Last week we blogged about Kirsten’s new design, Ruth’s Cowl in The Fibre Co. Tundra. Kirsten has been gracious to write a guest post about her new collection, Cobblestone Trails, for the blog today.
I’m super excited to introduce you to my new collection, Cobblestone Trails. This collection is dedicated to those of us who love both the country and the city – the sort who are just as comfortable hiking up a mountain or kayaking on a lake as riding the subway or hailing a cab. The patterns in this collection are intended to move easily from country to city as well. Stitch patterns on the designs are drawn from both plants and the architectural features found on city streets.
The texture of Ruth’s Cowl is created by an array of rosebuds, my grandmother Ruth’s favorite flower and the brioche stitch of Waiting to Flower showcases a blossom just about to burst.
The colorwork yoke on Brownstone Ironwork came to me as I passed the front stoop of a Greenwich Village brownstone and admired the pretty iron railings. Along that same city street were the carefully laid cobblestones that inspired Vinegar Hill.
The ripple stitch in Road Trip to Monterey reminds me of the beautiful drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, where waves crash into the rocky coast, while the mosaic stag heads of No Deer in Chinatown set me to reminiscing about the herd that grazed on our carefully planted suburban gardens. Oh how I used to complain! Now that I live an urban life I remember those deer fondly. Finally Brunch on Hudson refers to the street and the river in my favorite city. To me it is the perfect shawl to wrap around your neck as you head out to indulge in a favorite NYC pastime, brunch. The gold color and the simple motif bring to mind the tall grasses found along the rivers and marshy areas that surround NYC.
Ruth’s cowl was designed with Tundra, but I can see all of these patterns in Fibre Company yarns. Road to China Light would make a dreamy Vinegar Hill or a playful pair of No Deer in Chinatown mitts. A friend just sent an email to me this morning telling me that she plans to make Brunch on Hudson in Meadow and I think that’s a brilliant idea. Although the pattern calls for fingering and Meadow is lace, the pattern is the sort that works in a range of yarn weights and can easily be adapted to the amount of yarn you have. The beautiful range of colors in Luma is perfect for Brownstone Ironwork. I think I’d make mine in Grigio, with Kiwi for the colorwork but don’t hold me to it, I could change my mind and pick another combo tomorrow. Or how about a tweedy brioche Waiting to Flower in Aranmore or a multi color Road Trip to Monterey in Canopy Fingering? Create your own gradient set with Crocus, Jacaranda, Sumac, Dragonfruit, and Red Ginger and pair them with River Dolphin for a pretty subtle combo, or go bold and use Mango or Parakeet for the contrast.
If you decide to try any of these ideas I’d love to hear from you, tag me on social media or send me a message on Ravelry.
You can learn more about Kirsten’s work and see her other beautiful designs on Instagram, Ravelry, and on her website.
Photos by Kirsten Kapur and Gale Zucker.
Past Guest Posts:
