage only at the narrow parts of the diamonds and – voilà – we´re in business!
Nothing stops you from creating a different version – treat this pattern as a starting point! Make smaller diamonds and knit the interwoven second piece in contrasting colour or as you say contrasting type yarn and voilà!
That is the beauty of knitting – versatility of almost any design, no matter how farfetched…
Total FAB item… an Arlecchino for a Columbina knitter! I think you can slip your wrists through any diamond “hole” and create another way to wear it. I would also add a button and a loop to be able to close the neck opening. How about a bead or eyelet in the centre of each diamond, maybe? The ideas are popping over, pun intended 😉 to my knitting brain and that is before we start playing with colours! I have been following Olga’s designs for a long time. “Invention” must be her middle name!
I keep thinking about this pattern. It’s just so unusual. I love the all-black version that one of the test knitters did. A black Popover with an all-black outfit would look very chic and high fashion.