Venta: An Exclusive for Loop
Wow. Apologies for that super long tease. Exactly one month ago, I had posted a teaser pic for a design that I am finally able to announce. Yipee! Presenting, Venta - a shrug with a simple lace pattern designed especially for Loop in Philadelphia using their exclusive Madelinetosh colorway, Susquehanna.
When Loop approached me to design something with Susquehanna, I was tentatively excited. So excited to be working with them again, but tentative since Susquehanna is a color way out of my wheelhouse. When Craig sent me some skeins to play around with, I admit it - I had to sit with them awhile and take it in. I've gotten used to working with rustic and neutral colors, occasionally striking out with a fluorescent lime green every so often... ok, once. So, I had to make friends. Craig left the "what" to me - socks? shawl? It's hard not to derive a sense of water when looking at Susquehanna. I started picturing an attendee at a beach wedding with this thrown over their shoulders, or walking along a dock jutting out onto a gorgeous lake at sunset. Anyway, I wanted something easy to throw on, not too warm for these summery months and could be worn over a pretty summer dress or anything that needs a layer.
Of course a shawl was the first thing on my mind, but Craig simply stated, "I feel like I've seen so many lately." That's all I needed to hear. He was right. So, my mind wandered to a little cardigan, but then it started to get complicated. I didn't want to do a whole garment. And who wants to knit a whole garment in the summer when you're knitting while traveling, at the beach or in the country. Alas, a shrug. Something in between the two.
It comes in two sizes since the silhouette is so versatile. When my friend kindly agreed to model it for me she thought the sample size was a bit too roomy for her. (She's 5'2" with a 34" bust.) So I made the sample size the larger one and sized down for the other size.
(By the way, when my friend agreed to model she also decided she needed to make a dress to wear... which she did the night before. Isn't it pretty? It's using Nani Iro double gauze fabric, of which we are both mutually obsessed.)
To keep it airy, light and interesting to knit there's a bit of "lace", or more like openwork along the arms and back.
If you follow this blog, you may remember the Staple Dress I made out of some amazing lawn fabric. That fabric was quite the inspiration for the pattern, and the inspiration for the name. The print of that fabric is called La Venta, and when I was trying to come up with a pattern name (not my forte) I really loved the idea of paying homage to such a wonderful fabric.
I do hope you enjoy it! I know I sometimes struggle with what to knit in the summer, and if you feel the same I hope this fills that void for you.
To purchase the pattern, head on over to Loop here.
Read all about it from Loop's blog, and purchase the yarn here.
Loop is also offering the pattern for free with purchase of the yarn for the project until August 31st!