Dots and stripes add the perfect blend of whimsy to your Holiday accessories with the “Muscadine Hat and Mitten” combo. Three contrasting colors of your favorite Plucky Knitter sport weight yarn are used to create a bold yet playful design. The hat pattern is written in three sizes and the mittens in two.
For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting and knowing Amy, we are pleased to introduce her through this Designer Spotlight.
What was the inspiration behind your Muscadine patterns?
A few years ago, fabric designer Tula Pink launched a collection called Pom Poms and Stripes. I fell in love with all the vibrant and cheerful color combinations and have used several of these fabrics in various quilts. Often I notice parallels with my knitting and quilting projects. Most often it is similar color combinations that make their way into both of my hobbies in tandem. It was only a matter of time before I added a dots and stripes combo to my knitting pattern repertoire.
People always comment on your Pom Poms. Do you have any tips or tricks to share for making fabulous Pom Poms?
- Start with a good Pom Pom maker…I use a Clover. These are readily available at most craft stores.
- Wrap the yarn around each arch until your arch is level…and I mean wrap and wrap and wrap! Here’s a helpful link to a video tutorial that Clover produced: https://youtu.be/lM9u4LL9-ic
- Sharp pointy scissors! They really do make it easier to cut thru the thick wraps of yarn.
- Cotton Yarn to tie your pom pom. I use some inexpensive DK 100% cotton. You have to tie a pom pom really tight… the cotton yarn is STRONG and will not break!
- Give it a haircut to tidy up any longer strands of yarn. I stand over a garbage can and cut away…once again, good sharp scissors are a must.
- Lastly…I gently steam my finished pom poms. I use my iron on the steam setting and let it hover over the pom for a couple of seconds. This makes the yarn bloom, similar to blocking.
What else is on your needles for fall/winter knitting?
I’ve got several designs in the works including new cowls, mittens, hats and even a couple of sweaters. Right now, I’d say I have 6 active projects on needles…I really want to finish all of them before the end of the year…but don't hold me to it!
Any special recipe you’d like to share as we prepare for the holidays? (Beverages included! 😁)